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Still Alice” by Lisa Genova

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Still Alice” by Lisa Genova THE CONFLICTS OF THE MAIN CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL ENTITLED “STILL ALICE” BY LISA GENOVA Ayu Venty Pratami Rita Sutjiati Djohan Endang Purwaningsih Gunadarma University Gunadarma University Gunadarma University Jl. Margonda Raya 100 Jl. Margonda Raya 100 Jl. Margonda Raya 100 Depok Depok Depok 16424 16424 16424 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT This study about the conflicts of the main character in the novel Still Alice. The main character in the novel Still Alice is Alice Howland. Alice Howland faces many conflicts with herself, her family and friends in the novel Still Alice. The Objectives of the research are to find out the types of conflict that occur on the main character in the novel Still Alice and to find out the type of conflict occurs dominantly in the novel Still Alice. The writer uses psychological approach for analyzing types of conflict in main character, Alice Howland in the novel Still Alice. The writer uses qualitative descriptive method to find out types of conflicts in main character in the novel Still Alice. The results of this study shows that Alice Howland has four types of conflict according to the of Kurt Lewin’s theory, As follows: Approach – Approach Conflict, Avoidance – Avoidance Conflict, Approach – Avoidance conflict, Double Approach – Avoidance Conflict and the type of conflict occurs dominantly in the novel Still Alice is the approach - avoidance conflict. Everyone always experience a lot of problems in their lives. Therefore, everyone should be able to resolve their problems by taking the best decision for them and other people in their problems. Keywords: Literature, Conflicts, Psychology Howland. She is a professor of 1. INTRODUCTION linguistics at Harvard University, 1.1 Background of The Study mother of three children and wife to Literature is a form of written or John Howland, learns that she is verbal made by the human who has suffering from early onset Alzheimer's developed at this time. According to disease. (Hudson, 2006: 10) in his book, An After discovering it was genetically Introduction to The Study of Literature, inherited from her father. She He explained that Literature is a vital immediately told her children to do record of what men have seen in life, their medical tests to know whether what they have experienced of it, what Alzheimer's disease has infected them. they have thought and felt about those After her children do medical tests aspect of it which have the most finally they know that her eldest immediate and enduring interest for all daughter named Anna positive for of us. Alzheimer's disease gene. Anna had Still Alice is a novel was first twins, but they proved that they have published in 2007. This novel written by not the mutated gene. Only medical tests an American neuroscientist and writer to her boy named Tom who was negative that named Lisa Genova. Still Alice is a and her youngest daughter named Lydia novel that tells story about Dr. Alice decided not to do medical tests. Alice's 110 Pratami, Johan, Purwaningsih, The Conflicts of... disease progresses while relations with herself, her family and friends in the her family is strained from many novel Still Alice. separate directions, including the loss Based on the above elaborations, the of her academic position, her husband's writer is interested for undertaking a work demands, and her continually research on Alice Howland. The writer increasing needs. wants to analyze the conflicts of the Over the course of several months, main character in novel Still Alice her disease begins to take its toll, and through psychological approach. The Alice begins to have difficulty writer uses the theory of conflict in answering her questions or spelling word psychological approach, so the writer or correctly. It gets to the point when, the readers can find out about to find after watching one of Lydia's plays, she out the types of conflict that occur on initially fails to recognize her the main character in the novel Still daughter. Further stress is added when Alice and to find out the type of John announces that he must move to New conflict occurs dominantly in the novel York City to work as Chairman of the Still Alice. Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at Sloan-Klettering. He will take his wife 1.2 Problem Formulation named Alice to go with him to New York City but Alice does not want to go and The problem formulation in this study their children does not want their are: mother to go to New York City with their 1. What are types of conflict that father. occur on the main character in the Human life in this world will not novel Still Alice? always stable because every person will 2. Which type of conflict does occur face many conflicts in their life. dominantly in the novel Still According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Alice? Dictionary (2010:315), Conflict is a situation in which there are opposing 1.3 Objective of the Research ideas, opinions, feelings or wishes. According to (Wandberg, 2001:5-8), in The objective in this study are: his book, Conflict Resolution: 1. To find out the types of conflict Communication, Cooperation, Compromise, that occur on the main character He explained that Conflicts are in the novel Still Alice. disagreements or struggles and there are 2. To find out the type of conflict two main kinds of conflict are internal occurs dominantly in the novel and external conflict. Internal Still Alice. conflicts are a person’s struggles with himself or herself. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW External conflict occurs between 2.1 Definition of Conflict people. Conflict occurs in most relationships because people have their According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s own values, skills, personalities and Dictionary (2010:315), Conflict is a opinions, people rarely agree on all situation in which there are opposing aspect of their relationship. According ideas, opinions, feelings or wishes. to the social psychologist Kurt Lewin, According to (Wandberg, 2001:5-8), in there are four basic ways to categorize his book, Conflict Resolution: conflict situation: (1) the approach- Communication, Cooperation, Compromise. approach conflict, (2) the avoidance- He explained that Conflicts are avoidance conflict, (3) the approach- disagreements or struggles and there are avoidance conflict, and (4) the double two main kinds of conflict are internal approach-avoidance conflict (Bruno, and external conflict. Internal 2002, p.114-115). conflicts are a person’s struggles with The writer choses topic about the himself or herself. External conflict conflicts of the main character in the occurs between people. Conflict occurs novel Still Alice. The main character in in most relationships. This because all the novel Still Alice is Alice Howland. people have their own values, skills, Alice Howland faces many conflicts with personalities and opinions, people Jurnal Ilmiah Sastra Volume 4. No. 2, Desember 2016 111 rarely agree on all aspect of their The central problem with this kind of relationship. conflict is that moving away from one According to (Marcus, 2000, p.366), negative goal takes one in the direction in his book, The Handbook of conflict of the other negative goal. Example for Resolution: Theory and Practice, he avoidance-avoidance conflict is Nancy is explained that conflict is a girl. She is nineteen years old. She incompatibility of ideas, believes, is in her first year of college. She behavior, roles, needs, desire, values doesn’t like academic work, is barely and so on. According to (Cahn, 1992, passing, and is thinking of dropping p.9), in his book, Conflict in Intimate out. On the other hand, if she drop out, Relationships, He explained that her parents have indicated they will not Conflict is an emotionally charged event support her. She’ll have to take a low- pattern that typically involves anger paying, unskilled job. If she stays in and hostility. According to (Rea and school, she’ll be unhappy. If she takes Irving, 2010,p.10), They explained that a low-paying job, she’ll be unhappy. She Conflict is realized through characters. tells her best friend, “I’m between a Someone wants something or is unhappy or rock and a hard place.” unfulfilled in some way, take action, An approach-avoidance conflict and meets with conflict. exists when an individual perceives the From the definition above, it can be same goal in both positive and negative concluded that conflict is a condition terms. Example for approach-avoidance when an individual or group who have conflict is Glen is in love with differences in ideas, beliefs, customs, Margaret and is thinking about marrying habits, etc. within themselves or in her. He sees her as beautiful, warm, and interaction with others. sexually desirable. On the other hand, Glen’s parents are opposed to Margaret. 2.2 Types of Conflict in They point out to him that she has a Psychology different religious affiliation that According to the social psychologist that of Glen and his parents. Margaret Kurt Lewin in (Bruno, 2002, p.114-116), takes her religion seriously. So do Glen there are four basic ways to categorize and his parents. The two religions are conflict situations: based on different assumptions. Glen’s § The approach-approach conflict. parents tell him that they don’t see how § The avoidance-avoidance conflict. he can ever have a happy marriage with § The approach-avoidance conflict. Margaret. If Glen and Margaret have § The double approach-avoidance children, Margaret will want to raise conflict. them in her religious tradition. Glen will want to raise them in his. When The approach-approach conflict exists when an individual is presented Glen is away from Margaret, he thinks with two desirable alternatives, but about her constantly.
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