Ammu`s motive for having sexual intercourse with Velutha in Arundhati Roy`s the God of small things - USD Repository
AMMU’S MOTIVE FOR HAVING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
WITH VELUTHA IN ARUNDHATI ROY’S THE GOD OF SMALL
THINGS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra on English Letters
By
RICHARD ANSELM US POEH
Student Number : 034214006
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
The one who sent me is wit h me;
He has not lef t me alone,
f or I always do what pleases Him
(J ohn 8: 29)
Fides Quaerens Intellectum
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to say my best gratitude to My Lord Jesus Christ, the owner of my life, for His blessings and mercies in my life up to this point, which make me value this life and therefore be willing to do my best in this life, including accomplishing this thesis writing.
Furthermore, I also express my thankfulness to Th. Enny Anggraini, my advisor, and Tatang Iskarna, my co-advisor, for their guidance in the process of writing of this thesis. Also I would like to thank to my parents, Benyamin Christian Poeh and Sari Mulia Poeh, and my brother and sister, Godlif and Rilia for their never-ending support for me. And finally I am indebted to my friends, both in campus and Joy with whom I experience God’s love. I am blessed to have a wonderful friendship with my friends in English Letters 2003, in particular Jo, Dee and Putri, who have enriched and colored my life in a marvelous way. Also, I would like to thank to the following people who have given me compassion, love and support which undoubtedly enhanced my being during my stay in Jogja, At JOY Fellowship: m’Sigit, Shinta, k’Lusy, Agus, Bun-bun, k’Lina, k’Chatrine, k’ Artha, m’ Gugun, k’ Danger, Bom-bom, k’ Dwi, Fredi, Novi, Yani, Enji, Aria, Andre, k’Cia, Vincent, Adit, Valent, Leo, as my brothers and sisters in JOY Cell Group; members of fellowship Ministry: k’Masda, k’ Yeni, k’Ibeth, m’ Dina, Ike, Riris, Itho, Erda, Irma, Venska, Yoka, Nelson, Arnold, Melki, Geby, Lily, Mechi, Monic, Leni, Lena, Dian, Thresna, and Berlin. May God bless you all with His amazing love.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................. i
APPROVAL PAGE30 B. Approach of the Study ..........................................................................
68 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................
59 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ..................................................................
54 C. Love Needs as Ammu’s Motive for Having sexual intercourse with Velutha ..........................................................................................
46 2. Velutha .............................................................................................
43 B. Characters 1. Ammu...............................................................................................
41 4. Woman Marginality .........................................................................
39 3. Caste System ....................................................................................
36 2. Economical Condition......................................................................
36 1. Political Condition ...........................................................................
35 A. Socio-Cultural Aspects in the Novel.....................................................
32 C. Method of the Study.............................................................................. 33 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ........................................................................
30 A. Object of the Study ..............................................................................
........................................................................................ ii
29 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY .............................................................
8 C. Theoretical Framework..........................................................................
5 B. Review of Related Theories .................................................................
5 A. Review of Related Studies ....................................................................
4 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ................................................
3 C. Objectives of the Study..........................................................................
1 B. Problem Formulation.............................................................................
1 A. Background of Study.............................................................................
ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................... viii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... vii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................. iii
MOTTO PAGE .............................................................................................. iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................... vi
ABSTRACT72
ABSTRACT
Richard Anselmus PoEh. Ammu’s Motive for Having Sexual Intercourse with
Velutha in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things . Yogyakarta: Department
of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.Human action is driven by certain motives. We can understand why someone acts in certain way by looking at his motive. And this is the topic discussed in this study, to observe the motive behind the main character, Ammu, who bravely brought herself to have sexual intercourse with Velutha. It is appealing to discuss this topic since sexual relationship between castes in fact was strictly prohibited in India at that time.
There are three problems to discuss. The first is the socio-cultural aspects presented in the novel. The second is the depiction of Ammu and Velutha’s character as influenced by their society. And the last one is the explanation of Ammu’s motive for having sexual intercourse with Velutha.
The writer used library research in collecting data. The approach applied is psychological approach. This is suitable since it is human motivation that becomes the central discussion of the thesis, and human motivation itself is a topic studied in psychology.
As the result, the writer concluded, first: the socio-cultural aspects presented in the novel were not conducive for living, for woman and low caste people in particular. There were a lot of injustices. These created conflicts in several regions of India. Second, Ammu was a strong-will woman with full awareness of this chaos and discriminations. She was a widow with two daughters, who possessed a rebellious and sarcastic character. She was the enemy of patriarchal society. Velutha, on the other hand, was a smart and talented low caste man. He was also rebellious toward discriminations in society. Third, Ammu saw that Velutha had several similarities with her, and this made Ammu attracted to Velutha. Besides his physical attractiveness, Ammu find that they both reacted similarly toward society, and most importantly they loved children. These similarities, followed by feelings of anxiety, loneliness and alienation caused by unbeneficial social-cultural conditions, constructed desire to love and be loved within Ammu’s heart, which later made her long for a union with Velutha to overcome those unpleasant feelings. This was finally expressed through having sexual intercourse with him.
ABSTRAK
Richard Anselmus PoEh. Ammu’s Motive for Having Sexual Intercourse with
Velutha in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things . Yogyakarta: Department
of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008..Tindakan manusia didorong oleh motif- motif tertentu. Kita dapat memahami alasan seseorang melakukan tindakan tertentu dengan melihat motif dibalik tindakannya itu. Topik inilah yang dibahas di dalam penelitian ini, untuk memahami motif dibalik tindakan seorang tokoh utama, bernama Ammu, yang dengan berani memberikan dirinya untuk melakukan hubungan seksual dengan Velutha. Hal ini sangat menarik karena hubungan seksual antar kasta sangatlah ditentang oleh masyarakat India pada saat itu.
Terdapat tiga permasalahan yang dibahas, pertama; mengenai keadaan sosial budaya yang digambarkan di dalam novel. Kedua, mengenai penggambaran tokoh Ammu dan Velutha, yang dipengaruhi oleh lingkungan sosial mereka. Ketiga adalah penjelasan mengenai motif Ammu dalam melakukan hubungan seksual dengan Velutha.
Dalam pengumpulan data, penulis menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan secara psikologis. Pendekatan ini sangat sesuai diterapkan karena topik utama dari skripsi ini adalah motif dari tindakan, yang secara lebih mendalam dibahas di dunia psikologi.
Akhirnya penulis menyimpulkan, pertama; keadaan sosial budaya yang digambarakan di dalam novel berada di dalam suasana yang tidak kondusif, terutama bagi wanita dan masyarakat dari kasta rendah. Banyak ketidakadilan terjadi, yang menimbulkan konlik di beberapa wilayah di India. Kedua, Ammu merupakan wanita berkeinginan kuat yang sangat menyadari adanya kekacauan dan diskriminasi ini. Ammu adalah seorang janda beranak dua berkarakter pembangkang dan sarkastik. Sedangkan Velutha merupakan pria dari kasta rendah yang berbakat dan cerdas. Dia juga memberontak terhadap diskriminasi yang terjadi dimasyarakat. Ketiga, Ammu menyadari bahwa ada kesamaan antara dia dan Velutha yang membuat ia tertarik padanya. Selain ketertarikan secara fisik, Ammu melihat bahwa mereka berdua memiliki sikap yang sama terhadap keadaan sosial dimana mereka tinggal, dan yang terpenting adalah mereka berdua mencintai anak-anak. Persamaan-persamaan ini, dibarengi dengan munculnya perasaan khawatir, kesepian dan keterpisahan yang disebabkan oleh kondisi sosial yang tidak kondusif, memunculkan perasaan ingin mencintai dan dicintai di dalam diri Ammu yang akhirnya mendorong dirinya untuk mengalami penyatuan dengan Velutha demi menghilangkan perasaan-perasaan tersebut. Hal ini akhirnya dinyatakan melalui hubungan seksual dengan Velutha.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Psychology as a discipline believes that motive is the reason explaining
human behavior. We can understand why some people behave in certain way through their motives. We are able to answer why a student prefer to ride a bicycle to go to campus than a motorcycle, by looking at his or her motive. Charles G. Morris stated in his book, Psychology: an Introduction, “motive is an inner directing force-a need or want- that arouses the organism and directs behavior toward a goal” (1990:408). His statement certainly implies an understanding that every human behavior has a goal, and this is actually activated by certain motive(s). Furthermore, the experts of motive of human behavior have proposed a great deal of number of theories on this subject. In his book,
, Herbert L. Petri, after analyzing theories of
Motivation: Theory and researches
motivation, sums up that there are, at least, three mechanisms that activate and direct behavior believed by all theorists. He says some theorist proposed that motivation is the result of merely physical needs, several theorist say that we are actually socially motivated, and the last one put forward that the basic motive of human is to be as personally fulfilled as we can (1980: 4). This categorization is also put forward by Wilbert James McKeachie and Charlote Lackner Doyle through their book, Psychology . they say that motive can be physiologically,
2 If we go to be more specific, we can find a psychologist namely Abraham
Maslow who also composed a theory of motivation. He proposed that human behavior is triggered by needs. He put these needs into a pyramid of hierarchy to explain the existence of levels of human needs, started from biological needs as the basic needs, and ended with self- actualization. This Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory in fact has been used widely in many management training and personal development.
The Hierarchy of Needs theory remains valid today for understanding human motivation, management training, and personal development. Indeed, Maslow's ideas surrounding the Hierarchy of Needs concerning the responsibility of employers to provide a workplace environment that encourages and enables employees to fulfill their own unique potential (self-actualization) are today more relevant than ever. (http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm) Statement above brings out the importance and value of Maslow’s needs theory in today’s world. Also, Maslow believed that human in fulfilling his needs, is influenced by environment.
Humans start with a very weak disposition that is then fashioned fully as the person grows. If the environment is right, people will grow straight and beautiful, actualizing the potentials they have inherited. If the environment is not "right" (and mostly it is not) they will not grow tall and straight and beautiful. (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guideb k/teachtip/maslow.htm).
This statement shows us that Maslow believes environment gives influences in human effort to satisfy their needs.
Concerning the relation between motive and environment condition, it is interesting to discuss a novel by Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things. This is
3 a novel set in India, a country, which was once colonized by England. Kerala, the place where the novel takes place is a small town undergoing a social complexity.
The social condition is complex in a way that communism, caste system, patriarchal society and religious beliefs create, unfortunately, a very uncomfortable atmosphere. Some people feel underestimated and they tried to gain equality through violence, while some people feel threatened by those people’ action. Patriarchal system makes women always become a victim and stay in lower position than man, unable attain a better life. Potential and aware woman will lose her potentiality and awareness because of this kind of society. Ammu one of the main character is an example of woman with awareness to such injustices. She has hopes for her and her children, but they are ruined because the society does not really welcome them to achieve her dreams. Loneliness, fear, and isolation sense came appear within Ammu. Ammu finally makes a very risky action. She brings herself to Velutha, a man from the lowest caste of society, and makes a sexual intercourse with him. This is actually strictly prohibited by the society, but she has a motive to do this, and it is about her motive of being brave to have sexual intercourse with Velutha that will be discussed in this thesis.
B. Problem Formulations 1.
How are socio-cultural apects of the novel described? 2. How are Ammu and Velutha presented in the novel? 3. How can love needs become Ammu’s motive for having sexual intercourse with Velutha?
4
C. Objectives of the study
The objective of the study is to see the social-cultural condition of the novel and its influence to Ammu and Velutha as novel characters, and finally to identify how Love needs can be the motive of Ammu for being brave to have sexual intercourse with Velutha.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies
is the first novel of Arundhati Roy. Manorama
The God of Small Things
Mathai, a Syrian Christian and a writer just like Roy is, states that this novel is in fact heavily an autobiography. This is an autobiographical of Roy, in particular by representing herself within the character of Rahel. And it is through Rahel, according to Mathai, Roy tries to get readers’ empathy. However, Mathai claims that its story is the weakness of the novel since “The inter-caste affair and the death of a child that lies at the heart of the book are very predictable and the love affair is not plausible”, and
There is a sense of manipulation by the author and I thought the incest scene at the end was unnecessary but probably, it was one of the things that people look for nowadays & which makes for a successful book. (http://www.godofsmallthings.de.html) Yet, for Mathai, the portrayal of the family is said as its very strength. The complexities of the family and conflicts inside have brought the readers to see what Mathai considers as the beauty of Kerala. Therefore Mathai finally claims this work is astonishing both for those who know Kerala and those who do not.
(http://www.godofsmallthings.de.html).
Anne-Marie Sampson looks the novel quite differently. She focuses on the theme and the message Roy wants do deliver through her book. Sampson grasps the theme about the struggle of humans in oppressive situations. Sampson would their never ending struggle to survive in the community that does not want to change the old and most often inappropriate ways of life. Besides, the message Sampson grasps from the novel is that Roy wants to deliver a feeling of what it means to be living in a society with caste system, creating rules that are actually created from prejudice and oppressions. However, then, Sampson points out that “She (Arundhati Roy) breaks those rules. She changes the way you think in thirty pages”. (http://www.godofsmallthings.de/book-reviews/public-reviews/.com).
Another interesting study comes from Jane Park. She wrote an essay entitled Growth, Confusion, and the Loss of Innocence: The Differing Roles of
Childlike Narration in Roy's The God of Small Things and Faulkner's The Sounds
and the Fury . From its title we certainly get a clue about a comparison. Park
compared The God of Small Things with The sound and The Fury of William Fulkner. In this essay, Park pointed out that, as a comparison essay usually possesses, there are similarities and differences. However, Park made such a comparisson, first of all, because she found similarities between both novels. Park sensed child-point of views in both novels. Roy uses Rahel’s viewpoint while Faulkner uses Benjy’s. Much of the stories of both novels focus on the experiences undergone by kids inside the novels. Yet, Park underlined the differences by stating that
They differ not only in the level of insight reached by each of the narrators by the conclusion of the novels, but also in the purpose of the childlike descriptions. In contrast, Benjy's childlike narration that creates a sense of confusion within the reader that parallels his confusion, the childlike quality of Roy's narration sophisticatedly creates a light heartedness that starkly contrasts against the heavy tone and serious nature of the material,
Besides, the style of language used is also becoming the concern of this essay. According to Park, Faulkner tends to use a more simple style of language whereas Roy appears with her complexity of language presented in the novel. It is said, “Roy incorporates pho netic spelling, whimsical adjectives, and interspersed lines of song into the narration to give it a childlike quality” (http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/small/essay1.html). The last thing, according to Park becoming the differences of both no vels is the maturity of the narrators. Faulkner ‘keeps’ his narrator a child, while Roy shows that Rahel has matured as the result of the events of the novel (http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/small/essay1.html).
This thesis, on the other hand, presents something different from them. This thesis attempts to approach and analyse the novel from the viewpoint of psychology. To be more specific, it is the theory of human motivation of Abraham Maslow that is used. According to Maslow, every human’s behaviour is always driven by certain motives. He, then, proposed five motives of human behaviour, one of which, Love need, becomes the main focus of this thesis. The writer of this thesis studied and found out that one major character, Ammu, when brings herself to have sexual intercourse with Velutha is largely triggered by her long desire for loving and being loved. The moment of their physical union seems compelling since this is, according to the rule of the society, firmly prohibited. Their status differences make them condemned for doing this sexual union. Velutha is a man from an untouchable class whose member cannot be touched physically by Ammu’s social class people, the touchable. This thesis discusses the strong desire for love that breaks all the social boundaries.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Setting
C. Hugh Holman and William Harmon in their book A Handbook to
Literature describes setting as “the physical, and sometimes spiritual background
against which the action of a narrative (novel, drama. Short story, poem) takes place” (1986: 465). While Robert Stanton in his book, An introduction to fiction, describes setting as the environment of story events, the immediate world in which the occur (1965: 18). Furthermore, he explains that setting can be the visible background, the time of day or year, the climate or historical period (1965:18). Likewise, Nurgiyantoro proposes three elements that are making up a setting a. Setting of place
Setting of place refers to location in which the story takes place. There can be several setting of places within a work of literature, depending on the development of the character and the plot (1990:227-27). As an addition, Holman and Harmon describe setting of place as the actual geographical location, its typography, scenery, and physical arrangements of certain place (1986:457).
b. Setting of time This is referring to the moment when the events on the novel or short has relation with historical events, therefore, setting of time is usually about historical events1990: 230-234).
c. Social Setting Social setting refers to things and behaviour of social life of society of certain place in the novel or short story. Manner of life in the society includes several problems that are complex enough. They could be common life, customs, and tradition, beliefs, view of life, thoughts and behaviour. Beyond those, social setting relates to the social status of the character (1990:2231-237). In Holman and Harmon’s view, social setting is related to the occupational and daily manner of living of the character, and the general environment of the characters, such as religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions, through which the people in the narrative move (1986:458).
Hans P. Guth and Gabriele L. Rico, on the other hand, state four ways of how the setting may help give shape to a story as a whole.
Firstly they said that a setting could be a mirror. The setting may mirror an establishing mood. It may show and reveal emotions within a work of literature. For example, an arid landscape may mirror despair and spiritual desolation. However, we cannot always expect a direct connection between the setting and the people who play their roles in it. The setting also may be ironic, as when a character feels depressed in springtime. Our sense of irony makes us respond with a grim smile when things do not turn out the way we would like or expect (1996:36).
A setting could also be mould. ”The setting of a story often shapes character” (1996:36). They put an example of someone growing up on a farm, with its chores, dependence on rain and sun, and closeness to living things, is likely to have a different outlook, a different definition of life, than someone growing up in a neighbourhood where the only open spaces are parking lots. Moreover, setting can fit the characters, in a way that characters approve the way a setting is presented, while on the other hand, setting could also be the enemy of characters, which results in rebellious characters, characters “struggling to break free “(1996:36).
There is, furthermore, a setting as an escape. Such setting will bring us to an imagery environment, “where we act out daydreams” (1996:36). Sometimes, we are brought into an encounter with our own personality denied in our ordinary world (1996:36).The last one is alien setting. This provides setting as a situation in which we a are alienated from. We will find it unwelcoming so that we have to understand what is actually going on in that setting, since we are not part of that setting, so we hardly to understand (1996:36-37).
Elizabeth Langland, additionally, states that setting in the novel is not simply a matter of place and time, but also “their customs, conventions, beliefs and values, their institutions-legal, religious, and cultural” (Langland, 1984: 6).
Is short, when we try to scrutinize setting of a work of literature, we have to go beyond time and place, we should come into the cultural, habit, or social aspects of a place in certain moment. And this certain place and moment, Murphy believes to be giving a great effect upon the personalities, actions, and a way of thinking of the characters (Murphy, 1972:141).
2. Theory of Character
Robert Stanton revealed that the term ‘character’ “refers to the mixture of interest, desires, emotions, and moral principle that makes up each of these individuals” (1965:17). Similarly, Abram defines character as “the name of a literary genre, with a short sketch in prose of a distinctive type of person” (1981: 23). His second definition is characters as
The persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and what they do- the actions. (1981:23).
Accordingly, from Abram’s understanding we can infer that there are individuals revealed in the novel whose moral, disposition, and emotional qualities are interpreted by the readers through the dialogues and actions presented by the author. Furthermore, to assist the reader to Interpret qualities possessed by individuals within a narrative, Abram says that the author makes a characterizing process which means “establishing the distinctive characters of the person in a narrative” (Abram, 1981: 24).
Concerning describing characters, Murphy believes that there are nine ways of understanding a character presented in the novel. They are, through a. Personal Description: The author describes the character through their appearance and clothing. The author describes a character through views of others. The readers get as it were reflected image.
c. Speech The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what that person says, whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clue to his character.
d. Past life By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life, the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation with others The author can also give us clue to a person’s character through the conversation of other people and the thing they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say often give a clue to the character of the person spoken about.
f. Reactions The author can also give us a clue to a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events.
g. Direct comment The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel we accept this. The reader then is in a privileged position. He has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged in to the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel. i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrates which may also tell us something about his character.
Moreover, concerning characters in the novel, Hans Guth and Gabriel R. Rico believes that whenever we talk about characters in the novel, we are going to talk about motives of them. We are no longer talking simply about what sort of person is someone, but going to think about what drives someone to behave, talk and act in a certain way. This means arising a question word ‘why’ (1997: 69).
From their view about going further from ‘what’ to ‘why’, we can understand that after knowing a character with his personalities, we ‘have’ to start to think about reason of his behaviour. Similarly, Abram says there is always motivation which plays as the ground in their temperament, desires, and moral nature for their speech and action (1891:23).
3. Theory of Motivation and Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
According to Herbert L. Petri in his book Motivation: Theory and
Research motivation is “the forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and
(are) motivation (s) that in fact drives human to behaves or acts certain action. Human acts because of the motive within. And Charles G. Morris stated similarly in his book, Psychology: an Introduction, he said “motive is an inner directing force-a need or want- that arouses the organism and directs behaviour toward a goal” (1990:408). And John Jung, similarly, argued that in discussing motivation we must “be able to include terms that refer to such diverse state such as, desires, wishes, plans, goals, intents, impulse and purposes.” (Jung, 1970: 4).
Furthermore, Jung believes that motivated behaviour is, firstly, assumed to be “intentional and voluntary” (Jung, 1979:5). Someone has expectancies which is formed probably through past learning experiences (Jung, 1970: 5). Motivation also includes energy that activates a behaviour, and is assumed to be selective and directional (Jung, 1970: 5).
The earlier theories of motivation such as proposed by Sigmund Freud, William McDougall, and William James argued that human being are largely motivated by inner instinct existing inside human body mechanism. This means all human behaviour is understood largely through physiological aspects. However, the later theorists propose a more human theory of human behaviour. They believe human behaviour is not simply activated by physiological aspects, but there are also motives triggered by surrounding, people and nature (Petri, 1980:4 ).
Abraham Maslow, one of the post-physiological theories, has brought a ‘new’ idea of human motivation. It is a new idea since, as said before, he moves opinion that human motivation is becoming psychological motives whenever a child grows. This means he moves from biological or physiological motives to the more complex motives of human behaviour, which is also learned by interacting with other people (Atkinson, 1983: 317).
Maslow himself is in fact categorized as a humanistic psychologist along with Carl Rogers. They, as psychologists Humanist, have assumption that “the core tendency of a person is to actualise individual potential” (Weiner, 1979:409).
Humanistic psychology however, has four principles to form their theories. First, humanistic psychology analyses individuals in real- life circumstances. Human, then becomes the subject, not only an object (Weiner, 1979: 408). More over, according to humanistic psychology:
The person must be examined and described in terms of personal consciousness, which includes subjective experience and how the individual perceives and values himself or herself (Weiner, 1979: 408). This makes a basic question of humanist, ”who I am?” becomes the central starting point for humanistic psychologists to form their theories (Weiner,
1979: 408). And also the entire of life of an individual is considered. (Weiner, 1979: 408). Second principle is that “Human choice, creativity and self- actualisation are the preferred topics of investigation (Weiner, 1979:408).
According to humanist psychologist, individual has a strong need to be a better person by being able to develop his or her potentialities and capabilities (Weiner, 1979: 408). Thirdly, according to humanis tic psychology, psychological research important issues of people’s lives. (Weiner, 1979: 409). Finally, Humanistic psychology believes that ultimate value is placed on the dignity of the person.
This means psychology has a conviction that human are unique and noble. And above all, “individuals are believed to have a higher nature with a need for meaningful work, responsibility, and an opportunity for creative expression.” (Weiner, 1979: 409).
Besides those four principles, Albert Elis, in his book, Humanistic
Psychotherapy , has given a profound definition of Humanistic psychology.
Humanistic psychology, by this rule, becomes the study of the whole individual, by logico-empirical means that are distinctly human, for the purpose of helping him live a happier, more self-actualizing, and more creative existence. It completely accepts people with their human limitations; it particularly focuses upon an employs their experiences and their values; it emphasizes their ability to create and direct their own destinies; and it views them as holistic, goal-directed individuals who are important in their own right, just because they are alive, and who (together with their fellow humans) have the right to continue to exist and to enjoy and fulfil themselves (1974: 3).
From Elis’ definition, it is emphasized that the focus of humanist psychology is human and his whole being and his happiness.
Concerning needs within human being, moreover, Maslow and Rogers assume that actualisation striving is similar to an instinct that is genetically given (Weiner, 1979: 408), and this means within human there are talents and capacities that have been inherited (Weiner, 1979: 409). These capacities, then, have to be fully expressed to produce happiness.
Subsequently, Maslow created an interesting way of classifying human
He (Maslow) constructed a hierarchy of needs, coming up from the basic biological needs to the more complex psychological motives that become important only after the basic needs have been satisfied (1983:317). Maslow here adopts, still, the biological needs of human being, but he trusts human, after fulfilling his biological needs such as breathing, food, sex, sleep, water, homeostasis, and excretion, will go forward to obtain larger needs, until the highest one that is self-actualisation. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels. The first four is called Needs, while the top need is called Growth Need.
Deficiency/ Deprivation
Maslow, however did not considered the hierarchy as totally inflexible. “ One could partially satisfy lower needs, thus allowing higher needs to become partially active” (Herbert, 1981: 302). This means we may see two different needs are bong satisfied at the same moment.
Beginning from the basic one, the detail explanations of needs are as follow:
a. Physiological Needs
Physiological needs have to do with the survival of human being. These needs consist mainly of eating, drinking, sleeping and reproduction (Herbert, 1981: 302). These are the basic one, since without satisfying these needs, someone, Maslow believes, will not try to satisfy the highe r level of needs such as security love and esteem needs. Those needs will automatically be put aside and considered unimportant before the physiological needs are satisfied. Furthermore, the importance of Physiological can be seen as stated by Wikipedia to feel sickness, pain, and discomfort.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation.). Without adequate satisfaction in physiological needs, needs for food for instance, the temper can be easily stimulated, and later create anger. That is why in many cases, in Africa for instance, a country, in which the starvation occurs everywhere, will have instability in many areas, because people fight for food, and unjust competition happens. Their mind is only to get rid of their hunger. Love, education and other ‘higher’ needs are out of their mind. People are killing and hurting each other. Therefore, there is no doubt that physiological needs are the strongest needs of human being. Someone who are lacking of food, security, love, and esteem most probably will need more food that the others (Maslow, 1984,41).
N. S. Di Caprio puts forward that condition of deficiency of physiological needs are Hunger, thrist, sexual frustration, tension, fa tigue, illness, and lack of proper shelter. While to overcome those deficiency, relaxation, release from tension, experiences of pleasure from senses, physical well-being and comfort are needed (1974: 441).
b. Safety Needs Safety needs refers to a need for safety or security in our environment.
These needs include personal security from crime, healthy and well-being, Security as against company lay-offs, Safety net against accidents/illness and the adverse impacts. Herbert L. Petri says “safety needs dominate our behaviour primarily in times of emergency” (Herbert, 1981: 303). Yet, this does not dominate behaviour for the adult since the safety needs of an adult are usually who cries if he dropped suddenly, startled by a loud sound, or a stranger enters the room (Herbert, 1981: 303). Maslow loved to use young children attitude as the example of this second level of needs because young children totally never hide their reaction toward their insecurity. We can easily recognise this feeling inside them through their sudden reaction. Thus, although the adults feel insecure, we will not easily realize that from their expression (Maslow, 1981:44). And as additions of the list, Maslow put also needs for freedom from fear and anxiety, environment stability, law, comfortable climate, public order, authority and certainty about meaning of life (Maslow, 1981: 43).
The adult who feels insecure can be a Neurotic person. This is a psychological disease which makes the victim reacts just like a child does whenever he feels threatened. Screaming, and yelling are common reactions from this kind of person. Abrupt attitude in order to create stability and security most of the time disturbs his surrounding, which feels that there is actually nothing wrong for someone feel insecure.
Insecurity, yearning, sense of loss, fear, obsession, compulsion are symptoms when someone at the condition of deficiency of safety needs (Di Caprio, 1974: 411). And to deal with these, security, comfort, balance poise, calm and tranquillity are required (Di Caprio, 1974: 441).
c. Love Needs
The third level of needs proposed by Maslow are Love needs. Friendship, having partner in life, and having supportive family are included in these types of the first level of hierarch of needs. This is more about emotional relationship. Therefore Love, for Maslow requires giving and receiving meaning to be loved and to love someone (Herbert, 1981: 303).
Whenever physiological needs and needs for security have been fulfilled, needs for love will emerge. These will become the next central of someone’s life.
He will thirsty for friends, lover, wife or eve n children. He longs for an intimate relationship both in a family and society. Perhaps in the moment of starvation and insecurity, someone underestimates love as something unreal and unworthy, but now is different. Feeling of loneliness, alienation, rejection, and unfriendliness will cause pain for that person (Maslow, 1981:48-49).
The way someone fulfils this needs could be vary. Some people join a community or club having similar interest, someone finds a lover, kids play with other kids, lovers planning to have children, etc. The point is, every society has to put this need as the priority so as to keep itself survive and healthy (Maslow, 1981: 50).
As an addition, Wikipedia states that Human being needs to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance from small communities, such as family; and from larger groups such as office culture, and religious community. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation#Need_Hierarchy_Theory).
The condition of deficiency of love needs are: feeling of being unwanted and worthlessness, emptiness, loneliness, isolation and incompleteness (Di Caprio, 1974: 411). In order to fulfil this need, free expression of emotions, sense of wholeness, sense of warmth, renewed sense of life and strength, sense of growing together are required (Di Caprio, 1974: 411).
d. Esteem Needs
Esteem needs are needs for a positive, high evaluation of oneself (Petri, 1981:303). All humans need s to be respected. There are two kinds of esteem needs. The first one is a need for self-esteem, and the second one is the need for esteem from others. Self- esteem will bring someone to have concepts like confidence, competence, and achievement. Whereas esteem from others can be seen as the occurrence of fame, respect and glory (Maslow, 1981: 50) Lack of esteem needs leads the individual to feel inconsequential and to have little self- worth. Therefore, it is possible that depression occurs as it is triggered by poor satisfaction of the esteem needs (Herbert, 1981: 304).
Moreover, it is important to note that self-esteem is higher from the esteem from others since once someone successfully gets his self-esteem, he will not necessarily need esteem from others to be ‘living’ his own life, but without self- esteem, the recognition and respect from others will only bring fragility in someone’s personality. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation#Need_Hierarchy_Theory).
e. Self Actualization
“ Self-actualization--invented by Kurt Goldstein, a mentor to Maslow--is
the instinctual need of humans to make the most of the ir abilities and to strive to be the best they can” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation#). The action of a
Needs/motives). These B-Needs are values which provide meaning to life of the self-actualized person. This needs continually urge people to test their abilities and expand their horizon (Herbert, 1981: 304).
Self-actualisation makes someone to have a feeling to be and do something according to his interest and abilities, after all four previous needs are satisfied.
This could be, and most of the time, different from one person to another. A musician has to produce music, an artist creates painting, and an athlete practices his best to get success in competition. These are all to reach inside peace, and to be a special one according to, again, his talents and passion.
Di Caprio believes, conditions of deficiency of this ultimate need will result in alienation, metapathologiesm absence of meaning of life, boredom, routine living, limited activities (1974; 411). The conditions of being fulfilled are healthy curiosity, peak experiences, realization of potentials, work which is pleasurable and embodies values and creative living (1974: 441).
4. Theory of Love
Erich Fromm through his book The Art of Loving describes the beginning of the existence of love is the existence of awareness of separation within human being. He explains more about separation:
Being separate means being cut off, without any capacity to use my human powers. Hence to be separate means to be helpless, unable to grasp the world-thing and people-actively; it means that the world can invade me without my ability to react (1956: 8).
Facing this fact, human will try to be united, “to leave the prison of his Throughout history and culture, man has tried his best to overcome this separation. Yet his efforts ended in nothing. They are only temporary answers to the problem of existence. “The full answer lies in the achievement of interpersonal union, of fusion with another person, in love” (1956:15). In short love is the reason why human civilization still exists. An absence of love will bring destruction, both self-destruction and other-destruction. “Humanity will not exist for a day” (1956: 15).
The union meant in love is the mature union. This means there is the opposite, Immature union, of Symbiotic union. The plain differences of both are the equality of parts which are united. In immature union, a part will be higher or better or stronger that the other, while the mature one creates equality in both sides. Mature love is described as “union under the condition of preserving one’s integrity, one’s individuality” (1956: 17).