AN ANALYSISOF INFERIORITY COMPLEX OF A GOVERNESS AS POTRAYED IN ANNE BRONTE’S AGNES GREY
A THESIS
BY DEBORA N GINTING Reg. No. 110705022
DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LITERATURE
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITYOF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN
2018
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA AN ANALYSIS OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX OF A GOVERNESS AS POTRAYED IN ANNE BRONTE’S AGNES GREY
A THESIS BY DEBORA N GINTING Reg. No. 110705022
SUPERVISOR CO. SUPERVISOR
Dr.Martha Pardede, M.S Dra. SwesanaMardia Lubis, M.Hum NIP : 195212291979032001 NIP : 195710021986012003
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from
Department of English
DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LITERATURE
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITYOF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN
2018
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, my praise and gratitude are directed to my creator Almighty God
Jesus Christ who gives me strength and love everyday. I thank to Jesus Christ who always gives me health and capability during the process of writing this thesis as my last assignment to finish my study at the Faculty of Cultural Studies University of
Sumatera Utara.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my first supervisor, Dr.
Martha Pardede, M.S and my second supervisor Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis,
M.Hum for their supporting advices, constructive comments and encouragement during the period of supervising and finishing this thesis. I also thank to the Dean of
Faculty of Cultural Studies, Dr. Budi Agustono, M.S , the Chairman of English
Departement, Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, M.A, Ph.d, and the secretary of English
Departement, Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A, Ph.D and all the lecturers for all the valuable knowledge, guidance and facilities that they have given to finish my study in the Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara.
My deepest gratitude is due to my beloved parents, Pdt. Jonatha Ginting, S.Th and Horasma Sinta Riana Purba, S.Pd, Apt who always support and love me during my entire life. Thank you for all your struggle so that i can pass this degree. I just can say that i love both of you no matter what, Pa and Ma. To my lovely and silly sisters,
Giovanni and Yosi, i love you to the moon and back. Both of you are not only sisters for me, but also my friends.
My special thanks are also due to my bestfriends Sulastri, Erna, Sonya, Yupi,
Dara, Tantri and Elsa for their support, and their time in the middle nights. Thank you for listening all of my stories.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Finally, i realizes that this paper is still far for being perfect. But, i hope this thesis will be a valuable contribution to the readers. I warmly welcome and highly appreciate the advices, constructive criticism and suggestion to develop this thesis.
Medan, 2nd July 2018
Debora N Ginting 110705022
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ABSTRAK
Skripsi ini berjudul Analisis Rasa Rendah Diri Sebagai Seorang Pengasuh yang digambarkan dalam novel Anne Bronte yang berjudul Agnes Grey. Penelitian ini membahas tentang teori rendah diri yang ada pada novel Agnes Grey karya Anne Bronte. Penelitian ini fokus kepada Agnes sebagai karakter utama di dalam novel ini yang adalag seorang pengasuh. Tujuan dari penulisan ini untuk mengetahui bagaimana perasaan rendah diri yang dialami Agnes Grey sebagai seorang pengasuh dan bagaimana Agnes mendapatkan kembali harga dirinya. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori psikologi individu yang dikemukakan Alfred Adler yang berfokus pada rasa rendah diri, bekerja keras untuk meraih superioritas dan kesuksesan. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif. Jenis penelitian ini penelitian kepustakaan yaitu mengumpulkan buku-buku, jurnal dan referensi internet yang memiliki hubungan dengan analisis ini.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ABSTRACT
This thesis entitle “An Analysis of Inferiority Complex of a Governess as Portrayed in Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey”. This thesis talks about inferiority found in Agnes Grey of Anne Bronte. This thesis focuses on Agnes as one of main character in this novel as a governess. The aim of this thesis is to know how is the governess inferiority complex show in Agnes Grey and how does the governess get her self esteem back in Agnes Grey. research uses Alfred Adler’s theory of individual psychology which focuses on inferiority, striving for superiority and success. This thesis is descriptive analytic. It uses library based study to collect books, journals and internet sources having related with this analysis.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT ...... i
ABTSRAK ...... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT ...... iii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1.1 Background of The Study ...... 1
1.2 Statement of The Problems ...... 6
1.3 Objective of The Study ...... 6
1.4 Scope of The Analysis ...... 7
1.5 Significance of The Analysis ...... 7
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 8
2.1 Literature ...... 8
2.2 Literature and Psychology ...... 9
2.3 Psychology Approach ...... 12
2.3.1 Inferiority Complex ...... 14
2.3.2 Self Concept and Self Esteem ...... 23
2.4 Review of Related Studies ...... 30
Chapter III METHOD OF ANALYSIS ...... 31
3.1 Research Method ...... 31
3.2 Source of Data ...... 32
3.3 Data Collection ...... 32
3.4 Data Analysis ...... 32
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS...... 33
4.1 Agnes Inferiority as Governess ...... 3
4.2 Agnes Striving for Superiorty and Self Esteem back ...... 41
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION...... 47
5.1 Conclusion...... 47
5.2 Suggestion ...... 48
REFERENCES ...... 50
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Every human life hopes for a satisfying life. Life satisfaction is linked
to such factors such as a good education, job, and marriage. But to reach
satisfaction, a person will face many challenges and problems. The problems
are various. There are external factors such as environment and internal
factors such as inferiority feeling, weakness and lack of knowledge or power
to overcome the problem. If problems are resolved at earlier times of life, the
last can be a time of pleasure. But people have failed to meet earlier goals
sometimes become despondent and feeling inferior. Inferior feeling is one
aspect in an individual psychological approach. Inferiority means feeling
weak and unskilled in facing of tasks that need to be completed. By this
feeling every single man is forced to compensate it. Humans are aware about
their inferior and their goal. Human also has different ways of striving toward
superiority and compensation. It depends on the goal that wants to be
achieved. The complexities of the problems and its influence to people give
inspiration for an author to make a literary work. Since literature is the
exposition of man’s mental life, it can be said that literature has a tight
relationship to psychology. Literature and psychology have the same object
of research that is human being. There are many literary works that reflect
inferiority feeling. One of these literary works is Anne Bronte’s Agnes grey.
A governess is a woman employed to teach and train children in a
private household. In contrast to a nanny (formerly called a nurse), she
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA concentrates on teaching children instead of meeting their physical needs. A governess will have a teaching qualification and provide one-to-one lessons to the child or to sibling groups in their own home. A governess is a girl, lady, or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household the governess could find herself teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, while coaching the older girls in French conversation and history.Hiring a governess became a status symbol.
The governess is a common figure in the Victorian novel. The position of governess used to be common in well-off European families before World War I, especially in the countryside where no suitable school existed nearby. Parents' preference to educate their children at home rather than send them away to boarding school for months at a time varied across time and countries. Governesses were usually in charge of girls and younger boys. When a boy was old enough, he left his governess for a tutor or a school.
Governesses are rarer now, except within large and wealthy households or royal families such as the Saudi royal family and in remote regions such as outback Australia. There has been a recent resurgence amongst families worldwide to employ governesses or full-time tutors. The reasons for this include personal security, the benefits of a tailored education, and the flexibility to travel or live in multiple locations.
Agnes Grey is woman of the main character in this story that appearsfrom the beginning to the end to narrate all the experiences she has.
Agnes Grey is a character of eighteen years old girl and daughter of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA clergyman as it is evident from the following mention of her parents, she comes from a decent family:
“My father was a clergyman of the north of England, who was deservedly respected by all who knew him; and, in his younger days, lived pretty comfortably on the joint income of a small incumbency and a snug little property of his own.”(Bronte 3).
This means that Agnes is not rich. She just comes from adequate family that her father only has a small amount of money. Her family is decent. However, one day it becomes more unfortunate by the fact that her father loses a lot of amount of money in the case of failure of his business that creates the worse condition of finance. Agnes decides to give help by deciding to be a governess as the way which is considered that such job cannot degrade her middle class status because the patriarchal custom in that era limited women from the workplace but governess is viewed as an extraordinary profession. Being the youngest one in her family makes her father, mother, and sister cannot easily send her to be a governess and lives so far from home. Nevertheless, Agnes Grey convinces them of her ability so that finally she goes away. This story describes enormous pressures that the governess’s life involved, the frustration, isolation, and cruel treatment on the part of employers and members of their families.
On the other hand, what came to the facts of governess life was not as smooth as imagined. The situation of governesses was really painful. The employer regarded her to be too low for the family but too high for the servants. She was recognized unequal in status although being in one home.
She was disrespected by the employer even the children. She was isolated, yet had no privacy, and was almost universally despised. She was often oppressed like she had to work all day. There were no clear boundaries of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA tasks with low payment. She often shared a bed room with the children and
took care of their baths and meals as well as their lessons, yet was
discouraged from being affectionate to them; in odd moments she did family
mending. When her services were no longer needed, she was out of work and
home without a pension. And some times she feel that be degraded by all of
them, and this make the inferiority feeling come inside her :
“It was disagreeable, too, to walk behind, and thus appear to acknowledge my own inferiority; for, in truth, I considered myself pretty nearly as good as the best of them, and wished them to know that I did so, and not to imagine that I looked upon myself as a mere domestic, who knew her own place too well to walk beside such fine ladies and gentlemen as they were--though her young ladies might choose to have her with them, and even condescend to converse with her when no better company were at hand.” (Bronte 83).
Furthermore, she often gets oppressive treatments from her employers,and even their children. In Bloomfield family where she has her firstexperience of becoming a governess, she has to deal with children who are sonaughty and uncontrolled. Violence from the children and exploitation of herwork by the parents are the kinds of oppression she ever got but she neverjust accepts those things helplessly. She always struggles a lot for her right tosurvive. Although she is at last fired from the Bloomfield, but she does notgive up directly. Next, she is employed by the Murray family. In Murrayfamily, the condition is not so far different. Here, she also often getsoppressed. Besides exploitation, she is also marginalized. However, Agnesmakes more attempts to do some efforts in order to defend her right.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA This novel showed that Anne Bronte was one of woman authors who were aware of a notable issue around women in that era. It tells about a woman who trains and teaches children in their own home, called a governess.
Governess was a woman’s profession in Victorian era which was distinguishable from other jobs. What made governess became an extraordinary profession was rooted from the customs in Victorian England that the proper sphere for a woman was within her home. It was not acceptable for a woman to work or to have other kinds of activities outside the house. An ideal lady was devoted exclusively to her family sphere, and was supported by her husband or when a woman was not married yet, so her father was a man who was expected to support her financially. The story seems so natural since
Agnes Grey is partly based on her real own experience.
Although Agnes Grey is considered a work of fiction, Anne incorporated many of her own life experiences within the novel. Anne drew a truthful and descriptive portrait of a governess woman and was able to do so because she was once a governess herself. Much like the main character Agnes, Anne
Bronte worked as governess for two families. In 1839 she worked for the
Ingham family at Blake Hall, and in 1840 she worked for the Robinson family at Thorp Green Hall. Both of her stays were short as also seen in Agnes Grey under the Bloomfield and Murray families. Anne Bronte learned the harsh realities while working as a governess and was typically mistreated and isolated. This type of mistreatment and isolation were main themes within
Agnes Grey. Moreover, the women were forbidden from a paid employment.
Nonetheless, if a woman happened to be unmarried and her family was not able enough to support her, she was forced to earn her own living. Unfortunately,
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA because of that social mores of the Victorian era stated earlier, it came to be difficult for woman to find a job which would not degrade her as Ginder said that women could not take on any job. Jobs such as those in business and banking belonged to men, and only those women of the lower and working classes would be found in the factories and the fields However, for women of middle class, with the need or desire to work just was given narrow professional area which would not endanger the family’s middle-class status.
Becoming conscious of this phenomenon, Anne Bronte took this matter to be the topic of her first novel, Agnes Grey. Agnes Grey tells a story of a clergyman’s daughter who decided to earn her own living as a governess in order to help the financial state of her family which gets into the ruin because of the unlucky fate of her father in his business. Being the youngest one in her family makes her father, mother, and sister cannot easily send her to be a governess and lives so far from home. Her first experience in Bloomfield family does not run well and it is ended by her firing. Anne incorporated many of her own life experiences within the novel. Anne drew a truthful and descriptive portrait of a governess woman and was able to do so because she was once a governess herself. Therefore, the way Anne Bronte described the difficulties that Agnes has during her being of governess in a detail representation has been delivered so well to the readers so that we, as the readers, can really feel how hard and how she has to struggle a lot within her being of governess.
By giving the literary background stated above, the writer is really interested with the novel and intends to analyze more deeply the woman
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA struggle to find her self esteem represented by the character of Agnes Grey in
Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Based on the background of the study explained above, the writer is
interested in analyzing the problems, which are formulated as follows:
1. How is the governess inferiority complex show in the Agnes Grey ?
2. How does the governess get her self esteem in Agnes Grey?
1.3 Objective of the Study
In accordance with the statement of the problem, this study has two
objectives that can be stated as follows:
1. To describe the governess inferiority comlex based on Agnes Grey novel by
Anne Bronte.
2. To find out the process of the governess get her self esteem on Agnes Grey
novel by Anne Bronte.
1.4 Scope of the Analysis
Every analysis needs limitation in order to make the analysis not go far
from the topic of discussion and make the analysis focus on what being
discussed. The story Agnes Grey Novel deals with governess. The thesis is
going to be focused on the infiority feeling of a governess.
1.5 Significance of The Analysis
The analysis of this research is expected to give significance to the
students of literature generally and to the writer particularly. First, this research
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA is expected to enrich and to develop students’ knowledge about literature and reality of life which is reflected in the literature, especially in a novel. Second, this research can be used to give information and to add the readers’ knowledge or understanding about the governess and the struggle of a governess in this Novel. Third, this research is expected to encourage student of literature to analyze literature work in order to get knowledge about social problem in literature.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Literature
Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken
material. Derived from the Latin word literature meaning "writing formed with
letters," literature most commonly refers to works of the creative imagination,
including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, journalism, and in some instances,
song. literature is writing considered to be an art form, or any single writing
deemed to have artistic or intellectual value, often due to deploying language in
ways that differ from ordinary usage.
Literature which is an imitative of human action, often provide the
pictures of people think, say and do in the society. It serves as a mirror of
introspection where people can see themselves to change in the positive things.
It shows that literature is influenced by the development of society’s way of
life and people can also learn of the works that present to get better experience.
Literature presents the work that relates to a condition or a situation which
evolve in people's life. In the society, condition of human’s mind and behavior
are one of the influence of the literary work.
Literature also is explained as the writings which express and
communicate thought, feelings and attitudes toward life (Risdianto 5).
According to him, literature is used at least in two different ways; the first is
informative literature which tells about facts, history, and the figure’s life, such
as the life of Prophet, Napoleon, and etcetera. Also the literary works are
usually the text written as the knowledge which presents to the reader about
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA anything in the world such as social, politic, motivate, and others. The second
is imaginative literature, which is the expression of author’s idea, feeling, and
attitude to communicate feelings which is not in fact of the emotion which
present in the works, as well to arouse thought of the readers. It also has fuller
and deeper sense than informative literature, such as prose fiction and poetry.
To understand more about the literary work, it takes the appropriate
approach and theory in the study. There are so many theories to analyze the
literary work either it is imaginative or informative literature. This study is
going to analyze informative literary work that applies psychology as the
theory. Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. The word
psychology comes from Greek words psyche means life, and logos means
explanation. Therefore, in this research psychology is used to analyze
character’s life through attitude, activity and mental process done by the
character. Psychology in this study uses individual psychology tenet by Alfred
Adler.
“His individual psychology presents an optimistic view of people
while resting heavily on the notion of social interest that is a feeling of
oneness with all humankind” (Feist & Feist 65).
Here Adler presents the positive side of people’s condition which
focuses on human beings concept around society’s life. Thus, this study
analyzes the character’s individual psychology of the novel which is one of the
products of the literary works presented by author.
2.2 Literature and Psychology
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Literature which intertwines within such fields as history, philosophy, sociology, psychology and so on is a discipline wherein language is used as a medium of expression so as to interpret man, existence and culture, personality and individual differences which have always been studied and discussed by writers, philosophers, artists, psychologists and psychiatrists. There is a very strong correlation between literature and psychology. Psychology deals with the study of observable patterns of human’s behaviour and literature exhibits how human beings behave in dealing with their problems and environment.
Both of them deal with human beings reactions, perceptions of the world, miseries, wishes, desires, fears, conflicts and reconciliations; individual and social concerns, by means of varied concepts, methods, and approaches. An author represents life according to his or her objectives, perceptions, ideologies, and value judgments and opens the doors of the unknown and invisible worlds to readers not only by arousing feelings and emotions but also by helping them to discover the meaning of life and existence. Clearly, literature enables individuals to know and question their identities by raising consciousness and awareness. It is to be noted that man and existence have always been fundamental elements in most scientific studies, fine arts and literature.
Works of literature describe in the guise of fiction the dense specificity of personal experience, which is always unique, because each of us has a slightly or very different personal history, modifying every new experience we have; and the creation of literary texts recapitulates this uniqueness. Literature and psychology are two branches of science that study human soul. Psychology researches human behaviors and their causes while literature depicts human
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA behavior through fiction. These two branches of social science studying human behavior are interrelated and mutually beneficial. And the basic building block of the correlation between literature and psychology is a literary work. Literary works study human beings and describe their inner world with all itsaspects.
The reason is that a literary work is at the same time a product of a certain psychological condition. A literary work supports psychology in terms of depicting human psychological conditions. psychology also provides insights into literature by exploring mental processes. A literary work benefits from psychology in terms of successfully presenting characters, expressing their moods, and bringing the reader into the psychological dimension of human reality.
Psychology and study of literature meet in their focus on phantasies, emotions and human soul. Thus there exists a two-way relationship based on mutual interaction between literature and psychology, in the form of evaluation of a literary work with the resources of psychology and obtaining psychological truths from a literary work. Psychology of literature is one of the interdisciplinary studies of literature, because understanding and reviewing of literature using various concepts and theoretical frameworks that exist in psychology.
Psychology is a science that examines and learns about behaviors or activities seen as a manifestation of human psychic life, and literature is the works itself. The relation between psychology and literature is a bilateral relationship which human makes the works of literature while literature ensures human beings. Human psychical receptions consider human’s perspectives and provide references to literary works. In other hands, literature also takes into
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA account the life’s truths to clarify the perspectives of human beings. More
specifically, both psychology and literature take goals as one for better
understanding about behavior and individual mental life clearly, and how these
relate each other.
The term psychology of literature is text analysis which considers the
relevance and the role of psychological studies. In this case, psychology takes
important role in analyzing the literary work. Furthermore, psychology of
literature also has other possible notions, as Wellek and Warren stated that
psychology of literature could be explained as the study of author’s own
psychology, the study of creative processes, the study of type and legal law of
psychology applied to literary works, and as the study of the impact of
literature on readers—reader’s psychology. It shows that the scope of literary
psychology is broad, and it was born as one of types in literature which is
applied to read and to interpret the. This research uses Alfred Adler’s principle
of individual psychology as guidance, which analyzes the major character’s
psychology who strives for the superiority from inferior feeling.
2.3 Psychological Approach
The psychological approach is the approach which emphasizes the
psychological aspect in the literature works. Psychological approach occurred
from the awareness of the author that the progressive era is not only measured
by the materialism but also the spiritual and physical. Based on this, there are
many of the authors in literature who expose the problem of life in their works
by considering the idea and psychology theory. (Atar Semi, 1985:46) One of
the psychology theories which is suitable and relate with the literature works is
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis theory is the theory of personality organization and the dynamics of personality development that guides psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology (Makworo, 2013).
One of the personality psychologists who proposed the psychoanalytic theories is Alfred Alder (1870-1937) in his theory proposed the inferiority complex. This theory is also known as the individual psychology theory. Adler maintained that personality difficulties are rooted in a feeling of inferiority deriving from restrictions on the individual's need for self-assertion. An attitude of inferiority develops when an individual feels deficient in comparison with others.
Individual psychology is the theory stated by Alfred Adler which focuses on unique things of the people, not to only fulfill the need of biological. As
Adler’s opinion that every human kind is creature of society that human’s personality is created with social interaction and surroundings, also people actively establish their future by themselves. Hence, human is closely related to the social life that builds people's character so as to have the purpose and direction of his own life. The compatibility between the social situations in which expressed the attitude and behaviors involved which has correlation in a greater attitude and behavior when the social situations are appropriate. Here, the individual psychology tries to see the whole of individual lives and regards of every human reaction, movements and desire as an expression of an individual attitude towards life (Adler 31) because in every human’s behavior, the purpose on their life will be known and understood. As Adler said in his book, that individual psychology is a psychology which studies the purpose.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA All behviors are seen as purposive. It will be known of what we are doing, thinking, feeling, and acting. When we understand the reasons for our behaviors, we then can change our perspective to focus on behaviors without looking behind and ensure the present life not the past. Human behavior is the result of individuals’ tendency to move toward private goals. This is because people operate in the concepts of ideas, memories, perceptions, and values.
Every human being has goal directed. It is basic assumptions of individual psychology that are seen as unique, coordinated, logical, intact, and inseparable units. Adler evolved a basically simple and thrifty theory, although his writings expressed the view of depth and complexities of human personality.
The theory of Adler is simple and concise. To him, man is born in weak condition that creates a feeling of inferior and sense of mutual dependence on others, which is called as social interest. That is underlying human activity to strive for success or superior. As Adler stated in Feist, human has the power to freely create their own lifestyle. They, themselves, should be responsible to who they really are and how they behave.
Human has the creative power to control their life, to be responsible for its final purposes, to determine how to strive to reach that goal. Creative strengths make people become free men, and moving toward a goal-directed.
Individual psychology is developed from understanding the mysterious of creative power that expresses people’s desire to develop, to strive, to achieve, and even to compensate to defeat by striving for success in another ways. This power is an impulse to express themselves in striving the efforts of physical and psychological movement which is made to cooperate.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA The important thing is to understand the context of individual’s life goal
which marks the line of direction for all their acts and movements. This goal
enables us to understand the hidden meaning behind the various separated acts
as we see them as parts of a whole.
2.3.1 Inferiority Complex
The great feelings of inferiority is called inferiority complex. Adler
believes that each individual begins a life with a weak physique which makes
them feel less or in a state of inferiority. A feeling of inferiority is a sense of
worthlessness that arises because of perceived inadequacy or a less physical
state. Feelings of inferiority are not a sign of abnormality, but rather the cause
of all forms of perfection in human life because man is driven by the need to
overcome his inferiority and is drawn by the desire to be superior. Yet, most
people fail in overcoming difficulties, so that they live with feelings of
distress and suffering. Adler sees this as is not the end of the story because
people will seek compensation by finding the good side of the shortfall.
Compensation is gained by trying to be more in the other field, but at the
same time will maintain that inferior feeling. Some people are not able to
develop any good side under these circumstances. Indeed, excessive low self-
esteem makes these feelings are more difficult to overcome, such as the
emergence of complexes of low self or complex for superiority. But normal
condition of inferiority feeling is a driver of progress or perfection or
superiority.
An inferiority complex directly and indirectly influences an
individual’s emotions, behavior and attitude towards life either in an
affirmative or a negative way. In the affirmative way there is development of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA self and self-realization and it is the motive for action which brings growth to self. As stated above, Adler says that all human culture are established on inferiority complexes. In addition, on the negative side those who have a deep inferiority complex show weird behavior and obstructs one’s development showing psychotic symptoms and criminal behavior or suicide and furthermore may lead to destruction eventually giving rise to an adverse effect on society. Moreover, the way in which the understanding of the response to the common inferiority complex that humans have is very important.
People who have an inferiority complex subconsciously try to hide their feelings of inferiority and in doing so express various emotional responses. Passive ways of expression include evasion, suppression, abasement, rationalization, lies, desperation, breakdown, sequestration; while active expressions including fighting, attacking, harsh criticism and blame.
Also, when men cannot show their superiority or intelligence to their heart’s desire before women this may in turn result in a show of violence in order to show their manliness.
Alder lists ten behavioural symptoms of inferiority complex which are:
1. Introvert
Introvert is one of the major personality traits identified in many theories of personality. People who are introverted tend to be inward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts, feelings and moods rather than seeking out external stimulation.Introvert is a personality trait that is characterized by
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA a tendency to be inwardly oriented and to gather strength or energy from being alone rather than from the company of others. Introvert indicates an introspective focus, or a tendency to place more consideration and interest on ideas and concepts rather than on social activities or other people.
Introversion can also be seen in work and activities. An introverted personality typically dictates a preference for independent work, a careful and thoughtful choice of activities, extensive exploration of a few fields of interest, and often, more time spent reflecting on an idea before acting on it.
2. Insecure
Emotional security or simply insecurity is the measure of the stability of an individual's emotional state. Emotional insecurity is a feeling of general unease or nervousness that may be triggered by perceiving of oneself to be vulnerable or inferior in some way, or a sense of vulnerability or instability which threatens one's self-image or ego. The concept is related to that of psychological resilience in as far as both concern the effects which setbacks or difficult situations have on an individual. However, resilience concerns over-all coping, also with reference to the individual's socioeconomic situation, whereas the emotional security specifically characterizes the emotional impact. In this sense, emotional security can be understood as part of resilience. The notion of emotional security of an individual is to be distinguished from that of emotional safety or security provided by a non-threatening, supportive environment. A person who is susceptible to bouts of depression being triggered by minor setbacks is said to be less "emotionally secure". A person whose general happiness is not very
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA shaken even by major disturbances in the pattern or fabric of their life might be said to be extremely emotionally secure.
3. Devaluing others
In psychiatry and psychology, devaluation is a defense mechanism that is just the opposite of idealization. It's used when a person attributes themselves, an object, or another person as completely flawed, worthless, or as having exaggerated negative qualities. Devaluation is not limited to people with borderline personality disorder. It may be seen in other personality disorders, especially antisocial personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder. Idealization is sometimes also seen in narcissistic personality disorder, especially towards the self or the treating therapist. Splitting, or the rapid fluctuation between idealization and devaluation, is classically seen in borderline personality disorder.
4. Over sensitivity to criticism
A sensitivity to criticism may lead an individual to be negatively impacted by any criticism, even when that criticism is constructive and intended to be helpful. Criticism can sting in any situation, whether the individual criticized believes in the truth of critical comments or knows such comments to be false. Many individuals are able to consider and integrate helpful criticism and experience no lasting effect from it. Experiencing anxiety, depression, anger, shame, or extreme defensiveness when faced with criticism may indicate a high level of sensitivity. In the event of criticism, hurt feelings often may be unavoidable. Often a person who is criticized by another can consider what was said and separate the truth in the critique from
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA any personal remarks that may be included in the criticism. Some individuals may be more sensitive to criticism than others, A sensitivity to criticism describes not only one’s reaction to critical feedback, but also one’s ability to understand and interpret criticism. A person who experiences a greater sensitivity to criticism may both be more likely to experience a decrease in motivation and performance level and to avoid further opportunities.
5. Excessive anxiety
Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave and can cause physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can seriously affect day to day living.
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior, such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints, and rumination. It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over anticipated events, such as the feeling of imminent death.
Anxiety is not the same as fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat, whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue and problems in concentration. Anxiety can be appropriate, but when experienced regularly the individual may suffer from an anxiety disorder.
6. Negative feelings about competition
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Being competitive can have an ugly connotation in society. It has become, in some ways, synonymous with greed, envy and narcissism. But feeling competitive isn’t always about climbing the ladder, winning the race or getting ahead. Competitive feelings are completely natural. Moreover, they’re unavoidable. Like it or not, we all feel competitive a lot of the time.
Social motivation has been defined as a drive for a particular goal based on a social influence .When people think of competition, they typically think of negative competition, which leads to hostility, negative attitudes, and a winner takes all mentality. This will make people lose the identity and dignity.
7. Feelings of being persecuted
Persecuted is a term that refers to mistreatment, discrimination, or victimization of a person or group of people for a specific reason. In some cases, there may be a logically valid reason for persecution such as torturous imprisonment for an individual that committed a heinous crime. Most popular types of persecution are related to religious affiliation, ethnicity, and political affiliation – these are not usually justified with rationality.
Persecutory delusions are a set of delusional conditions in which the affected persons believe they are being persecuted. persecutory delusions where the person believes "he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, or ridiculed", or that their food is being poisoned. They are also often seen in schizoaffective disorder , constitute the cardinal feature of the persecutory subtype of delusional disorder, by far the most common. Delusions of persecution may also appear in manic and mixed episodes of bipolar disease,
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA polysubstance abuse, and severe depressive episodes with psychotic features, particularly when associated with bipolar illness.
8. A neurotic need for perfectionism and finally, the tendency
toward seclusion, shyness and timidity
Perfectionism, in psychology, is a personality trait characterized by a person's striving for flawlessness and setting high performance standards, accompanied by critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others' evaluations. It is best conceptualized as a multidimensional characteristic, as psychologists agree that there are many positive and negative aspects. In its maladaptive form, perfectionism drives people to attempt to achieve an unattainable ideal, while their adaptive perfectionism can sometimes motivate them to reach their goals. In the end, they derive pleasure from doing so.
When perfectionists do not reach their goals, they often fall into depression.
In its pathological form, perfectionism can be damaging. It can take the form of procrastination when used to postpone tasks and self-deprecation when used to excuse poor performance or to seek sympathy and affirmation from other people. These, together or separate, are self-handicapping strategies perfectionists may use to protect their sense of self-competence In general, maladaptive perfectionists feel constant pressure to meet their high standards, which creates cognitive dissonance when one cannot meet their own expectations. Perfectionism has been associated with numerous other psychological and physiological complications as well.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 9. Hypercritical Attitude
A hypercritical person always looks for an opportunity to find fault with others or things, especially about very small matters. They have a tendency to blame others for even minor faults. A hypercritical attitude in a person ruins their happiness and enjoyment of life. When a person is hypercritical none or nothing is to their satisfaction and so they are always displeased. The hypercritical professor finds none of the students to his satisfaction, and always blames them, forgetting that as a student he too made mistakes quite often.
10. Tendency toward blaming or victim blaming
Victim blaming is sometimes more subtle than overt, and people may participate in it without intending to blame the victim and may not even realize that they are doing it. The language a person uses can also cast blame on the victim, even when this is not a person’s intent. When people speak about crimes such as rape, domestic violence, or other abuse, they often use language that draws attention to the victim, not the perpetrator. This can have the effect of taking the focus away from the perpetrator and allowing people to instead wonder what the victim may or may not have done prior to the attack, often with harmful results Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially at fault for the harm that befell them.The study of victimology seeks to mitigate the perception of victims as responsible. Victim blaming is a common reaction to crime. The idea that bad things can randomly happen to good people who do not deserve them is frightening to many, as it suggests that anyone could become a victim
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA at any time. In order to protect against this fear, people may develop an idea of the world as a fair and just place, subscribing to a psychological phenomenon known as the just world hypothesis.In this way, victim blaming can be a form of self-protection.
These symptoms are not mutually exclusive of each other, but are actually mutual repetitions of character. For example, a timid person will evade competition, and in the face of criticism will be sensitive. At the same time, the sensitivity towards criticism may also appear in the form of flattery towards or, in fact, criticism of others. All these symptoms appear due to an inferiority complex and they may lead to very self-destructive actions.
In the same way, people who have an inferiority complex try their best to cover up their inferiority with these types of actions and symptoms.
On the other hand, if they are not able to disguise their inferiority then the complex may become worse and become more stressed because of it.
Ultimately this will lead to desperation, self-deprecation, emotional anxiety, depression, estrangement and may fall into solitude. Thus, this may eventually lead to a second act for example, getting drunk on alcohol, consumption of drugs, inhalation of glue and through such progressively self- destructive actions may result in criminal behaviour. However, this does not mean that the symptoms of an inferiority complex are continual, but rather that they are able to appear in diverse forms according to different situations, circumstances and conditions
Feelings of inferiority are not a sign of abnormality, but rather the cause of all forms of perfection in human life because man is driven by the need to overcome his inferiority and is drawn by the desire to be superior.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Yet, most people fail in overcoming difficulties, so that they live with
feelings of distress and suffering. Adler sees this as is not the end of the story
because people will seek compensation by finding the good side of the
shortfall. Compensation is gained by trying to be more in the other field, but
at the same time will maintain that inferior feeling. Some people are not able
to develop any good side under these circumstances. Indeed, excessive low
self-esteem makes these feelings are more difficult to overcome, such as the
emergence of complexes of low self or complex for superiority. But normal
condition of inferiority feeling is a driver of progress or perfection or
superiority. According to Adler, there are three situations in childhood that
contribute to the faulty lifestyle that creates an inferior feeling to the child.
The first is organ inferiorities or disease of early childhood. It can be
overcome by giving more attention because most children will live with
strong inferiority feelings. The second is pampering. It is children’s lifestyle
habits to get something without giving or desire that they have is a command
for others will place them on two things; they do not learn to do something
for themselves, and they cannot socialize well with others. The third is
neglect. An abandoned or neglected makes child feels their self-worthless.
They learn to be selfish because they are taught not to trust anyone. Not only
on orphans and victims of persecution, but children whose parents were never
there to notice also make them felt neglect . Those are the aspects that make
inferiority feeling.
2.3.2 Self Concept and Self Esteem
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Self concept is best defined as a combination of self-image, self esteem and your ideal self. To break these down simply, your self image is how you see yourself, your self esteem is how much you value yourself and your ideal self is the vision you have for yourself, in other words how you wish you could be. Taking all of these into account, your own self concept is formed. You have to remember that your self concept does not always coincide with reality. In fact, more often than not, the way we view ourselves is distorted and unrealistic. We are often overly critical of ourselves and our abilities, and you have to watch out for that. Self concept can change on a regular basis because you see and interpret things differently depending on feelings, beliefs and attitude. Self awareness is a two-way process as your feelings and beliefs affect your self concept and the opposite is also true.
Awareness means becoming aware of what is actually true about yourself and this important because you probably believe you are as you see you yourself but others may see you quite differently. Awareness is the process of moving your own view closer to the truth. Self-esteem is a confidence and satisfaction in oneself, synonymous with self-respect; self-concept is the mental image one has of oneself.These terms are related to inferiority feeling, superiority striving, and community feeling. This basic awareness of imperfection can also turn people away from common sense and contribution, and toward self- aggrandizement, when they are discouraged, feel disrespected, or sense themselves to be unwelcome in the human community. Adler says, "The sense of worth of the self shall not be allowed to be diminished". A personal estimate of oneself as worthwhile and valuable translates into self-esteem. A
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA satisfactory self-concept and resulting self-esteem derive from activity on the useful side of life, that is, in line with community feeling.
Self esteemsense of personal worth and ability that is fundamental to an individual’s identity. Family relationships during childhood are believed to play a crucial role in its development. Parents may foster self-esteem by expressing affection and support for the child as well as by helping the child set realistic goals for achievement instead of imposing unreachably high standards. Karen Horney asserted that low self-esteem leads to the development of a personality that excessively craves approval and affection and exhibits an extreme desire for personal achievement. According to Alfred
Adler’s theory of personality, low self-esteem leads people to strive to overcome their perceived inferiorities and to develop strengths or talents in compensation.Self esteem is final goal we strive. Adler does not explain the word superiority in the ordinary word meaning, nor its relation to the concept of complex superiority that is a condition occurs when a person compensates over of the normal inferior feelings, which is more likely to be better than others, arrogance or domination. But superiority or perfection means to complete or to finish. Adler suggests that individuals try to achieve superiority in an effort to accomplish themselves, to make it perfect or intact.
Superiority is the compensation of the inferior feeling. For Adler there is only one impulse, the drive for superiority in an attempt to leave a feeling of inferiority. Superiority is not to be better than anyone else or defeats others, but is constantly trying to get better for getting closer to the final goal.
Superiority is not social exclusion, leadership, or high standing in society, but
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA superiority is a struggle for perfection. Adler believed that we all have one basic desire and goal: to belong and to feel significant.
According to Adler, when we feel encouraged, we feel capable and appreciated and will generally act in a connected and cooperative way. When we are discouraged, we may act in unhealthy ways by competing, withdrawing, or giving up. It is in finding ways of expressing and accepting encouragement, respect, and social interest that help us feel fulfilled and optimistic.
Adlerian theory and practice have proven especially productive as applied to the growth and development of children. Adlerians believe that "a misbehaving child is a discouraged child" and that helping children to feel valued, significant, and competent is often the most effective strategy in coping with difficult child behaviors.
Adlerian Psychology focuses on people's efforts to compensate for their self-perceived inferiority to others. These feelings of inferiority may derive from one's position in the family constellation, particularly if early experiences of humiliation occurred; a specific physical condition or defect existed; or a general lack of social feeling for others was present.
Adlerians are concerned with understanding the unique and private beliefs and strategies (one's life style) that each individual creates in childhood. This cognitive schema and life style serve as the individual's reference for attitudes, behaviors, and one's private view of self, others, and the world. It is when we have looked at our early life experiences, examined the patterns of behavior that repeat themselves in our lives, and the methods
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA by which we go about trying to gain significance and belonging that healing, growth, and change occur.
The theory and application of Adlerian Psychology have as their lynchpins seven critical ideas:
1. Unity of the Individual
Thinking, feeling, emotion, and behavior can only be understood
as subordinated to the individual's style of life, or consistent pattern of
dealing with life. The individual is not internally divided or the
battleground of conflicting forces. Each aspect of the personality points
in the same direction.
2. Goal Orientation
There is one central personality dynamic derived from the growth and forward movement of life itself. It is a future-oriented striving toward a goal of significance, superiority, or success. In mental health, it is a realistic goal of socially useful significance or superiority over general difficulties. In mental disorders, it is an unrealistic goal of exaggerated significance or superiority over others. The early childhood feeling of inferiority, for which one aims to compensate, leads to the creation of a fictional final goal which subjectively seems to promise future security and success. The depth of the inferiority feeling usually determines the height of the goal which then becomes the "final cause" of behavior patterns.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 3. Self-Determination and Uniqueness
A person's fictional goal may be influenced by hereditary and cultural factors, but it ultimately springs from the creative power of the individual, and is consequently unique. Usually, individuals are not fully aware of their goal. Through the analysis of birth order, repeated coping patterns, and earliest memories, the psychotherapist infers the goal as a working hypothesis.
4. Social Context
As an indivisible whole, a system, the human being is also a part of larger wholes or systems the family, the community, all of humanity, our planet, and the cosmos. In these contexts, we meet the three important life tasks: occupation, family and couple, and our relationship with other people all social challenges. Our way of responding to our first social system, the family constellation, may become the prototype of our world view and attitude toward life.
In Agnes sriving for self esteem the writer using the social contex ideas therapy, by:
1. Occupation Therapy
An occupational therapist works with a client to help them achieve a fulfilled and satisfied state in life through the use of "purposeful activity or interventions designed to achieve occupational outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability. and which develop, improve, sustain or restore the highest possible level of independence. The ability to perceive, desire, recall, plan and carry out roles, routines, tasks and sub-tasks for the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA purpose of self-maintenance, productivity, leisure and rest in response to demands of the internal and/or external environment. Occupational therapy is about helping people do the day-to-day tasks that "occupy" their time, sustain themselves, and enable them to contribute to the wider community. It is these opportunities to "do", which occupational therapy provides, that prove important and meaningful to the health of people.
2. Family Therapy
Family therapy This involvement of families is commonly accomplished by their direct participation in the therapy session. The skills of the family therapist thus include the ability to influence conversations in a way that catalyses the strengths, wisdom, and support of the wider system.
The conceptual frameworks developed by family therapists, especially those of family systems theorists, have been applied to a wide range of human behavior, including organisational dynamics and the study of greatness.
3. Couple Therapy
Making the choice to go to couples counseling can feel like a very big step. It involves admitting that things are not perfect in your partnership, which is often tough to do and scary to admit. finding an appropriate provider, figuring out insurance and other financial aspects of the commitment, coming up with a time to fit into everyone's schedule. Often, the idea of seeing a marriage or couples therapist sits on the back burner, with one or both parties thinking that it may be a good idea. Couples therapy is a form of psychological therapy used to treat relationship distress for both individuals. The purpose of couples therapy is to restore a better level of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA functioning in couples who experience distress. The reasons for distress can include poor communication skills, incompatibility, or a broad spectrum of psychological disorders that include domestic violence, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia . The focus of couples therapy is to identify the presence of dissatisfaction and distress in the relationship, and to devise and implement a treatment plan with objectives designed to improve or alleviate the presenting symptoms and restore the relationship to a better and healthier level of functioning. Couples therapy can assist persons who are having complaints of intimacy and communication difficulties.
5. The Feeling of Community
Each human being has the capacity for learning to live in harmony with society. This is an innate potential for social connectedness which has to be consciously developed. Social interest and feeling imply "social improvement," quite different from conformity, leaving room for social innovation even through cultural resistance or rebellion. The feeling of genuine security is rooted in a deep sense of belonging and embeddedness within the stream of social evolution.
6. Mental Health
A feeling of human connectedness and a willingness to develop oneself fully and contribute to the welfare of others are the main criteria of mental health. When these qualities are underdeveloped, feelings of inferiority may haunt an individual, or an attitude of superiority may antagonize others. Consequently, the unconscious fictional goal will be self- centered and emotionally or materially exploitive of other people. When the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA feeling of connectedness and the willingness to contribute are stronger, a
feeling of equality emerges, and the individual's goal will be self-
transcending and beneficial to others.
7. Treatment
Adlerian individual psychotherapy, brief therapy, couple therapy, and
family therapy follow parallel paths. Clients are encouraged to overcome their
feelings of insecurity, develop deeper feelings of connectedness, and to redirect
their striving for significance into more socially beneficial directions. Through
a respectful Socratic dialogue, they are challenged to correct mistaken
assumptions, attitudes, behaviors, and feelings about themselves and the world.
Constant encouragement stimulates clients to attempt what was believed
impossible. The growth of confidence, pride, and gratification leads to a greater
desire and ability to cooperate. The objective of therapy is to replace
exaggerated self-protection, self-enhancement, and self-indulgence with
courageous social contribution.
2.4 Review of Related Studies
The following studies are similar to what this study. What makes this
research different is that the writer will analyze the different issue. The theory
applied is Individual Psychology and the issue raised is An analysis of
inferiority feeling of a governess as potrayed in Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey.
Here, the writer finds the literary reviews of the same novel and theory used
in analysis.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER III
METHOD OF RESEARCH
3.1 Research Method
The method which used by the writer in finding out is the descriptive qualitative research. Descriptive qualitative method is a method to reveal the facts, circumstances, phenomena, variables, and circumstances that occurred while running the research and presenting what it is. Hamidi (2008: 3).
Qualitative research as observation toward individual or group activities and the social situations. Qualitative descriptive methodology is the research which is basedon the fact and phenomena that empirical exist in a person. This research aims to get the data as like as the reality.
Qualitative research can be done by the researcher in social and behavior major and also focus on the problem of human’s behavior and role. This research can be used to research organization, group and personal. This research can be done by researcher team, some people rather a person. By considering this methodology, the writer analyze the inferiority complex of governess. The writer use Anne Bronte’s, Agnes Grey as the maain source data.
There are some steps that should do in this research. First, the writer read the whole text in getting the understanding of the novel. Secondly, the writer selects the important information about the inferiority complex of governess in
Anne Bronte’s, Agnes Grey. The writer takes the quotations, dialogues, of the character as the data to support the analysis. The writer also takes some books, articles and journals from internet and library which related with this study.
Those help the writer in doing the analysis. Thirdly, the writer would make the interpretation based on the data which have been already taken before. Fourth,
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the writer would make the further analysis about the inferiority complex of governesss found in novel of Anne Bronte’s. Agnes Grey. The last as the result of this study we make the conclusion and suggestion based on the analysis of this study.
3.2 Source of Data
The data based on the Anne Bronte’s Agnes Greyas the primary source data. It was published by Wordsworth Edition Limited in 1998. The novel analyzed from the quotation and dialogue in the text novel. In addition the primarysource, in collecting the data we also use the secondary source. They are journal and books which are related with it.
3.3 Data Collection
In collecting the data, the writer used the library research. The writer collects and then identifies the data which are related. Nazir said that, library research is technique of collecting data by studying the books, literatures, writings and reports which have relation with the problems solved.
3.4 Data Analysis
In analyzing this study, the writer takes the theory psychoanalysis
Individual by Alfred Adler. The data which has been selected from the novel such as, quotation and attitude of the characters in the novel is analyzed by using this theory. This theory used in getting the objective of the study. In this study the writer interest to understand the inferiority complex of the in Anne
Bronte’s novel, Agnes Grey.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter discusses about the research problems of the study on which individual psychology theory by Alfred Adler. It focuses is applied on principles of individual psychology, including inferiority, striving for superiority through fictional finalism, and superiority. As Adler explained that inferiority is the feeling of worthlessness that arises in every individual.
Meanwhile, striving for superiority constitutes the encouragement toward perfection or completion that motivates human beings to be precious and more perfect through fictional finalism. Thus, superiority is final goal that human strive. Adler’s principle can be proven by analyzing the data in this study. First, the analysis starts with Agnes’s feeling who experienced since childhood that influenced her future, named inferiority. Then, the way Agnes strives for superiority and self esteem of her life through fictional finalism that she visualizes. Last is self esteem that she got through her efforts to find out a better life.
The story of Agnes Grey is delivered using first-person point of view which Agnes itself appears as the narrator who narrates all the events, that she experiences She is the one who tells readers about what she does, speaks and thinks. The things that she tells about are just limited to them who correlate with her. For instance, other characters only appear when they have to deal with Agnes and information about them is on Agnes charge. So, Agnes automatically becomes the main character because she appears on the whole story as what Nurgiyantoro said that main character is character that always appears and dominates the whole story.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Furthermore Altenbernd and Lewis declared that in this type of point of view in fiction, main character automatically becomes the protagonist. The usage of first person to narrate makes readers feel really involved in. Readers give empathy totally to main acton. Therefore, Agnes also belongs to protagonist that readers can really feel her hard struggle and inferiority feeling as a governess, finally admire her as a heroine character. Agnes Grey is a character of eighteen years old girl and daughter of clergyman as it is evident from the following quotation about her parents, where she comes from a decent family:
“My father was a clergyman of the north of England, who was deservedly respected by all who knew him; and, in his younger days, lived pretty comfortably on the joint income of a small incumbency and a snug little property of his own.” (Bronte3).
This means that Agnes is not rich. She just comes from an adequate family that her father only has a small amount of money. Agnes’s father does not have much money as a parson, and he
“troubled his head with revolving endless schemes for the augmentation of his little fortune, for his wife’s sake, and ours the daughters.” (Bronte 5).
Additionally, becoming a daughter of clergyman puts her social status into middle-class. It is based on the division of class during Victorian era in which clergyman placed as one of the members of religious order that belongs to social class middle class. Actually, although Agnes family has no large sum amount of money but it is at first never troubling their life, especially Agnes.
Although they are not rich, the father
“liked to see his house comfortable, and his wife and daughters well clothed, and well attended; and besides, he was charitably disposed, and liked to give to the poor,
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA according to his means, or some might think, beyond them.” (Bronte 6).
As it is obvious from the excerpt above, Agnes has a very comfortable
background, and lives in a happy family. Moreover, Agnes as the youngest
child, is always indulged so well by other family members father, mother, and
sister. So she never finds anything becoming problems in her life.
“Of six children, my sister Mary and myself were the only two that survived the perils of infancy and early childhood. I, being the younger by five or six years, was always regarded as THE child, and the pet of the family: father, mother, and sister, all combined to spoil me not by foolish indulgence, to render me fractious and ungovernable, but by ceaseless kindness, to make me too helpless and dependent too unfit for buffeting with the cares and turmoils of life.” (Bronte 4-5).
Unfortunately, that entirely comfortable situation does not last long. It starts
when one day; Agnes’s father is suggested by a kind friend, a merchant, to
double his private property by entrusting him with the money he spared,
promising him a fair share of the profits. But unfortunately.
“the vessel, which contained [the] fortune, had been wrecked, and gone to the bottom with all its stores, together with several of the crew, and the unfortunate merchant himself.” (Bronte 7).
Thus, the family is suddenly impoverished and this is the point when Agnes
life begins to change.
4.1 Agnes Inferiority as Governess
This part discusses the inferority traits of Agnes Grey as a governess.
From the novel the writer find sixbehavioral symptoms of inferiority complex in Agnes, there are:
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 4.1.1 Introvert
Agnes is an introvert person. An introvert thinks only about her own thoughts and personal life, she does not enjoy spending time with other people.
Here does not want others to know about her and her life. It is strengthened due to the fact that Agnes does not have someone who she could rely on in her lifetime around her job place. not really attached to the life she is living in, as it is seen in the novel.
“for I WAS lonely. Never, from month to month, from year to year,except during my brief intervals of rest at home, did I see onecreature to whom I could open my heart, or freely speak my thoughtswith any hope of sympathy, or even comprehension: never one.” (Bronte 76) This part show that Agnes is lonely and she is not close to any one
in her zone, because she thinks there is one know her self.
“while, if she is plain and good, provided she is a person of retired manners and secluded life, no one ever knows of her goodness, except her immediate connections.” (Bronte 107).
This qoutation shows that Agnes is an introvert, because she only not close to many people, the qoutation says that she is has some immediate connections.
“longed to seek the retirement of my own room, or some sequestered nook in the grounds, that I might deliver myself up to my feeling to weep my last farewell, and lament my false hopes and vain delusions.” (Bronte 128).
The qoutation says that Agnes is always alone, lamenting her self in her room, set her self apart from other people.
“she conducted me herself to the room I was to occupy when I chose to be alone.” (Bronte 135).
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA It is shown that Agnes tends to be an introvert; she does not really need someone paying attention to her. It is also miserable when one is living someone else‘s life, the life that she does not know whom is it. Yet, Agnes thinks the one who owns her life is not important to her. The consequently she does not share much about her life with others.
4.1.2 Insecure
An insecure person will feel unconfident about herself and her abilities, it might be caused by the environment which does not give the feeling of safety.
She builds a high boundary so that others could not touch the fragile part of herself, this indicates the insecurity indeed.
“I was n such a way for fear.” (Bronte 94).
Understanding the quotation above, it can be perceived that Agnes faces some inconveniences.
“I trembled with apprehension; and I listened with envy to her easy,rapid flow of utterance, and saw with anxiety the bright smile withwhich she looked into his face from time to time.” ( Bronte 102)
The qoutation shows that Agnes anger make her feel insecure. She is angry
when her employer put her on a bad situation, and that gives her fear of that
her anger blowing up and creates a new problem between her and her
employer.
“I was a close and resolutedissembler in this one case at least. My prayers, my tears, mywishes, fears, and lamentations, were witnessed by myself alone.”(Bronte 113)
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA It is show that Agnes always feels insecure and worried of everythings. This feeling of inferiority makes Agnes always feeling insecure and unsure of her feeling.
4.1.3 Devaluing others:
Usually aperson who feels inferior will be threatened whenever he considers anybody superior to her and in such a case the best defense mechanism he thinks about is trying to devalue that superior person at any cost.
" I longed to show my friends that, even now, I was competent to undertake the charge, and able to acquit myself honourably to the end; and if ever I felt it degrading to submit so quietly, or intolerable to toil so constantly, I would turn towards my home, and say within myself "They may crush, but they shall not subdue me! 'Tis of thee that I think, not of them." (Bronte 27)
This quotation shows us that Agnes does not want anyone to look down upon her at all, even she must strive as governess.
“It was disagreeable, too, to walk behind, and thus appear to acknowledge my own inferiority; for, in truth, I considered myself pretty nearly as good as the best of them, and wished them to know that I did so, and not to imagine that I looked upon myself as a mere domestic, who knew her own place too well to walk beside such fine ladies and gentlemen as they were--though her young ladies might choose to have her with them, and even condescend to converse with her when no better company were at hand.” (Bronte 83)
There can be seen that Agnes can not accept it when her employer looks down at her. She thinks she's better than only other governess in that house.
4.1.4 Over sensitivity to criticism:
People with inferiority complex have a real hard time dealing with criticism. We all hate criticism but for a person who feels inferior criticism is
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA considered a successful attempt in discovering his real flaws and that's why he can never handle them. The person who feels inferior spends a considerable amount of time building walls to hide her imaginary flaws and that's why he feels really bad whenever someone criticizes her. In novel the writer find that
Agnes hates criticism,
“Mrs. Bloomfield sent for me, and calmly told me that after Midsummer my services would be no longer required. She assured me that my character and general conduct were unexceptionable.” (Bronte 39)
Her employer says that Agnes hates the criticism and that her character and general conduct were unexceptionable. But Agnes always thinks that herself is not. And the next quotation shows that Agnes want to justify her self.
“I wished to say something in my own justification; but in attempting to speak, I felt my voice falter; and rather than testify any emotion, or suffer the tears to overflow that were already gathering in my eyes, I chose to keep silence, and bear all like a self-convicted culprit.” (Bronte 40)
The quotation shows that Agnes hates criticism and always want to justyfy herself and her behavior.
“It might be partly owing to my own stupidity,my want of tact and assurance: but I felt myself wronged.” (Bronte 103)
4.1.5 Excessive anxiety:
When the person who feels inferior doesn't manage to build the self
esteem talked about uses another mechanism which is excessive anxiety.
Without being aware, the subconscious mind of the person makes become
anxious whenever he encounters people who might remind her of this
inferiority. By doing so the subconscious mind makes sure that the person
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA will avoid those who make her feel inferior! So fear of public speaking, fear of approaching the opposite sex and stage fright can sometimes be symptoms of inferiority. In the novel the writer find that Agnes is always feeling excessive anxiety of herself or her family.
“I was so fearful of being charged with childish frivolity, or stupid insensibility, that I carefully kept most of my bright ideas and cheering notions to myself; well knowing they could not be appreciated.” (Bronte 7)
This shows that Agnes is feeling fearful that her sister considers her as an absurd girl. As always Agnes does not want anyone to looks down on her, at all.
“I was in constant fear that their mother would see them from the window, and blame me for allowing them thus to draggle their clothes and wet their feet and hands, instead of taking exercise; but no arguments, commands, or entreaties could draw them away.” (Bronte 19)
This part show that Agnes always feeling excessive anxienty, even for small case. Because Agnes do not want her employer underestimate upon her.
“No boding fears were expressed, but I was grown timid and despondent, and could not help fearing that some dreadful calamity awaited us there.” (Bronte 115).
This qoutation show without being aware, the subconscious mind of Agnes makes her become anxious.
4.1.6 Feeling of being persecuted
Persecuted is a term that refers to mistreatment, discrimination, or victimization of a person or group of people for a specific reason. In some cases, there may be a logically valid reason for persecution such as torturous imprisonment for an individual that committed a heinous crime. Persecutory
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA delusions are a set of delusional conditions in which the inferior persons believe they are being persecuted. persecutory delusions where the person believes he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, or ridiculed, or that their food is being poisoned. In the novel the writer find some qoutation that show Agnes feeling of being persecuted as a governess in her employer house.
“I must run, walk, or stand, exactly as it suited their fancy. This,I thought, was reversing the order of things; and I found it doublydisagreeable, as on this as well as subsequent occasions, theyseemed to prefer the dirtiest places and the most dismaloccupations. But there was no remedy; either I must follow them,or keep entirely apart from them, and thus appear neglectful of mycharge. To- day, they manifested a particular attachment to a wellat the bottom of the lawn, where they persisted in dabbling withsticks and pebbles for above half an hour. I was in constant fearthat their mother would see them from the window, and blame me.” (Bronte 20)
This qoutation shows that Agnes feeling persecuted by her student, who broke her rules as governess. Agnes feeling that the most dismal occupations, that make her depressed and persecuted.
“But either the children were soincorrigible, the parents so unreasonable, or myself so mistaken inmy views, or so unable to carry them out, that my best intentionsand most strenuous efforts seemed productive of no better resultthan sport to the children, dissatisfaction to their parents, andtorment to myself. The task of instruction was as arduous for the body as the mind.” (Bronte 23)
The qoutation above show that Agnes feeling depressed by behaviour the children of her employer that make her emloyer depress Agnes as a governess.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 4.2 Agnes Striving for Superiority and Self Esteem Back.
According to Alfred Adler theory, there are many ways to get self esteem. it can be through fictional finalism, social interest, life style, creative power, and Alderian psychology etcetera. Each human being determines their way to strive for the superiority that they need. Striving for superiority is the effort of human beings to get perfection or completion through the way that makes them close to the purpose. As in the story, the character strives from the inferior feelings to the superior and success in her life. This study analyzes
Agnes process to get superiority and success based on the inferior feeling she had then she shapes the dream for the future called fictional finalism by Adler.
In striving for superiority Agnes struggles in her life to get the superiority that she wants by deciding fictional finalism on her mind, then she endeavor to fulfill the needs of her life until she gets the self esteem.
Adlerian Psychology focuses on people's efforts to compensate for their self-perceived inferiority to others. These feelings of inferiority may derive from one's position in the family constellation, particularly if early experiences of humiliation occurred; a specific physical condition or defect existed; or a general lack of social feeling for others was present.
Adlerians are concerned with understanding of unique and private beliefs and strategies (one's life style) that each individual creates in childhood. This cognitive schema and life style serve as the individual's reference for attitudes, behaviors, and one's private view of self, others, and the world. It is when we have looked at our early life experiences, examined the patterns of behavior that repeat themselves in our lives, and the methods by which we go about
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA trying to gain significance and belonging that healing, growth, and change occur.
To get self esteem of Agnes back, Alderian Psychology Therapy use is
Social Context. As an indivisible whole, a system, the human being is also a part of larger wholes or systems the family, the community, all of humanity, our planet, and the cosmos. In these contexts, we meet the three important life tasks: occupation, love and our couple relationship with other people all social challenges. Our way of responding to our first social system, the family constellation, may become the prototype of our world view and attitude toward life
1. Occupation Therapy
An occupational therapist works with a client to help them achieve a fulfilled and satisfied state in life through the use of "purposeful activity or interventions designed to achieve occupational outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability. and which develop, improve, sustain or restore the highest possible level of independenceAt the core of this approach is the ideology that occupational therapists are concerned with the occupations of people and how these contribute to health. Specifically it is a person's occupational performance that influences their health and personal satisfaction of their individual needs. In Agnes story, her mom asks Agnes to leave her job as a governess and being a teacher and build a school, to ger her self esteem back.
“What say you to it, Agnes? will you bewilling to leave your present situation and try?''Quite willing, mamma; and
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the money I have saved will do tofurnish the house. It shall be taken from the bank directly.”(Bronte 123)
This qoutation says that Agnes left her last job as governess, build a school and being a teacher there and strart her new life.
“I told him we were doing very well--that we had had a considerable addition to our pupils after the Christmas vacation,and expected a still further increase at the close of this.” (Bronte 146)
The progress or the school is good, and that make Agnes happy and can so
proud of her effort as a teacher in her new school.
“I set myself with befitting energy to discharge the duties of this new mode of life. I call it NEW, for there was, indeed, a considerable difference between working with my mother in a school of our own, and working as a hireling among strangers, despised and trampled upon by old and young; and for the first few weeks I was by no means unhappy.”(Bronte 150)
This quotation informs that Agnes makes her own school with her mother.
From this section, the writer argues that this is the best part of Agnes struggle to liberate herself from the system of capitalism and its oppression. It is because by holding a school and becoming the teacher there means that she does not need to work under other people’s power especially when she had to be governess and was hired by upper class employer who treated her badly in oppressive ways. Deliberating from that oppression under capitalism system, the writer claims that this is the evidence of Agnes already gets her self esteem back what is depcated through the character of Agnes Grey s a person who finallysucceeds to be free from capitalism which is seen as one of the sources of women’s oppression.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 2. Family Therapy
We all start this life with a family, whether that family is composed of blood relatives, adopted parents, or a foster family. This family that we acquire when we are born influences every aspect of our lives, from our first moments to our last. To ger her self esteem back, Agnes gets back to her family.
“I will not dilate upon the feelings with which I left the old house, the well-known garden, the little village church then doubly dear to me, because my father, who, for thirty years, had taught and prayed within its walls, lay slumbering now beneath its flags--and the old bare hills, delightful in their very desolation, with the narrow vales between, smiling in green wood and sparkling water--the house where I was born, the scene of all my early associations, the place where throughout life my earthly affections had been centred;--and left them to return no more.” (Bronte 126)
This part shows that family is everything, who can accept our true self. Family is the best therapy of everything complex in this world.
"Dear Mary! and she had written it so kindly and I should be so pleased to have it." (Bronte 130)
This qoutation shows that her sister gives Agnes a letter, to make Agnes
happy and feel loved by her sister.
“You must be an accomplished instructor,' he observed. 'No, it is my mother,' I replied; 'she manages things so well, and she is so active, and clever, and kind.'” (Bronte 146)
From this qoutation it is shown that her mother is very kind to Agnes and
make a school for Agnes that Agnes can be a teacher in the school and make
Agnes feeling happy and forget her past experience as a governess.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 3. Couples Therapy
The purpose of couples therapy is to restore a better level life and to get self esteem back. In this novel Agnes Grey get her couples therapy From her boy friend.
“He had not breathed a word of love, or dropped one hint of tenderness or affection, and yet I had been supremely happy. To be near him, to hear him talk as he did talk, and to feel that he thought me worthy to be so spoken to capable of understanding and duly appreciating such discourse was enough.”(Bronte 128)
This quotation shows that Agnes feels happy and beloved from her Boy friend.
And with love by her couple Agnes can face the life.
“I became the wife of Edward Weston; and never have found cause to repent it, and am certain that I never shall. We have had trials, and we know that we must have them again; but we bear them well together, and endeavour to fortify ourselves and each other against the final separation--that greatest of all afflictions to the survivor. But, if we keep in mind the glorious heaven beyond, where both may meet again, and sin and sorrow are unknown, surely that too may be borne; and, meantime, we endeavour to live to the glory of Him who has scattered so many blessings in our path.” (Bronte 153)
In the last chapter of the novel, the writer finds this qoutation showing that Agnes get married to Mr.Wetson her boy friend since long, that help her to face her days as a governes.
”Here I pause. My Diary, from which I have compiled these pages, goes but little further. I could go on for years, but I will content myself with adding, that I shall never forget that glorious summer evening, and always remember with delight that steep hill, and the edge of the precipice where we stood together, watching the splendid sunset mirrored in the restless world of waters at our feet
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA with hearts filled with gratitude to heaven, and happiness, and love almost too full for speech.A few weeks after that, when my mother had supplied herself with an assistant” (Bronte 154)
In the last chapter of the novel, it portrayed how happy and blessed Agnes to get her self esteem back, through her new job, her family love, and her relationship with her husban Mr Wetson.
Her highest achievement of struggle is when she finally builds a school of herown with her mother which releases her from the necessity to be a governessso she does not need to accept any oppression from her employers anymore,feeling of being loved byher family and her husban, makes Agnes find her self esteen back, and enjoy her new life with her new chapter of job,family, and her husban Mr.Wetson.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA .CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1 CONCLUSION
In this chapter, the writer takes the conclusion of the study which analyze
Agnes Grey novel by Anne Bronte which focus on the main character. This
study discusses the inferiority feeling and the way of character gaining the self
esteem by striving for superiority through Alderian therapy. Agnes Grey is the
novel which reveals the poverty, discrimination of the society and the strugle
of governess which makes Agnes feel inferior of those situations, and then she
compensates his feeling by striving for superiority and self esteem.
From the theory, the writer find ten behavioural symptoms of inferiority
complex by Alder theory, which are :
1. Introvert
2. Insecure
3. Devaluing others
4. Over sensitivity to criticism
5. Excessive anxiety
6. Negative feelings about competition
7. Feelings of being persecuted
8. A neurotic need for perfectionism and finally, the tendency toward
seclusion, shyness and timidity ,
9. Hypercritical Attitude
10. Tendency toward blaming or victim blaming.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA And in the analysis of the inferiority complex of Agnes Grey as a
governess the writer find six of ten the behavioural symptoms of
inferiority complex in Agnes self,which is :
1. Introvert
2. Insecure
3. Devaluing others
4. Over sensitivity to criticism, and
5. Excessive anxiety
6. Feeling being persecuted
The last part in the novel Agnes can discharge the inferiority comeplex and find her self esteem back, restored by Alderian therapy. From the theory and application of Adlerian Psychology have as their lynchpins seven critical ideas:
1. Unity of the Individual
2. Goal Orientation
3. Self-Determination and Uniqueness
4. Social Context
a.Occupation therapy
b.Love therapy
c. Couple therapy
5. The Feeling of Community
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 6. Mental Health
7. Treatment
5.2 SUGGESTION
The Social contex of alderian therapy is applied in Agnes self, and in the social contex ideas have three kind of therapy for Agnes,
1. Occupation Therapy, from her new jos as a teacher in her school
2. Family Therapy by her mother and her sister Mary
3. Couple Therapy from her boy friend Mr. Wetson, which is in the
last story of the novel become her husban.
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