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FACTORS INFLUENCING THE RECOVERY PROCESS OF JAMIE IN A WALK TO REMEMBER

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

in English Letters

By

BERNAD SETIAJI FERGANTORO WIDODO

Student Number: 044214059

ENGLISH LETERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2011

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJIPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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Life

Is Beautiful

☺


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For whom I called Mamah and Pak’e And for every single thing which has fulfilled my space…


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank Father in Heaven for giving His blessing to me so that I can

complete this thesis. I really thank Him for the chance to taste and complete this

another chapter of life, in the hope for a brighter future.

I would like to thank my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M. Hum. for her

time, guidance, help and supports in correcting my thesis. I also would like to

thank my co-advisor Maria Ananta Tri Suryandari, S.S., M. Ed. for the advice and

correction to this work. I also thank for all the lecturers and staff of the

Department of English Letters for all their guidance and helps that lead me

coming at this point.

I would like to thank my family for being the greatest family ever. I thank

my father, F.X. Slamet Widodo and my mother, Elisabeth Murtiyah, for

encouraging me all the time, night and day, in working on my thesis. I thank them

for their never ending love and patience in taking care of me.

Next, I would like to thank all my college friends Ratna PBI, Zico, Riska

‘Entunx’ and especially to Shanti, Ade, Deva, Bayu ‘Gembur’, Minto, Adit

‘Acong’, Adit ‘Bambang’, Renaldi ‘Reject’, Azalia Novela, Tutik, for the

togetherness in finishing our last homework. I thank Bang Marsono for giving me

the novel, I thank Romo Sulis for always asking me “Piye skripsimu Ben?”, I

thank my friends of OMK St. Sylvester Paroki Wedi, my friends of Joglo (Jomblo

Glodogan) and I thank the big family of Bu Titik and her three beautiful daughters

(Agnes, Ita, Cicil) for the laugh we have shared. To my beloved, Merbarini, I

thank her for her support and all the things she has done to change my world.


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Finally, for those who can not be mentioned here, I thank them all for the

help and support in the process of writing this thesis. God bless you all!

Bernad Setiaji F. W.

viii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJIPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ………………………………………………………………… i APPROVAL PAGE …………………………………………………………. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ……………………………………………………… iii MOTTO PAGE ……………………………………………………………… iv DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………………. v APPROVAL PRONOUNCEMENT PAGE OF THESIS PUBLICATION FOR ACADEMIC CONCERN ........................................................................vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………… vii TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………… ix ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………. x ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………… xi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………….. 1

A. Background of the Study …………………………………………. 1 B. Problem Formulation ……………………………………………… 6 C. Objectives of the Study …………………………………………… 7 D. Definition of Terms ………………………………………………. 7

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ………………………………. 8

A. Review of Related Studies ………………………………………… 8 B. Review of Related Theories ………………………………………. 10

1. Theories of Character and Characterization ………………. 10 2. The Relation between Literature and Psychology…………. 13 3. Theory of Recovery Process ………………………………. 15

C. Theoretical Framework …………………………………………… 19 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………….. 21

A. Object of the Study ………………………………………………... 21 B. Approach of the Study …………………………………………… 23 C. Method of the Study ………………………………………………. 24

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ………………………………………………… ..25

A. Jamie’s Characters as Described in A Walk to Remember ………......25 B. Factors Influencing Jamie’s Recovery Process ………………..….....32 C. The Effects of the Factors toward Jamie’s Recovery Process ……....42

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …………………………………………….. 48 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………. 53 APPENDIX …………………………………………………………………... 55

Summary of A Walk to Remember………………………………… 55


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ABSTRACT

BERNAD SETIAJI FERGANTORO WIDODO. Factors Influencing the Recovery Process of Jamie in A Walk to Remember. Yogyakarta: Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011. A Walk to Remember, created by Nicholas Sparks, is a novel about the love story between Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan. The analysis of this study focuses on the major character, Jamie Sullivan. She is a 17-year-old-girl who suffers from cancer, and it brings her to the recovery process. Jamie’s recovery process is influenced by some factors. Those factors will also give effects toward her recovery process. There are three problems to be discussed in this study. The first problem deals with Jamie’s characterization as the main character. The second problem deals with the factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process. The third one deals with the effects of the factors toward Jamie’s recovery process.

In this study, the writer applied the library research method to analyze the primary source of this study, the novel of A Walk to Remember. The other sources to support this study are from literary books, books of psychological theory and internet. This study uses psychological approach because it discusses the psychology aspects of the main character. Therefore, besides using literary theories to answer the problem formulation, this study also uses the psychological theories, which are the theories of recovery process.

Jamie Sullivan’s characters are described as caring, religious, honest, and optimistic. The fact that Jamie Sullivan suffers from cancer brings her to the recovery process which is influenced by some factors. Those factors are social support, hope, empowerment, spirituality, and meaningful activity. All those factors also give effects to the recovery process of Jamie Sullivan that she has more power to fight against her disease. All factors that influence the recovery process of Jamie Sullivan make her stronger facing the condition that she has cancer, it also gives her more spirit to life in the rest of her time. Although in the end the result is not as the same as she wants, with all factors that influence her recovery process, Jamie Sullivan has more power in accepting the reality that she suffers cancer and has more respect to her life.


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ABSTRAK BERNAD SETIAJI FERGANTORO WIDODO. Factors Influencing the Recovery Process of Jamie in A Walk To Remember. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011.

A Walk to Remember, dikarang oleh Nicholas Sparks, adalah sebuah novel tentang kisah cinta antara Landon Carter dan Jamie Sullivan. Pembahasan skripsi ini difokuskan pada karakter utama yaitu Jamie Sullivan. Jamie Sullivan adalah seorang gadis berusia 17 tahun yang menderita kanker, dan hal itu membawanya kepada sebuah proses pemulihan. Proses pemulihan yang dijalani Jamie Sullivan dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor. Semua faktor yang berpengaruh tersebut juga akan memberikan dampak terhadap proses pemulihan yang dijalaninya.

Ada tiga permasalahan yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini. Permasalahan pertama berkaitan dengan penokohan Jamie sebagai tokoh utama. Permasalahan kedua berkaitan dengan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi proses pemulihan pada diri Jamie. Permasalahan ketiga berkaitan dengan dampak dari faktor-faktor tersebut terhadap proses pemulihan pada diri Jamie.

Dalam skripsi ini, penulis menerapkan studi pustaka untuk menganalisis novel A Walk to Remember karangan Sparks. Sumber-sumber lain yang mendukung penulisan skripsi ini berasal dari buku-buku literatur, buku-buku tentang teori psikologi serta internet. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan psikologis karena membahas mengenai aspek psikologis tokoh utamanya. Karenanya, selain menggunakan teori sastra untuk menjawab pertanyaan yang terdapat pada rumusan masalah, studi ini juga menggunakan teori psikologi yaitu teori mengenai proses pemulihan.

Karakter Jamie Sullivan digambarkan sebagai sosok yang penyayang, religius, jujur, dan optimis. Fakta bahwa Jamie Sullivan menderita kanker membawanya kepada sebuah proses pemulihan yang dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor. Faktor-faktor tersebut antara lain dukungan sosial, harapan, motivasi dari dalam diri, kehidupan spiritual, dan aktivitas sosial. Semua faktor tersebut berdampak terhadap proses pemulihan pada diri Jamie Sullivan yaitu bahwa dia semakin kuat untuk berjuang melawan penyakitnya. Segala faktor yang mempengaruhi proses pemulihan pada diri Jamie Sullivan membuatnya lebih kuat menghadapi kondisi bahwa dia menderita kanker, hal itu juga memberinya semangat untuk menjalani hidup di sisa waktunya. Walaupun pada akhirnya nanti hasilnya tidak sama seperti apa yang dia harapkan, dengan semua faktor yang mempengaruhi proses pemulihan dirinya, Jamie Sullivan menjadi lebih kuat menerima kenyataan bahwa dia menderita kanker dan dia pun dapat lebih menghargai hidupnya.


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Reading a literary work gives many valuable things for the readers. We can

enrich our knowledge and experiences in our life. In other words, reading a work of

literature does not only give us pleasure, but also educates us as a human being. We

may understand the reality of life through literature. In literature, an author of literary

works writes a work of literature because of his/her experiences about things related

to the reality of life, maybe his/her own life or someone else life. The author will

express his/her ideas, feelings, and experiences in his/her own style by making a

meaningful and beautiful work which can not be expressed by common people. There

are many things in literature that we can learn, such as love, faith, religion, sacrifice,

struggle and the knowledge about life that maybe we never knew before.

We can also learn many other things in literature, such as the conflict of

human life, the setting they live, the ideas, or the criticism the author wants to reveal.

Literature, actually, gives us a picture of life from the author’s view (Brooks et al,

1952: 8). Since literature is the reflection of life, it is not impossible that personal

experience can influence the creation of characters in a literary works, particularly

since they are taken from the life itself.

In his book, An Approach to English Literature, Van de Laar says that, “a

novel is a work of art in so far as it introduces us into living world: in some respect

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resembling the world we live in, but with an individuality of its own” (1963: 163).

Van de Laar stated that there is a world in the novel that looked like the real world; it

means that there is a close relation between the world in the novel and the real world.

It also means that a story of life will be found in a novel because it tells about

someone’s world, his/her life condition or the conflict he/she has to face. Therefore,

by reading a novel, we may learn more valuable things in life such as what happened

in the past, what kind of human behavior, the problem the characters have to face in

life, and how they have to deal with that problem.

According to Milligan (1983: 4), a novel, as a work of literature, is more in

touch with reality, as it helps the readers see things as they really are. By reading a

novel the readers will see some realities that will give them the deeper understanding

about life and its problem. Through a novel the readers can find so many interesting

experiences that can enrich the reader’s knowledge and experiences of life. The

readers can also get a lot of principles about human cultures, human characters, and

human experiences because novel is such an imitation of life. The readers can learn

the way of life through the characters of a novel.

A Walk to Remember is an interesting novel because it is based on a true story.

The novel shows the readers the understanding of reality in this life. The story is

about a couple and the survival of someone against her disease, the power of love

makes them strong to fight against the disease. Sparks mixes the story of a person

who struggles against cancer with the romance story about a man and a woman who

fall in love. A Walk to Remember is a heart wrenching account of a young, first love


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and the choices and steps a person will take to provide another with

happiness. Sparks chooses the best words to describe the characters in the novel, so

that the reader can easily identify each character with their feelings. The book lets the

readers explore their own feelings about love.

Nicholas Sparks who has the real name Nicholas Charles Sparks was born in

Omaha, Nebraska on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1965; he is the son of Patrick

Michael Sparks and Jill Emma Marie Sparks. As a child, Sparks lived in Minnesota,

Los Angeles and Grand Island, Nebraska, finally settling in Fair Oaks, California at

the age of eight. His father was a professor, his mother a homemaker, then

optometrist's assistant. He lived in Fair Oaks through high school, graduated

valedictorian in 1984, and received a full track scholarship to the University of Notre

Dame. Sparks was the middle of three children with an older brother Michael Earl

Sparks (b. Dec. 1964), and a younger sister Danielle Sparks (b. Dec. 1966, d. June,

2000). Danielle Sparks is the inspiration for the main character in his novel A Walk to

Remember. Sparks and his wife Catherine, who met on spring break in 1988, were

married in July, 1989. While living in Sacramento, he wrote his second novel in that

same year, though again, it was not published. He worked a variety of jobs over the

next three years, including real estate appraisal, waiting tables, selling dental products

by phone, and started his own small manufacturing business which struggled from the

beginning. He moved from Sacramento, California to North Carolina in 1992

(http://www.nicholassparks.com/AboutNicholas.asp?PageID=1).


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In 1994, at the age of 28, he wrote The Notebook over a period of six months.

In October, 1995, rights to The Notebook were sold to Warner Books. It was

published in October, 1996 and he followed that with Message in a Bottle (1998), A

Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001) and Nights

in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with

my Brother (2004), True Believer (2005) and At First Sight (2005) all with Warner

Books. All were domestic and international best sellers and were translated into more

than 35 languages. Further, some of his novels, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to

Remember, The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe were adapted into movie version

(http://www.hhsdrama.com/documents/BioNicholasSparks.pdf). In this thesis, the

writer will only focus on the novel A Walk to Remember.

A Walk to Remember is inspired by the experience of Danielle, Sparks’ sister

who got cancer. It tells about Landon and Jamie as the major character. The story

started with Landon Carter, a 57 year-old man from Beaufort, North Carolina,

narrates the story of his seventeenth year, the year that changed his life. He tells the

reader how he takes part in the Christmas play at the urging of a strange girl he had

known and teased for being different all his life. Her name is Jamie Sullivan, the

seventeen year-old girl who is dying of cancer, but who gives impacts on the lives of

everyone around her. She is the deeply religious daughter of the local Baptist

minister. Through his experiences with her during the play and other times that Jamie

impacts on his life, Landon falls in love with her, only to discover that she is dying of

cancer. At first, he could not take the reality that she was sick, but he still loves her


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and takes her as she is. In the seven months that he spends with her, he becomes a

different young man forever.

The writer is interested in analyzing Nicholas Sparks’ novel because most of

his works are widely known and read. Another interesting aspect is about the

characteristic of Sparks’ novel; love is often raised as the main topic of his works.

Sparks writes romance novels with the perfect words to describe the nature of the

characters, so that the reader can identify with the feelings in their hearts to explore

their own feelings and memories of love. A Walk to Remember is chosen because the

story is so beautiful; it is a story of the beauty, power and innocence of first love, the

story gives us more knowledge about life. There are many interesting elements in the

novel that we can learn such as the values of love, sacrifice or religion, but the most

attractive element is the recovery process of the character during the illness. Not an

easy thing to do when some people have to struggle against their disease, especially

cancer, sometimes a person will experience a problems as the result of an underlying

medical condition because the patients has to do many treatments, consume many

medicines, and may be they can not do their daily activities anymore. People around

someone suffering with cancer will do everything to struggle to keep their spirit of

life, and they have to be ready to face the worst possibility that is death of the

patients.

Cancer is a fearful disease. It causes considerable psychological distress for

many people such as in patients, families, friends or even the loved one. It is natural

for people with cancer to feel many emotions. Not only the patient, but also people


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living around them will feel frightened or even angry when they know that they live

with someone with cancer. Keep in mind that the person we care about is simply sick.

Despite the cancer, he or she is still the same person we have always known and

loved. One of the biggest things we can do for someone suffering with cancer is to

make them smile and laugh. Give them a purpose to get up every day and live happily

like a normal life. Laughter and love is always the best choice of medicine.

Jamie feels afraid about the condition she has to face, but she keeps struggle

against her disease. Jamie Sullivan is a strong figure for someone who is claimed to

have leukemia. There are some factors that make her strong to face the condition. She

has leukemia but she accepts her condition wisely, her disease slowly but surely ruins

her life. She knows that she is going to die soon, but she always keep her spirit of life,

one thing that not every person can do as people tend to deny their weakness and they

want to be perfect in this life. Jamie shows the readers the importance of accepting

the reality because it can lead people to have more respect in their life. From the

attractive element of the factors that influence the recovery process of the character

and the writer personal interesting about the story, therefore the writer propose to

write a thesis entitled Factors Influencing the Recovery Process of Jamie in A Walk to

Remember.

B. Problem Formulation

The problems of this undergraduate thesis that will be discussed can be

formulated as follows.


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1. How is Jamie described in the story?

2. What are the factors influence Jamie’s recovery process?

3. What are the effects of the factors toward Jamie’s recovery process?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to answer the three questions stated in the

problem formulation. Firstly, this study has the aim to find out the character of Jamie.

By finding the character of Jamie when she has to face cancer, the next step is to see

the factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process. Then, the study has the aim to

explain the effects of the factors toward Jamie’s recovery process. The writer hopes

that this study will help readers to know well about the novel and also to know deeper

the recovery process of people with cancer.

D. Definition of Terms

In order to understand the word that is used in this thesis and to make a better

understanding, the writer presents the explanation of the word. There is one term that

needs to be defined, that is “recovery process”.

Recovery process is a deeply personal, unique process of changing one’s

attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying,

hopeful, and contributing life even with limitations caused by the illness. Recovery

involves the development of new meaning and purpose in one’s life as one grows

beyond the catastrophic effects of illness (Anthony, 1993: 13).


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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

In this thesis the writer will analyze one of Nicholas Sparks’ novels, A Walk

to Remember. This part consists of the related studies that deal with the novel. There

are many responses to the publishing of this novel, generally they are positive ones,

here the writer would like to present criticism to the story of A Walk to Remember in

order to enrich the writer’s knowledge in understanding the novel. Criticism is very

important, because if people give their comments to certain literary work, it means

that they pay attention to it, and the work itself is able to attract people to read it.

Nicholas Sparks is one of the contemporary authors. Besides A Walk to

Remember, he also wrote many other novels, and he always tries to combine all

elements to make his novel interesting. In

(http://www.nicholassparks.com/LearnMore.asp?BookID=3#), Sparks says that, there

are a few challenges in writing the novel A Walk to Remember.

The major challenge lay in blending of spirituality into the text. Though faith is a powerful element of my own life, when I set out to write a novel, I am guided by the simple thought of writing a story that most people will enjoy. Since religion and faith vary greatly among my readers, it was difficult to write such a story with a balance that wouldn't offend anyone. Nor did I want to preach to anyone. That's not the purpose of a novel.

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In writing A Walk to Remember, Sparks tries to offer something different in the era of

1990’s. He tries to combine some elements that he has on his novel, they are faith,

beauty, power and the innocence of first love.

Book Page as a site which provides a directory of thousands information of

books also gives response about the author of A Walk to Remember:

Nicholas Sparks waves his magic romance wand once again; this time over the ideal of transformational first love … Sparks is a modern master of fateful love stories and road-not-taken fables written uncluttered prose (http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446693806.htm)

Sparks is a great author of love stories, he is a very famous author especially most of

his novels become bestseller. Although there are lots of love stories from the past

until now, Sparks’ stories are remarkable stories an always interesting to be read.

The publisher of the novel also shows that Sparks’ A Walk to Remember,

which is based on a true story of his younger sister, tells about a true love that is not

easy to be forgotten. The true love itself is so powerful that it is able to change one’s

personality, one’s life, even one’s fate.

No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks. In A Walk to Remember, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spellbound- and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great loved, the kind that changes everything… (http://www.flipkart.com/b/books/walk-remember-nicholas-sparks-book-0446525537)

The writer also finds a study about the novel A Walk to Remember. A student

of Faculty of Letters in Sanata Dharma University named Merry Christina writes

about The Values of Love as Reflected in Nicholas Sparks’ A Walk to Remember. She

discusses about the values of love in the story and the way the characters love each


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other. In her thesis, she explains about how the author presents love through the

characters and conflicts. Then she tries to find the values of love seen in the novel

(Christina, 2007: viii).

The thesis written by Merry Christina uses the formalistic approach in

analyzing A Walk to Remember. The focus is more about the values of love in the

novel. This undergraduate thesis also uses the same object, but with different topic, in

this undergraduate thesis, the writer is more interested in the factors that influence the

recovery process of the character, especially Jamie as the main character when she

has to fight against cancer.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

In this study, the writer would like to present the theory of character by

Stanton, Henkle, Perrine and Kenney. Besides, the writer also uses the theory of

characterization presented by Murphy.

Stanton (1965: 17) says that there may be two kinds of interpretation that

come to people’s mind. First, people may think about the people who are in the novel

such as Jamie Sullivan in A Walk to Remember. Second, people may think about

personality traits of the people who exist in the novel.

Henkle (1977: 87-101) states that characters can be divided into two parts.

The first one is major characters and the second one is secondary characters. Major

characters are the most significant characters in a novel. They can be identified


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through the complexity of their characterization, the attention given by certain

figures, and the personal intensity that a character seems to transmit (1977: 178-181).

The major character will completely need the reader’s fullest attention because they

perform a key structural function. While the secondary characters are characters who

serve functions that are more restricted. They perform and respond in more limited

functions than the major characters, they may be less sophisticated, therefore their

response to experience is less complex and less interesting.

Perrine classified fictional characters into static and dynamic characters. Static

characters are characters that change little in their outlook or personalities during the

course of the study. They remain stable and are the same sort of persons at the end of

the story as at the beginning. They are described without much detail and they are not

changed by circumstances. Dynamic characters are those who undergo changes in

some aspects of their characters, personalities or outlook from the beginning to the

end of the story. The changes could be for better or for worse and may be a large or

small one, but it is something that is important and basic, and more than a minor

change in opinion (Perrine, 1974: 71).

According to Kenney (1988: 32-34), there are three traits that build up the

whole character. The first is social traits, which are related to the character’s role in

society, for example the relationship with groups or institutions, which are recognized

by society. The second one is physical traits, which are related to the physical

appearance of the character. The last one is psychological traits. They concern with

the emotion, intellectually, feeling and motivation of the character.


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In order to describe clearly the character, the writer uses theory of

characterization by Murphy. According to Murphy (1972: 161-173), there are nine

ways of characterization. The nine ways of characterization are used to create the

character understandable for his readers.

a. Personal Description

In some part of this novel Nicholas Sparks describes the characters through

their appearance and clothes, as Murphy says that the author describes a person’s

character through the appearance and clothes.

b. Character as Seen by Another

The characters not only described through their appearance and clothes but

also through the point of view of the other people in the novel.

c. Speech

Nicholas Sparks also gives a deeper understanding about the characters from

the speech that is produced or in a conversation with other characters whenever

they propose an idea.

d. Past Life

By allowing the reader learns something about a person’s past life, the author

can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This

can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thoughts,

through his conversation or through the medium of another person.


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e. Conversation of Others

Nicholas Sparks tries to describe the characters through the conversation of

other people in the story. For example Jamie Sullivan’s character is described by

conversation of Landon Carter or the other character say about her.

f. Reactions

The character of a person can be observed by seeing at the person’s reaction

toward various situations and events in his/her life.

g. Direct Comment

The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly through

the narration, especially in third-person narrator.

h. Thought

The author can give us direct information of what a person is thinking about

and even tell us what other people are thinking. Here the author acts as a person

who knows everything.

i. Mannerism

The person’s character can be analyzed through the person’s mannerism and

habit that may also tell us something about his character.

2. The Relation between Literature and Psychology

In reading literary works, the readers may analyze the work by relating the

works with any psychological theories that are suitable. In the literary works, there

are things that can be analyzed by psychological theories such as human life,


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behavior, personality, emotion, etc. Literature and psychology are the two subjects

that can be a media to explore human’s life. Lindauer (1984: 144) states in the book

Psychology and its Allied Disciplines Volume I edited by Bornstein, et al., that

literature is best at describing the human condition in a dramatic form while

psychology has the strength to investigate human’s character or behavior in

systematic ways. Both subjects have one common purpose that is to depict human

condition. Literature depicts human condition in dramatic way while psychology

studies human characteristics systematically.

There is a distinctive relation between the works and the writer; the writer can

draw his idea, thought, and feeling through the works. According to Rene Wellek and

Austin Warren in their book Theory of Literature, psychology of literature means the

psychological study of the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of the

creative process, or the study of the psychological types and laws present within

works of literature, or, finally the effect of literature upon its readers or audience

psychology (1956: 81).

As Wellek and Warren said that psychology and literature have a very close

relation in which some of literary works talk about psychological cases, people can

learn theory of psychology that may be revealed in works of literature by analyzing

the works. It also can be said that the analysis of literary works may reflect certain

psychological aspects.


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3. Theory of Recovery Process

Anthony says that, recovery process is a unique process of changing one’s

attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying,

hopeful and contributing life even with limitations caused by the illness (1993: 13).

This study applies the theory of recovery process to interpret the psychological

aspects of the main character in the novel. When talking about psychology, it is

always in a connection with a character which involves behavior, thoughts and

feelings. Recovery process involves the development of new meaning and purpose in

one’s life as one grows beyond the catastrophic effects of illness, it includes

everything that people think, feel and do. Recovery process is a personal and unique

process, everyone can develop his or her own recovery depends on the factors that

influence it. Factors that are common to the recovery process are social support, hope,

empowerment, spirituality and meaningful activity (Anthony, 1993: 15).

a. Social Support

Support from peers, family, friends and health professional is essential to

recover from the disease. It is especially beneficial to have multiple sources of

support. This not only reduces a client’s sense of isolation, but also increases their

activity in the community, allowing them to obtain an integral role in society. In

addition to support from individuals, participation in support groups is an important

tool for recovery. Being able to interact with others who understand their feelings and

experiences is the most important ingredient for their recovery (Anthony, 1993:16).


16

Social support is a support that is given by a society for a person or for some

people on it, marriage and family are the important social support sources. Smet

(1994: 133) in his book Psikologi Kesehatan which are translated into English says

that social support is divided into four kinds: emotional support, instrumental support,

respect support and informative support.

i. Emotional support: they are supports like empathy and attention or care to

someone who get a disease or problem.

ii. Respect support: it is a respect expressed for people, such as a support to

develop or agreement with individual concept.

iii. Instrumental support: it is a support that is included in a direct help like when

people lend their money to the other people or help them to do the job when

they need it.

iv. Informative support: it is a support in giving advice or instructions to get

feedback from other people.

b. Hope

Hope is a desire accompanied by confident expectation. For the client, having

a sense of hope is the foundation for continuing recovery from illness. Even the

smallest belief that we can get better, as others have, can fuel the recovery process.

Early in the recovery process, it is possible for a health professional, friend or family

member to carry hope for a client. At some point, however, client must develop and

internalize their sense of hope (Anthony, 1993: 16).


17

As Anthony said, hope is an essential element in the recovery process. Hope

begins as a space in our inner world for possibility; it involves an idea that we may be

able to escape from some kind of personal imprisonment, addiction or obsession.

Hope can push someone to choose life, hope can make someone to reach out for help

and accept support, hope can encourage someone to work toward developing a

healthier relationship with their body and hope can help someone to search meaning

in their life. Hope can be described as a power resource that buffer stress and allows a

sense of freedom even during times of suffering.

c. Empowerment

Empowerment is the belief that one has the power and control in their life,

including their disease. For most clients empowerment also involves having a strong

motivation for recovery process, it is behavior motors from the inside. The most

important thing is the way clients use their power to motivate their self in the

recovery process (Anthony, 1993: 18).

According to Murray (1964: 8), motivation is an internal process that controls

behaviors to achieve certain goals; it is a desire that has certain goals to be obtained.

It is a power that gives strength in the people self to do something. Someone who gets

ill, the only goal to be obtained is that they want to be healthy. In order to be healthy,

someone has to have a positive thinking about the condition of the body for the

recovery process.


18

d. Spirituality

People often relate spirituality to religion, a broad definition of spirituality is

that it’s a partnership with one’s higher power. For many clients spirituality provides

hope, solace during their illness, peace and understanding and a source of social

support. It can be a guide for a person to get positive solution for their recovery

process.

The most important feature of spirituality is that it tries to restore hope, which

is likely to counteract hopelessness. When the patients feel that they do not have

power against their disease, they can just take them to God. Spirituality can make a

person able to think actively until they reach their expectation, have positive feeling

and free from worried (Anthony, 1993: 20).

e. Meaningful Activity

What we do or our behavior shapes others' opinions of who we are. As a

result, it is common for a person's identity to be significantly impacted by their

behavior or what they do. Likewise, what a person does influences his or her

confidence, esteem, social role, values, etc. Simply, a meaningful activity affords

most clients the opportunity to regain a positive identity in their society, including a

sense of purpose and value (Anthony, 1993:21).

Anthony said that meaningful activity has a close relation to what a person

does in the society or in other words his/her behavior to get positive identity. Society

is the place where people can interact with one another; it means that someone needs

to build relationship with other people. Meaningful activity is an activity which is


19

done by someone to show his/her behavior in order to get good judgment and support

from the society. What is meant by meaningful is that something good, important and

useful which is done for other people. By having a good behavior and characteristics

such as caring person, helping others, religious person or being honest, someone will

get good judgment from other people in the society. A person with a good judgment

will has charisma, and then it will be easy for that person to get attention, help or

support from other people.

C. Theoretical Framework

In the previous sub-chapters, the writer stated some theories and notes that

will be used to analyze the novel. The theories above are divided into three that are

theory of character and characterization, relation between literature and psychology

and theory of recovery process. Those theories are needed to help the writer in

analyzing the novel and to answer the questions stated in the problem formulations.

In analyzing this thesis, first, the main character in the novel is studied by

using the theories of characters and characterization. In this study, the writer uses the

theory of character proposed by Stanton, Henkle, Perrine and Kenney, and then the

theory of characterization proposed by Murphy. The characterization methods that are

used in this study are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past

life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment, thought and mannerism. Those

theories provide complete ways to analyze the characters of the novel. The write uses

those theories because those are appropriate for describing the characters of the major


20

character in this novel. Once this is done, the answer of the first problem formulation

is obtained.

The writer also chooses the theory of recovery process in order to analyze the

factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process when she has to deal with cancer.

There are some factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process that are social support,

hope, empowerment, spirituality and meaningful activity. Next, it will also explain

the effects of the factors toward Jamie’s recovery process. To relate the novel with

the psychological theories, the writer presents theory on relation between literature

and psychology. Briefly, this study combines all theories that are relevant to answer

the entire questions in the problem formulation from book and internet as its main

sources.


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CHAPTHER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the study

The object of this study is a novel A Walk to Remember, the third novel which

was written by Nicholas Sparks. The novel was first published in the fall of 1999 by

Warner Books, but this study uses the same novel which was published by Sphere in

November 2007. A paperback edition is used in this study. It contains of 208 pages

and 13 chapters. The setting of the story is in the mid-1950s in Beaufort, North

Carolina. The novel has been translated into more than thirty languages. This novel is

also adapted into motion picture in 2002 and became an international bestseller. This

is an exiting novel about two teenagers who fall in love each other; it is a romantic

story of young people with their problems and how to overcome the problems. It is

also about the struggle of someone facing her illness and the recovery process of it.

A Walk to Remember was inspired by Sparks’ younger sister; it tells the story

of Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter. Written in first-person, the narrator is a

seventeen year-old boy living in 1950s. His whole life was change when he spent his

time with Jamie, a girl whom he thought as a stranger before. From the first chapter,

this novel focuses on Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter as the major character.

However, there are other characters in the story who serve as the secondary

characters.

21


22

A Walk to Remember is a story of love by Nicholas Sparks, an everlasting

love between two teens, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan. Landon Carter, the 57

year-old man who through flashback narrates the story of his seventeenth year, is the

narrator of the story who tells us how he grew up in the town of Beaufort, North

Carolina, fell in love with Jamie Sullivan and completely changed his life. He is a

type of teenager who just wants to have fun in his senior year before goes to college.

The next main character of the story is Jamie Sullivan, the seventeen year-old

girl daughter of a Baptist minister who is dying of cancer, but who gives impacts on

the lives of everyone around her. She lives only with her widowed father, rescues hurt

animals and helps the local orphanage. She is the real angel of the story, not just a

character in the school play. She seems so different from the other teenagers. She is

depicted as a strange young girl who has her long hair in a bun and wears the same

sweater and plaid skirt almost everyday.

Landon has never dreamed that he will be friends with Jamie, a girl whom he

thinks as a stranger. In the story, he tells the reader how he takes part in the Christmas

play at the urging of a strange girl he had known and teased for being different all his

life. Her name is Jamie Sullivan and she is the deeply religious daughter of the local

Baptist minister, who has himself been the object of ridicule over the years. Through

his experiences with her during the play and other times that Jamie impacts on his

life, Landon falls in love with her, only to discover that she is dying of cancer. In the

seven months that he spends with her, he becomes a different young man forever.

Being with Jamie shows him the depths of human heart.


23

B. Approach of the study

In this study the writer applies psychological approach because the study

focuses more on the psychological aspects. According to Rohrberger and Woods,

psychological approach is to explain human motivation, personality, and behavior

patterns written in literary object, therefore, knowledge of psychology ground is

important in order to understand the literary works (1971: 12). Psychological

approach uses theory of psychology which explains behavior, personality, motivation,

emotion, or feeling in order to give understanding and explain the characters in the

novel. According to Guerin’s A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature,

psychological approach deals with a work of literature primarily as an expression, in

fictional form, of the state of mid and the structure of personality of the individual

author. Psychological interpretation can afford many profound clues toward solving a

work’s thematic and symbolic mysteries (1999: 125).

Psychological approach is considered as the best approach for this study since

it analyses the psychological side of the character in the novel. The reference

mentioned above helped the writer to apply the psychological approach. By using

psychological approach and the theories related to it, the study will try to answer the

three questions stated in the problem formulations.

C. Method of the study

In this study, the writer applied a library research which uses written record as

the source data. It used novel as the main source data, and the novel A Walk to


24

Remember was used as the primary source. The data included in the thesis was taken

from the book in the library such as for the theory and approach. Any website from

the internet also became the secondary source to find other information related to the

study such as the information of the author and also other data.

There were several steps taken by the writer to analyze the novel. The first

step was reading the novel many times to get a better understanding of the story. The

writer focused the analysis on Jamie Sullivan and then made some notes about her

personal description, her behavior, her thought, her mannerism and the conversation

of others. The writer was also trying to find out the connection to the formulated

problems. The writer imagined himself as Jamie. The writer wanted to feel what she

felt so that the writer felt what has been felt by the character.

The next step was finding some books about theories of literature and

psychology. The writer tried to find the theory of character and characterization,

relation of literature and psychology and theory of recovery process. Theory of

character and characterization could help the writer to go deeper in understanding the

main character. Theory of recovery process helped the writer to analyze the factors

that influence Jamie’s recovery process and its effects toward Jamie’s recovery

process. After learning about the theory, the next step to be taken was determining the

approach and then the study was started to be analyzed.


25

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

To analyze the novel clearer, this chapter will be divided into three parts. The

first part discusses about Jamie’s characters. The second part talks about the factors

that influence Jamie’s recovery process. The last part is about the effects of the

factors toward Jamie’s recovery process.

A. Jamie’s Characters as Described in A Walk to Remember

In this novel the writer finds that there are some people created by the author.

Stanton said that characters refer to people who are in the novel (1965: 17). There are

many characters in the novel but Jamie Sullivan is the major characters in this novel;

this is why she completely needs the readers’ fullest attention (Henkle, 1977: 178-

181). Jamie is the most significant character because she is the focus of the story in

this novel.

Jamie becomes the spirit of this novel because her existence gives colors to

the other characters. Jamie is a dynamic character in the novel, because she changes

her outlook performance and personalities (Perrine, 1974: 71). Jamie has a new hope

after she met the one she loves, she also develop new meaning of life when she

knows that Landon also loves her. Jamie Sullivan is a 17-year-old-girl who lives in a

small town, Beaufort, North Carolina. Physically, she is not considered as a pretty

girl, she is thin with honey blond hair and soft blue eyes, most of the time she looks

25


26

sort of plain (p. 16). She is a high school student and overall she is just an ordinary

girl. However, she is a very unique person. She is a teenager, but her attitudes and her

behaviors do not represent the characteristics of common teenagers and it makes her

different from them. In the following explanation the writer will try to describe Jamie

Sullivan’s character.

a. Caring

It can be seen clearly in the novel that Jamie Sullivan really cares about

others. It is shown from her mannerism that she would help anybody who needs her

help without being asked. She volunteers herself at the orphanage in Morehead City

to stop traffic to help children cross the road or saves her allowance to buy a new

basketball for the orphans and drops the money into the church basket on Sunday (p.

18). Other teenagers might not want to do what Jamie does, but she does those things

continuously. Other teenagers in her age are usually busy hanging out with friends,

watching music concerts, shopping, etc.

As a minister, her father does not earn much money so Jamie’s family is not

rich. Jamie’s family income is only from her father’s salary, which is not much and

he has to pay for Jamie’s school and also their daily needs. However, she is always

willing to help others with only little money she has. She usually helps anybody who

needs her help especially the orphans. A teenager like Jamie spends her spare time

with putting some pickle jars and coffee cans throughout the town on foot in order to

get some amount of money for the orphans. She actually can do other things, which


27

are usually done by common teenagers. However, she chooses to do that even the

result is usually not as good as she hopes, but she always feels happy with the result.

Jamie also buys the kids in the orphanage some toys besides putting pickle

jars and coffee cans throughout the town to get money to help them. As Landon said

that she really cares with them.

I didn’t help Jamie pick out toys- I figured she’d know better what the kids would want anyway-but she insisted that I go with her to the orphanage on Christmas Eve so that I could be there when the children opened gifts (p. 104).

Jamie really cares with the children in the orphanage, she knows what they want as

the best gift for Christmas, and she buys some toys for them. What Jamie does for the

children shows that she is a caring person. That is why she always tries to fulfill their

needs although it is just a little.

During her sickness, Jamie keeps doing her activities; she does not spend her

rest of life crying in the bed and complaining all the times. She knows how to survive

in her sickness condition. Jamie always tries to convince everyone around her that she

is fine. She also tries to convince Landon that everything is fine, and she can handle

her condition.

When she leaned in to kiss me, I kissed her back, though the whole thing made me want to cry. “My father isn’t home right now, but if you’d like to sit on the porch, we can.” “How can you do this?” I asked suddenly. “How can you pretend that nothing is wrong?” “I’m not pretending that nothing is wrong, Landon. Let me get my coat and we’ll sit outside and talk, okay? (p.198)


28

b. Religious

Jamie Sullivan lives only with her father, Hegbert Sullivan, because of her

mother’s death in childbirth. Hegbert is a widower who has to raise his daughter on

his own. He is a town’s minister. Being the daughter of a minister, Jamie Sullivan’s

attitudes are also influenced by her father’s world. Jamie is a religious girl. Based on

Murphy’s theory that one’s character can be described from the point of view of the

other people in the novel (1970: 162), Landon describes the character of Jamie as a

religious girl.

Now, I like the Bible as much as the next teenage boy, but Jamie seemed to enjoy it in a way that was completely foreign for me. Not only did she go to vacation Bible school very August, but she would read the Bible during lunch break at school (p.17).

Jamie Sullivan knows that others see her as a strange person because she

always carries her Bible wherever she goes, but she does not show the contradictory

responses. Even though people think that she is weird, it does not influence her, she

does not change anything about herself because she holds tightly her faith. She

believes that everything that happens in this life is because of the plan of God.

Everything she does, everything she has and everything in her life is always in the

plans of God. According to Murphy’s theory, one’s character can be described

through the eyes and opinions of another (1970: 162). Landon’s opinion describes

clearly Jamie’s character:

With Jamie, everything was in the Lord’s plan. That was another thing. She always mentioned the Lord’s plan whenever you talked to her, no matter what the subject (p.18).


29

Jamie is successful in building and improving her relation with God, not because she

is a minister’s daughter but it is more because she realizes the precious thing that she

has in this world.

c. Honest

Jamie Sullivan is an honest person. She tells others what she really feels if she

thinks that they need to know what she feels. Her comments on Landon Carter and

his family show the readers her character. When Landon takes Jamie to the

homecoming dance, she tells him that her father does not like him, including his

father and his grandfather. Actually, Landon has already known that Hegbert Sullivan

does not like him and his family but he takes the risks. He asks her to the

homecoming dance because as the president of the student body he has to attend the

party with his date. Jamie is the last choice and she has to be his date. Before the

homecoming dance, they rarely talk or hang out together because they are not a close

friend, they just know each other. However, Jamie is brave enough to say the fact.

“My father doesn’t like you very much,” she said, as if knowing what I’m thinking. I nodded without saying anything. “He thinks you’re irresponsible.” I nodded again. “He doesn’t like your father much, either.” I nodded once more. “Or your family.” I get the picture (p.39).

The way Jamie talks about Landon and his family is rude especially in the moment

like that. Most teenagers must be waiting for a moment like this homecoming dance,

and of course they want to have perfect homecoming dance. Jamie is very successful

in messing up the moment. Why should Jamie say that to Landon when she is asked


30

to the homecoming dance? Why can not she pretend that everything is fine? Jamie is

not kind that person, she is an honest person.

Sometimes Landon feels uncomfortable being close to Jamie but on the other

side, Jamie does not feel awkward to be close with him, even she tells him about her

dreams. Jamie really wants to be Landon’s friend. She tries to build natural

relationship as Landon has with his friends.

“How about after college? What do you want to do then?” “I don’t know.” I said shrugging. “May be I’ll be one-armed lumberjack.” She didn’t think it was funny. “I think you should become a minister,” she said seriously. “I think you’re good with people, and they’d respect what you have to say.” Though the concept was absolutely ridiculous, with her I just knew it came from the heart and she intended it as a compliment. “How about you? What do you want to do in the future?” “I want to get married,” She said quietly. “And when I do, I want my father to walk me down the aisle, and I want the church bursting with people.” “That’s all?” “Yes,” she said. “That’s all I want.” …”Well, you’ll get married someday. You’ll meet some guy and the two of you will hit it off, and he’ll ask you to marry him. And I’m sure that your father will be happy to walk you down the aisle.” I didn’t mention the part about having a big crowd in the church. I guess it was the one thing that even I couldn’t imagine (pp.71-72).

That dialogue shows Jamie’s honesty. She does not feel ashamed about anything she

says. She shares her dream about marriage, a thing which is private for some people.

Besides, she suggests Landon to be a minister, a ridiculous suggestion for Landon

who rarely comes to the mass. Jamie is different with Landon who pretends to be

friendly with her, but in his heart he is grumbling. However, Landon knows that what

she says come from her heart.


31

d. Optimistic

Behind her smile Jamie Sullivan is a sick person, she hides her sickness

except from her father. She has leukemia and that is a very dangerous disease. She

knows that she is going to die soon but she never complains. As stated by Murphy

(1970: 168) that the character of a person can be observed by seeing at the person’s

reaction toward various situations and events in his/her life, the writer sees Jamie as

an optimistic person based on her attitudes and also her reactions to various situation

and events in her life.

We sat with Hegbert the day she told me, and Jamie patiently answered my questions. She didn’t know how long she had left, she told me. No, there wasn’t anything the doctors could do. It was a rare form of the disease they’d year had started, she’d felt fine. It wasn’t until the last few weeks that she’d started to feel its effects. “That’s how it progresses,” she said. “You feel fine, and then, when your body can’t keep fighting, you don’t.” Stifling my tears, I couldn’t help but think about the play. “But all those rehearsals…those long days…maybe you shouldn’t have–“ “Maybe,” she said, reaching for my hand and cutting me off. “Doing the play was the thing that kept me healthy for so long (p.138).

Both Jamie and Landon know that the condition might be getting worse, and

they are frightened of it. It is not easy for them to accept the condition that they have

to face a dangerous disease. Jamie does not want anybody to worry about her because

of her sickness; she still believes that she will recover someday. Jamie just wants to

face her life as normal as she can despite her disease. She never loses her optimism

although she is getting weaker every day.

She was in her bed under the covers, a tube in her arm feeding her the medication she needed. Her face was pale, her body father light. She could barely walk, and when she did, she now to be supported by someone else…..


32

“It’s not fair,” I said She didn’t answer. “Are you still afraid?” I asked. “Yes.” “I’m afraid, too,” I said. “I know. And I’m sorry (pp.156-157).

Jamie confesses that she feels afraid that she might die because of the disease. It is

not an easy thing to do for a 17-year-old-girl like her to face the condition that she is

going to die. However, she never complains about that because Jamie is very

optimistic in facing her life.

B. Factors Influencing Jamie’s Recovery Process

In this section the writer will explain about the factors that influence Jamie’s

recovery process during cancer. The writer uses the theory of recovery process

proposed by Anthony (1993). The theory of recovery process is used to explain about

the factors that influence the recovery process of Jamie. Leukemia is a type of cancer

in which blood contains too many white blood cells, causing weakness and

sometimes death. That is why suffering from leukemia is a difficult experience for

anybody. Jamie knows about her disease at the age of seventeen, it feels hard at first,

but she keeps struggling against the disease.

The novel generally tells us about a young man and a young woman who falls

in love but they have to take the reality that they have to fight against cancer. Jamie

has to take the anxious feeling about her health, she is thinner and weaker. Jamie has

to do some medical treatment in order to survive from cancer. Jamie Sullivan is a


33

strong figure for someone who is claimed to have leukemia. She has leukemia but she

accepts her condition wisely, her disease slowly but surely ruins her life. Jamie has to

recover her condition, she knows that she is going to die soon, but she always keep

her spirit of life, one thing that not every person can do. There are some factors that

make her strong to face the condition that she is claimed to have leukemia.

a. Social Support

Jamie has to take the anxious feeling about her health, she is thinner and

weaker. Jamie feels afraid when she has to be treated in the hospital but she can still

overcome it. Jamie is dying. Landon has to face the reality that Jamie is dying but he

has a spirit from himself to rise up to make Jamie happy, whatever her condition is.

Landon struggles to keep his love to Jamie. Being able to interact with others who

understand the feelings and experiences is the most important ingredient for the

recovery process, and also support from peers, family, friends and health professional

is essential to recover from illness (Anthony, 1993: 16), therefore Landon realizes

that he has to support the one he loves.

Despite my tears I laughed, then immediately felt guilty for doing. I was supposed to be supporting her…again I ran, again I didn’t tire, my purpose giving me the strength I needed to go on (p.162).

Jamie feels afraid when she has to be treated in the hospital but she can still

overcome it because she gets social support. As stated by Smet (1994: 133) social

support is divided into four kinds: emotional support, instrumental support, respect

support and informative support. In the recovery process Jamie gets the emotional


34

support from Landon. Landon always accompanies her. Whatever Jamie condition is,

he still wants to be with her forever.

Had it been possible, I would have traded my life for her…I was in love with her, so deeply in love that I didn’t care if she was sick. I didn’t care that we wouldn’t have long together. None of those things mattered to me. I would have married Jamie Sullivan no matter what happened in the future (pp.164-165). Another emotional support is also given by Landon to Jamie in her recovery

process; he knows that Jamie always reads the Bible every day. For that reason

Landon also accompanies Jamie to read her Bible and they read the Bible together.

The next day Jamie couldn’t get out of bed. Because she was too weak now to walk even with support, we read Bible in her room…Reading the Bible gave us something to focus on… (pp.147, 159) Landon’s friends, Eric and Margaret, also give emotional support to Jamie.

They come over to Jamie’s house to see the condition of Jamie and give support to

her. They also want to apologize and say something to Jamie.

Even Eric and Margaret came over, and though Jamie wasn’t allowed to let them in, she did so anyway, and we sat in the living room and talked a little, both of them to meet her gaze… Eric had come to apologize, he said, and he said that he couldn’t imagine why all this had happened to her of all people… ”You’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met,” he said to Jamie, his voice cracking, “and even though I took it for granted and wasn’t always nice to you, I wanted to let you know how I feel. I’ve never been more sorry about anything in my life.” He paused and swiped at the corner of his eye. “You’re the best person I’ll probably ever know.” Then it was Margaret’s turn, and she and Jamie did exactly the same thing (pp.150-151). In her recovery process Jamie also gets instrumental support from Landon’s

father. He gives support for Jamie by paying the cost of her treatment. Therefore,

Landon feel that his father still exists and there for him, and for Jamie.


35

I don’t know what my father said to Hegbert or what promises he had to make or how much the whole thing eventually cost. All I know is that Jamie was soon surrounded by expensive equipment, was supplied with all the medicine she needed, and was watched by two full time nurses while a doctor peeked in on several times a day. Jamie would be able to stay at home. That night I cried on my father’s shoulder for the first time in my life (p.156). Jamie Sullivan is an honest person. She tells others what she really feels if she

thinks that they need to know what she feels. At first, Jamie does not tell anyone

about her condition, Landon does not know that she gets leukemia either, and then

finally Jamie tries to be honest to Landon about her condition. Therefore, her

character as an honest person makes her gets social support from Landon and people

around her.

b. Hope Hope is a desire accompanied by confident expectation. Having a sense of

hope is the foundation for continuing recovery from illness, even the smallest belief

that we can get better, as others have, can help the recovery process. At some points,

however, client must develop and internalize their sense of hope (Anthony, 1993:

16).

Jamie Sullivan is an optimistic person. She never complains although she

knows that she is going to die soon. She knows how to survive in her sickness

condition. Jamie never loses her optimism, all hopes that she has help her to build her

character as an optimistic person.


36

Jamie has leukemia and that is a very dangerous disease. It is not an easy

thing to do for a 17-year-old-girl like her to face the condition that she is going to die,

but Jamie is a girl with the same hope as others have.

Jamie wasn’t simply the minister’s daughter, someone who read the Bible and did her best to help others. Jamie was also a seventeen-year-old girl with the same hopes and doubts that I had (p.131).

Jamie always tries to convince Landon and people around her that she is fine.

However, Jamie still need supports from all people in her recovery process especially

Landon, someone that she really loves. Jamie hopes that Landon can always be with

her by giving her Bible to him. By giving her Bible to Landon, it is a sign from Jamie

that she hopes Landon will always with her, supports her and loves her.

Reluctantly I slowly unwrapped the package. When it was finally free of the paper, I held it gently, afraid of damage it. I stared it, mesmerized, and slowly ran my hand over the top, brushing my finger over the well-worn leather as tears filled my eyes. Jamie reached out and rested her hand on mine. It was warm and soft. I glanced at her, not knowing what to say. Jamie had given me her Bible (p.109).

During her sickness, Jamie keeps doing her activities; she does not spend her

rest of life crying in the bed and complaining all the times. She keeps hard to make

the Christmas play successful because that is one of her hopes to give a best

Christmas play for her father.

“I’ve been praying about it, Landon,” she said simply, and sighed for the second time. “I’d really like this play to be special this year, not for me, but because of my father. I want it to be the best production ever. I know how much it will mean to him to see me be the angel, because this play reminds him of my mother…” she paused, collecting her thoughts. “It would be terrible if the play was a failure this year, especially since I’m involved.” (p.54)


37

Jamie never loses her optimism although she is getting weaker every day. In

her sick condition, she still tries to find the meaning in her life by doing something

special for others, especially for the orphans. Jamie feels that this will be the last

Christmas for her because of her sickness condition. She also has a hope to give a

special Christmas for the orphans so the orphans will always remember her.

She had that faraway look in her eyes again, and it was a moment before she went on. “I just wanted to do something different for them this year. Something special that they would remember forever. I thought for sure this was it…” She sighed (p.74).

Jamie hopes to get married but her life is so short. Jamie wants to get married;

she wants her father to walk her down the aisle, she wants everyone she knows to be

in her wedding and all people come to the church. When someday Landon asks her to

marry him, she has to keep alive.

“I want to get married,” she said quietly. “And when I do, I want my father to walk me down the aisle and I want everyone I know to be there. I want the church bursting with people.” (p.71) Just as she’d wanted, the church was bursting with people. Over two hundred guests were inside, and more than that waited outside the doors as we were married on March 12, 1959. I saw everyone I knew-Miss Garber, Eric, Margaret, Eddie, Sally, Angela, and even Lew and his grandmother-and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the entrance music began. Although Jamie was weak and hadn’t moved from her bed in two weeks, she insisted on walking down the aisle so that her father could give her away (pp.166-167).

c. Empowerment

Empowerment is the belief that one has the power and control in their life,

including their illness. For most people empowerment also involves having a strong

motivation for the recovery process. The most important thing is the way someone

uses the power to motivate his/her self in the recovery process; it is a behavior motors


38

from the inside. Jamie has to have spirit and power to motivate herself in the recovery

process.

Jamie is thinner and weaker day by day; she has to do some medical treatments

in order to survive from cancer. She feels painful and weak when she got the medical

treatments in her recovery process. Her condition is getting worse, all the medical

treatment brings her on precipitous weight gains.

By now Jamie had lost more weight. Her skin was beginning to take the slightly grayish tint, and the bones in her hands were starting to show through her skin. In early February the pills Jamie was taking were increased to help offset the heightened pain she was feeling. The higher dosages made her dizzy, and twice she fell when walking to the bathroom, one time hitting her head against the wash-basin. In the first week of February she lost six pounds and soon walking became difficult for her, unless it was only for a short distance (pp.151-152). Jamie never stops to fight against her disease. For some people empowerment

also involves having a strong motivation to motivate themselves in the recovery

process. It is a power that gives the strength in the people’s self to do something.

Someone has to have a power to obtain certain goals. Someone who gets ill, they just

want to be healthy. In order to be healthy or to return her condition from illness,

Jamie has to do something in her recovery process that is doing the treatment

regularly although it is painful for her.

Though she was able to walk normally, the pain she was feeling intensified and sometime even raising her arm made her grimace… A week later Jamie’s trips to the hospital became more regular, although she insisted that she didn’t want to stay there overnight (p.154). Although Jamie is weak and painful she still struggles to survive, she is happy

with her condition although in fact she is very sick. Jamie is happy because she really


39

loves Landon and she knows Landon loves her too, therefore she also wants to make

Landon happy by telling him that she has a wonderful life. Jamie does not want to

make everyone around her feel sad because of her condition. Based on Anthony’s

theory of empowerment that the most important thing is the way clients use their

power to motivate their self in the recovery process (1993: 18), Jamie also tries to

show everyone that she is fine. By having a positive thinking, Jamie is building and

improving the power to motivate herself in the recovery process. Here, she uses her

power to motivate herself in the recovery process by showing that she has a

wonderful life and believes that she will recover from her illness.

“We all have regrets Landon, “she said, “but I’ve led a wonderful life.”…I’ve been happy, Landon… she was pale, so very pale, but her smile let me know she knows she was still fighting (p.156).

d. Spirituality

According to Anthony, spirituality provides hope, solace during illness, peace

and understanding and a source of social support. It can be a guide for a person to get

positive solution for their illness or their recovery process (1993: 20). Jamie Sullivan

is a religious person. She believes that everything happens in this life is in the plan of

God. Everything she does, everything she has, and everything in her life is always in

the plans of God, her character as a religious person makes her able to develop her

spirituality in her recovery process.

In A Walk to Remember, Jamie is someone who is diligent to read Bible.

Jamie is also a person who always tries to help others. She can handle her problem

and takes herself because Jamie is a person who has close relation with God.


40

Not only did she go to vacation Bible every August, but she would read the Bible during lunch break at school… Jamie believed it was important to help others, and helping others is exactly what she did (p.17). Jamie believes that everything has a meaning and is planned by God. She

always brings her old Bible everywhere she goes. She always reads Bible although

she is sick. She is someone who believes that all conditions are in God’s plan.

Jamie carried her Bible wherever she went… With Jamie, everything was in the Lord’s plan. She always mentioned the Lord’s plan whenever you talked to her, no matter what the subject. The baseball game’s rained out? Must be the Lord’s plan to prevent something worse from happening… Despite all these other strikes, though, the one thing that really drove me crazy about her was the fact that she was always so damn cheerful, no matter what was happening around her (pp.17-19).

e. Meaningful Activity

What we do or our behavior shapes others' opinions of who we are, what a

person does influences his or her confidence, esteem, social role, values, etc. Anthony

said that meaningful activity affords most clients the opportunity to regain a positive

identity in their society (Anthony, 1993: 21). Society is the place where people can

interact with one another; it means that someone needs to build a relationship with

other people.

Meaningful activity is an activity which is done by someone to show his/her

behavior in order to get a good judgment and support from the society. What is meant

by meaningful is that something good, important and useful which is done to other

people. By having a good behavior and characteristics such as caring person, helping

others or being honest, someone will get good judgment from other people in the

society and it is an important thing for recovery process.


41

Jamie Sullivan is a caring person. It is shown from her mannerism that she

would help anybody who needs her help without being asked. She is always willing

to help others, her character as a caring person makes her able to do meaningful

activity in her recovery process.

Jamie always tries to help other. Actually she can do other things, which are

usually done by common teenagers, but she chooses to help people even the result is

not as good as she hopes, but she always feels happy with the result. Jamie will do

anything to help others without being asked.

Jamie was the kind of girl who would pull weeds in someone’s garden without being asked or stop traffic to help little kids cross the road. She’d save her allowance to buy a new basket-ball for the orphans, or she’d turn around and drop the money into the church basket on Sunday (p.18). Jamie was the type of person who would donate a kidney to a stranger she met walking down the street, if he really needed one (p.110).

Jamie is always nice to everyone. She feels that it is important for her to do

something good, important and useful to everyone whoever they are. Jamie always

helps everyone.

Jamie helped everyone-she was one of those equal opportunity saints. She’d probably listen to Carey’s squeaky voice, see the goodness radiating from his heart, and accept right off the bat (p.27).

Jamie Sullivan really cares about others, she will help anyone who needs her

help. As a caring person, Jamie always cares about everyone, not only to people but

also to other God’s creature. Even if she sees a wounded animal, she will try to help

it.


42

Nor did Jamie limit her good deeds to people. If she ever came across a wounded animal, for instance, she’d try to help it, too. Opossums, squirrels, dogs, cats, frogs…it didn’t matter for her (p.18).

C. The Effects of the Factors toward Jamie’s Recovery Process

Here the writer will explain about the effects of the factors toward Jamie’s

recovery process. Jamie gets social support during her recovery process from the

people around her. Jamie gets support especially from Landon and his father. Social

support is a support that is given by a society for a person or for some people on it.

Jamie knows how to survive in her sickness condition, and she keeps doing her

activities during her sickness. With all support from Landon and her friends, Jamie

tries hard to make the Christmas play successful. It gives her spirit in her sickness

condition that she has to be healthy to give a successful play for all. For Jamie, doing

the play makes her healthy for so long.

“That’s how it progresses,” she said. “You feel fine, and then, when your body can’t keep fighting, you don’t.” Stifling my tears, I couldn’t help but think about the play. “But all those rehearsals…those long days…maybe you shouldn’t have–“ “Maybe,” she said, reaching for my hand and cutting me off. “Doing the play was the thing that kept me healthy for so long (p. 138). Jamie has to deal with cancer. Support that she gets from the people around

makes her stronger facing the condition. Jamie can overcome her anxious feeling

when she has to be treated in the hospital because she gets social support from the

people around her.


43

Hope is an essential element in the recovery process. Jamie has leukemia and

it is not an easy thing to do for her to face a very dangerous disease like that. In her

condition, Jamie is still a girl who has the same hope like others. Hope can push

someone to choose life, hope can make someone to reach out for help and accept

support, hope can encourage someone to work toward developing a healthier

relationship with their body and hope can help someone to search meaning in their

life.

Behind her smile Jamie Sullivan is a sick person, she has leukemia and that is

a very dangerous disease. Jamie is an optimistic person, she knows that she is going

to die soon but she never complains, she always happy no matter what is happening

to her and anything around her. As Anthony said that hope can push someone to

choose life (1993: 16), in her recovery process Jamie also chooses her life to be

happy and optimistic.

Despite all these other strikes, though, the one thing that really drove me crazy about her was the fact that she was always so damn cheerful, no matter what was happening around her (p.19). Her cheerfulness and optimism, even in times of sickness, was the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed (p.166). All the hopes that Jamie has makes her able to reach out for help and accept

support, especially from the one she loves. Landon knows that Jamie’s condition

might be getting worse; it is not easy for him to accept the condition that Jamie has to

face a dangerous disease, which can probably cause death. By developing the sense of

hope, that is an essential element for Jamie in the recovery process. Landon also says

that all the hopes which Jamie has make her alive although she is dying.


44

No one in my family or my circle of friends had ever had to confront something like this. Jamie was seventeen, a child on the verge of womanhood, dying and still very much alive at the same time. I was afraid, more afraid than I’d ever been, not only for her, but for me as well (pp. 139-140). Hope is an essential element in the recovery process. Hope can be described

as a power resource that buffer stress and allows a sense of freedom even during

times of suffering.

Jamie never stops to fight against her disease. Jamie has the spirit and power

to motivate herself in the recovery process. She uses her power to motivate her self in

the recovery process by showing that she has a wonderful life and keep fighting to

recover from her illness.

“We all have regrets Landon, “she said, “but I’ve led a wonderful life.”…I’ve been happy, Landon… she was pale, so very pale, but her smile let me know she knows she was still fighting (p.156). The most important thing in empowerment is the way someone uses the

power to motivate her self in the recovery process. All power that Jamie gets from

herself make her has more willingness to improve the abilities and the wonderful

futures and the confidence against anxiety. By having a positive thinking, Jamie is

building and improving the power to motivate herself in the recovery process and

believes that she will recover from her illness.

Jamie Sullivan is a religious person. She believes that everything that happens

in this life is in the plan of God. Her father, Hegbert Sullivan, is a minister. He

teaches people to know God more and always trust to God. The background of


45

Jamie’s father is the reason why Jamie always believes that all conditions are in

God’s plan.

With Jamie, everything was in the Lord’s plan. She always mentioned the Lord’s plan whenever you talked to her, no matter what the subject. The baseball game’s rained out? Must be the Lord’s plan to prevent something worse from happening (pp.17-19). Jamie is a religious person, because of her father influence, or maybe because

of all her Bible reading. By reading the Bible, Jamie takes herself to God. Spirituality

makes Jamie can handle the difficult problem because she believes in God. It also

makes her can take the reality that she has cancer and put her life in God’s hand.

Reading the Bible makes her and Landon feel comfortable.

Reading the Bible gave us something to focus on and all of a sudden everything started to get better between us…What could be more right than reading the Bible? (p.147) The most important feature of spirituality is that it tries to restore hope, which

is likely to counteract hopelessness. Spirituality can be a guide for Jamie to get the

positive solution for her recovery process. When someone feels that they do not have

power against their problem, they can just take the problem to god. Having a good

relation to God can be a guide for a person to get positive solution for their illness.

Jamie knows that she does not have much time, but she never give up

fighting. When she feels that she has no power against her disease, she can just take it

to God; she put her life in God’s hand. Jamie believes that God will prevent

something worse happen to her. Spirituality can make a person able to think actively

until they reach their expectation, have positive feeling and free from worried.


46

Meaningful activity affords most clients the opportunity to regain a positive

identity in their society. Meaningful activity is an activity which is done by someone

to show his/her behavior in order to get a good judgment and support from the

society. By having a good behavior and characteristics, someone will get good

judgment from other people in the society. A person with a good judgment will has

charisma, and then it will be easy for that person to get attention, help or support from

other people. Jamie Sullivan is always willing to help others, it is shown from her

mannerism that she would help anybody who needs her help without being asked. All

the good things that Jamie has done to others make people adore her so much, include

Landon’s mom.

I think I told you that every adult in town adored Jamie, and that included my mom (p.68). Sometimes ladies would come running out their house if they saw her walking by, offering her pumpkin bread if they’d been baking all day or lemonade if the sun was high in the sky. It seemed as if every adult in town adored her. “She’s such a nice young lady,” they’d say whenever Jamie’s name came up. “The world would be a better place if there were more people like her.” (p.19) All the good things that Jamie has done for other people make her gain a

positive identity from the society. Therefore, all people in town really love her and

give support in her sickness condition. Not only people in town who care with Jamie,

Eric and Margaret, Landon’s friends, also come over to see Jamie, Eric wants to tell

Jamie that she is the best person he ever knows.

While we read the Bible, people would knock at the door at least three times every day. People were always dropping by, some with food, others just to say hello. Even Eric and Margaret came over, and though Jamie wasn’t allowed to let them in, she did so anyway, and we sat in the living room and talked a little, both of them to meet her gaze…


47

Eric paused and swiped at the corner of his eye. “You’re the best person I’ll probably ever know.” (p.150) Someone will get a good judgment from other people in the society when they

have a good behavior and characteristics such as religious person, caring person,

helping others or being honest. A person with a good judgment will has charisma and

then it will be easy for that person to get attention, help or support from other people.

Jamie has it all, she is a religious person, caring person, she loves helping others and

always honest to everyone. Therefore, it is not difficult for her to get attention, help

and support from the society.


48

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION A Walk to Remember is a story about a young man and a young woman,

Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan who fall in love but they have to take the reality

that they have to fight against cancer. Jamie Sullivan, as the main character, suffers

from cancer, and her suffering from cancer brings her to the recovery process.

Jamie’s recovery process is influenced by some factors and the factors will also give

effects toward her recovery process.

Jamie is a caring person. It can be seen clearly in the novel that Jamie Sullivan

really cares about others. It is shown from her mannerism that she would help

anybody who needs her help without being asked.

Jamie is also a religious girl. Jamie Sullivan lives only with her father,

Hegbert Sullivan; he is a town’s minister. Being the daughter of a minister, Jamie

Sullivan’s attitudes are also influenced by her father’s world. Jamie is described as an

honest person. She tells others what she really feels if she thinks that they need to

know what she feels.

Jamie is also an optimistic person. Jamie knows that she has cancer and going

to die soon but she never complains. She never loses her optimism although she is

getting weaker every day.

In the novel, Jamie Sullivan is described as a caring and honest person.

Besides that, Jamie Sullivan is a religious and optimistic young girl, but it is not an

48


49

easy thing to do for a 17-year-old-girl like her to face the condition that she has

cancer. There are some factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process during cancer

and the factors also give effects toward Jamie’s recovery process.

Jamie Sullivan is a strong figure for someone who suffers from leukemia. She

knows that she is going to die soon, but she always keep her spirit of life, one thing

that not every person can do. There are some factors that make her strong to face the

condition that she is claimed to have leukemia. The first factor that influences the

recovery process of Jamie is social support. Being able to interact with others who

understand the feelings and experiences is the most important ingredient for the

recovery process, and also support from peers, family, friends and health professional

is essential to recover from illness. In her recovery process Jamie gets emotional

support from Landon and Landon’s friends, Eric and Margaret. Jamie also gets

instrumental support from Landon’s father by paying the cost of her treatment.

The second factor is hope. Having a sense of hope is the foundation for

continuing the recovery from illness. Hope is an essential element in the recovery

process. Hope can push someone to choose life. Jamie also chooses her life to be

happy and optimistic. Hope can make someone to reach out for help and accept

support. Jamie hopes that Landon can always be with her to love and support her.

Hope can encourage someone to work toward developing a healthier relationship with

their body. Jamie keeps hard to make the Christmas play successful because that is

one of her hopes to give the best Christmas play for her father. For Jamie, doing the

play makes her healthy for so long. Hope can help someone to search meaning in


50

their life. Jamie has a hope to give special Christmas for the orphans, by doing

something special for the orphans, it makes her life more meaningful and the orphans

will always remember her. Jamie also hopes to get married, when someday Landon

asks her to marry him, she has to keep alive.

The third factor is empowerment. That is the belief that one has the power and

control in their life, including their illness. The most important thing is the way

someone uses the power to motivate his/her self in the recovery process. Jamie tries

to show everyone that she is fine. By having a positive thinking, Jamie is building

and improving the power to motivate herself in the recovery process and believes that

she will recover from her illness. She uses her power to motivate her self in the

recovery process by showing that she has a wonderful life

The next factor is spirituality. Spirituality can be a guide for a person to get a

positive solution for their illness or their recovery process. Jamie believes that

everything has a meaning and is planned by God. She believes that all conditions are

in God’s plan. When someone feels that they do not have the power to fight against

their problem, they can just take the problem to God. Having a good relation to God

can be a guide for a person to get positive solution for their illness.

The last factor is meaningful activity. It is an activity which is done by

someone to show his/her behavior in order to get a good judgment and support from

the society. Someone will get good judgments from other people in the society by

having a good behavior and characteristics and it is an important thing for recovery

process. Jamie is always nice to everyone. She feels that it is important for her to do


51

something good and useful to everyone whoever they are to get good judgment and

support from them. She will help anyone who needs her help.

The factors that influence Jamie’s recovery process also give effects toward

the recovery process of Jamie. All supports from Landon and people around her give

her spirit in her sickness condition that she has to be healthy. Supports that Jamie get

from the people around make her stronger facing the condition that she has to deal

with cancer. Jamie is a girl who has the same hope like others. By developing the

sense of hope, that is an essential element for Jamie in the recovery process. All the

hopes which Jamie has make her alive although actually she is dying. Jamie has the

spirit and power to motivate her self in the recovery process. She never stops to fight

against her disease. All power that Jamie gets from herself make her has more

willingness to improve the abilities and the wonderful futures and the confidence

against anxiety. Jamie Sullivan is a religious person. She believes that everything

happen in this life is in the plan of God. Spirituality makes Jamie can handle the

difficult problem because she believes in God. It also makes her patiently take the

reality that she has cancer and put her life in God’s hand. Spirituality can be a guide

for Jamie to get positive solution for her recovery process. Spirituality can make a

person able to think actively until they reach their expectation, have positive feeling

and free from worried. Meaningful activity affords most clients the opportunity to

regain a positive identity in their society. A person with a good judgment will has

charisma, and then it will be easy for that person to get attention, help or support from

other people. All the good things that Jamie has done to others make people adore her


52

so much. Therefore, it is not difficult for her to get attention, help, and support from

the society.

Jamie is sick, but with the social supports, hopes, empowerment, spirituality,

and meaningful activity in her life, she has more power to fight against her disease.

All factors that influence the recovery process of Jamie makes her stronger facing the

condition that she has cancer; it gives her more spirit to life in the rest of her time.

Although in the end the result is not as the same as she wants, with all factors that

influence her recovery process, Jamie has more power in accepting the reality that she

has cancer and has more respect to her life.


53

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anthony, W. A. “Recovery From Mental Illness: The Guiding Vision of the Mental Health Service System in the 1990’s”. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 16(4), 11-23, 1993.

Brooks, Cleanth, John T. Purser and Robert P. Warren. An Approach to Literature. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1952.

Christina, Merry. The Values of Love as Reflected in Nicholas Sparks’ A Walk to

Remember. Undergraduate Thesis. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University, 2007.

De Laar, Drs. E. Van and Dr. N. Schonderwoerd. An Approach to English

Literature. Rotterdam: L. C. G. Malmberg, 1963. Guerin, Wilfred. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. London: Harper

and Row Publisher, 1999. Henkle, B. Roger. Reading the Novel: An Introduction to the Techniques of

Interpreting Fiction. New York: Harper and Row Publisher, Ltd., 1977. Kenney, William. How to Read and Write about Fiction. New York City: Monarch

Press, 1988. Lindauer. Psychology and its Allied Disciplines Volume I. ed. Bornstein, March H.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1984. Milligan, Ian. The Novel in English: An Introduction. London: The Macmilan Press,

Ltd., 1983. Murphy, M. J. Understanding Unseen. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1972. Murray, Edward J. Motivation and Emotion. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1964. Perrine, Lawrence. Literature: Structure, Sounds, and Sense. New York: Harcout

Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1974. Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods, Jr. Reading and Writing about Literature.

New York: Random House, Inc., 1971.

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Smet, B. Psikologi Kesehatan. Jakarta: Grasindo Gramedia Widiasarana, 1994.

Sparks, Nicholas. A Walk to Remember. London: Sphere, 2007. Stanton, Robert. An Introduction to Fiction. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston,

Inc., 1965. Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. Theory of Literature. New York: Harcout Brace

and World, Inc., 1956. Internet Sources: About Sparks: Autobiography <http://www.nicholassparks.com/AboutNicholas.asp?PageID=1> (25 March 2010) Biography: Nicholas Sparks <http://www.hhsdrama.com/documents/BioNicholasSparks.pdf> (25 March 2010) Notes on the writing of A Walk to Remember <http://www.nicholassparks.com/LearnMore.asp?BookID=3> (23 April 2010) Book Page <http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446693806.htm> (23 April 2010) From the Publisher <http://www.flipkart.com/b/books/walk-remember-nicholas-sparks-book-0446525537> (23 April 2010)


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APPENDIX

Summary of Nicholas Spark’s A Walk to Remember. Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan live in two completely different worlds.

Landon Carter is something of a rebel, he soaps up car windows with his friends and

eats boiled peanuts in the graveyard behind the church, whereas Jamie Sullivan takes

care of her widowed father, volunteers at the local orphanage and always carries

Bible everywhere. They live just a few streets away from each other and go to the

same school but hardly know each other.

Things change when Landon Carter needs a date for the homecoming dance.

All the girls he knows already have dates and finally he has no other choice than

asking Jamie Sullivan. She agrees, although her father, the town’s Baptist Minister,

does not like Landon Carter at all. After the dance Jamie Sullivan asks Landon Carter

to play one of the main roles in a Christmas play that her father has written. When the

rehearsals start Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan spend a lot of time together, and

the more Landon Carter knows about Jamie Sullivan, the more he understands and

even likes her. On the evening when the play is performed, he falls in love with her.

Jamie also buys gifts for the orphans and invites Landon to the orphanage

Christmas party; while there, Landon is deeply touched by both the starkness of the

orphan's surroundings and by the deep connection Jamie shares with the young

orphans. He is also surprised by how beautiful she looks; he cannot take his eyes off

her. Landon more realizes he has fallen in love with Jamie.

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56

She seems to feel in the same way, and it looks like the perfect happy ending.

But destiny has another plan for them. Jamie Sullivan has cancer; she is dying of a

rare form of leukemia and has only a few months to live. Landon is devastated, but he

works through his fear and sadness and begins to pray for a miracle. After the

Christmas play Jamie Sullivan’s condition getting weaker every day. She has to take

some medicines more than before. Landon Carter always visits her and accompanies

her patiently, but he feels that he can do something better than just visiting her every

day. Finally Landon Carter knows that he wants to marry Jamie Sullivan. Landon

asks Jamie to marry him, even in her weakened state. She agrees, and just as in her

vision of her wedding day, hundreds of guests turn out for her wedding.


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