The Significance of Dodge's Schizophrenia Toward The
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DODGE’S SCHIZOPHRENIA TOWARD THE CONFLICT IN SHEPARD’S BURIED CHILD AN UNDERGRADUATED THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By Buntara Adi Purwanto Student Number: 054214082
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2011
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iv Go ahead..!!!!!!!!!! YOUR BELIEF WILL GUIDE YOU WHEN YOU ARE ENCOUNTERING A DEAD END
“minum susu biar sehat”..!!!! Otot kawat balung wesi...
Dedidated for: 4llah swt My father, my mother
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vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Great praise I address to Allah SWT for all I have In my life. My great gratitude is dedicated for my beloved father Suryanto and my mother Asih Sri
Suparni for their support, facilities, and helps when I encounter a dead end.
Thanks a lot for my brother DwiAri Puja Watara and my sister Hera Nisa Kurnia
Dewi for their way to understand me, so that I can finish this undergraduate thesis.
Great gratitude is sincerely dedicated to Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka.
M.Hum who guides and advices me patiently so that I can improve this undergraduate thesis, especially to get a better format, grammar, and go deeper in my analysis. I faithfully would like to address my gratitude to Elisa Dwi Wardani,
S.S, M.Hum as my Co. Advisor and Adventina Putranti S.S. M.Hum who has directed me during the years I studied.
My thanks go to my friends who has helped me to do this undergraduate thesis; Hardian Putra for his excellent thesis, Jonatan Baradiska for his grammar and critics, Gibson, koh Alvin Ginardi. I also would like to express my glad for the crazy friends Fuja, Bruno, Sindu, Ian, Yoseph bayu, Yemima, Ucok, Miki,
Yohanes Bayu, Riana, Elsa, and for the lads who still consistent on their idealism
Lenyung Adyatmaka, Riject Adi Renaldi, Lipenk, Galeh, and Mbah Roni. I give my thanks to those who have given any support for me. I cannot mention their name, but I will not forget them.
My special gratitude is dedicated for Molas Warsi who stands as my inspiration, motivation and for her way to understand me.
vii TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………...... i APPROVAL PAGE……………………………………………………… ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE………………………………………………...... iii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ...... iv DEDICATION PAGE………………………………………………….. v PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI...... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………... viii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………….... ix ABSTRAK………………………………………………………………... x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study…...………………………………………….. 1 B. Problem Formulation…………..…………………………………….... 4 C. Objectives of the Study…………..……………………………………. 4 D. Definition of Terms……...…………………………………………….. 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies……..…….………………………………… 6 B. Review of Related Theories……………………………………………. 10 1. Theory of Conflict………………………………………………… 10 2. Theory of Characterization…………………………………………. 12 3. Theory of Schizophrenia………………………………………...... 14 C. Theoretical Framework……..…………………………………………. 23
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study………..…………………………………………... 25 B. Approach of the Study…..…………………………………………….. 26 C. Method of the Study……………………………………………………. 27
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. The Conflict in Buried Child.…………………………………...... 30 1. Dodge and Halie…………………………………………...... 30 2. Dodge and Tilden……………………………………………...... 35 3. Dodge and Bradley...... 38 4. Vince and The Family ...... 40 B. The Description of Dodge as a Schizophrenic………...... 45 1. Delusion…………...... …………………………………… 53 2. Disorganized Thinking…………………………………………….. 55 3. Grossly Disorganized Behavior…………………………...……….. 58 4. Avolition...... 59 C. The significance of Dodge’s Schizophrenia toward the Conflict…... 61
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION…………………………………………. 70 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………... 72
viii ABSTRACT
BUNTARA ADI PURWANTO. The Significance of Dodge’s Schizophrenia toward the Conflict in Shepard’s Buried Child. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2010.
The conflict in Shepard’s Buried Child is reflected by a bad relationship among the members of Dodge’s family. In this case, the main cause is Dodge’s strange behavior. He possesses a psychological disorder called schizophrenia. Therefore, the significance of Dodge’s schizophrenia toward the conflict in the play is interesting to be discussed. Indirectly, it leads the relationship between Dodge and his family and among the members in the family into a messy situation. In order to go to the main analysis of the study, the writer will describe the conflict. The next step is studying Dodge’s psychological disorder named schizophrenia. After that, the discussion will be focused on the significance of Dodge’s schizophrenia toward the conflict. The writer uses library research method in this study. The main source of this study is the Play Buried Child. The writer uses books and internet as the supporting sources. Theories that are applied in this study are theory of characterization, theory of conflict, and theory of psychology that includes theory of schizophrenia, theory of mental health, theory of denial, and theory of relationship between schizophrenia and a family. The writer uses psychological approach to analyze the significance of Dodge’s schizophrenia toward the conflict in the play. The play provides a horror situation in Dodge’s family as a reflection of the bad relationship between Dodge and his family, and among the members of the family. The root of the conflict is that an unrevealed murder to a baby that is done by Dodge. He keeps the event as a secret so that it calls the family’s curiosity and leads Dodge to become a schizophrenic. Because of that, his behavior changes into an extreme degree of peculiarity. Therefore, the family gets difficulties when they are in contact with him. In this case, their curiosity grows inside their mind plus facing Dodge’s peculiarity resulting on their bad relationship.
ix ABSTRAK
BUNTARA ADI PURWANTO. The Significance of Dodge’s Schizophrenia toward the Conflict in Shepard’s Buried Child. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris. Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.
Konflik dalam Buried Child-nya Shepard diwujudkan dengan hubungan buruk antar anggota keluarga Dodge. Dalam hal ini, sebab utamanya adalah kelakuan Dodge yang aneh. Dia mempunyai kelainan psikologi yang disebut skizofrenia. Oleh karena itu, pentingnya skizofrenianya Dodge terhadap konflik dalam drama tersebut menarik untuk dibahas. Secara tidak langssung, skizofrenia menyebabkan pada hubungan antara Dodge dan keluarganya dan antar anggota keluarga tersebut kedalam situasi yang berantakan. Untuk mendapatkan inti analisis penelitian ini, penulis akan mendiskripsikan konflik tersebut. Langkah berikutnya adalah meneliti kelainan psikologi pada Dodge yang dinamakan skizofrenia. Setelah itu, pembahasan akan difokuskan pada pentingnya skizofrenia pada diri Dodge terhadap konflik. Penulis menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka dalam penelitian ini. Sumber utama dalam penelitian ini adalah Drama Buried Child. Penulis menggunakan buku-buku dan internet sebagai sumber pendukung. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori penokohan, teori konflik dan teori psikologi yang mencakup teori skizofrenia, teori kesehatan mental, teori pembantahan dan teori hubungan antara skizofrenia dengan sebuah keluarga. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan psikologi untuk menganalisis skizofrenianya Dodge terhadap konflik dalam drama tersebut. Drama itu menyuguhkan sebuah situasi yang mencekam dalam keluarganya Dodge sebagai perwujudan dari hubungan yang buruk antara Dodge dan keluarganya dan antar anggota dalam keluarga tersebut. Akar permasalahannya adalah pembunuhan terhadap seorang bayi yang tidak terpecahkan yang dilakukan oleh Dodge. Dia menyimpannya sebagai sebuah rahasia. Hal ini menumbuhkan rasa penasaran pada anggota keluarga dan menyebabkan Dodge menjadi penderita skizofrenia. Oleh karena itu, Kelakuannya berubah ke tingkat keanehan yang ekstrim. Jadi, keluarganya kesulitan untuk menjalin hubungan dengan Dodge. Dalam hal ini, rasa penasaran mereka tumbuh dalam pikiran ditambah menghadapi keanehannya Dodge yang kemudian menjadikan hubungan mereka buruk.
x CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Everybody wants to have a happy family, a family that is made up of father, mother, son, even daughter. A family will not be a happy family only with a complete member. The word “happy” here is dedicated to the feeling and atmosphere inside the family. It is no doubt that the relationship among the members is very important to gain love. With this kind of feeling, the family will always be able to solve every problem occurred between them. It is undoubted that there will be good communication among them.
The contradictory condition occures in the scenes of Sam Sheppard’s play
Buried Child. Sheppard very skillfully shows the absence of the normal touch of love in the family. His play contains visual issues of bad relationship between the members in the Dodge family. In other words, the bad relationship in the family in this play is the most dominant problem in this play.
Sam Sheppard’s scenes in Buried Child are the implication of illness, incest, adultery personal violation and spiritual emptiness. The play demonstrates the absence of the touch of love in the family. From the very beginning of the play, there are the visual clues to the decay of personal and familial values: the neglected room, the ill father, and the invisible garden in the backyard. Some words and some
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sentences said by Dodge in the Shepard’s Buried Child show the unhealthy emotion.
The condition is caused by the existence of schizophrenia possessed by Dodge.
Someone with this disorder experiences two or more personalities that take turns controlling the person. (McGrath: 2008)
As stated in the quotation above schizophrenia may control the person who has it. Here, the schizophrenia attacks Dodge’s mind, and then it takes turn to control his behavior. There are many evidences in the play which show some abnormal attitudes, such as declaring a rude sentences without any relation with the context of the conversation and spending all his day in front of broken (having no picture) TV.
Therefore, we can conclude that the schizophrenia has a great contribution to influencing Dodge’s attitudes.
Sam Shepard was born in the Midwest, grew up in California, and began his theatrical career as a bit actor. Since 1964, he has dominated avant grade theatre in New York and London, exploring modern American myths and culture in such diverse plays as Tooth of Crime (1972) and Buried Child (1978). (Perrine, 1994:10).
Authors share their idea or criticize something through their works. Shepard’s vision to criticize America’s myth and rituals of family love and ethical values is clearly projected in Buried Child. When Sheppard wrote this play, “The American’s dream of familial love and individual success achieved by hard work has been replaced by realities of disease, loss, betrayal, violence murder, and death.” (Milly S.
Baranger, 1994:11). This condition can be seen in the events and actions of the play.
Nevertheless, Shepard seems to replace the condition by putting the actions in Buried
Child that contains that condition of American’s dream. Shepard also puts a values 3
symbol by the loss vegetables garden behind the family’s house. It is not lost, not all the members of the family realize that they have a garden. Only Tilden (the oldest son) can see the vegetables that belong to them.
The play Buried Child presents the absence of love in a family. The bad relationship happens between them. The play central action is Vincent’s (grandson) question about his root. Vincent returns to his family from New Mexico and finally reveals the problem. The family is rebuilt in a terrible secret for years. It is about the crime action many years ago. Dodge killed the baby born by Halie (his wife) and he denied that the baby was his child. He killed it and buried it in the backyard
(vegetables garden). Everybody realized that the baby was died, but they did not know who killed it and where it was. Everybody had different opinion about the terrible event, and Dodge tried to keep it as a secret during his life. For about thirty years, the secret become a mystery in the family. At the end of this play, the revelation of the secret crime cleanses the spiritual life of the family. At the moment,
Dodge’s confession of his murder is followed by his quite death caused by his disease. After this scene, the condition of the family is back to normal. Halie and the others can see their mysterious vegetables garden in the backyard and Tilden finds the skeleton of the baby.
Through the condition of the family and Dodge’s psychological condition, the writer feels the issues are very worthy to be studied. The writer hopes the study can give its contribution to readers to be wise in facing their problem. Therefore, there is 4
no blind impulse that bringing them on a psychological problem and broking their relationship.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems to be discussed in this thesis are formulated in the 3 questions bellow:
1. What is the conflict that happens in the play?
2. How is Dodge described as a schizophrenic?
3. What is the significance of Dodge’s schizophrenia toward the conflict in the play?
C. Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study will answer what we have in the problem formulation above. Firstly, the writer will seek an answer about the conflict that happens in the play. Then, secondly this work will find out how the conflict happens, as at the problem formulation said that it is influenced by Dodge’s schizophrenia. Before discussing the influence, the writer will try to emphasize Dodge’s schizophrenia by supporting the idea from the other opinions about it.
D. Definition of terms
In order to avoid misinterpretation among readers, the writer gives a little explanation on some keywords used in this thesis. Among others are:
1. Schizophrenia 5
Nancy Coover Andreasen in DSM IV-TR defines schizophrenia as a personality’s disturbance that may involve a range of cognitive and emotional dysfunction that include perception, inferential thinking, language and communication, behavioral monitoring, affect, fluency and productivity of thought and speech, hedonic capacity, volition and drive, and attention (2003:298-299).
According to Sigmund Freud (2008) in Encyclopedia of Psychology states, that schizophrenia is a lifelong brain disorders and makes it functionless. Schizophrenia causes some effects that can be seen direct or indirectly, such as unusual thought or perception, movement disorder, difficulty in speaking and expressing emotion, problem with memory and organization.
Here, Freud argues that schizophrenia is a brain’s disturbance affected to the personality disorder such as a range of cognitive and emotional dysfunction that include perception , inferential thinking, language and communication, behavioral monitoring, affect, fluency and productivity of thought and speech, hedonic capacity, volition and drive, attention, and problem with memory and organization.
2. Conflict :
Holman and Harmon in A handbook of Literature The struggle that grows out of the interplay of the two opposing force in a plot (1986: 107). In addition, Laurence
Perrine in his book Literature; Sound, Sense, and Structure (1974: 44) defines a conflict as a clash of action, ideas, and desires, or wills among two people in the society. He adds a conflict can be categorized in physical, mental, emotional, and moral conflict. CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Sam Shepard shares his knowledge throughout his works such as Buried
Child that is considered as a reflection toward the American society. By the time,
Buried Child opened in New York in 1978, Sam Shepard had been well- established
as a counterculture playwright. It means that his inspiration comes from the facts
which he has seen. There were several critics to respond the Shepard works; it was
Shepard’s ability to tap into America’s self-perception in intriguing new ways.
Buried Child, for its entire reflection, is a powerful reflection, no matter how ‘funny’
the mirror, of the dilemma of present day America.
In order to understand the play better, the writer needs to give some
knowledge based on the comment by others writer. Here the writer tries to
pharaphrase the critics, or some comments toward this play.
Milly S. Barranger in Understanding Plays states that this Shepard’s play
is structured by the gradual revelation of the family terrible secret (1994: 11). Here,
the revelation of the secret crimes releases the members from their spiritual
emptiness. He argues that the family has been dominated by the secret for long
years, and the revelation of the secret crimes cleanses the spiritual life. It can be
proven by the last part of Buried Child. Dodge’s confession about the murder carries
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the family out from the exorcism. Then, Halie can see what has been covered her
eyes before, an abundance vegetables in the mysterious field around the house.
She also says in this Shepard’s play that Shepard imitates the reality of
illness, incest, adultery, and personal violation by showing the absence of normal
touchstones of love, family, and fidelity. In relation with the statement above, he
argues that Shepard has sharply projected America’s myths and rituals of family love
and ethical values in Buried Child. According to her, the American dream of familial
love and individual success achieved by hard work have been replaced by reality of
disease, loss, betrayal, violence, murder, and death. All these condition can be seen
throughout the play in all events and actions. In the next sentence of the book which
the writer has read, it seemed that there was a communication between Barranger
and Sam Shepard during the process he wrote his argument. Nevertheless, Shepard
admits the possibility of reviving those lost dream and values symbolized by the
abundance of vegetables at the play’s ending. These life-sustaining crops arise
mystically from the soil where the buried child of the play’s title is both sign and
symbol of the decay of the modern American family. (1994: 10-11)
Heather Solomon pronounces a similar opinion but different angle in her article entitled Buried Child Unearths Humuor and Horror at a newspaper named The
Canadian Jewish News (February 19, 2009). Solomon is a director of Buried Child’s performance in America. She argues that Buried child combines two atmospheres of humour and horror. The audiences alternately taste the comfort of laughter, and then experience the thrill of horror. It is blackly funny one moment and spine-chillingly 8
macabre the next. A combination of two different atmosphres in one play. She adds that Buried child will able to influences the audience to the horror and humour at the same time, this one is the interesting side from Shepard’s play. The next sentences in her article explain about the characters. The most dominant character in the play is
Patriarch Dodge who is a cadaverous retired farmer with a heart condition whose main companions are now the TV set and his whiskey bottle secreted in the derelict sofa he inhabits. Dodge is the keeper of a horrible secret that touch all members of the family and has each one of them harboring a death wish for him. Then she describes
Halie as a straitlaced religious fervour belies her action, especially when she gropes
Father Dewis. Agitating their shaky emotional balance is the arrival of a young man claiming to be Dodge and Halie’s grandson named Vince. He acted less believably than others did. She also describes many others characters briefly in her article.
Another related study in relation with the subject is the case study about a person named Jack in http://www.academon.com/lib/paper/. Jack is a 27 years old man diagnosed with schizophrenia. He has been referred to Top Quality
Rehabilitation (TQP) to provide supported employment services.
Jack graduated from high school and got a job working in a video store.
After working for about 6 months Jack began to hear voices that told him he was no
good. He also began to believe that his boss was planting small video cameras in the
returned tapes to catch him making mistakes. Jack became increasingly agitated at
work, particularly during busy times, and began "talking strangely" to customers. For
example, one customer asked for a tape to be reserved and Jack indicated that that 9
tape might not be available because it had "surveillance photos of him that were being reviewed by the CIA". After about a year Jack quitted his job one night, yelling at his boss that he couldn't take the constant abuse of being watched by all the TV screens in the store and even in his own home. Then, his parent took him to the hospital. He was given Thorazine by his psychiatrist. This condition was continued for around 7 years. After moved to his own appartement, he became a member of psychosocial clubhouse for people with mental illness. He answered the phones and helped to write a clubhouse newsletter. He had a few friends, but he never had a girlfriend. Jack was very worried about looking for a job. He did not know how to explain his disorder to a potential employer, and he was afraid of becoming overwhelmed.
In this case, Jack has a strong hallucination that leads him to do some abnormal attitudes. Moreover, there is no relation between his attitudes and reality.
Here is the schizophrenia’s direct influence to the person. It caused great damage in
Jack’s brain later the brain cannot work normally.
There are similar characteristics as what happen in Jack and Dodge in the play. The effect of strong hallucination when gaining a contact with others such as what happens to Jack at the store and Dodge in his living room, Dodge’s imagination that there is a picture in the broken TV and Jack’s imagination about video camera.
Some similarities also found in the causes to get the schizophrenia as Jack’s worries to his boss’ perspective and Dodge’s worries to his family’s perspective. 10
By looking at both statements above, the point is already clear that there is
an unhealthy relationship among the members of Dodge’s family, and it is caused by
Dodge’s keeping secret. It is similar with the article above that the conflict is caused
by Dodge’s keeping secret. In other words, the secret becomes the main cause of the
conflict. A conflict must be caused by the struggle between the characters (Melissa,
Oct 21 2002). Therefore, there must be something in the middle between the conflict
and the secret. In the story, there is a strange attitudes expressed by Dodge called
schizophrenia. It influences his attitudes later his attitudes causes the conflict. So, in
the analysis the writers will talks about the process from the secret schizophrenia
Dodge’s behavior conflict.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Conflict
Robert Stanton in an Introduction to Fiction mentions that one of the elements of a plot in a story is a conflict. In every work of fiction contains obvious internal conflict between two desires between a character, and external conflicts; a conflict between a character and others character or its environments (1965: 16).
Holman and Harmon in A Handbook of Literature states that conflict is the struggle that grows out of interplays of the two opposing force. A conflict provides interest, suspense and tension. At least one of the two opposing force is usually a person, or, if an animal or inanimate object, is treated as it were a person. This person usually a protagonist, may be involved in conflict in five different kinds; a struggle 11
against another person (usually the antagonist), struggle against nature, struggle against society; struggle of inastery against two persons; struggle against destiny or fate (1986: 107).
They also define internal conflicts that “it does not show any physical struggle; always puts two elements within a person, always confronts character thought with feeling. (1986: 107). A conflict does not only show the struggle of protagonist against someone or something and some motivations and aims that to be achieved. They have a big influence choice.
Laurence Perrine in his book Literature; Sound, Sense, and Structure defines conflicts as a clash of action, ideas, desires, or wills between two individual among people in the society. Conflicts can be categorized into physical, mental, emotional, or moral. Regardless to those types of conflicts, Perrine states that conflict may be single, clear out and identifiable and multiple, various and difficult to be understood.
(1974: 44).
Melissa (English rector) states a conflict as a struggle. It means that every struggle no matter in daily life or literature can be declared as a conflict. According
Melissa, there are two classifications of conflict especially in literary world. a. Internal conflict: Struggle of internal conflict takes place in character’s mind.
She also explains deeper that it is a visual or tangible opposition. So, we can
conclude that this is a character dealing with his or her own mind mixed
feelings or emotions. 12
She adds that internal conflict may occur between man vs himself. b. External conflict: Struggle of external conflict may include between a
character and an outside force is an external conflict. In short way, external
conflict is occurred between man vs man or man vs his environment
(www.questia.com/literary criticism/London,2002).
2. Theory of Characterization
Perrine in his book Literature: Structure, Sound. And Sense (1974: 68 – 69)
states that characterization can be presented in two ways:
a. Direct Presentation
The author tells the quality of the characters in exposition or analysis or has
someone else in the story that tells us what the characters are like. This method
cannot be used alone; it needs to be supported by the indirect presentation to
convince the reader.
b. Indirect presentation
The author shows the readers the characters in action and lets the reader
infer what they are like from what they think, they say, or they do.
Under circumstances, a change of a character should be reasonable and in
the condition such as within the possibilities of characters who make it. The
character in a story should not change on suddenly. The character should present the
changing of the character gradually. The character should begin the changing by 13
smaller changed that was carefully prepared for. The changing of the character should be sufficiently motivated by the circumstances. The character should have strong motivation or reason in doing his/her action. One cannot change his characteristics so suddenly without any reason and the last one it must follow sufficient time for change. (1974: 68-69)
The author conveys to the reader about what sort of people the characters are in other ways. How to know and understand them, Murphy explains in his book entitled Understanding Unseen. (1972: 161 – 173)
a. Personal description
The author can describe a person’s appearances clothes.
b. Characters as seen by others
Instead of describing characters directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another. The reader gets, as it were, a reflected image.
c. Speech
The author can give us an insight to the character of one of the person in the book through what the person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving some clues to reader about his character.
d. Past Life
By letting the reader learns something about a person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that helped to shape person’s character. This can be done 14
by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his
conversation, or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation of others
The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the
conversation of other people and the things they say about him.
f. Reaction
The author may also give us clue to a person’s character by letting us
knows how that person reacts to various situation and event.
g. Direct comment
The comment here is by the author. The author can describe or comment on
a person’s character directly.
h. Thoughts
The author can gives us direct knowledge of what a person thinking about.
In this respect, he is able to do what he cannot do in real life.
i. Mannerism
The author can describes a person’s mannerism, and habits or
idiosyncrasies, which may tells us something about his character.
3. Theory of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder posessed by Dodge that contributes a significance role in to build the conflict in Buried Child. Here, the writer 15
gives some theories of schizophrenia to get an understanding about this psychological disorder.
Sigmund Frued said that schizophrenia is a severe, lifelong brain disorder. People who have it may hear voices, see things that are not there or believe that others are reading or controlling their minds. In men, symptoms usually start in the late teens and early 20s. They include hallucinations, or seeing things, and delusions such as hearing voices. (www.medlineplus.com, Mei 24, 2008).
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder and makes it functionless. In this article, Freudian add some effects of schizophrenia such as Unusual thoughts or perceptions, disorders of movement difficulty speaking and expressing emotion, problems with attention, memory and organization. (Sigmund
Freud,www.medlineplus.com, Mei 24, 2008)
Here Freud argues that a schizophrenic has something wrong in his brain and it is functionless. The effects are that the person may have an unusual thought and perceptions, disorder movement and he will difficult to express his emotional feeling such as difficulty speaking. Besides, the person will get a problem to give attention to something and difficult to remembering and organizing his/her attitudes.
Nancy Coover Andreasen writes in the DSM-IV TR entitled Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders that the charactristics symptom of scizophrenia involves a range of cognitive and emotional disfunction that include perception, inferential thinking, language and communication, behavioral monitoring, fluency and productivity of tought and speech, hedonic capacity, volition and drive, and attention. Further she explains the limitation of those symptoms; the symptoms will 16
be considered as a symptom of schizophrenia when the signs constellate each other and involve an occupational or social functioning. (2003: 299)
She further explains that there are two broad catagories attach to schizophrenia characterisrics symptom; posotive and negative. The positive symtomps appear to reflect a dimunition or loss normal function. This positive symptoms include distortion in tought content (delusion), perception (hallucination), language and toughts process (disorganized speech), and self monitoring behavior
(grossly disorganized or catatonic behaviors). These positive symptoms may include two distinct dimensions which may be related to different underlying neutral macanism and clinical correlates. The “psychotic dimension” includes delusions and hallicinations, whereas the “disorganized dimension” includes disorganized speech and bahaviors. Negative symptoms include restriction in the range of intensity and emotional axpression (affective flattening), in the fluency of productivity of tought and speech (alogia), and in the initiation of goal-directed bahavior (avolition). (2003:
299)
She explains deeper about each symptom that is supposed to be the characteristics of schhizophrenia.
Delusions are erroneous belieft that ussualy involve a misinterpretation of perceptions and experiences. Their content may include a variety of themes ( persecutory, referential, somatics, or grandiose). Persecutory delusions are most common. In this case the person believes he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, ridiculed. Referential delution are also common. the person who 17
has this symptom believes that certain gestures, comments, passage from books, newspaper, song lyrics, or other environment cues are specifically directed at him/ her. (2003: 299)
Delusions (Criterion A1) may have a strong effect to an individual perception and belief, it’s called bizarre delusion. Although bizzare dellusions are considered to be especially characteristics of schizophrenia, “bizzareness” may be difficult to judge, especially across diferent cultures. Delusions are deemed bizzare if they are clearly impleusible and not undertandable and do not derive from ordinarry life experiences.
An example of bizzare delusion is a person believes that a stranger has removed his or her in ternal organs and has replaced them with someone else’s organs without leaving any wounds or scars. An example of non bizzare delusion is a person false belief that he or she is under surveillance by the police. Delusion can be said as a bizarre when it express loss of control over mind and body among an individual; these includes person belief that his or her tought has been taken away by some outside force (tought withdrawal), that aliens tought have bees put into his or her mind (tought insertion), or that his or her body or action is being acted or manipulated by someone outside force (delusions of control). If the delusions are judged to be bizzare. Only this single symptom is needed to satisfy Criterion A for schizophrenia.
In another word, this symptom is an enough evidence to judge a person to be a schizophrenic. (2003: 299)
Sigmund freud also has a notion about this kind of schizoprenia’s symtomp. In his book Delusion and Dream, he explains how a delusion can be formed in mind. 18
The most important of all explanatory and exonerating consederation remains the facility with which our intellect decides to accept an thereby (and this generally meets with two little acceptance). How easily and frequently intelegent people give reaction of partial feeble-mindedness under such psychological constellation, anyone who is not too conceited may observe this in himself as often as he wishes and aspecially when some of the thought processes concerned are connected with unconcious or repressed motives. (1956; 74)
Hallucination (Criterion A2) may occur in any sesory modalltiy (e.g.,
Auditory visual, alfactory, gustatory, and tactile), One hallucination which is most common having by people is auditory hallucination. Auditory hallucinations are usually experienced as voices, whether familiar or unfamiliar, that are perceived as distinct from the person’s toughts. The hallucination must accurs in the context of clear sonsorium; Those that occur while falling asleep (hypnegogic) or walking up
(Hypnopompic) are considered to be within the range of normal experience. Isolated experiences of hearing ones name called or experiences that lack the quality of an external percept (e.g., a huming in ones head). Should also not be considered as symptomatic of schizophrenia. Or any other Psicotic Disorder. Hallucinations may be a normal part or religious experiences in certains cultural context. Certain types of auditory hallucinations (i.e., two or more voices convicing with one another or voice maintaining running commentary on the person’s tought and bure of behaviour) have been considered to be particularly characteristics of schizoprenia. If these type of 19
hallucination are present, then only this single symptom is needed to satisfy criterion
A. (2003: 300)
Disorganized thinking (‘formal thought disorder”) has been argued by some people as the single important feature of schizophrenia. Because it is still difficult to developing the objective definition of “thought disorder” so, the conclusion is also difficult to be drawn. Besides, the primary source to define a definition is based on the individual’s speech. However, the American psychiatric association called this is as Criterion A3. This is the speech of individual with schizophrenia may be disorganized in varieties ways. The person may “sleep of the track” from one topic to another (“derailment of loose association”). The individual will obliquely related or completely unrelated when he/she answering a question (tangentially). And rarely, speech may be severely disorganized that it is nearly incomprehensible and resembles receptive aphasia in its linguistics disorganization (incoherent or word salad). This disorganized speech is common and non-specific. Andreasen draws that the symptom must be severe enough to substantially impair effective communication. Less severe disorganization thinking or speech may occur during the prodromal and residual periods of schizophrenia. (2003: 300)
The next symptom is grossly disorganized behavior (Criterion A4). An individual will do a variety ways of attitude, ranging from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. The problem of this symptom can be noted in varieties form of behavior; difficulties in performing activities of daily living such as preparing a meal or maintaining hygiene. A person who has it may appear untidy or markedly 20
disheveled, may dresses in a usual manner, or may display inappropriate sexual behavior (e.g, public masturbation) or unpredictable and untriggered agitation.
(2003:300)
The next symptom of schizophrenia is catatonic motor behavior. This symptom is affected to a person reaction to the environment. A schizophrenic who has this symptom will be late to gain a reaction during a conversation with others or environment. “Catatonic motor behavior includes a marked decrease in reactivity to the environment …” Andreasen explains further that this symptom has some kinds of subtypes;
a. It sometime reaches an extreme degree of complete unawareness (catatonic
stupor).
b. This is also includes a rigid posture and resisting efforts to be moved
(catatonic rigidity).
c. An active resistance to instructions or attempts to be moved (catatonic
negativism).
d. The assumption of inappropriate or bizarre postures (catatonic posturing).
e. The last, a purposeless and unstimulated excessive motor activity (catatonic
excitement).
Here catatonia had been historically associated with schizophrenia, although clinicians decline that catatonic symptom is not specific, it also may occur in others mental disorder such as Mood Disorder with Catatonic features, Neuroleptic Induced
Parkinsonism, and General Medical Condition. (2003: 300-301) 21
As the positive symptom had been discussed, next symptom is the negative symptom of schizophrenia (Criterion A5). Nancy Coover Andreasen characterizes the negative symptom as an account for substantial degree of the morbidity associated with the disorder. There are three symptoms that are supposed as negative, among others are: affective flattening, alogia, and avolition. (2003; 301)
Affective flattening is especially common and is characterizing by the person’s face appearing immobile and unresponsive, with poor eye contact and reduced body language. Although a person with affective flattening may smiles or warm up occasionally, his or her range of emotional expressiveness is clearly diminished most of the time. It may be useful too observes the person interacting with peers to determinate whether affective flattening is suffiently persistence to meet the criterion. (2003: 301)
Affective flattening is a kind of immobile reaction toward the society and the individual may react slowly or zero reaction toward what happens around. The second negative symptom of schizophrenia is Alogia (poverty of speech). Here Andreasen describes it in the next sentences at the same paragraph in the book.
Alogia (poverty of speech) is manifested by brief, laconic, empty replies. The individual with alogia appears to have a diminution of thought that is reflected in decreased fluency and productivity of speech. This must be differentiated from an unwillingness to speak, a clinical judgment ma require observation over time and in a variety situation. (2003: 301)
An ability to think will decrease when a person has an Alogia. The effect is that he or she will speak straightly (one single word) moreover, the person will not reply during a conversation. The person may lose his/her ability to share what they have in their mind, this is because the person can’t react and his/her brain does not record what happens around. It seems the person does not understand what happens or may be he/she does not realize that something is going on in the environment. It 22
must be noted that Alogia is different from unwillingness to speak, Andreasen and her team did some observation to judge it.
The third of negative symptom of schizophrenia is avolition. She states this symptom in DSM-IV briefly.
Avolition is characterized by an inability to initiate and persist in goal- directed activities. The person may sit for long periods of time and show little interest in participating in work or social activities. (2003: 301)
Andreasen clarifies avolition as a laziness syndrome. The person may sit in a stage and does not do something meaningful; moreover, the person does not know what he/she has to do. Automically, the person will not include himself to social activities. Ironically, this individual may enjoy the condition and does not understand that he/she is being in that kind of condition. The individual just attempts himself in a single place and being perfunctory. He/she does not care about the environment around. The person takes no interest, it seems that the individual falls into selfishness.
(2003: 299 – 301)
Thedore Lidz in Schizophrenia and the family mentions that a family is a true small group with an organic life and unity of its own, and with a set of imperative function which must fulfill in order to raise a new generation. The welfare measurement of the family requires that each member give an unspecified degree of precedence to the needs of the family above his own needs and those of outsiders.
Based on his research of seventeen families, he notes that not one family of a schizophrenic patient was found to be reasonably well integrated. (1965: 81-82) 23
Maslow and Mittlemen state in Kesehatan Mental by Moeldjono Noto
Soedirdjo dan Latipun that a criteria of a healthy mental is efficient contact with reality. This contact is contain of three aspects, these are physic world, society, and individual or internal-self. This condition is signed when (a) there is no excessive fantasy, (b) Having a realistic view and wide view to the world, (c) An ability to changes when external situation can’t be modified. (2007;34)
The writer adds a theory of denial mentioned by Sigmund Freud. He mentions that denial is process by which a concious mind insist on believing something that can not be so, or refuses to believe something that must be so. By “can not be so” and “must be so” refers to an obvious case for consensus about something that, for obviously unconcious reason, a person caan not participate it. Think of someone who is emmotionally attached to someone else who has just died that they can not allow themselves to believe that the person is actually dead. The idea is that the person is in denial if other people, if they were present, would have consensus different from the belief of the person who is in denial.
(www.psikoloji.fisek.com.tr/freud/genel.com)
C. Theoretical Framework
Theory of conflict will helps the writer to analyze what is the conflict in the play in term of literary works. Among others are Robert Stanton in his Introduction to
Fiction, Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to Literature, Laurence Perrine in
Literature Structure, Sound, and Sense, and Mellissa Miliano in her presentation on 24
October 21 2002. The writer uses the theories as a base to define conflict. Those will contribute a basic understanding about what conflict is. Therefore, whatever the writer says in the analysis is not merely as an individual assumption. Further, the writer can decide what the conflict in the play is.
The theory of characterization is provided to understand how Sam Shepard directs the characters in the play. The writer uses the theory written by Holman and
Harmon in A Handbook to Literature, Laurence Perrine in his book titled Literature;
Sound, Sense, and Structure. The writer also gives a criteria of healthy mental by
Maslow and Mittlemen to support an idea that Shepard characterizes Dodge as a sick person. Further, the writer will analyze some of dialogues that have a significant effect to defining the characterization of each character. By considering the characterization of Dodge, it will be easier to define the conflict in the story. It will help the writer to answer the questions number 1 and 3 in problem formulation. The writer will see the process from characterization becomes a conflict.
The writer also uses the theory of schizophrenia to get a better understanding about this psychological disorder. In order to answer the question 2 and 3 in the problem formulation, the description about the main character “Dodge” as a schizophrenic will get in maximum way. Here the theories used are a theory by
Sigmund Freud and by Nancy Coover Andreasen in her article entitled Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders in the book entitled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder forth edition (DSM – IV). CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is Sam Shepard’s play entitled Buried Child. It is a piece of theatre that was published in San Francisco in 1978. One year after the publication, Buried Child won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and launched
Shepard to be declared as a fame of national playwright. Sam Shepard has already wrote some literary works such as Great Dream of Heaven, and he has also written the history of collection Cruising Paradise, Two collections of prose, Motel
Chronicles, and Hawk Moon, and Rolling Thunder Logbook. A Diary of Bob Dylan’s
1975, Rolling Thunder Review tour, etc. Buried Child is a piece of theatre which is a fragmentation of American society when it was written. The 1970s rural economic condition of America brought a content of disappointment with American mythology and American dream. This was the intention of Shepard to write this work. He replaced the Buried child to represent American society including in his view. The frustration, which had dominated the atmosphere at that time, had inspired him to launch this work.
Buried Child is decorated by the symbols in the realistic framework of a family drama. In relation with the target readers such as American farming family,
Shepard was using the invisible garden in the backyard in order to be easily recognized by them. Shepard is able to create an image in the imagination of people
25 26
through the use of surrealism and symbolism, besides Shepard also decorates his work by a common plot as ordinary work; introduction – rising action – climax – resolution – ending.
This play was about a family that had a secret. The secret was the main problem that influenced the theme of this play. It was an unwanted baby from the family to be born. The baby was exist, then lived, and grew up in the family. Dodge felt that the baby was not belonging from him and it was not supposed to belong to the family. So, he killed the baby and buried its skeleton in the backyard. After the accident, Dodge tried to hide what he had done from the family. This was the main cause of Dodge’s psychological disorder named schizophrenia. In another hand, the members of the family did not have any evidences to reveal what had happened in the family. The secret was still became a secret. The secret had been dominating the family for about 35 years until Dodge’s grandson (Vince) came back from New
Mexico. Vince tried to reveal the secret. Finally, before Dodge went to death, Dodge confessed the truth about what he had done to the baby. After the revelation, the family condition was totally changes, they know what had happened and the family turned back ordinarily.
B. Approach of the Study
Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder. Therefore, it will be appropriate in using the psychological approach to get a deeper discussion about the topic.
Rohrberger and Woods (1971:31) define that psychological approach is the effort to 27
locate and demonstrate certain recurrent pattern, but from different body of knowledge that is psychology. This approach uses the psychological approach to explain human motivation, personality, and behaviors patterns in literary objects.
This approach will be focused on the main character Dodge as the main character of the play. As what is said by Rohrbrger and Woods that psychological approach explain human motivation, personality, and behavioral pattern in literary objects, the discussion will show how Dodge is characterized and his psychological condition that presented at the story. Furthermore, in the analysis the writer will explain about the psychological disorder (schizophrenia) possessed by Dodge and how the schizophrenia has a strong influence to the play.
C. Method of Study
The writer used library research to do this paper. In this section, the study is done by reading and understanding some sources in relation with the title of this paper. Here the writer collected some related data in order to get more information about the analyzed literary work from the books and articles. The writer browsed many websites to get more information in relation with this subject. The data was taken from websites that were selected according to their accuracy, relevance, validity, and appropriateness.
Play text Buried Child was a literary work that is used as the primary source.
Besides, there were some articles and comments about this literary work that stand as the secondary source. The writer also attended a presentation by lecture in class when 28
discussed about this work. Others secondary sources were theories and studies needed; there were theory of characters, theory of conflict, theories and case study about schizophrenia which has taken from any related books and websites, among others were; Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense by Laurence Perrine,
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-IV) by American
Psychiatric Association, Schizophrenia case study in www.academon.com,
Freudian’s theory of schizophrenia in www.medlineplus.com, an Introduction to
Fiction by Robert Stanton, Fourth and fifth edition of A Handbook to Literature by
Holman Hugh and William Harmon, Melissa Miliano’s (A rector of a university in
England) lesson on October 21 2002 in www.questia.com.
In order to discuss the subject further, there were some steps the writer did.
The first step was reading the play to studying and understanding the work, so here would be found the details of the story. The next was deciding the topic. Buried Child contains of conflict caused by a kind of psychological condition called schizophrenia of the main character in the play named Dodge. Therefore, it would be necessary to discuss the relationship between schizophrenia and the conflict.
The next step was collecting information related to the subject such as theories, study about the work and schizophrenia, comments, and views to criticize
Buried Child. Then the information above would be used to analyze and answer the problem formulation. The main character was analyzed by using the theory of characterization, and theory of schizophrenia to analyze his attitudes and whatever he said. Another significance sources to use was theory of conflict in order to 29
understanding deeper about the conflict happens in the play. After the problem has answered and the analysis has surely comprehended, the next step was drawing a conclusion in order to emphasize the points talked in the analysis. CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
A. The Conflict in the Buried Child
Buried child is dominated by a bad relationship among the members of
Dodge’s family. In this play, Shepard shows the absence of love in the family. The conversations are dominated by unhealthy atmosphere, and the characters show bad emotions such as anger, worries, suspiciousness, etc. It creates horror situation.
Milly S. Baranger in Understanding plays argues that Sam Shepard’s scenes in Buried Child represent illness, incest, adultery, personal violation, and spiritual emptiness. Shepard imitates these realities by showing the absence of the normal touchstones of love, family, and fidelity. (1994: 11)
The condition which is showed by Sam Shepard in his play is a complex word to descripe a problem. That is the current condition of the play, which stand as the basic atmosphere as the effect of “conflict” inside.
To get a better understanding about “conflict”, the writer elaborates a theory by Holman and Harmon and Melissa.
Holman and Harmon in A Handbook of Literature state that conflict is struggle that grows out of interplays of the two opposing forces. A conflict provides interest, suspense and tension (1986:107). Besides, Melissa (Rector English 9) states in her lesson on October 21, 2002 a conflict as a struggle. It means that every struggle
30 31
no matter in daily life or literature can be declared as a conflict
(www.questia.com/literary criticism/London,2002).
Both theories suggest that conflict and struggle are the same thing, it means whenever a struggle happens, there is a conflict there, no matter in daily life or in a work of literature. Struggle or conflict may happen between men versus himself or with others, no matter it is one or more opposing person.
In the Buried Child, the struggle happens throughout the play, since at the beginning of the act one until almost at the end of the story. This play provides a high tension as a reflection of its conflict. As what happens at the conversation between
Dodge and Halie in the act one, the conversation does not go smoothly. Dodge does not answer or responding what Halie said and Halie still tries hard to get more communication with Dodge.
HALIE VOICE: Dodge? Dodge just stares at the TV. Long Pause. He stifes two short coughs. HALIE VOICE: Dodge! You want a pill, Dodge? He does not answer, Takes the bottle out again and takes another long swig. Puts the bottle back, stares at the TV, pulls blanket up around his neck. HALIE VOICE: You know what it is, don’t you? It’s the rain! Wether. That’s it. Everytime. Everytime you get like this, it’s the rain. No sooner does the rain start then you start. (pause) Dodge? He makes no reply. Pulls a pack of cigarettes out from his sweater and lights one. Stares at the TV...... (1994: 14, Act I)
During the play, the conversation happens similarly. The struggle happens all over during the conversation especially between Dodge versus his family, Dodge versus himself, and between each member of Dodge’s family. In order to get a deeper 32
explanation about the topic, the writer would like to elaborate the relationship between some significance characters of the family by its high tension as a reflection of the conflict.
1. Dodge and Halie
They are husband and wife, but there is no harmony in their relationship.
Their conversation is not well balanced like a married couple. Dodge does not have any interest to get a communication with Halie, and Halie still takes care of his illness but only in the scope of his illness. It can be seen at the very beginning of the play.
They have a long dialogue and a strange atmosphere can be felt there. Almost half of act one, the conversation is between Dodge and Halie.
Holman and Harmon define conflict as a struggle between two opposing forces (1986: 107). In this case, the two opposing force are Dodge and Halie, and the struggle happens in their conversations. As what happens at the quotation above, the conversation between Dodge and Halie is not like what a couple supposed to be. It is very bad, Dodge does not answer or respond what Halie says, even the question is belonging for him.
At the next of their conversation, Dodge gives a respond to what Halie says.
HALIE VOICE: You should see it coming down up here. Just coming down in sheets. Blue sheets. The bridge is pretty near flooded. What’s it like down there? Dodge? Dodge turns his head back over his left shoulder and takes a look out through the porch. He turns back to the TV. Pause. DODGE: (to himself) Catastropic. 33
HALIE VOICE: What? What’d you say, Dodge ? DODGE: (louder) It looks like rain to me! Plain Old rain! HALIE VOICE: Rain? Of course it’s rain ! Are you having a seizure or somethig!Dodge (pause) I’m coming down there in about five minutes if you don’t answer me! DODGE: Don’t come down! (1994: 14, Act I).
Dodge gives a response at the conversation, but the word is not describing a good thing. “Catastrophic”, is a word that describes a bad thing and it is said by
Dodge at the first of all his words. What does he means by that word? It does not sound clear to Halie. Then Halie asks about the clearer word to Dodge. Then Dodge answers differently, he is talking about the rain. Is the rain catastrophic for Dodge or he just wants to avoid Halie to think about his word “catastrophic”?
Whatever Dodge means, it is strange to say a word like that at a beginning of a conversation. When Halie talks about a thing, Dodge responds with a different thing, even a bad thing. However, it proves that they lose their harmony. However, there is an agreement among people in the world that a good couple should love each other. A love can be reflected by a well-balanced conversation, no matter their spoken language or body language. The conversation between Dodge and Halie is not well balanced. It shows that there is a conflict in their relationship.
Nevertheless, it is different when they are talking about their past life. The next of their conversation talks about a horseracing before they got married.
HALIE VOICE: What are you watching? You shouldn’t be watching anything that’ll get you excited. No horse racing! DODGE: They don’t race on Sundays. HALIE VOICE: What? 34
DODGE: (louder) They don’t race on Sundays! HALIE VOICE: Well they shouldn’t race on Sundays. DODGE: Well they don’t! HALIE VOICE: Good. I’m amazed they still have that kind of legislation. That’s amazing. DODGE: Yeah, it’s amazing. HALIE VOICE: What? DODGE: (louder) It is amazing! HALIE VOICE: It is. It truly is. I would’ve thought these days they’d be racing on Cristmast even. A big flashig Christmas tree right down at the finish line. DODGE: No. HALIE VOICE: Sometimes they did. DODGE: They never did! HALIE VOICE: Before we were married they did! (1994: 15, Act I)
The conversation goes smoothly. Halie launches a statement and Dodge gives an appropriate respond. It seems that the topic is interesting for them and they seem anthusiast to talk about it. Ironically, the event that they are talking is about the past, it was before they were married. They are talking about horse racing event that they like to watch it every year. There is no clue whether the event is still exist or not, but both do different activities than they watch the horse- racing. They watched the horseracing in their past life, when they were young, and it was around thirty years ago. The current condition is that Dodge only lies in the sofa in front of a TV.
Besides, they have sons, and the oldest is at the late forties. It is an evidence to prove that the horse racing that they watched every year was happened many years ago, when they were young. Now, Dodge is at the late seventies.
However, it seems strange that a married couple only get their harmony when they are talking about their past live. The harmony is lost when they talk about their 35
current problem. It shows that they ever had a happy life in the past and the happiness had changed sometimes. It must be a question “What is the thing that able to change their happiness?” or “Why their happiness had changed?”
2. Dodge and Tilden
Tilden is Dodge’s oldest son; he is fourties. He is the only person in that house who can see the reality at that current time. Besides, he realizes that there is something wrong in the house. Tilden feels a bad atmosphere in his family nor he knows the cause but he does not have enough evidence to reveal it.
On the other hand, Dodge does not believe him at all. He always denies whatever Tilden says to him especially when they are talking about corns at the backyard. Moreover, Dodge does not want Tilden to stay in that house; it can be seen when Dodge says to him for the sake to make a new topic of their conversation.
DODGE: (after pause) sure is nice looking corn. TILDEN: It’s the best DODGE : Hybrid? TILDEN : What? DODGE : Some kind of fancy hybrid? TILDEN : You planted it. I don’t know what it is DODGE : (pause)Tilden, look, you can’t stay here forever, you know that, don’t you? (1994:19, act I)
The conversation is talking about corn. When Tilden asks whether Dodge has planted it or not, suddenly Dodge changes the topic and says unpleasant sentence to him. “you can’t stay here”. It indicates unloved relationship between a father and his son. However, what Dodge said to Tilden is a rude sentence among a father and his 36
son. A father will not say like that to his son when their relationship is normally health. By the sentence, we can conclude that there is a basic problem in their relationship.
Sam Shepard puts a mysterious garden in the backyard of the house to emphasize the bad condition of Dodge’s family. In this case, people can’t see the garden, although the garden is belonging for them. Tilden is the only person at the family who realizes that they have a garden in the backyard.
At the beginning of Tilden’s appearance in the play, his arm is full of corn taken from the mysterious garden.
DODGE: (to Tilden) Where’d you get that? TILDEN : Picked it. DODGE : You picked all that? Tilden nods. DODGE : You expecting company? TILDEN : No. DODGE : Where’d you pick it from? TILDEN : Right out back. DODGE: Out back where? TILDEN : Right out in back. DODGE : There is nothing out there! TILDEN : There is corn. DODGE : There hasn’t been corn out there since about nineteen thirty five! That is the last time I planted corn out there. (1994: 18, Act I)
The mysterious garden is hidden according to Dodge. He cannot see. Only
Tilden can see that the garden still exist and there are many corns there. Tilden brings the corns at the scene. By that, Tilden proves the existence of the garden, but Dodge denies that, he supposes that the corn is not theirs, but he acts as if the garden is lost 37
or we can say that Dodge does not acknowledge that they still have a garden in the backyard.
In this case, the conflict occurs when there is a disagreement between Dodge and Tilden when they discuss about the corn. Does Dodge not really believe in Tilden or he pretends to recognize the corn-garden? The last Dodge’s sentence in the quotation shows to the readers that Dodge realizes that there is a garden, Dodge has planted corn there at 1935, “There hasn’t been corn out there since about nineteen thirty five! That is the last time I planted corn out there.” So, the answer is already clear that the garden is still exist, Dodge realizes it, there is corns on it, and Dodge planted the corns long years ago at nineteen thirty five, but Dodge tries to deny that current fact.
Robert Stanton in an Introduction to Fiction mentions that one of the elements of the plot in a story is a conflict. Each character has a desire. In every work of fiction contains obvious internal conflict between two desires between a character, and external conflicts; a conflicts between character and others character or its environments. (Stanton, 1965: 16)
Related to Stanton theory above, another action to indicate their conflict is when Tilden talking about a buried son to Shelly:
SHELLY : (pointing to Vince) This is supposed to be your son! Is he your son? Do you recognize him? I’m just along for the ride here. I thought everybody know each other. Tilden stares at Vince. Dodge wraps himself up in the blanket and sits on sofa, staring at the floor. TILDEN : I had a son once but we buried him. 38
DODGE : You shut up about that. You don’t know anything about that! (1994:32, Act II)
Tilden has a desire to show to Shelly that there is a buried baby in the house.
The conversation hasn’t finished yet, suddenly Dodge interrupts their conversation.
“You shut up about that!” It seems that Dodge does not want Tilden to talk about the baby. Here is the conflict happens, when there is a clash of two desires between
Dodge and Tilden. Tilden’s desire to open a secret about a buried son and Dodge’s desire to hide it.
3. Dodge and Bradley
Bradley is the Dodge’s next oldest son, he is younger than Tilden and one of his legs has alredy amputted. Halie asks him to take care of Dodge appearance. On the other hands, Dodge hates Bradley. They never have any conversation because
Dodge does not want to communicate with him. Their struggle can be seen when there is a communication between Dodge and Halie;
DODGE: Bradley is not getting in the front door! HALIE : It’s his home as much as ours. He was born in this house! DODGE: He was born in goddamn hog hallow! That is where he was born and that is where he belongs! He does not belong in this house! HALIE : I don’t know what is came ove you, Dodge. I don’t know what in the world come over you. You’ve become a evil man. You used to be a good man. DODGE: Six of one, a half dozen of another. HALIE : You sit here day and night, fastering away! Decomposing! Smelling up the house with your putrid body! Hacking you head off till all hours of the mornnig! Thinking up mean, evil, stupid things to say about your own fleshand blood! 39
DODGE: He is not my flesh and blood! My flesh and blood’s buried in the back yard! They freeze. Long Time pause. The men stare at her. (1994: 22, Act I)
As what is said by Holman and Harmon that a conflict is struggle that grows out of interplays of the two opposing forces (1986:107). The quotation shows us that there is a struggle between Dodge and Bradley. It shows how Dodge does not like
Bradley. He bawls Bradley out with such a bad words and at the last of Dodge’s sentences he proclaims Bradley as he is not Dodge’s children. At his sentences before, Dodge shows his desire to forbid Bradley to come entering the house.
In the opposite side, Bradley still comes to the house in order to cut Dodge’s hair. He does it when Dodge is falling asleep.
Bradley : What in the hell in this? He looks at Dodge’s sleeping face and shakes his head in disgust. He pulls out a pair of black electric slippers from his pocket. Unwinds the cord and crosses to the lamp. He jabs his wooden leg behind the knee, causing it to bend at the joint and awkwardly kneels to put the cord in to a floor outlet. He pulls himself to his feet again by using the sofa as leverage. He moves to Dodge’s head and again jabs his false leg. Goes down on one knee. He violently knocks away some of the corn husks then jerks off Dodge’s baseball cap and throws it down centre stage. Dodge’s stays asleep. Bradley switches on the clippers. Light stars dimming. Bradley cuts Dodge’s hair while he sleeps. Lights dim slowly to black with the sound of clippers and rain. (1994;26, act I)
Based on the quotation above we can conclude that Bradley is a rough person.
He enters the stage, states rude sentences, shakes Dodge’s head in disgust then cuts
Dodge’s hair.
Holman and Harmon defines conflict as a struggle between two opposing force, it provides interest, suspense and tension (1986;107). Here is the conflict of 40
their relationship. The struggle between Dodge and Bradley provides interest, suspense and tension among readers. Dodge does not want to see Bradley and
Bradley treats him as if he is not his father. Bradley touches his head in disgust then he cuts the hair roughly. Here, we can see that Bradley cuts Dodge’s hair without love. However, What Bradley does to Dodge is not merely like a son to his father. A normal son usually takes care his father with full of respect. In the opposite way,
Dodge’s attitude to Bradley does not reflect love between a father to his son. A father will do something based on love and protection, even a respect to his own son.
4. Vince and The Family
Another significant character who is showing the conflict in the Buried is
Vince. The play central action is Vincent’s quest for his roots and identity. He is
Dodge grandson who returns to his family to discover his origin, along with the family buried secret, in the play harrowing climax. Perrine argues what Vincent discovers about his origins are bigotry (1994: 521).
As Stanton said that a conflict happens because a clash of desires (1965: 16),
Vince has a desire to find out what is the root of all those peculiarities of his family and gets an acknowledgement that he belongs to the family.
His first appearance in the play shows a different intention before he meets
Dodge and Tilden inside the house.
SHELLY : (laughing, gesturing to the house). This is it? I don’t believe this is it! 41
VINCE : This is it. SHELLY : This is the house? VINCE : This is the house. SHELLY : I don’t believe it. VINCE : How come? SHELLY : It is like a Norman Rockwell cover or something. VINCE : What is the matter with that? It’s American. (1994: 26, Act II)
The conversation has a different intention with some previous conversations stated before. It is a very common conversation between Vince and Shelly (Vince’s girl friend); there are no struggle and intention. Vince is sure that he will get a good welcome in that house but the intention is totally changed when they come into the house and meet Dodge;
VINCE : Grandpa? Dodge looks up at him, not recognizing him. DODGE: Did you bring the whiskey? Vince looks back to shally, than back to Dodge. VINCE : Grandpa, it’s Vince. I’m Vince. Tilden’s son. You remember? Dodge stares at him DODGE: You didn’t do what you told me. You didn’t stay here with me. VINCE : Grandpa, I haven’t been here untuil just now. I just got here. DODGE: You left. You went outside like we told you not to do. You went out there in back. In the rain. Vince looks back at shelly. She moves slowly toward sofa. SHELLY : Is he okay? ...... (1994: 29, Act II)
Dodge’s attitude in the conversation is totally different with Vince’s previous imagination. Vince thought that he will get an interesting communication, welcomed by the family as Dodge’s grandchild, but Dodge acts as if he does not recognize Vince at all.
People usually will not ask something to another when they do not recognize each other in a conversation, because it is not polite. Dodge shows different action by 42
asking about the whiskey. However, it is not appropriate for a person to ask something in the first meeting with an unrecognized person. The person may ask,
“who are you?” or another way to ask about origin. It seems at the conversation that
Dodge does not care who Vince is, he just asks Vince about whiskey (something
Dodge likes to drink). Then, Dodge talks about the backyard “You left. You went outside like we told you not to do. You went out there in back. In the rain”. However, what Dodge declares is no relation with the context of the conversation.
That is the first meeting between Vince and Dodge. Vince’s intention changes facing Dodge with his strange reaction. The condition is different with what
Vince has imagined before he enters the house. Seeing this condition, Vince is curious to see more about the family. He still tries to make Dodge believes that he is
Dodge’s grandson, Tilden’s child, and belongs to the family. Vince curiosity grows greatly along the play. Until he realizes that Dodge is sick.
VINCE : He’s just sick or something, I don’t know what’s happened to him. (1994: 31, Act II)
On the other hand, Tilden (Vince’s father) does not recognize him as his son.
SHELLY : You really does not recognize him? Either one of you? Tilden urns again and stares at Shelly’s hand as she cut carrots. DODGE : (watching TV) Recognize who? SHELLY : Vince. DODGE : What’s to recognize? Dodge lights a cigarette, coughs slightly and stares at tv. SHELLY : It would be cruel if you recognize him and didn’t tell him. Wouldn’t be fair. TILDEN : I thought I recognize him. I thought I recognize something about him. SHELLY : You did? TILDEN : I thought I saw a face inside his face. 43
SHELLY : Well, it’s probably that you saw what he used to look like. You haven’t seen him for six years. TILDEN : I haven’t? SHELLY : That’s waht he says. Tilden moves around in front of her as she continoues with carrots. Tilden : Where was it I saw him last? SHELLY : I don’t know. I’ve only known him for a view months. He does not tell me everything. (1994: 37, Act II)
Tilden who is supposed to be Vince’s father acts as if he is someone else.
Tilden says, “I thought I recognize him.” It means that he does not recognize Vince, but “I thought I saw a face inside his face” It shows that he is vague to recognize
Vince. So, it is ambiguous whether Tilden recognize Vince or not. He may recognize
Vince but he treats Vince as a stranger or he is really does not recognize him.
However, the way Tilden responds Vince in abnormal for a relationship between a father and son.
Facing the peculiarities, Vince still believes in his opinion that he is the member of the family. Barranger states that Vince’s opinion is bigotry (1994: 512).
Vince calls Dodge as grandpa and Tilden as father, he also feels very happy at the first time arrived in that house. It shows that Vince’s feeling about the family is natural, pure, and honest. Then the feeling is suddenly changed when he realizes that the family is not normal. Next, Vince still tries to find out what has happened in the house during he was at New Mexico.
Following what Stanton has stated in an introduction to Fiction that in every work of fiction contains obvious internal conflict between two desires between a character, and external conflicts; a conflicts between character and others character 44
or its environments (1965; 16). Conflict in Vince’s role is his desire to find the root of that current condition in the house.It is about his curiosity and he wants to find a reason why his family don’t recognize him. Besides, he is sure that the family is belonging to him.
At the opposite way, Dodge and Tilden have something hidden about the family. Dodge still keeps it as secret. The conversation between Dodge and Vince at the previous quotation Dodge says,” You left. You went outside like we told you not to do. You went out there in back. In the rain.” Although it does not has any relation with conversation, it shows Dodge desire to prohibit everybody go to the backyard.
There is something in the backyard and Dodge keeps it as a secret. This condition is the root why they act as if they do not recognize Vince; they try to keep the secret to
Vince. Once Tilden says about it to Shelly, Dodge directly cuts the conversation;
SHELLY : (pointing to Vince) This is supposed tobe your son! Is he your son? Do you recognize him? I’m just along for the ride here. I thought everybody know each other. Tilden stares at Vince. Dodge wraps himself up in the blanket and sits on sofa, staring at the floor. TILDEN : I had a son once but we buried him. DODGE : You shut up about that. You don’t know anything about that! (1994: 32, Act II).
Tilden is talking about the baby (a buried son), then Dodge cuts it in sudden.
Therefore, the buried son can be the secret which is kept by Dodge. In this case, the conflict is that the three desires crash in one action; Dodge’s desire to keep the secret to Vince, Tilden’s desire to show the secret to everybody, and Vince’s desire to get an 45
acknowledgement that he belongs to the family and to find out the root of the peculiarities.
B. The Description of Dodge as a Schizophrenic
Based on the theory of characterization which is explained by Perrine (1974;
68-69), Dodge is characterized indirectly. Shepard shows Dodge to readers by his action and lets the readers infer what they like and think about him. So, what Dodge is like depends on reader’s interpretation. Another theory of characterization is pronounced by Murphy in Understanding Unseen. He wrote that there were many ways in which an author characterized a character; personal description, character as seen by others, speech, past life, conversation with others, reaction, direct comment, thoughts, mannerism (1972: 161 – 173).
Shepard decorates Buried Child with his vision of America’s myths and rituals, of family love and ethical values, and those are well presented in the action of his Buried Child. The story tells about Dodge and his terrible secret that influences him to do such abnormal attitudes and sinks inside his sickness. In his past life, he had three sons (Tilden, Bradley, and Ansel) and one wife (Halie). Ansel had dead after he had married with an Italian Chatholic. Dodge has a garden in the backyard in his house and it was enough to fulfill his family needs. Indeed, he loved his family.
He had built his family life in happiness until the coming of new arrival. The new arrival is a baby. It is Halie’s child but it is not Dodge child; 46
DODGE: You are not, huh? Well that’s good. Because I’m not either. See, we were a well established family once. Well established. All the boys were grown. The farm was producing enough milk to fill Lake Michigan twice over. Me and Halie here were pointed toward what look liked the middle part of our life. Everything was settled with us. All we had to do was ride it out. Then Halie got pregnant again. Oughta’ the middle a’nowhere she got pregnant. We weren’t planning on having any more boys. We had enough boys already. In fact, we hadn’t sleeping in the same bed for about six years. (1994; 51, act 3)
They had not slept in the same bad for six years and Halie was pregnant. Halie had a new boy, a baby son, but it was not belong to Dodge. So, whose baby that was?
Or Halie got pregnant with whom? In fact, Dodge felt that Halie’s pregnancy was not with him. Actually, a husband would be super-angry when his wife was pregnant with somebody else. Finally, the baby was born and Dodge killed it, then burried it in the backyard.
TILDEN : We had a baby. (motioning to Dodge) He did. Dodge did. Could pick it up with one hand. Put it in the other. Little baby. Dodge killed it. Shelly stands. TILDEN : Don’t stand up. Don’t stand up! SHELLY : Don’t tell me anymore, okey? Tilden moves closer to her. Dodge takes more interest. DODGE : Tilden! You leave that girl alone! TILDEN : (pays no attention) Never told Halie. Never told anybody. He just drown it. DODGE : (shut off the tv) Tilden!!! TILDEN : No body could find it. Just dissapeared. Cops look for it. Neighbors. No body could find it. Dodge struggles to get up from sofa. DODGE : Tilden. What are you telling her! Tilden! ` Dodge keeps struggling until he is standing. TILDEN : Finally everybody just gave up. Just stoped looking. Everybody had different answer. Kidnap. Murder. Accident. Some kind of accident. (1994: 39, Act II). 47
The baby was killed by Dodge. However, that is the expression of Dodge’s anger to kill the baby. We can see in the quotation that the baby just disappeared, everybody had looked for it and couldn’t find it. Finally they just gave up, and Dodge had been keeping it as a secret. Now, nobody is supposed to talk about it even they are not allowed to hear about it. The family is silent, they act as if it never happened.
Based on the conversation, Shepard also gives us a clue about Dodge characterization through his conversations with other people and the things they are talking about him. At the very beginning of this play, Shepard puts a conversation between Dodge and Halie. Here Shepard shows to readers that Dodge is not a communicative person. He does not gives any reply to what Halie asks to him. He just stares at TV and drinking.
HALIE VOICE: Dodge? Dodge just stares at the TV. Long Pause. He stifles two short coughs. HALIE VOICE: Dodge! You want a pill, Dodge? He does not answer, Takes the bottle out again and takes another long swig. Puts the bottle back, stares at the TV, pulls blanket up around his neck. HALIE VOICE: You know what it is, don’t you? It’s the rain! Whether. That’s it. Every time. Every time you get like this, it’s the rain. No sooner does the rain start then you start. (pause) Dodge? He makes no reply. Pulls a pack of cigarettes out from his sweater and lights one. Stares at the TV...... (1994: 14, Act I).
The quotation is also suitable to prove about Dodge’s characterization
through his reaction. Sam Shepard also gives us clue about Dodge’s characterization
by letting us knows how his reaction to this situation is. At the situation, Dodge’s
reaction is not good. It shows that he is not willing to get a conversation with Halie. 48
His reaction does not represent a well balanced conversation between husband and
wife. Besides, it also shows that Dodge is not a normal person. He just drinks and
stares at the broken TV. However, a broken TV is not interesting to be watched for a
normal person. It can be seen that there is something wrong inside Dodge’s mind
while he is being in the conversation with Halie.
Murphy also said, one way to indicate a characterization is by looking at the
thought (1972: 161). Here, Shepard gives us a clue of what Dodge thinks in some of
his conversations. Almost all of Dodge’s conversation indicates that he has abnormal
thought. Here, the writer will give one example of what Dodge thought;
DODGE : You’re going out in the rain? HALIE : It’s not raining. Tilden strarts husking again. DODGE : Not in Florida it’s not. HALIE : We’re not in Florida. DODGE : It’s not raining at the race track. HALIE : Have you been taking those pills? Those pills always make you talks crazy. Tilden, has he been taking those pills? TILDEN : He hasn’t took anything. HALIE : (to Dodge) What have you been taking? DODGE : It’s not raining in California or Florida or the race track. Only in Illinois. This is the only place it’s raining. All over the rest of the world it’s bright golden sunshine. ( 1994: 21, Act I ).
By this event, Shepard wants to emphazise that what Dodge is thinking is not appropiate for that current condition. What Dodge is talking at the quotation above is only his imagination. Here, the main point is that Shepard wants to show to readers that Dodge is a sick person. 49
Maslow and Mittlemen state in Kesehatan Mental by Moeldjono Noto
Soedirdjo dan Latipun that one criterion of a healthy mental is efficient contact with reality (2007:34).
As what is stated by Maslow and Mittlemen above, There is no intercorrelation between Dodge and the characteristics of a heathy person. So, it is aprropiate to say that Shepard characterizes Dodge as a sick person.
What Dodge said in the conversation indicates that he has his own way of thinking. He does not talk about the current condition which is happened in the current environment. The setting is a bright day, there is no rain at all and Halie wants to go out. But, Dodge still argues that it’s a raining day, while he is talking about some other places (Florida, California, race track, Illionis). However, there is no relation between what he is talking and the current condition. Those places that is pronounced by Dodge are the places where he ever had a beatiful life, and it was long years ago.
Based on Murphy’s theory of characterization, the final way to indicate
Dodge’s characterization is by looking at his mannerism. Shepard puts Dodge in all the scenes in the play. Dodge is lying in the sofa, and sometime at the floor, and watches an unpictured-TV. In the condition, Dodge still tries to get a conversation with others. Shepard skilfully inserts Dodge’s mannerism inside his dialogues to indicate what kind of person he is.
DODGE: (pause). You could get me a bottle ya’ know. There is nothing stopping you from getting me a bottle. 50
SHELLY : Why don’t you getting him a bottle Vince? May be it would help everybody identify each other. DODGE : (pointing to Shelly) There, see? She thinks you should get me a bottle. Vince crosses to Shell VINCE : What are you doing with those carrots? SHELLY : I’m waiting for your father. DODGE : She thinks you should get me a bottle!...... DODGE : She could get me a bottle. She’s the type a’girl that could get me a bottle. Easy. She’d go down there. Slink up to the counter. They’ll problably give her two bottle for the price of one. She could do that...... (1994: 33, Act-II).
Dodge wants to gets a bottle of whiskey. He asks Vince or Shally to get it for him. It seems in the conversaton that Dodge does not care to whom the person he is talking. No matter Vince or Shelly, the important one is a bottle of whiskey for him.
Dodge also ignores Vince and Shelly’s feeling at the moment. The condition is that
Vince is searching for his identity in the family, and Shally is being frightened by the horror situation in that house. But Dodge does not care about their bussiness.
Whatever they are talking, Dogde shouts with his sentences related to a bottle of whiskey.
Shepard characterizes Dodge as an ignorant person. He never cares about his environment (people around him, and what they do). He only cares about his own desire to drink whiskey, smoking, and anything that makes him feel comfortable. All the things he does is purposed on the direction only. Sometimes, he does not want to know about what the people is talking, he is not interested in other persons’ bussiness, feeling, or status. The more important for him is his personal desires 51
Based on the previous long description about Dodge’s characterization and the conflict in the Buried Child, It is clear that Dodge has a seurious mental problem. His mental problem has been dominating his mind and influenced his behaviour. The result is that Dodge’s attitudes totally changes. He becomes an ignoranct, selfish, and careless person, moreover he is no longer a good father in the family.
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder and makes it functionless. He adds some effects of schizophrenia such as Unusual thoughts or perceptions, disorders of movement difficulty speaking and expressing emotion, problems with attention, memory and organization. (Freud. www.medlineplus.com: Mei,24,2008)
Sigmund Freud argues that a schizophrenic has a sick brain and it is functionless. The effect is that the person may have an unusual thought and perceptions, disorder movement and he will difficult to express his emotional feeling such as in speaking. Besides, the person will get a problem to give an attention to something and difficult to remembering and organizing his/her attitudes.
What Freud says above has an appropiate indication with Dodge. The conversation between Dodge and Halie in the very beginning of this play provides a strong evidence to indicate one symptomp of Dodge’s schizophrenia.
HALIE VOICE: Dodge? Dodge just stares at the TV. Long Pause. He stifes two short coughs. HALIE VOICE: Dodge! You want a pill, Dodge? He does not answer, Takes the bottle out again and takes another long swig. Puts the bottle back, stares at the TV, pulls blanket up around his neck. HALIE VOICE: You know what it is, don’t you? It’s the rain! Weather. That’s it. Everytime. Everytime you get like this, it’s the rain. No sooner does the rain start then you start. (pause) Dodge? He makes no reply. Pulls a pack of cigarettes out from his sweater and lights one. Stares at the TV...... (1994:14, Act I). 52
At the conversation, Dodge does not respond to what Halie says to him. In relation with Freud’s theory, it is possible that Dodge has a difficulty to give attention on the conversation. Besides, he also has a difficulty to control his mind focusing to the conversation. The effect is that there is no reaction or respond from Dodge, he does not answer, still stares at the broken TV while he lights his cigarette.
In another hand, Nancy Coover Andreasen clarifies that a characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia has two broad categories, they are positives and negative.
The essential feature of schizophrenia is mixture of characteristic signs and symptoms both positive and negative.
Nancy Coover Andreasen in the DSM-IV argues that Characteristic symptoms may be conceptualized as falling into two broad catagories, positive and negative. The positive symtomp appears to reflect an excess or distortion of normal function, whereas the negative symptomps appear to reflect a dimunition or loss normal function. The positive symtomps include distortion in thought content (delusion), perception (hallucination), language and thought process (disorganized speech), and self-monitoring of behavior (grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior). Negative symptoms include restrictions in the range and intensity of emotional expression (affective flattening), in the fluency and productivity of though and speech (alogia),and the initiation of goal-directed behavior (avolition). (2003: 299).
Although what happens to Dodge does not cover all the catagories of schizophrenia, but it is enough to indicate that he is a schizophrenic, because it covers both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
As what is stated in the theory, the positive symptoms are delusion,
Hallucination, Disorganized speech, and catatonic. In this case, Dodge only covers delusion, disorganized thinking, and grossly disorganized behavior. The writer will elaborate each symptoms having by Dodge based on the theory above. 53
1. Delusion
As the story progress, Dodge’s shizophrenia covers this kind of symptom. It can be seen in the middle part of the play. There is a conversation between Dodge and
Vince.
VINCE : Grandpa why don’t you lay down for a while? DODGE : I don’t wanna lay down for a while! Everytime I lay down something happens! (whips of his cap, points at his head) Look what happens! That’s what happens! (pulls his cap back on) You go lie down and see what happens to you! See how you like it! They’ll steal your bottle! They’ll cut you hair! They’ll murder your children! That’s what’ll happens. (1994: 33, Act II)
As shown in the dialogue, Dodge has a belief that somebody will do something bad to him when he falls asleep, such as steal his whiskey bottle, somebody will cut his hair, and kill his children. However, the belief is not merely true. It’s true when he is falling asleep, even somebody cuts his hair. Bradley does it.
In this case, Bradley does not mean to hurts him. Besides, he does it for the sake of
Halie’s order to take care of Dodge’s appearance. Dodge’s two other beliefes are absolutely wrong. Nobody steals his whiskey bottle or even kills his children. It is only his erroneous belief.
Delusion is an erroneous belief that involves misinterpretation of perception and experiences (Andreasen, 2003: 299) As what is discussed at the paragraph above,
Dodge’s belief is considered to be erroneous. It is absolutely not true and there is nothing able to support his belief. In other words, his belief is only an imagination.
Moreover his statement one that somebody will murders his child or anybody’s child.
The story in the play provides a murder to a baby, but the murderer is Dodge himself. 54
So, this Dodge’s statement one can be an indication or evidence that Dodge’s mind still refers to his own crime action (killed the baby).
More detail about delusion, Dodge’s delusion is catagorized into persecutory delusion. Andreasen argues that this kind of delusion is the most common having by a schizophrenic, the person believes that he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, ridiculed by anybody (2003: 299). As Dodge has it, he believes that he will be treated badly by another when he is falling asleep.
Sigmund Freud, in his book Delusion and Dream, explains how a delusion can be formed in mind. The most important of all explanatory and exonerating consederation remains the facility with which our intellect decides to accept an thereby (and this generally meets with two little acceptance). How easily and frequently intelegent people give reaction of partial feeble-mindedness under such psychological constellation, anyone who is not too conceited may observe this in himself as often as he wishes and aspecially when some of the thought processes concerned are connected with unconcious or repressed motives (1956: 74)
Freud explains how an absurd content of impulses will dominate mind. Then it will take personal attention, so that the person will only be concerned about it. As what happens to Dodge, the impulse is his desire to keep the crime as a secret. Then it dominates Dodge’s mind. So, Dodge is only concerned to hide his crime action as well, he is only concerned on how to still keep it as a secret. Then the final result is the form of Dodge’s delusion.
55
2. Disorganized Thinking
Andreasen argues Disorganized thinking (‘formal thought disorder”) as the single important feature of schizophrenia. Because it is still difficult to develop the objective definition of “thought disorder” so, the conclusion is also difficult to be drawn. Besides, the primary source to define a definition is based on the individual’s speech. (2003:300)
Dodge demonstrates this criterion in his role in the play. He often changes a topic of his conversation suddenly according to the thing he is interested in. For example, when Vince is talking about his origin, he looks at Shelly, then suddenly he talks about Shelly’s appearance.
DODGE : She could get me a bottle. She’s the type a’girl that could gets me a bottle. Easy. She’d go down here. Slink up to the counter. They’ll probably give her two bottles for the price one. She could do that. SHELLY laughs. Keeps cutting carrots. VINCE crosses up to DODGE, looks at him. TILDEN watches SHELLY’s hand. VINCE : (to DODGE) I haven’t changed that much. I mean physically. Phisically I’m just about tha same. Same size. Same weight. Everything’s the same. DODGE keeps steering at SHELLY while VINCE talks to him. DODGE : She’s a beautiful girl. Exeptional. VINCE moves in front of DODGE to bloch his view of SHELLY. DODGE keeps craning his head around to see her as VINCE demonstrates tricks from his past. (1994: 33-34, Act II)
Here we can see the jumping topic of the dialogue. There is no relation between what Vince is asking to Dodge and the way he responds to Vince. He ignores
Vince. However, it does not merely mean that he realizes his attitude, besides, he does it for the sake of his willingness. Or we can say that he does not really understand that what he does at the time. 56
As the concept of disorganized thinking, Andreasen adds her explaination that the speech of individual with schizophrenia may be disorganized in variety ways.
The person may “slip of the track” from one topic to another (“derailment of loose association”). The individual will be obliquely related or completely unrelated when he/she is answering a question (tangentially). And rarely, speech may be severely disorganized that it is nearly incomprehensible and resembles receptive aphasia in its linguistics disorganization (incoherent or word salad) (2003: 300). However Dodge’s attitude in the dialogue can be included in the context of disorganized thinking. His speech is sleep of the track and his respond is completely unrelated with the context of the dialogue.
Another supported evidence about disorganized thinking happens when there is a dialogue between Dodge and Shelly.
DODGE : What’s to remember? Halie’s the one with the family album. She’s the you should talk to. She’ll set you straight on the herritage if that’s what you’re interested in. She’s traced it all the way back to grave. SHELLY : What do you mean? DODGE : What do you think I mean. How far back can you go? A long line of corpses! There’s not a living soul behind me. Who’s holding me in their memory? Who gives a damn about bones in the gorund? SHELLY : Was Tilden telling the truth? DODGE stops short. Stares at Shelly. Shakes his head. He looks off stage left. SHELLY : Was he? DODGE’s tone change drastically. DODGE : Tilden? (turns to SHELLY calmly) Where’s Tilden? SHELLY : Last night. Was he telling the truth about the baby? DODGE : (turns toward stage left) What happens to Tilden? Why isn’t Tilden here? SHELLY : Bradley chased him out. 57
DODGE : (looking at BRADLEY asleep) Bradley? Why is he on my sofa? (turns back to SHELLY) Have I been here all night? On the floor? SHELLY : He wouldn’t leave. I hid outside until he fell asleep. DODGE : Outside? Is Tilden outside? He souldn’t be out there in the rain. He’ll get himself in trouble. He does not know his way aound here anymore. Not like he used to. He went out West and got himself into trouble. Got himself into bad trouble. We don’t want any of that around here. (1994: 44, Act III)
At the dialogue Dodge’s speech is not focus in one topic. Since the first, they are talking about the family’s herritage. Dodge gives a good respond about it.
Then suddenly Dodge changes his attention to Tilden when he hears Shelly talking about him. But, what Dodge responds to Shelly is absolutely unrelated. Shelly asks whether or not Tilden telling the truth, Dodge does not answer it, but he asks where
Tilden is. Dodge’s speech in the dialogue happens similarly. It seems dificult for
Shelly to get a communication with him. Shelly asks one thing, Dodge talks different things.
Dodge speech at the dialogue is sleep of the track and it does not focus in one topic, and there is no relation between question and answer of what Shelly and
Dodge are talking. Therefore, Dodge’s reactions can be the base to conclude that he has the symptom of disorganized thinking.
3. Grossly disorganized Behavior
In the Buried Child, Shepard decorates Dodge with his illness and it makes him to be unable to take care of himself. He has a difficulty on performing activities 58
of daily living, such as preparing a drink. Besides, he also does not want everybody to take care of his appearance.
Nancy Coover Andreasen explains this symtomp of schizophrenia attaches individual behaviour. An individual will do a certain bahavioral attitudes with the motivation which is not understandable. They suggest that an individual will do a variety ways of attitude, ranging from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. The problem of this symptom can be noted in varieties form of behavior; difficulties in performing activities of daily living such as preparing a meal or maintaining hygiene. A person who has it may appear untidy or markedly disheveled, may dresses in a usual manner, or may display inappropriate sexual behavior (e.g, public masturbation) or unpredictable and untriggered agitation. (2003: 300).
Dodge’s grossly disorganized behavior is presented in the scene I, in Halie’s monologue.
HALIE : Dodge! He is not drinking anything is he?You see to it that he does not drink anything! You’ve gotta watch out for him. It’s our responsibility. He can’t look after himselh anymore, so we have to do it. We can’t just send him away somewhere. If we had lost of money we could send him away. But we don’t. We never will. That’s why we have to stay healthy. You and me. No body going to look after us. Bradley can’t look after us. Bradley can’t hardly look after hiself. I was always hoping that Tilden would look out for Bradley when thay got older. After Bradley lost his leg. Tilden’s the oldest. I always thought he would be the one to take responsibility. I had no idea in the world that Tilden would be so much trouble. Who would’ve dreamed. Tilden wa all-American, don’t forget that. Fullback. Or quarterback. I forget which. (1994: 20, Act I)
Through the monologue above, Shepard shows that Dodge can not look after himself. As the flowing of the story, Dodge always asks another person when he needs something. For example, he asks Tilden to take his drink, and he asks Vince to buy a bottle of whiskey for him. Another evidence that indicates Dodge has a disorganized bahavior is when there is a conversation between he and Halie. 59
DODGE : (after pause) There’s no reason for him to even come over here. HALIE’S VOICE: He feels responsible. DODGE : For my hair? HALIE’S VOICE: For your appearance. DODGE : My appearance is out of his domain! It’s even out of mine! In fact, it’s disappeared! I’m an invisible man! (1994: 17, Act I)
At the last sentence, Dodge pronounces at the quotation that he does not care about his appearance. As the explanation of disorganized behavior theory, the person who has it may look untidy or markedly disheveled, may dress in an usual manner, or may display inappropriate sexual behavior or unpredictable and untriggered agitation.
In short way, the person does not really care about his appearance. So, it can be strong evidence to conclude that Dodge possesses a disorganized bahaviour.
Besides the positive symtomps, the negative symptoms of schizophrenia include affective flattening, alogia, and avolition. Andreasen adds that negative symptoms are difficult to eveluate bacause they occur on a continuum with normality, are relatively nonspecific, and may be due to a variety of others factors. For example, the behavior of an individual who has the delusional belief that he will be in danger if he leaves his room or talks to anyone may mimic social isolation, avolition, and alogia. (2003; 301). In this case Dodge does not get all the symtomps, the avolition is the prominent one attaches Dodge’s role in the play.
4. Avolition
Avilition is characterized by an inability to initiate and persist in agoal- directed activities. The person may sits for a long periods of time and show little interest in participating in work social activities. (Andreasen, 2003; 301) 60
In his role in the play, he only sits in the sofa, in front of the TV sets. He never moves from the place since the very beginning of his appearance until the last scene of Buried Child.
Gradually the form of Dodge is made out, sitting on the couch, facing the T.V. the blue light flickering on his face. He wears a well-worn T-shirt, suspenders, khakiwork pants and brown slippers. He’s covered himself in an old brown blanket. He’s very thin and sickly looking, in his late seventies. He just stares at the T.V. More light fills the stage slowly...... (1994; 13, Act I)
The first of Dodge’s appearence is sitting in the couch and staring at the TV.
Dodge position is still the same until the end of the story (except at the end of aact II, he sleeps on the floor). At the end of the story he is lying on the couch and it is near to his death. While lying and sitting on the couch, he shows a little interest to the activity around him. He never gives an appropiate respond, ignores what people say to him, except the activity which is related to his desire. For example, when he wants a bottle of whiskey and when Tilden and Shelly talks about the secret. In other words, he will give a respond to what people say to him when the topic is about his desire, his secret, and his past life. However, Dodge condition above is match with the concept of avolition, sitting for a long period of time and showing a little interest to social activity. So, it is appropiate to say that he has a symptom of avolition.
As the symptoms having by Dodge, it covers both positive and negative symptomps. There are five symptoms that includes in the positive (delusion, hallucination, disorganized thingking, disorganized behavior, and catatonic motor behavior) but Dodge has three of those. Besides, there are three symptomps of negative (affective flattening, alogia, and avolition), but Dodge has only one. 61
However, it proves that Dodge is a schizophrenic because the symptoms having by
Dodge cover both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
C. The Significance of Dodge’s Schizophrenia toward the Conflict
The root of conflict in Buried Child is the action of Dodge’s crime. Since he buried the baby, the family called the event into a question. Cops had looked for the corpse and they could not find it. It had disappeared and everybody had their own opinion about it.
TILDEN : Finally everybody just gave up. Just stoped looking. Everybody had different answer. Kidnap. Murder. Accident. Some kind of accident. (1994: 39, Act II).
As the murderer, Dodge tries to hide his crime. He denies all the questions belonging to the baby. After the accident, he never talks about it any further. Besides, he never allows anyone dragging into the murder. There is no single evidence to reveal this crime because he hides the evidences related to the baby. He denies that the garden in the backyard is still exist because the garden is the place where he had buried the baby. Therefore, it may leads to a revelation of his secret. Another effort to hide the secret is that he never lets anybody to talk about it, he always interrupts a conversation refers to the baby. For example, Dodge interrupts a conversation between Tilden and Shelly when Tilden is talking about the crime to her.
SHELLY : (pointing to Vince) This is supposed to be your son! Is he your son? Do you recognize him? I’m just along for the ride here. I thought everybody know each other. 62
Tilden stares at Vince. Dodge wraps himself up in the blanket and sits on sofa, staring at the floor. TILDEN : I had a son once but we buried him. DODGE : You shut up about that. You don’t know anything about that! (1994: 32, Act II).
Certainly, he tries to keep the secret as well, so that it influences him to think about it only. It seems that the secret is the most important point for him. It may lead him to forget everything about his life for the sake of the keeping secret.
As stated in the previous paragraphs, Dodge denies everything related to the baby. The denial is a kind of his effort to hide it as a secret. In this case, his denial leads him to become a schizophrenic. Sigmund Freud argues that a denial is a process by which a conscious mind insists on believing something that cannot be so, or refuses to believe something that must be so. Think of someone who is emotionally attached to someone else who has just died that they cannot allow themselves to believe that the person is actually dead. (www.psikoloji.fisek.com.tr/freud/genel.com)
The schizophrenia of the main character (Dodge) is the most important factor to create the conflict. However, if Dodge were not a schizophrenic, the conflict would be different. Possessing the schizophrenia, Dodge thinks differently and then his behavior changes into abnormal. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder and makes it functionless. Freudian add some effects of schizophrenia such as Unusual thoughts or perceptions, disorders of movement difficulty speaking and expressing emotion, problems with attention, memory and organization (Sigmund
Freud,www.medlineplus.com, Mei 24, 2008). The schizophrenia attacks Dodge’s 63
mind. Automatically, his attitudes in changed because human brain contributes great influences to attitudes, behavior, and personality.
His abnormal condition is reflected by his attitudes. There are many evidences in the play that demonstrate his abnormalities, those are has been discussed in the previous description about Dodge.
The most important thing to see about Dodge is something inside his mind. It leads him to treat everybody badly, having a bad conversation with his family, he wants everybody to do as what he orders. He does not believe them, and sometimes he has a paradigm as if they are dangerous for him, but he does not want to be left alone. He needs anybody else to stay close to him, in order to take care of him.
Because of Dodge’s attitude, people automatically get difficulty when they are in communication with Dodge. The communication usually head for a high tension of emotion. Next, the person will give an unpleasant respond when they communicate with others, because the person still has the emotion inside his mind. The effect is that their attitude is also changing into a peculiarity. The first example is shown in the play when Vince tries to get a communicaton with Tilden.
The following dialogue is a proof of Tilden role in the play. His role is emphasizing the bad relationship in the family. It provides a reflection of the effect of
Dodge’s schizophrenia
VINCE : (To Tilden) You want anything, Dad? TILDEN : (looks up at Vince) Me? VINCE : From the store? I’m gonna get grandpa a bottle. TILDEN : He’s not supposed to drink. Halie wouldn’t like it. (1994: 36, Act II) 64
Considering Tilden’s resnponse above, it seems that Tilden vague to acknowledges himself as Vince’s Father. Other possibility is that he doesn’t realize that Vince is his son. Another possibility is that Tilden knows and realizes that Vince is his son but he does not want to discuss it. It is ambiguity.
The second example is when there is a communication between Tilden and
Shelly when they are talking about Vince.
SHELLY : You really does not recognize him? Either one of you? Tilden turns again and stares at Shelly’s hand as she cut carrots. DODGE : (watching TV) Recognize who? SHELLY : Vince. DODGE : What’s to recognize? Dodge lights a cigarette, coughs slightly and stares at tv. SHELLY : It would be cruel if you recognize him and didn’t tell him. Wouldn’t be fair. TILDEN : I thought I recognize him. I thought I recognize something about him. SHELLY : You did? TILDEN : I thought I saw a face inside his face. SHELLY : Well, it’s probably that you saw what he used to look like. You haven’t seen him for six years. TILDEN : I haven’t? SHELLY : That’s what he says. Tilden moves around in front of her as she continues with carrots. Tilden : Where was it I saw him last? SHELLY : I don’t know. I’ve only known him for a view months. He does not tell me everything. (1994: 37, Act II)
Tilden is depressed after facing Dodge for years, because he had to do what
Dodge wanted and followed Dodge desire, although there has been a clash between
Dodge’s and his desire (See; The conflict between Dodge and Tilden). The effect is that his attitudes become strange when he faces Vince, because he still has the same emotion as he has been facing Dodge before. He is vague to recognize Vince as his 65
son. The further effect is that Vince does not care about their relationship (See the conflict between Vince and the family). Then, he only concerns to get an acknowledgement about his origin in the family.
Additionally, another role of Tilden is guiding the plot into the climax. The climax is Dodge’s confession about his murder. Here, Tilden desire to reveal the secret has reached the goal.
One of Shepard’s way to tell the reader about the murder is by using Tilden dialogue with Shelly. In the dialogue Dodge heard what Tilden is discussing with
Shelly, he knows what they are talking, then he cuts it suddenly because he realizes that what Tilden is telling to Shelly is dangerous for his secret. On the opposite way,
Tilden talks about it more and more (conversation page 64, 61, 46, 44, 37, 36, 35).
However, it influences Dodge’s conscious mind become weaker to keep the secret.
Therefore, it provokes him to choose one between to choice at the climax of this play.
The first is leaving the crime as a secret inside the family forever. The second is revealing the secret by confessing his murder. Dodge chooses the second choices to reveal the secret. Therefore, the climax is that Dodge reveals his own secret consciously. The effect is the conflict get lost from the family, and he died leave the family in peace.
At the end of the story, the problem is solved, Halie can see the vegetable garden in the backyard and Tilden finds the skeleton of the baby. Ironically, Dodge dies with his schizophrenia. It can be seen by the moment before he die, he gives everything in the house to Vince (grandson). 66
DODGE : (to Vince) Go ahead! Take over the house! Take over the whole goddamn house! You can have it! It’s yours. It’s been a pain in the neck over since the even notice. I’m gonna die any second now. Any second. You won’t even notice. So, I’ll settle my affairs once and for all. (1994:54, Act III)
Usually, when a person died he will bequeath his legal heir to his son/daughter. Here, the whole house is belonging to Vince. In another hand, the way he bequeath the house provides a high tension of emotion. The words is sensed rude.
It can be seen that the schizophrenia still exists after the revelation of the secret inside
Dodge mind. His manner does not change after all the events until his death.
There is a study about a person named Stuart Baker. He diagnoses himself cure from schizophrenia.
But over the years and after finding the correct medication in 2001, I feel that I am finally cured, if there is such a thing. This has been achieved by my own 'will' to survive and my own understanding of my condition, learning how to deal with my symptoms productively, working with my voices rather than fighting them, recognizing that I do feel paranoid and feel persecuted, amongst other ways of coping. Recognition of symptoms and understanding when they were becoming active helped me not to lose control and spiral down that dark tunnel. 'Awareness' and 'acceptance' as well as correct medication, a personal belief in oneself are some of the keys to coping. (www.schizophrenia.com, August 25 2007)
Based on the study, schizophrenia may be cured if the person realizes its existence and has a will to escape from the disorder. Oppositely, Dodge does not have any effort to escape himself from the disorder, nor he does not realize that he is a schizophrenic. In this case, there is no valid clue in the play whether his schizophrenia still exist or not, because Dodge is dead. However, the study and
Dodge’s final speech can be an appropriate understanding to conclude that his 67
schizophrenia is still exists. It needs a process and takes many times for a person to be cured from schizophrenia. If there is a suspicion that Dodge’s schizophrenia is gone after the confession, it is wrong, because he died just after the confession and it does not take a lot of time.
Besides, the action shows that the conflict between Dodge and his family is still exist according to Dodge. He still hates them; he still believes that they are dangerous for him, so he does not give those things to them. There is no appropriate clue about their relationship any further, because the next action is the dialogue between Vince and Shelly, Halie and Father Dewis that are talking about their relationship.
Possessing the schizophrenia, Dodge’s behavior guides the conflict happens.
There is no single comfortable situation in the family because he always leads a conversation displeasingly. Dodge’s conversations do not flow smoothly, so that people will get a difficulty to get a conversation with him. The effect is that there is no good relationship between Dodge and his family. In another hand, the family is depressed by the terrible secret. The combination of the both problem guides the conflict become more complicated.
If Dodge were not a schizophrenic, the conflict would be different. The family may confuse about the lost of the baby, but they may still has good relationship. They can work together to find the solution of the evidence. The members may get in a well integration that is aimed into a problem solving. Dodge may lead them in good 68
conversation and discussion, or Dodge may give an appropiate reason to hide his crime. If he acts kindly, everybody will not be depressed by his behavior.
Lidz argues that not one family of a schizophrenic was found to be reasonably well integrated (1965; 81). The conflict in Buried Child represents a not well integrated among the members in the family. There is no well-balanced communication among the members, and they underestimate each other. Sam
Shepard’s scene in Buried Child is one of illness, incest, adultery, personal violation, and spiritual emptiness. Shepard imitates these realities by showing the absence of the normal touchstones of love, family, and fidelity. (Barranger, 1994: 11).
Based on the explanations at the previous paragraph, the most significant factor caused this condition is the schizophrenia possessed by Dodge. Because of the schizophrenia, Dodge’s behavior reaches an extreme degree of peculiarity. At the play, it contributes confusion among people to get a contact with him, especially for the first time. For example, Vince and Shelly do not understand about what Dodge means by his sentence at the first time of their meeting.
VINCE : Grandpa? Dodge looks up at him, not recognizing him. DODGE: Did you bring the whiskey? Vince looks back to Shally, than back to Dodge. VINCE : Grandpa, it’s Vince. I’m Vince. Tilden’s son. You remember? Dodge stares at him DODGE: You didn’t do what you told me. You didn’t stay here with me. VINCE : Grandpa, I haven’t been here until just now. I just got here. DODGE: You left. You went outside like we told you not to do. You went out there in back. In the rain. Vince looks back at Shelly. She moves slowly toward sofa. SHELLY : Is he okay? ...... (1994: 29, Act II) 69
The last sentence declared by Shelly indicates her confusion. She questioning Dodge’s reaction to Vince while Vince tries to introduce himself nickly to Dodge. The role of schizophrenia can be detected here. Dodge behavior becomes peculiar because the schizophrenia attaches his mind. Then his behavior influences
Vince’s and Shelly’s response when they have a conversation with him. Vince’s intention is changed facing Dodge with his strange reaction. Then, it stimulates their confusion about Dodge. Next, as the writer had discussed it at the Vince and the
Family, his confusion leads him to find the root of that current condition, while
Dodge tries to keep it as a secret (the conflict is a clash of Vince’s and Doge’s desire).
Another role of Dodge’s schizophrenia contributes an unprosperous situation in the family. Possessing the schizophrenia, he leads the family into a mussy situation. Lidz argues that the welfare of the family requires that each member give an unspecified degree of precedence to the needs of the family above his own needs and those of outsiders (1965: 82). The contradictory condition occurs in Dodge’s family.
Everybody turns into selfishness. They do something for the sake of their desire only, and they do not care about the others’ feeling, although they are supposed to have a cognation. CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The conflict in Shepard’s Buried Child is a bad relationship among the members of Dodge’s family. The bad relationship is reflected by a struggle between
Dodge and his family, and among the members. Everybody has his/her own desire and purpose. Everything they do is for the sake of both things. They lose their harmony and love, so that there is no single comfortable situation in their house. In other words, the family is dominated by a horror atmosphere. Everybody turns into selfishness, so that there is no good integration between Dodge his family and among the members.
Dodge is the protagonist in Buried Child. Sam Shepard characterizes him as a schizophrenic. Possessing the schizophrenia, he becomes a perfunctory person, selfish, and careless. Moreover he treats everybody badly. Besides, he also has a strange behavior as the effect of the schizophrenia. However, his behavior is available to be related to the symptoms of schizophrenia. For examples; during the play he just lays and sits in the sofa while watches an unpictured-TV (avolition); he has a wrong belief facing people around him (delusion); he often changes one topic to another during his conversation (disorganized thinking); he also does not care about his appearance, and he has a difficulty to perform activities (grossly disorganized behavior).
70 71
The main cause that leads the condition is Dodge's schizophrenia. It attacks
Dodge’s mind and changes his behavior. If Dodge were not a schizophrenic, the conflict would be different. The root of the conflict is Dodge’s crime. Since he buried the baby, the family fell into curiosity. They call the event into question. The baby was lost and there was no revelation of the problem. On the other hand, Dodge (the murderer) kept the crime as a secret. Because his keeping secret, he becomes a schizophrenic. Since he possesses the schizophrenia his attitudes totally changes into peculiarity. Facing the peculiarity, his family gets difficulty when they are in communication with him. They confuse and call Dodge’s strange attitudes into question. The effect is that their relationship is broken. Indirectly, his schizophrenia leads the condition in a messy situation.
Therefore, the significance of Dodge’s schizophrenia is that it contributes an additional conflict in the family or it exacerbates the conflict. If Dodge were not a schizophrenic, the conflict would be only the family’s curiosity about the loss of the baby. However, the relationship among the members could be still fine. In fact,
Dodge possesses the schizophrenia, then it changes the relationship of the family into bad condition. 72
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