The impact of New York`s lifestyle on the character of Sheila Levine in Gail Parent`s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living In New York.

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xi ABSTRACT

ADE PUTRI MIRANI (2009). The Impact Of New York’s Lifestyle Toward The

Character Of Sheila Levine In Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living

In New York. Yoyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Lettres, Sanata Dharma University.

This study focuses on Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living In New York. The author of this work presents the impact of New York’s lifestyle. Through the major character, Sheila Levine, the work portrays the lifestyle and the impact of lifesyle in New York.

In this study, the writer has three main problems to be discussed. The first problem is to find out the character of Sheila Levine in the novel. The second problem is to find out the lifestyle of New York through the setting in the novel. The third problem is to find out the impact of New York’s lifestyle toward the character of Sheila Levine in the novel.

A library research method was conducted in this study. Besides using Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York as the primary source, the writer uses te secondary sources taken from some books and websites dealing with the study and supporting analysis of the novel. Some sources were Aspect of the Novel by E.M. Foster (1980), A Glossary of Literature by M.H. Abrams (1981), A Handbook to Literature by C.Holman and Harmon William (1986) and New Worlds of Literature by Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter.

The result of this study shows that the character of Sheila Levine is a low self-confidence girl, a dreamer girl, an easy to give up girl and a negative thinking girl. Then, the writer shows the lifestyle of New York through the setting which consists of promiscuous and freedom to choose some interests. Those lifestyles impact Sheila’s character. First, her sexual life becomes uncontrolled. Second, she becomes an open minded person. The last, Sheila becomes an independen person.

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xii ABSTRAK

ADE PUTRI MIRANI (2009). The Impact Of New York’s Lifestyle Toward The

Character Of Sheila Levine In Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living

In New York. Yoyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Penelitian ini difokuskan pada Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living In New York karya Gail Parent. Pengarang dalam karya sastra ini menyajikan dampak dari gaya hidup di New York. Melalui karakter utama, Sheila Levine, karya sastra menggambarkan gaya hidup dan dampak dari gaya hidup di New York.

Pada penelitian ini, penulis mengetengahkan tiga permasalahan. Permasalahan yang pertama adalah apa saja karakter dari Sheila Levine dalam novel. Permasalahan yang kedua adalah apa saja gaya hidup yang ada di New York dilihat dari tata letak di novel. Permasalahan yang ketiga adalah apa saja dampak dari gaya hidup di New York terhadap karakter dari Sheila Levine dalam novel.

Studi pustaka digunakan dalam studi ini. Disamping menggunakan Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living In New York sebagai sumber utama, penulis menggunakan sumber sekunder yang di ambil dari beberapa buku dan situs internet yang berhubungan dengan studi ini dan mendukung analisis novel. Beberapa sumber tersebut adalah Aspect of the Novel oleh E.M. Foster (1980), A Glossary of Literature oleh M.H. Abrams (1981), A Handbook to Literature oleh C.Holman and Harmon William (1986) and New Worlds of Literature oleh Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter.

Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa karakter Sheila Levine adalah rasa percaya diri yang rendah, pemimpi, mudah menyerah dan berpikir negatif. Kemudian, hal itu menunjukkan gaya hidup New York melalui tata letak yang terdiri dari hubungan seksual diluar pernikahan dan bebas memilih apa yang mereka inginkan. Gaya hidup New York berdampak pada karakter Sheila Levine. Pertama, kehidupan seksualnya menjadi tidak terkontrol. Kedua, dia menjadi orang yang berfikiran terbuka. Terakhir, Sheila menjadi orang yang mandiri.

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THE

IMPACT OF NEW YORK’S LIFESTYLE ON THE

CHARACTER OF SHEILA LEVINE IN GAIL PARENT’S

SHEILA LEVINE IS DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

in English Letters

ADE PUTRI MIRANI Student Number: 094214001

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

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THE

IMPACT OF NEW YORK’S LIFESTYLE

ON THE

CHARACTER OF SHEILA LEVINE IN GAIL PARENT’S

SHEILA LEVINE IS DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

in English Letters

ADE PUTRI MIRANI Student Number: 094214001

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

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LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR

COMFORT ZONE

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vii

FOR:

ALLAH S.W.T

MY BELOVED PARENTS

MY BELOVED SISTER

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viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my creator, Allah S.W.T for His blessing and giving me strength in accomplishing this thesis. I would be nothing without His blessing and guidance.

I would like to give my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M.Hum. who has spent his time to guide me to finish this thesis. I also would like to be thankful to my co-advisor, Dr. FX. Siswadi, M. A., for giving me some suggestions for the betterment for this thesis. My special thanks go to my beloved parents, Bapak Hasanuddin and Ibu Praptining Dewi, whom I know that they are always beside me to give me your support and prayer; my sister, Meilin Dwini, for your love, attention, support and pray; my bestfriend, Zuli Yanto, for your attention, support, love, pray and always besides me when I need someone to talk to.

I also thank my lovely bestfriends in English Letters Department: Adel, Floren, Dias and all other friends in English Letters 2009 for the good friendship and memories we have shared together.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE...i

APPROVAL PAGE...ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE...iii

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS...iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY...v

MOTTO PAGE...vi

DEDICATION PAGE...vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS...ix

ABSTRACK...xi

ABSTRAK...xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION...1

A. Background of the Study...1

B. Problem Formulation...3

C. Objectives of the Study...3

D. Definition of Terms...4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE...6

A. Review of Related Studies...6

B. Review of Related Theories...10

1.Theory of Character and Characterization...10

2.Theory of Character Development...12

3.Theory of Setting...13

C. Theoretical Framework...14

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY...15

A. Object of the Study...15

B. Approach of the Study...16

C. Method of the Study...16

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS...21

A. The Character of Sheila Levine Described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York...19

1. A Low Self-Confidence Girl...19

2. A Dreamer Girl...22

3. An Easy to Give up Girl...23

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A. New York’s Lifestyle Described through the Setting in Sheila Levine is

Dead and Living in New York...27

1. Promiscuous...27

2. Freedom to Choose Some Interests...30

B. The Impact of New York’s Lifestyle on the Character of Sheila Levine in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York...32

1. Uncontrolled Sexual Life...32

2. Open Minded Person...34

3. Independent Person...37

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...40

BIBLIOGRAPHY...42

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xi ABSTRACT

ADE PUTRI MIRANI (2009). The Impact Of New York’s Lifestyle Toward The

Character Of Sheila Levine In Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living

In New York. Yoyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Lettres, Sanata Dharma University.

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xii ABSTRAK

ADE PUTRI MIRANI (2009). The Impact Of New York’s Lifestyle Toward The

Character Of Sheila Levine In Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living

In New York. Yoyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

There are many things that can influence somebody’s character. One of them is lifestyle.

Lifestyle as described in Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture (1992:371) means a way of living, including the kind of home one lives in, the things one owns, the kind of job one does, and the leisure activities one enjoys. According to Webster’s New Twenties Century Dictionary (1983:1045), lifestyle means the consistent, integrated way of life of an individual as typified by his manner, attitudes possessin, etc.

Human being cannot deny that in every country, lifestyle still exists. Life style does not only exist in a big country but also in a small country. One of the social conditions that can influence human being most is lifestyle. The writer states that because human being absolutely live in one place and at that place there are many societies that have their own lifestyle. For example, the lifestyle of the way they talk, the way of thinking, the way of behaving in public, the way of socialize their selves in their society, the way of dressing, and many more.

There is a connection between lifestyle and character. The lifestyle in certain place will influence the character of each person. In this literary work, the writer sees the lifestyle of the city in the novel really influences the character of the major character, Sheila Levine, in the novel.

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E.M Foster (1974:54) states that character development is the changing of the character from the beginning until the end of the story. A character is a developed if she or he experiences a change are some disposition, personality, or outlook. He is not the same person as he was at the beginning of the story. He changes into a new character. The changing depends on the condition and experiences as it is in the story.

According Drs. E Van Laar and Dr. N. Schoonderwoerd (1963:171), character development is an action and incident spring out of character and, having accurred they change it, so that at the end of a novel a character should have changed, have developed, and i.e. should be different from what it was in the beginning of the novel.

In this thesis, the writer is interested in analyzing a novel entitled Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York by Gail Parent. This novel is interesting to discuss since Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York was Gail Parent’s first novel that was published among the first chick lit novel. This novel was written in 1972 and become a bestseller novel. Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York presents bittersweet moment in life.

Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York is a novel that tells about a suicide note of Jewish American woman who does not marry in her thirty years old. This novel tells about women who have to face many problems during their single life. In this novel, Sheila Levine as a major character, shows about pictures of life and shows certain lifestyle through her character.

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In this thesis, the writer are able to analyze the impact of New York’s lifestyle on the character of Sheila Levine. In 1970, America faces big revolution. One of the revolution is the women's liberation movement. In this era, women have their right to do what they want, such as to get higher education, choose a place to live, and choose a job they want.

From the explanation above, it can be seen that this study is going to see the impact of New York’s lifestyle toward the character of Sheila Levine in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York.

A. Problem Formulation

Based on the background of the study discussed prevoiusly, the problem that accurs in this study are formulated as follows:

1. How is the character of Sheila Levine described in the novel?

2. How is New York’s lifestyle described through the setting in the novel? 3. How does New York’s lifestyle impact the character of Sheila Levine in the

novel?

B. Objectives of the Study

Related to the problem above, the study has three objectives, as follow: first, the writer tries to describe the character of Sheila Levine in the novel. Second, it is to identify how New York’s lifestyle is described through the setting in the novel. Third, the writer tries to analyze what the impact of New York’s lifestyle on the character of Sheila Levine in the novel.

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C. Definition of Terms

In analyzing a novel, it is important to understand the terms since the terms essentially related to the problem discussed. There are some terms used related to the topic that are able to be discussed in this thesis. Those terms are lifestyle and character.

The first term that is described by the writer is lifestyle. Lifestyle as described in Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture (1992:371) means a way of living, including the kind of home one lives in, the things one owns, the kind of job one does, and the leisure activities one enjoys.

Meanwhile, according to Webster’s New Twenties Century Dictionary (1983:1045), lifestyle means the consistent, integrated way of life of an individual as typified by his manner, attitudes possessin, etc.

The second term to describe is character. Character according to Abram (1989: 20) is an element of literary works that play a significant role in building a story. Character describes a person with certain types and certain qualities. Abram states that the physical appearance, emotional, and moral qualities describe the character and characterization in dramatic or narrative work. The way character speak, think and act show their emotional, person’s qualities of mind and moral qualities (1981: 23). It is obvious that character’s appearance in a literary work can extremely help the readers’ understanding about what is really going on in the play, as well as what qualities lie behind their presentation.

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Then, a character has a complex personality that is influenced by the environment or society where he lives. The motivation owned by a character to do the action is started from the society’s demand. In order to be apart of the society, the character has to adapt to the environment whether he likes it or not (Langland, 1984: 12).

According to Stanton (1988: 712) character is the individual appears in a story, mixture of interest, desires, emotiuons, and moral principles that make one individual different from other.

Meanwhile, De Laar (1963: 20) states that the interaction with the environment such as nature and society’s moral values influences the character’s idea and their moral values. The norms and moral values in society can make a change on the character’s idea on life.

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6 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

In analyzing the topic, the writer of this thesis looks for some studies related to the book and the topic of the thesis. It aims to help the writer in developing the idea. Those studies are very important to get some information about the book and the topic of the thesis itself.

First is the undergraduate thesis written by Siti Sulasmi entitled “The Reflection of Twentieth Century American Woman as seen in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York.” Sulasmi says that the broad range of time from beginning until the end of twentieth century allows many changes happened among American woman in that century. The characteristics and lifestyles discussed here are the generalization of American’s woman characteristics and lifestyles done during the range of time. During this century, many American woman decided to avoid or delay marriage. These woman were more open to new experience and they are also freer to absorb anything going on around them so that they can turn on to life as never before. They were also free to choose and decide the types of work, place to live, and friends. Moreover, women in America in the twentieth century were free to choose every activity to please themselves and to arrange their own life. They also had freedom on sexuality. These woman spent their free time in many pleasing activities such as shopping, reading books and travelling (Sulasmi, 2007: 4).

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Sulasmi also stated that the characteristics of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk in the novel, which are willing to develop themselves as independent persons, free to look for their own interest, possessing the traditional qualities of women, thinking mainly of herself (Sulasmi, 2007: 26-41).

She also desribed the lifestyle of Sheila Levine and Linda Minks in the novel. They are delaying and avoiding the marriage, premarital sexual intercourse, taking occupation related with traditional qualities of women, getting higher education, and reading books, shopping and vacations as leisure activities (Sulasmi, 2007: 41-60).

The second study is the undergraduate thesis written by Windy Wirdhoningrum entitled “The Motivation of Sheila Levine in Committing Suicide as seen in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in new York.” Wirdhiningrum states that Sheila Levine is described as a pessimistic, easy to give up and negative thinking girl. She is also a perfectionist and dreamer. Her negative personality is formed by some factors. They are family and society factors. Living in a family and society, which has some rules make Sheila feels depressed. It happens because Sheila finds many difficulties following the rules and norms that prevail in her society and family. Therefore, her personalities become negative because she cannot fullfil her needs. It makes Sheila become easy to feel desperate about her life and thinks that death is the best way to end her suffer in the world where she cannot do anything without being judged (Wirdhoningrum, 2006: 59).

Wirdhoningrum also states that Sheila’s motivation to commit a suicide is difficulties facing her life with her condition, especially her physical appearances,

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which she thinks different and also her struggles to get a man to be married, which has no result at all, while her age running. Her surrounding which seem so “normal” not happened to her. She is frustrated about her condition. She wants to end her suffer, and then she decides to commit suicide. She thinks that by ending her life, the world will be better without her and she will not feel ashamed, afraid, and worry about her single status, her overweight body and her curly hair. She thinks that by commiting suicide she can find happiness because she will be free from her problems and suffers (Wirdhoningrum, 2006: 59).

Next study is from New York Times Community. Lassie says that set in New York pre-sex in the city days, when middle class people could afford to live there. Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York was a favorite novel back in the 70’s by Gail Parent. Sheila that is living in New York should afford to face the reality of the life in New York. She is a Jewish girl who looks for a husband and a happines in her life. But the reality she should stuggle her life to be accepted in the society. Because of her life is hard then she gives up and decides to kill herself (http://community.nytimes.com/).

Another criticism is written by A. Lively. According to Lively, Sheila Levine hates her life. She hates being unmarried, unattractive and overweight Jewish woman living in New York City. She suffers from having a controlling mother, no real friends and alone in the city that never sleeps. The answer of Sheila’s misery is to commit suicide. Before she commits suicide, she writes a note to all people that have caused her pain. Sheila also wants everyones know that she

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commits suicide because she is unmarried woman (http://www.amazon.com/Sheila-Levine-Dead-Living-York/dp/1585674710).

Last criticism is written by O’neil. According to O’neil, some hereditary factors that contribute to personality development do so as a result of interactions with the particular social environment in which people live. For instance, your genetically inherited physical and mental capabilities have an impact on how others see you and, subsequently, how you see yourself. If you have poor motor skills that prevent you from throwing a ball straight and if you regularly get bad grades in school, you will very likely be labeled by your teachers, friends, and relatives as someone who is inadequate or a failure to some degree. This can become a self-fulfilling prophesy as you increasingly perceive yourself in this way and become more pessimistic about your capabilities and your future (http://anthro.palomar.edu/social/soc_3.htm).

However, this study attemps to develop something new and different from the other studies. This study focuses on the topic of the impact of New York’s lifestyle on the character of Sheila Levine in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. In this study, the reader can see the changes of Sheila’s character after she moves to New York city. Then, in this study, the reader can see the lifestyle which exists in New York.

Before she moves to New York, Sheila’s mind is always set by her mother’s idea about marriage. Her mother always says that marriage is important for woman but that kind of mind set changes when Sheila moves to New York. In New York,

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she finds that woman can do everything they want. They can choose what kind of job they want and they have rights to choose their interest.

A. Review of Related Theories

In this part the writer uses some theories to be the basic guidance in answering the problem formulation. The theories will be divided into three parts: first, theory of setting; second, theory of character and characterization; third, theory of character development.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Character according to Abrams (1989: 20) is an element of literary works that play a significant role in building a story. Character describes a person with certain types and certain qualities. Abram stated that the physical appearance, emotional, and moral qualities describe the character and characterization in dramatic or narrative work. The way characters speak, think and act show their emotional, person’s qualities of mind and moral qualities (1981: 23). It is obvious that character’s appearance in a literary work can extremely help the readers’ understanding about what is really going on in the play, as well as what qualities lie behind their presentation.

According to Stanton (1988: 712) character is the individual appears in a story, mixture of interest, desires, emotiuons, and moral principles that make one individual different from other.

Then, a character has a complex personality that is influenced by the environment or society where he lives. The motivation owned by a character to do

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the action is started from the society’s demand. In order to be apart of the society, the character has to adapt to the environment whether he likes it or not (Langland, 1984: 12).

Meanwhile, De Laar (1963: 20) stated that the interaction with the environment such as nature and society’s moral values influences the character’s idea and their moral values. The norms and moral values in society can make a change on the character’s idea on life.

Besides, Holman and Harmon stated (1986:81), there are three methods of characterization in fiction. The first method is the explicit presentation. In this method, the author tells the readers about the character through direct exposition or analysis, which informs how the character is. The second method is the presentation of the character in action. In this representation, the author only uses a little or no explicit comment, in the expectation that the readers are able to conclude about the attributes of the actor from the action. The last method is the representation from within a character, without comment on the character by the author. In this method, the author suggests that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character clearly through the impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner self.

Meanwhile, Beaty and Hunter stated that character is particular trait of a person that makes him or her distinctive. Character is individuals portrayed in literature are often referred (1989:231).

Beaty and Hunter also stated that characterization is the way that the author describes the character and the process of defining them. In addition,

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characterization is describing the way characters look (their physical appearance and their clothing, bearing, make up, and so on); the way they speak, the way they think, the way they do and what other people say about them (1989:23).

2. Theory of Character Development

Meanwhile, Laurence Perrine (1974:71) states that the character in the novel does not change in a sudden way, but changes step by step. The character must begin the change with smaller change should be sufficiently motivated by circumstances. One cannot changes his or her characteristics so suddenly without any reasons, but it must follow sufficiently time and reason of the changes.

Perrine also divides the character in two, static and dynamic characters. a. Static Character

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Such character does not undergo a change and will have the same characteristics from the beginning until the end of the story. This is due to the influence of the event changing or the disorder inter-relationship with other characters.

b. Dynamic Character

Dynamic character is also called a developing character and is the opposite of the static character. The chaharcter will change in certain conditions and it can be develop into some possibilities. A developing character can undergo a permanent change in some aspects of his or her in some character, personality or outlook. Thye change may be for a large or small one and for better or worse.

Furthermore, the dynamicity of the characters cannot be measured from the quantity of the change but from the significant difference of the characters’ behavior in some events. Therefore, a dynamic character is complex, many-sided and requires a deeper analysis than a static character (1974: 71).

3. Theory of Setting

Abrams said that setting in dramatic work is related with general locale, the historical time, and also related with the society or the social circumstances in which place , time, and society the actions occurs. Abrams also stated that setting is related with the meaning or the messages in the story. Abrams gave another explanation that setting is also about social circumstances or environment where the action occurs. It shows that setting is about the social condition where the chatacter exist (1981:192).

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According to Holman and Harmon (1986:465), there are four elements making up a setting. They are listed under four headings: (1) the actual geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical arrengements as the location of the windows and doors in the room, (2) the occupation and daily manner of living of the characters; (3) the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, epoch in history or season of the year; (4) the general environment of the characters, for example, religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional condition through which the people in the narrative move.

B. Theoretical Framework

There are three problems in the previous chapter in order to discuss the impact of New York’s lifestyle onthe character of Sheila Levine in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. The first problem questions is about the description of Sheila Levine’s character in the novel. In order to answer the question, it is necessary to apply theory of character and characterization. The next problem is to describe the lifestyle of New York through the setting in the novel. Theory of setting is important to answer the question. The third question is about to analyze how New York’s lifestyle impact the character of Sheila Levine. For answering the third question, the writer applied the theory of character development.

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15 CHAPRER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York.

This novel was first published in August 1972 by G.P. Putnam’s sons. This novel is written by a young writer named Gail Parent. She graduated from New York University. She is a very famous writer in Hollywood. Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York is Gail Parent’s first novel. The writer uses the second edition of Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New YorkI that is published in July 1973 by Bantam Books, Inc. This novel consists of 218 pages that are divided into 12 chapters.

The novel has been made into a film in 1975 and released by Paramount Pictures with Harry Korshak as the producer. The film, which has time duration of 119 minutes, was directed by Sidney J. Furie and stared by Jeannie Berlin as Sheila Levine.

Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York is a bittersweet suicide note novel which tells about a Jewish American Woman who have not got married at her thirty years old. In this novel shows the struggles of Sheila Levine being a single woman in New York. She shares an apartment with her roommate,Linda, in New York as an independent woman. They have many activities to do as a single woman. They are travelling, shopping, reading books, having sex intercourse with any men they want. They have freedom to choose the things that they want to do, such as to get higher education, to choose the place they live and to choose the job they want.

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Besides that, both of them are difficult to find the right man to be their husband, especially, Sheila Levine. Because of that Sheila Levine feels unfortune and decides to commit suicide. Before she commits suicide, she plans everything for her funeral.

A. Approach of the Study

In analyzing works of literature, some critics have their own ways and approaches. This study goes deeper on analyzing the character development and the setting on the novel. The analysis will go directly seeing the text of the novel. It is suitable to choose new criticism as the approach.

Bressler (1999: 43) said that new criticism approach concentrates to reveal the structure of the work of art and its interrelationship to find out the idea developed from the work itself.

This approach is chosen since it covers some aspects that relate each other to answer the problem formulation stated in the first chapter, exploring the

description of Sheila Levine’s character, description of New York’s lifestyle trough

the setting in the novel and result of Sheila Levine’s character under those impacts. Thus, new criticism is the most appropriate one to be used.

B. Method of the Study

In this study, the writer used library research for the method. The writer needed two kinds of sources in supporting this study. The writer used the book itself entitled Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York, some other theories and also review of the impact of lifestyle on the character. The book itself was the primary source and the other theories and also review were the secondary source.

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The primary source was the book itself. The title was Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York by Gail Parent. The secondary source was the theories that supported this study and the reviews of related studies that related with this work. The theories was taken from some books of theories such as A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams, Reading and Writing about Literature by Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods, Aspect of the Novel by E.M. Foster, A Handbook to Literature by Hugh Holman and William Harmon, An Approach to English Literature by E. Van Laar and Schoonderwoerd, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms written by Christ Baldick.

The writer also took the reviews of related studies from the undergraduate thesis. First one was The Reflection of Twentieth Century American Woman as seen in Gail Paren’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York by Siti Sulasmi. Second was taken from The Motivation of Sheila Levine in Committing Suicide as seen in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in new York by Windy Wirdhoningrum.

This work needed some steps for analyzing. First, the writer read and re-read this work itself Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in new York repeatedly and carefully to understand the work itself. Then, the writer decided the elements that was going to be used. Only then, the writer found the intrinsic elements such as characteristics of the character and the setting. Furthermore, the writer identified every element carefully.

Second, the writer was finding and collecting reviews of studies. Then, the writer was collecting theories book related with this work. The writer found some theories book through library research by borrowing the books. Another way that

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the writer chooses was also copying the important page from the books. Besides, the writer found the theories from webs and online books to collect important data to support this work.

Next, the writer applied the theories and reviews of studies to this work in the analysis. It started by explaining this work completely. Then, it was answering the problem formulations. Then, the writer was able to conclude the analysis to be the sort and clear conclusion.

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19 CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter is devided into three parts. The first part deals with the analysis on the Sheila Levine’s character. The second part discusses about New York’s lifestyle through the setting. The third focuses on the impact of New York’s lifestyle on the character of Sheila Levine.

A. The Character of Sheila Levine Described in Sheila Levine is Dead and

Living in New York

1. A Low Self-Confidence Girl

Sheila Levine is a Jewish girl who has a problem with her appearance. She has low self-confidence because of her appearence. She has a fat body and she thinks it will make herself difficult to look for the right husband. In her age of thirty, it seems to be important to get married. Since Sheila was a kid, her mother has always been talking about marriage to her. That is why marriage is very important to her. The fact that she is not married makes her blame her physical appearance.

There are only about a hundred thousand other Jewish girls like me. Exacly like me, all with hair that has to be straightened, noses that have to be straghtened and all looking for husbands (Parent, 1972: 2).

She knows that she is not the only one who has an appearance like herself. There are so many gilrs in New York that have the same appearence. She has already realized about that but she is doing nothing to get her dreaming body. The only thing she does is complaining and blaming herself.

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The social condition of Sheila Levine is not good enough for her to rise her confidence. She actually can join groups of people that have a good self-confidence then she can grow her social life. She can meet many kind of person and she also can meet the right guy for her to get married. Unfortunately, she chooses to close herself and hangs out with group of hopeless person. Here is a statement shows that Sheila is not a confident person. ”I sat with the other dateless girls, some too tall, some too fat, pimples, bad breath, you name it.” (Parent, 1972: 7). From the statement, the reader can see that Sheila do not do any effort to make herself better. However, it makes Sheila unable to join groups of popular people because her low self-confidence. It makes her stuck in one place and cannot grow to be better.

In New York city, almost all of the girls are looking for husbands including Sheila Levine. At the same time, Sheila feels that she cannot compete with the girls in New York city which have good or bad appearance. She feels not confident with her appearance even though there are so many girls which have the same appearence with her.

I couldn’t compete. I couldn’t sit in Loeb Student Center day after day pretending to read The Behavior Problems of the Young Child, eyes glued to the door.... “Excuse me, is that seat taken?”... (moving over gracefully) “No, no, it’s not.”... “I see you reading The Behavior Problems of the Young

Child.”... (crossing legz throwing head back) “Yes, yes, I am.”... “Could I persuade you to put it down and come with me for a cup of coffee?”... “Love to!” (eyelashes batting so hard, they’re becoming unglued)... It never happened to me. The only man who ever spoke to me in Loeb Student Center was the guard informing me that they would be closing soon (Parent, 1972: 14).

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Besides her appearance problem, she also feels that she is not attractive enough to compete with other girls in New York city. Most of girls who live in New York city have a high confident. They can attract man easily. They start a conversation with a guy they just meet. It shows that they have an extra self-confident.

However, Sheila feels that she is not attractive enough to start a conversation with other guys. She does not know how to start a conversation with man. She does not know what kind of question that will make guys interest to have some conversation with her. She asks useless question which makes them lazy to answer properly. It makes Sheila feel that there is no guy that wants to talk to her because she is ugly.

Linda took their coat into bedroom and piled them on the bed with the other. I wish I was under them. There I was alone with six men, count them, six, and feeling rotten and self-conscious.

"How's your aunt?"

"I don't know. You see her more than I do." "How are things down at the welfare department?" "Hasn't Linda been telling you what's going on?" "You mean about the strike?"

"Yeah"

"Yeah, Linda's been telling me all about it."

"Then whadda you asking me for?" (Hurry back, Linda, please hurry back, I'm sinking.)

"How are thing with you Joshua?"

"I told you already. Fine." (Help, please, somebody help me.) (Parent, 1972: 52-53).

The feeling of low self-confidence of Sheila actually makes her not have much chances to show up her ownself to others. She just closes herself to others. She does not give herself a chance to be better. She cannot hang out with kind of friends she wants. She lets it happen to herself because of her low self-confidence.

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However, it also makes it difficult for Sheila to find the Mr. Right and difficult to get married.

1. A Dreamer Girl

Since Sheila was a little girl, she already knows about marriage. Her mother always tells her that girls should be married and becomes a wife. Little Sheila starts to dream about her wedding ceremony. Here is the statement of her about her wedding ceremony and how her wedding will be held. I do remember that Ruthie and I would have a huge double wedding, under crossed swords at West Point (Parent, 1972: 5). She always dreams about marriage. She dreams about her future husband. She dreams about how many kids she have in the future and she even dreams about where she will stay with her husband and her kinds in the future.

Then, Sheila’s dreams about marriage has grown. She has already planned what she will be when she gets married. She wants to have her own kids. Have a house is also one of her dreams. “When I was a very little girl, I wanted to be a wife and mommy.” (Parent, 1972: 15).

Her mother sets up Sheila’s mind that marriage is a must. She tells Sheila to get married early before the situation becomes harder to find the right man and to get married. It makes Sheila’s imagination about marriage wilder.

Marriage was having a Jewish count crazy about you. We would have a house in Manhattan and a house in Rome, and we would travel from house to house to house to house with our husbands (Parent, 1972: 6).

When Sheila joins in the university, her idea of marriage has been developed. She obviously shows her interest in marriage. She has her own opinion

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of marriage. She has already thought about the criteria of her future husband. She also has already decided what job for her future husband.

By the time I arrived at Syracuse University, I had my ideas on marriage really developed. My husband would have to be creative. He could be a lawyer only if he loved the theater; a doctor, if his hobby was painting; a painter, if his hobby was making money in the stock market (Parent, 1972: 7).

Sheila is always dreaming about marriage. She dreams to be married to a handsome guy who has a good job. She also dreams to have a great house and living there with her husband and her own kinds. At the end, the dreams cannot become true because the reality she is not already getting married to anyone at her age of thirty.

2. An Easy to Give up Girl

Sheila Levine is easily to give up to keep her virginity. It happens when her friend Diane Rifkin asks her to go with her to Colgate. They are picked up by a guy named Steve who is Diane’s date and Sheila is dating Will Fisher that is Steve’s friend. After watcing the game, they come to the cheap apartment where the boys share. Diane and Steve end up in one room and also Sheila and Will Fisher. They do the same thing as their roomate. At first, Sheila refuses to do those bad things but at the end she cannot handle and give up with Will Fisher desire.

My hand got tired moving his hand. My mouth got tired talking. I couldn’t keep up the small talk, and he couldn’t keep down his desire to do what his roommate was doing.

So, finally, as the sun was beginning to rise, I, Sheila Levine, let Will Fisher touch me you know where and he did you know what (Parent, 1972: 10).

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Besides that, Sheila is also easily giving up to keep her dream job. Sheila does not want become a teacher but her mother always pushes her become a teacher. Bernice, Sheila’s mother thinks that teacher is a good job for woman.

“But, Mom, I hate teaching. I hate it!”

“How do you know until you try? Do me a favor, be whatever you want to be, but also be a teacher, it wouldn’t kill you. Your father doesn’t have money to throw out on a college education that when you graduate you’re nothing. I wish I had something to fall back on. I couldn’t earn a nickel if I had to. I don’t have to, thank God, but I didn’t have a father who could send me to college.”

“Okay”

So there I was, saddled with a drama major and an English minor in the School of Education...” (Parent, 1972: 15-16).

When Sheila graduated from college, she and her friend Linda plan to move into their own apartment in New York. They have already found the apartment they want but their mother do not like the neighborhood of the apartment. They want their freedom but they can keep what they want. Finally, both of them follow what their mothers want.

“Sheil, my mother is all upset. She doesn’t like the neighborhood we’re moving into.” There is a grin on my mother’s face. Mom, how did you know? I’m a dying woman, tell me how you knew.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Oh, Linda, why weren’t you strong? Why wasn’t I strong? If I had moved into that apartment, my whole life might have been different. For one thing, it might have been longer.

And so it came to pass that the two wishy-washy Jewish maids allowed their strong mothers and the greatest lawyers in the country to get them out of the lease (Parent, 1972:41-42).

Sheila is tired for looking a man to be married. She gives up easily because she thinks she cannot find a man and she feels she cannot compete with the other girls who has a beutiful face and nice body. She thinks that all of the thing that she

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has already done is useless and she is just wasting her time to compete with woman who is much way better than her. Here is the statement about Sheila is giving up with the marriage. “Well, girls, all you Jewish lovelies out there, good news! The competition will be less. Sheila Levine has given up the fight. She is going to die.” (Parent, 1972: 2).

Sheila always easily gives up about what she wants. She does not have power to defense her desire. She wants to be successful in her life but she can’t keep the thing she wants, such as, her virginity, her job and her own freedom to choose where to live.

3. A Negative Thinking Girl

Sheila’s appearance makes her think that there is no single good thing inside herself. She always compares herself with other girls and it makes her start to think negatively about herself. She always respons everything that is going on in her life with a negative way of thinking.

In her age of thirty, Sheila Levine thinks that she does not have a chance to get married. It is all because she is fat, ugly, no have straightened nose and no have straigntened hair. She blames all of the things inside herself. She even blames the situation.

FACT: SHEILA LEVINE AIN’T NEVER GOING TO GET MARRIED.

SHE NEVER HAD A CHANCE (Parent, 1972: 3).

I wasn’t programmed for marriage. In your day, things were different. In your day, there was such a thing as an ugly bride. Everyone got married. Everyone (Parent,1972: 13).

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Being single at the age of thirty absolutely makes her feel stressful and going to be crazy. She always thinks that people around her will think negatively about herself. She thinks that people around her will think that she is not pretty and nice enough to marry a man.

“No, no, children, don’t go up there. Crazy Aunt Shaila is up there.” “Why is she crazy, Mama?”

“She is crazy because she didn’t get married. Nobody thought she was pretty enough od nice enough to want to marry her, so she went crazy. That’s all. No, no. Don’t go up there, honey.” (Parent, 1972: 30).

This negative thinking also makes her feel isolated from her social life. When her sister Melissa is going to be married she does not want to join the event. She does not want people at that wedding event is giving her questions about when she is going to be married.

Mom, how could you? Don't let this happen to me. Don't make me go to the wedding with all those people asking me when my turn is. I don't have a turn! Mama, don't let her get married first. Stop her. Please! (Parent, 1972: 120).

When Sheila lives in an apartment with her friend Linda, she meets a guy from the same apartment. He is Charles Miller. He is very good looking guy. Sheila is exciting to meet a handsome guys like Charles Miller. Her excitement waned when she notices that Charles is throwing his garbage out in boxes. She thinks that Charles is homosexual because she sees Professor Hinley, who is a homosexual, does the same thing as Charles.

"Oh, Sheila, maybe he'll come."

“Calm down, Linda. He's gay, a fag, a homosexual." ”You don't know."

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"Linda, Linda, Linda, when will you learn? Anybody who puts garbage in a box has got to be queer. I'll be inside those boxes were old eyebrow pencils."

"How do you know? I'm not going to prejudge anybody, and what if he is queer… that doesn't mean he won't change if he meet the right girl." (Parent, 1972: 49).

Sheila is being negative thinking is shown that she is not accepting herself. She is affraid to face the reality since the things in her life is not going well as she expects. Both her carrier and her love life are not going well and she is feeling that she has already failed in this life.

A. New York’s Lifestyle Described through the Setting in Sheila Levine is

Dead and Living in New York

1. Promiscuous

New York city is one of many modern cities in this world. There are many people who want to live in this city. People who come to this city is looking for an education, job and also love life.

There are many lifestyles in New York city as a modern city. One of them is premarital sexual intercourse. People who stay here makes that become their lifestyle. It would be not a big problem if there is a girls who is not virgin.

In New York City there are one million single girls who wear a size nine, have straight hair, and have never had a pimple. Not one of these girl is a virgin (Parent, 1972: 30).

The first time Sheila loses her virginity when she is in the college. She has her first sexual intercourse with a gay named Will Fisher when the first time she meets him. It happens when Sheila’s friend Diane invites her to join her to Colgate to watch a game. After the game, they go to a small Italian restaurant and then go

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to an apartment where the boys share. Then, Sheila loses her viginity with Will Fisher. Here is the statement which shows that. “So, finally, as the sun was beginning to rise, I, Sheila Levine, let Will Fisher touch me you know where and did you know what.” (Parent, 1972: 10).

At first, Sheila refuses Will’s invitation to do that thing but at the end, Sheila gives up and let Will do the thing that he wants even though it is their first meeting. It shows that Sheila also wants to get into a sexual intercourse with him.

Since that time, Sheila’s social life in Syracuse rises. She sleeps with different guys in every week. She also calls “an easy lay.” (Parent,1972: 11).

But I would like to say thank you to you, Will, belated as it may be. Because of you, my social life at old Syracuse blossomed. I slept with a ZBT and a Sammy in one week (Parent, 1972: 11).

Sheila Levine is an easy lay. All you have to do is call her. You don’t have to buy her a drink or take her to parties or anything. You don’t even have to be seen with her in public. Just call her and lay her (Parent, 1972: 11). The sexual intercourse has its own advantages for Sheila. By doing this, she does not have to do exercise anymore and she can lose some weight. She also thinks that she does not have to eat while having sex with guy. She seems to enjoy this sexual intercourse eventhough she does not have a special relationship with the guys who sleeps with her. She thinks that she enjoys during do that and at the same time she can lose some of her weight.

I’m glad. All that sleeping around did two good things for me. First of all, I lost a little weight.

FACT: The average sex act uses up about a hundred and fifty calories. Really, that is a fact. And you don’t eat while you fuck. Therefore, the more you fuck, the less you eat. It’s the best diet I’ve ever been on.

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Second of all, all that sleeping around got me rid of my sexual hang-ups. Whadda you mean, Mom, don’t let a boy touch you, you know where? It feels good when they touch you, you know where (Parent, 1972: 11-12). Sheila’s sexual intercourse increases. She has sexual intercourse with a guy that she meets in her Hallowen party in her apartment. That guy named Norman Berkowitz. She is being aggressive to Norman. She feels comfortable to have sex with guys she just meets.

I was going crazy from the kissing and feeling, so I started-I became aggressive. I grabbed his you know what with a definite purpose in mind. “It’s not okay.”

“Norman, it’s okay.”

“It’s noy okay. I would never forgive myself.” “Norman, it’s okay. I’m not a virgin.”

“I am.”

The truth. I’m telling the truth. I was, at this point, holding the penis of a virgin male... (Parent, 1972: 66-67).

After few times, Sheila has another sexual intercourse with another man beside Norman. This man is Thomas Brown. She meets him at the bar when Sheila visits the bar. After that, she finds out herself is pregnant but she does not know whether its Norman Berkowitz or Thomas Brown is the real father of the baby in her womb. She thinks that abortion is the easiest way to solve the problem. “New York is so abortion-minded, it's part of the culture.” (Parent, 1972: 149).

“And what about a good lay? Don’t you like a good lay?” “Sure I do. I like a good lay as much as the next person.”

And I went there and, okay, we did it. It wasn’tbad, but it wasn’t good either (Parent, 1972: 145-146).

I had an abortion (Parent, 1972: 146).

I didn’t know if the little baby inside me was the son of Normal Berkowitz or Thomas Brown (Parent, 1972: 148).

I wasn’t feeling very maternal, and I didn’t feel that I was destroying a life. The abortion seemed like the easiest way out (Parent, 1972: 148).

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This matter seems like not make her feel sorry for the baby. She is doing abortion easily and thinks that it is not a big deal. It is not a big deal because she thinks that the baby in her womb is only few weeks and it is alright to do the abortion. She keeps her sexual intercourse with other different guy time by time. She does not feel shy to have sex with different guy or with the guy she just meets. It shows that premarital sexual intercourse is a lifestyle for lot of people who lives in New York city including Sheila Levine.

2. Freedom to Choose Some Interests

After Sheila graduates from her School, she joins in the Syracuse University and then she is transferred to New York University. When she is joining the university, she is already deciding what job she wants to join. She already shows her interest to get her own job.

I wanted the type of job that Glamour magazine writes about-WOMEN WHO ARE DOING THINGS-Salary Harding spends most of her day in a helicopter with her handsome boss, whom she married just six days after becoming his creative assistant (Parent, 9172: 21-22).

Sheila has a high criteria about what kind of job she wants in life. She wants a creative job for her future career. Teaching and typing is kind of jobs she hates. She does not want to be a teacher and she also doesn’t want a job which is only typing. Being a teacher is not her passion and typing is not a real job for her.

“Do you type?”

“I type a little, but I don’t want a job where I have to type. I want to do some creative type of work. I wouldn’t even consider a job that required typing.” (Parent, 1972: 25).

Besides what kind of job she wants, she also decides to live by herself in her own apartment. Sheila decides to live in ther apartment with her friend named

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Linda. They tell their parents about to live in their own apartment and then they look for a rent of apartment.

“Boy, did my parents give me the silent treatment when I left Parsippany this morning. They’re really upset that I’m leaving home. What about your mom? How’d she take it?”

“Great. No problem. Wished me luck.” “You’re kidding!”

“Of course I’m kidding. She’d rather have me frozen in her stand-up freezer than have my own apartment.” (Parent, 1972: 33).

Eventhough their parents don’t agree with their decision to move into their own apartment, Sheila and Linda are still looking for an apartment. Finally, their parents get them permission to move into their own apartment.

Sheila also can have her vacation whenever she wants. She and Linda plan to take a vacation to Europe. In Europe, they visit London, Paris and Rome in two weeks vacation. This is the first time they go vacation by their self and it makes them very exited.

“Sheil, how much do you have in the bank?”

“I don’t know... about two hundred and forty-one dollars.” “Great! When’s your vacation?”

Mr. Holland is very nice about it. The squirrels don’t start singing until September. I have two weeks whenever, I guess.”

“Great! I’ve got two weeks and there’s a million charter flights through the NYU Alumni Association we can get and they only cost a hundred and eighty dollars round trip.”

“Okay. So we have two weeks. We’ll just go to London, Paris and Rome.” (Parent, 1972: 68-69).

They enjoy their two weeks to see London, Paris and Rome. They share memories together in Europe as a bestfiend. It is such a worthful memories for both of them. They feel in love with those three beautyful cauntry and decide want to live there soon.

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Then, Sheila Levine also chooses to get higher education. After she graduates from school she wants to join in the collage. Then she joins Syracuse University and then get transferred to New York University and joins at drama major and English minor in the School of Education. Here is the statement of Sheila Levine has freedom to choose her interest. “So, there I was, saddled with a drama major and an English minor in the School of Education, where I met Joshua and Professor Hinley.” (Parebt, 1972: 16).

Sheila has a freedom to choose her interest of something. She does not have to get other permissions or controlled by other to do what she wants to do.

B. The Impact of New York’s Lifestyle toward the Character of Sheila Levine in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York

In this novel, Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York, there are some lifestyles that can be seen by the reader. Those are promiscuous sexual intercourse and freedom to choose some interests. Those lifestyles impact the main character in the novel. Living in New York impacts Sheila’s character in some aspects of her life. The lifestyle or the condition which is the people and setting around her improves some of her characters. It also improves the way she thinks.

1. Uncontrolled Sexual Life

Living in New York makes Sheila’s sexual life uncontrolled. It is not a big problem for her to have promiscuous sexual intercourse. She also feels alright when she does sexual intercourse with the man that she just met. She has sexual intercourse with a guy that she meets in her Hallowen party in her apartment. That guy named Norman Berkowitz.

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I was going crazy from the kissing and feeling, so I started-I became aggressive. I grabbed his you know what with a definite purpose in mind. “It’s not okay.”

“Norman, it’s okay.”

“It’s notokay. I would never forgive myself.” “Norman, it’s okay. I’m not a virgin.”

“I am.”

The truth. I’m telling the truth. I was, at this point, holding the penis of a virgin male... (Parent, 1972: 66-67).

After few times, Sheila has another sexual intercourse with another man besides Norman. This man is Thomas Brown. She meets him at the bar when Sheila visits the bar. After that, she finds out herself is pregnant but she does not know whether its Norman Berkowitz or Thomas Brown is the real father of the baby in her womb. She thinks that abortion is the easiest way to solve the problem. “New York is so abortion-minded, it's part of the culture.” (Parent, 1972: 149).

“And what about a good lay? Don’t you like a good lay?” “Sure I do. I like a good lay as much as the next person.”

And I went there and, okay, we did it. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either (Parent, 1972: 145-146).

I had an abortion (Parent, 1972: 146).

I didn’t know if the little baby inside me was the son of Normal Berkowitz or Thomas Brown (Parent, 1972: 148).

I wasn’t feeling very maternal, and I didn’t feel that I was destroying a life. The abortion seemed like the easiest way out (Parent, 1972: 148).

This matter seems like not make her feel sorry for the baby. She keeps her sexual intercourse with other different guy time by time. Sheila also meets another guy, named Harold, in an election eve party. They date and have sexual intercourse whenever they want. It shows that Sheila’s premarital sexual intercourse has been increased during she lives in New York.

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2. Open Minded Person

Living in New York makes Sheila becomes open minded to everything in her life. She just does not think about to get married like she used to think that marriage is an important thing for woman. Living in New York makes her thinks about her education and future career. She is, of course, realizing that marriage is important and she wants to get married. On the other hand, she is also realizing what is her passion. Sheila feels guilty because she wants to get married and also higher education and job.

After getting transferred to New York University, Sheila joins in Education Department. She joins School of Education with drama major and English minor. Here is the statement which shows Sheila becomes an open minded person and chooses to get higher education. “So there I was, saddled with a draman major and English minor in the School of Education....” (Parent, 1972: 16)

At the end, after four years joins at New York University, Sheila finishes her college. She graduates from New York University. She prouds to herself because she finishes her educations and becomes a diploma. “So I graduated on the hottest day of the year. I stood proudly, sadly, with the other graduates from the School of Education...” (Parent, 1972: 19)

Living in New York opens Sheila’s mind about getting higher education. It makes her develope her mind to have education first, instead of getting married and have children.

Besides, Living in New York also makes Sheila imagine what kind of job she wants. When she is in high school, she wants to get married but, on the other

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hand, she also wants a career in her life. Then she decides to follow her passion to work and get her career.

By the time I got to high school I had definitely decided that I didn’t know what I wanted to be. Of course, I eventually wanted to get married and have children. But I was selfish. I also wanted a career. (Parent, 1972: 15) Her first career is in School of Education. She works in drama major and English minor. She works with Professor Hinley and Joshua. She becomes a worker who helps Joshua and Professor Hinley to do the drama. In School Education, Joshua works as a performer, Professor Hinley works as a director and Sheila works as a star worker. She sweeps the floor, paints the scenery, works the props, pulls the curtains and sings at the opening night party.

So there I was, saddled with a drama major and an English minor in the School of Education, where I met Joshua and Professor Hinley. The three of us drifted together because we were the stars of the drama department. Joshua was the star performer, immediately cast in all productions. Professor Hinley was the star director, directing all the main stage productions. And Sheila? Sheila was the star worker. She swept the stage and painted scenery and worked the props and pulled the curtains and at the opening night party she sang the score of Fiorello off-key (Parent, 1972: 16).

Besides, Sheila also tries to look for another job. She comes to one agency to another to look for her new job. One of agency she visits is called For College Graduates Only which is in West Forty-fifth. At the agency she is intervied by the charming woman named Miss Burke. Sheila explaines what kind of job she prefers. Sheila wants a job which is creative. She thinks she is a creative person. She doesn’t want a job which is just typing. Typing is not a creative job for her.

“Do you type?”

“Actuallly I don’t really want a job where I have to type. I want to do something creative. I’m here to answer your ad in the paper-the on e where

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they were looking for a bright gal. That’s me, a bright gal. Ha-ha-ha.” (Parent, 1971: 24)

All of the agencies which Sheila visits has not attractive Sheila. She does not take any job from her interview because all of the agencies are looking for a woman who can type and Sheila does not like typing. She thinks that typing is not a match job for her and that is totally not a creative job. Then, she gets another job from Rose Lehman’s sister. Sheila works in children’s record business which Frank Holand is the owner of the company.

So I got my job through Rose Lehman’s sister. She was friendly with a man called Danny Hirshfield, who lived next door to a man called Herman Nash, whose brother-in-law, Frank Holland, was in the children’s record business. Rose’s sister swore to me that I wouldn’t have to type... (Parent, 1972: 27- 28)

At the end, Sheila chooses the job which she hates most. It is teaching. Her mother has already told that teaching is a perfect job for Sheila. Her mother thinks that teaching is a job where Sheila does not have to spend all of her time in office. When the student has a vacation then the teacher also has a vacation. That is the reason Sheila chooses this job because it is the right job for woman. This job has some benefits for woman. Sheila has a good salary, holiday on Chirstmast and Easter and vacations on summer.

...I went into teaching, like Mama always wanted. It was like becoming a nun. I didn’t make it in the real world, so I went into teaching. Through about pensions and everything. I taught seventh-grade English on the Lower East Side. It wasn’t easy; the kids were tough, but the job had its benefits. The pay was good-Christmast and Easter off, summer vacations. (Parent, 1972: 140)

Living in New York makes Sheila opens her mind. She decides what job she prefers. She gets her own career to support her life. Eventhough her mother

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always talks to her about marriage and how important the marriage for her, it does not make Sheila stop her career. She prefers to get her career than to get married. 3. Independent Person

Living in New York makes her become Independent person. She decides what she wants without controlled by other people. She chooses the place to live. Eventhough her mother does not agree with her dicision to move out from their home but it doesn’t make her change her mind.

“Boy, did my parents give me the silent treatment when I left Parsippany this morning. They’re really upset that I’m leaving home. What about your mom? How’d she take it?”

“Great. No problem. Wished me luck.” “You’re kidding!”

“Of course I’m kidding. She’d rather have me frozen in her stand-up freezer than have my own apartment.” (Parent, 1972: 33)

As an independent person makes Sheila fells grateful because she is not married yet. She can gain hapiness by herself. She can choose what job she wants. She chooses her own apartment. She also can visit Europe because she has her own salary. “It’s been great. A lot of fun. I’m glad I didn’t get married right out of college. Look at all the things we’ve done-worked, had our own apartment, seen Europe”(Parents, 1972: 79)

Being independent person is also shown when she decides to have promiscuous sexual intercourse. She does not need anyone’s opinian whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to do. If she wants to do the sexual intercourse with the man that she just meets that is not a big problem for her. She also feels that having sex has its own advantages. First, she can lose some weight by doing this. Second,

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she does not need to eat while having sex. This is one of her thought that makes her do sexual intercourse.

I’m glad. All that sleeping around did two good things for me. First of all, I lost a little weight.

Second of all, all that sleeping around got me rid of my sexual hang-ups. Whadda you mean, Mom, don’t let a boy touch you, you know where? It feels good when they touch you, you know where. (Parent, 1972: 11-12) Being independent person also makes Sheila think about her relationship with her boyfried Norman whom she has already dated in seven year. Sheila and Normal relationship is a normal relationship like others couple out there in New York. They go to dinner, they watch movie together, they go to museum, and they go vacation together. Along the seven years relationship, Sheila is getting bored because Normal doesn’t propose her to get married to him. It makes Sheila decide to break up with Norman and be a single lady.

So I finally proposed. The night before we left Puerto Rico.

“Norman, I really think we’re wasting each others time if we don’t get married.”

“I don’t think so.”

(And I gambled with love...) “Then I really think we should stop seeing each other.”

“Okay.” (... and lost.) (Parent, 1972: 151).

Sheila is not depending on others back even her family. She stands by her own feets. She does what she wants and she will take responsibility by her own self. The fact that she is overweight and is not married makes her feel so depressed. And it makes her decide to kill herself.

Being overweght is one of the reasons I’m going to kill myself. I’m tired of dieting, and I’m tired of looking at everyone else in bikinis. I’d stick a knife

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in my chest, but it would probably never get through the fatty tissue to my heart. (Parent, 1972: 121)

Being an independent person also makes Sheila Levine prepares her own funeral. She prepares where she is going to be buried. She prepares a good dress for herself to be wore. She meets the Rabbi to explaine why she kills herself. She wants Rabbi tell to everyone at her funeral the reason she kills herself. She wants her parents know that she suffers because of not getting married and there is no a single man who wants to be her husband.

“Rabbi, I have planned to kill myself on July third and will be buried Jully fourth. I am killing myself because I wanted to get married and my mother wanted me to get married and I never did get married, and I’am tired of the embarrassment of it all. I would like you to officiate at the funeral because if you don’t, some strange rabbi will say a lot of prayers that would be meaningless to me and no one in the whole memorial chapel at Rossman’s Memorial Park will know why I died. I want them to know why I died. I want the to know. It’s importantto me” (Parents, 1972: 198).

All of the quotations above is a proof that the main character in this novel named Sheila Levine is an independent person. Although the things that she decides is not all a good thing, at least, she braves to choose what she wants. She just does what she wants to do without being controlled by others. She also braves to decide the things that will be going through in her life.

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40 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

From the analysis in the previous chapter, it is concluded that the lifestyle of New York impacts the character of the major character, Sheila Levine, in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. At the beginning of the story, it shows that Sheila Levine is a low self-confidence girl, a dreamer girl, an easy to give up girl and a think negative girl. When she was a kid she always dreams about her marriage. She dreams about her future husband, where will they live and how many kids she wants. After she grows up, she loses her confidence because of her physical appearance. She starts to give up about her live and starts to think negative about herself.

The condition changes when Sheila moves to New York City to finish her education. The life she lives in New York is different from her old place. In New York City, people around her has different lifestyle. They sleep with people they just meet and have promiscuous sexual intercourse. They also have freedom to choose some interests. They go to party at night, meet people they want, get vacations, get their career, get higher education, and go shopping. This lifestyle changes Sheila character. She already knows what she wants in life.

Living in New York makes Sheila think what she wants in life. It makes her become independent person. She moves out from her parent’s house and gets her own apartment. She also becomes an open minded woman. She finishes her education and becomes a diploma. She also opens her mind about her career. In

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New York University, she gets her first career. She works at drama major and an English minor in the School of Education, where she meets Joshua and Professor Hinley. Sheila tries to look for another job and then she joins at children’s record business which Frank Holand is the owner of the company. Besides, living in New York also makes Sheila’s promiscuous sexual intercourse becomes uncontrolled. She sleeps and has sexual intercourse with every guy she wants.

All of the statements above shows that New York’s lifestyle through the setting impacts the character of Sheila Levine. At the beginning, her character before she moves to New York City are a low self-confidence girl, a dreamer girl, an easy to give up girl and a negative thinking girl. Then she moves to New York City. In New York City, there are some lifestyles which can impact Sheila’s character. Those are promiscuous and freedom to choose some interests. Those lifestyles impact Sheila’s character. She has uncontrolled sexual life. She also becomes open minded and independen person.

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