AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARATERS’...

Rahmad Priadi : An Analysis Of The Main Charaters’ Conflicts In Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie, 2010.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARATERS’ CONFLICTS IN MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

A THESIS

BY:

RAHMAD PRIADI

REG. NO. 080721016

ENGLISH DEPARTEMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH SUMATERA

MEDAN

2009


AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARATERS’ CONFLICTS IN MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

A THESIS

BY:

RAHMAD PRIADI

REG. NO. 080721016

Supervisor, Co-Supervisor,

Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum

NIP. 131570487 NIP.

Submitted to Faculty of Letters University of North Sumatera in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana in English Literature.

ENGLISH DEPARTEMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH SUMATERA

MEDAN

2009


Approved by the English Department of Faculty of Letters University of North Sumatera (USU) Medan as thesis for the Sarjana Sastra Examination.

Head, Secretary,

Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum

NIP. 131570487 NIP. 13167894


Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirement for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the English Department, Faculty of Letters, University of North Sumatera, Medan.

The examination is held at the Faculty of Letters, University of North Sumatera on 14 December 2009.

The Dean of Faculty of Letters

University of North Sumatera

Drs. Syaifuddin. M.A, Ph.D.

NIP. 132098531

Board of Examiners

Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum …………………………..

Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum …………………………..

Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M.Hum …………………………..


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. Shalawat and

Salam are also presented upon the prophet, Muhammad SAW. First of all, I would

like to thank Allah, the Almighty who has blessed me in finishing this thesis and in

order to fulfill one of the requirements in getting the degree of Sarjana in English

Literature, from the Faculty of Letters, University of North Sumatera.

On this occasion, I would to like to express my profound gratitude to Drs.

Syaifuddin. M.A, Ph.D, the Dean of Faculty of Letters, University of North Sumatera.

Dra. Swesana Lubis, M.Hum, the Head of English Department and also as the first

supervisor. The Secretary of English Department, Drs. Parlindungan Purba M.Hum,

also as the second supervisor, who has spent his time for correcting my thesis and

gives some valuable advice and guidance to complete my thesis.

My sincere gratitude is also due to all lectures at English Department who

have taught and given me a great deal of knowledge.

I also would like to express my special thanks to my beloved parents, for their

love, kindness, support, and sacrifice in growing me up during my study.


I realize that this thesis is still far from being perfect. I was trying my best to

complete this thesis by having knowledge from my academic study. Therefore,

advice, constructive criticism, and suggestions aimed for this thesis will be warmly

welcome and highly appreciated.

Medan, 9 December 2009

The Writer,

RAHMAD PRIADI

Reg. No. 080721016


AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I, RAHMAD PRIADI, declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. Except where

reference is made in the text of this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or

extracted in whole or in part from this thesis by which I have qualified for or awarded

another degree.

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgment in the main text

of this thesis. This thesis has not been submitted for the award of another degree in

any tertiary education.

Signed :

Date :


COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

Name : RAHMAD PRIADI

Title of paper : An Analysis of the Main Characters’ Conflicts in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie.

Qualification : S1

Study Program : English Department

I am willing that my thesis should be available for reproduction at discretion of the

Librarian of the S1 English Department Faculty of Letters, University of North

Sumatera on the understanding that users are made aware of their obligation under

law of the Republic of Indonesia.

Signed :

Date :


ABSTRAK

Skripsi ini berjudul “An analysis of the Main Characters’ Conflicts in Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie”, pembahasan pada skripsi ini memfokuskan pada analisis mengenai

unsur konflik yang terdapat pada kedua tokoh yang ada pada novel berjudul Tuesdays with

Morrie, yang ditulis oleh Mitch Albom.

Penulis mengumpulkan dan menyeleksi kutipan-kutipan yang berasal dari novel

tersebut yang mana sesuai dengan faktor-faktor yang mengakibatkan konflik yang dialami

oleh tokoh utama di dalam novel tersebut, yaitu konflik eksternal dan internal.

Permasalahan yang akan diangkat dalam skripsi ini adalah analisis mengenai

konflik-konflik yang terjadi pada tokoh utama cerita dalam novel berjudul Tuesdays with

Morrie, yang ditulis oleh Mitch Albom. Dengan analisis tersebut maka akan didapati konflik

apa saja yang dialami oleh para tokoh utama dalam novel ini dan bagaimana penyelesaian

mereka tehadap konflik yang mereka hadapi.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………… i

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION……………………………………………… iii

COPYRIGHT DECLARATION…………………………………………… iv

ABSTRAC…………………………………………………………………… v

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………… vi

1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………… 1

1.1 The Background of the Analysis…………………………………… 1

1.2 The Problem of the Analysis...……………………………………… 3

1.3 The Purpose of the Analysis………………………………………… 4

1.4 The Scope of the Analysis………………………………………….. 4

1.5 The Method of the Analysis………………………………………… 5

1.6 Review of Related Research ……………………………………….. 5

2. THEORITICAL REVIEW…………………………………………… 7

2.1 Character…………………………………………………………… 7

2.1.1 The Main Characters…………………………………………… 10

2.1.2 The Minor Characters………………………………………….. 14

2.2 Conflict…………………………………………………………….. 18

2.2.1 Definition of Conflict………………………………………….. 19

2.2.2 Types of Conflicts……………………………………………… 20


3. METHODOLOGY………………………………………………….. 22

3.1 The Data Collecting Procedure…………………………………… 22

3.2 The Data Selecting Procedure……………………………………. 23

3.2 The Data Analyzing Procedure ………………………………….. 24

4. AN ANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTERS’ CONFLICTS FOUND IN

MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAY WITH MORRIE…………………. 25

4.1 Internal Conflicts………………………………………………… 25

4.1.1 Morrie’s Internal Conflicts………………………………….. 26

4.1.2 Mitch’s Internal Conflicts…………………………………… 40

4.2 External Conflicts ……………………………………………….. 43

4.2.1 Morrie’s Conflict with Ted Koppel…………………………. 43

4.2.2 Morrie’s Conflict with Charlie ……………………………… 45

4.2.3 Morrie’s Conflict with Norman……………………………… 48

4.2.4 Mitch’s Conflict with Peter…………………………………. 49

5. CONLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS…………………………… 51

5.1 Conclusions………………………..…………………………….. 51

5.2 Suggestions………………………..…………………………….. 52

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX:

BIOGRAPHY OF MITCH ALBOM


CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of analysis

There have been various attempts to define what literature is. Literature can be

considered as a written imagination of what human thinking, it reflects the result as

the value of an art work. Generally, literature can be divided into fiction and

nonfiction. Novel, short story, drama and tales are included to the fiction works. On

the contrary, the nonfiction works are essay, history, autobiography and diary. In this

thesis a novel is used as the material of the discussion, which the novel itself belongs

to the literary work. According to Reeve (1785:26) states that:

“A novel is a picture of real and manners and of the time

in which it was written.”

From the quotation above, a novel seems as the portrayal of human life and

behavior in reality. On the other words, the novel tends to be the representative of the

activity of human real life, that concerns to many things and aspects such as:

ambition, feeling, emotion, desire, obstacles in life, problem, etc.


The novel which deals in this thesis is written by Mitch Albom entitle

Tuesdays with Morrie. The focus of this analysis is the conflict that faced by the main

characters in this novel. Meanwhile, the conflict itself according to Kenney (1966:19):

“The conflict with which fiction concern itself is of many kinds. A story may deal with a conflict within a single man, a conflict between man, a conflict between man and society, between man and nature, and so on.”

In reference to what Kenney says about the conflict above, I found that the

conflict encompasses both the obstacle which stands between a character and his/her

desire, and much of the process is influence the behavior of the character that the

character undergoes in overcoming it. The conflict of the character is limited into two

main types of conflicts; they are internal conflict and external conflict. The internal

conflict is more commonly referred to as “Man vs. Self” and, deals with a character

having to overcome something about his or her being that they are struggling with.

Meanwhile, the external conflict is a struggle with a force outside one's self, that is

include conflict between man, man and nature, man and society, etc. According to

Moskowits (1965:309):

“The conflict itself very close to frustrations stems for three sources: the inability to overcome obstacles in the psychical environment, the inability to overcome restrictions imposed by other people, and the inability to satisfy conflicting motives or to obtain incompatible goals.”


Finally, the research of this thesis focuses on the main characters’ conflict that

can be traced in the novel written by Mitch Albom entitle Tuesdays with Morrie, they

are Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom. That is included the external and the internal

conflicts, and to identify what are the conflicts that usually human must face in reality

life. This is the background as well as the reason why this thesis focus on the

analyzing the conflicts of the main characters in the thesis

2. Problem of Analysis

Referring to the explanation of the background of the analysis above, there is

some problems will be analyzed in this thesis:

1. How Morrie’s diseases changes his daily life then makes his life is so

difficult to get through?

2. How Morrie’s father treat him as his son but giving no affection and love

to him as a father suppose to give to his son?

3. How Mitch’s busy life that only focuses on business and work for money

makes him ignore everything, include his wife, brother, his dream and also

his promise?

4. How Mitch always tries to see his brother and keep in touch but his brother

always refuse?


3. Purpose of Analysis

The main character of the novel entitle Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

are Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom, the purpose of this analysis is to identify the

internal conflict of Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom, which the internal conflict that

found within themselves, and then to identify the external conflict of the two character

which deals with the conflict to the others characters, social, nature, and the outside

force.

4. Scope of Analysis

The analysis of this thesis is limited to internal and external conflict of the

main character from the novel. An internal conflict is suggest that a main character is

in conflict within himself, meanwhile the external means the main character is in

conflict with other character, social, natural, and outside force. Therefore, the scope of

the analysis is restricted to the main characters’ conflict as portrayed in this novel.


5. Method of Analysis

In composing this thesis and to analyze the conflict found from the main

characters in this novel. First of all, the novel written by Mitch Albom entitled

Tuesdays with Morrie is read, while identifying and marking the conflicts of the main

characters that found as the data from the novel that used as the data source to

analyze, then when the data is collected, the data will be selected to the most

significant data that will be used in this thesis based on the type of the conflicts in

order to ease the data analyzing procedure.

A library research is used to collect some data to support the analysis, finding

the related data to the research then narrowing the collecting data of the library

research to the related element which are about conflict and character.

6. Review of Related Literature

In supporting my analysis, I use some related books which are listed below:

1. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing by Edgar Robert and

Henry E. Jacob (1955).


This book is about the detail explanation of kinds and genres of literature

and also discuss about the element of literature.

2. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi by Burhan Nurgiantoro (1998).

This book contain about the basic introduction of a fiction and the

elements of the fiction.

3. Understanding the Elements of Literature by Richard Taylor (1981).

This book is about the definition of the elements of literature and its

discussion which is very useful in supporting my thesis.


CHAPTER 2

THEORITICAL REVIEW

2.1 Character

Character is very important element in literary works such as novel, drama or

even poems. The character can be human, or even animal. In a novel, the character

usually dominated by human as the character, while the character in a novel has

his/her own personality equal to human. The personality of the character will lead the

character to act such emotional, behavioral, and all the logical things that deals with

the problems which be faced by the character. Therefore, the character of the novel

mostly has a value of a human in real life. The character according to Robert

(1993:20) states that:

“Characters are the person present in dramatics of narrative work, who are interpreted by reader as being endowed with the moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say in the dialogue and what they do in action.”

In a novel, the character can be defined as a verbal representative of human

being. Through their action, speech, description, and commentary, the authors


portrayed characters who are worth caring about rooting for, an even loving, although

there are also characters to be laughed, dislike or even hated, to quote Robert

(1993:131).

There can be simplified that the character in a novel is a description and a

representation of a person qualities. It can be shown by the creation of the characters

in a novel from their action, gesture, speech, and behavior, these term can be used by

the readers to identify the characters in a novel, because the character in a novel has

equal qualities as a person in real life. The attempt of the author describes the

characters in a narrative work known as a characterization. According to Di Yanni

(1990:36) states that:

“Characterization is the means by which the writers

present and reveal the characters.”

The author of the narrative work established the characterization by showing

two main distinctions as the alternative method for revealing the characters in a

narrative; they are indirect presentation or by showing and direct presentation or by

telling. In indirect presentation or by showing, the traits of the characters are revealed

by action and speech of the characters, the author presents the characters talking and

acting, this make the readers infer to what motives and disposition lie behind what the

characters say and do. In direct presentation or by telling, the characters are described

by the author, the narrator, or by other characters. They describe the motives and

dispositional qualities of the characters.


According to Robert (1995:135) there are five ways to disclose the characters

in a fiction:

1. Action: what the characters do is the best way to understand what the

characters are.

For example: “Once, he brought a tango tape and got them to play it over

the speaker. Then he commandeered the floor shooting back and forth like

some hot Latin lover.” Mitch (1997:6)

2. Description both personal and environmental: appearance and

environmental reveal much about character’s social and economic status,

and they also tell us more about character’s trait.

For example: “Soon the cameras were rolling in front of the living room

fireplace, with Koppel in his crisp blue suit and Morrie in his shaggy gray

sweater. He has refused fancy clothes or makeup for this interview.”

Mitch (1997:21)

3. Dramatic statements and thoughts: the speeches of the most characters are

functional and essential to keep the story moving along, they provide

material from which the readers can draw conclusions.

For example: Rob was kissing Morrie on the forehead, and Morrie was

laughing with his eyes closed. “Would I do it again?” he said to me,


looking surprised. “Mitch, I would not have missed that experience for

anything even though…” He swallowed and put the picture in his

lap.”Even though there is a painful price to pay,” he said. Mitch

(1997:93)

4. Statements by other characters: by studying what the characters say about

each other, the readers can enhance their understanding of the character

being discussed.

For example: “Mitch says that you are a professional singer.” “Yes”,

Janine said. “He says you’re great.” Mitch (1997:146)

5. Statements by the author speaking or storyteller or observer: what the

author speaking with the authorial voice, says about a character is usually

accurate and the authorial voice can be accepted factually.

For example: “Morrie’s father, whom everyone called Charlie, had come

to America to escaped the Russian army. He worked in the fur business,

but was constantly out of a job. Uneducated and barely able to speak

English, he was terribly poor, and the family was on public assistance

much of the time.” Mitch (1997:74)

2.1.1 The Main Characters


In reading the novel, usually the author will present several characters for the

reader that will appear in the novel when the reader read the entire story of the novel.

However, all the characters that the author of the novel present to the reader has

different function and role to each characters that the author created in a story.

Occasionally, there are some characters may dominate the entire story, and the other

characters may not. The characters whose appearance is the most frequently appear in

the story usually hold the most important part of the story in the novel, and their traits

as the center of the action and the theme of the story. These characters are called as

the main characters.

Here are list and short analysis of the main characters of the novel written by

Mitch Albom entitled Tuesdays with Morrie, which the novel is being analyzed in this

thesis:

1. Morrie Schwartz

Morrie, to whom the title of the novel refers, spent most of his life as a

sociology professor at Brandeis University. He continues to teach as long as he can

even after being diagnosed with ALS. He is an excellent teacher, and retires only after

he begins to lose control of his body to ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also

known as Lou Gherig's disease. The disease ravages his body, but, ironically, leaves

his mind as lucid as ever. He realizes that he is dying and learned to accept his death;

he wanted to share his philosophies, on the meaning of life, with the world. He is


successful in two ways, through the “Nightline” show with Ted Koppel and through

Mitch Albom and this novel. He and Mitch met every Tuesday to do their “final

thesis” together, which was published into Tuesdays With Morrie.

One of Morrie’s signature characteristics is his ability to draw human sprit and

genuine emotion from everyone he befriends. He even draws tears out of Ted Koppel

who is a thick-skinned national celebrity, after they are done filming the last interview

for the “Nightline” show. Morrie believes that love and compassion are crucial

methods of communication. He is determined to see Mitch return to his caring self

that he was in college when in Morrie’s class. He sees that Mitch has surrendered his

sense of self to the beliefs of popular culture, and urges him to reclaim the kind,

caring young man he once was at Brandeis. In telling Mitch stories of his life

experiences and personal beliefs, he teaches him to reject the corrupt mores endorsed

by popular culture in favor of his personal, ethical system of values. He does not

immerse himself in the media as most of America does, but instead invests himself in

people and their potential to love.

During their meetings, he tells Mitch stories about his life and about his

personal beliefs; he teaches him to reject popular cultural beliefs and to create his own

values based on compassion and what he can offer others. Through their weeks

together Morrie is also successful at drawing emotion out of Mitch; during their last

lesson, as they are hugging goodbye, Morrie sees Mitch begin to cry.


Morrie is adamant about rejecting popular cultural norms and values and

maintaining his own. He has learned to accept his death and manages to continue

offering love and compassion until he dies.

Morrie also accepts and does not become ashamed of his disabilities. When he

becomes so sick and can no longer do his daily tasks without help from others, he

embraces this and enjoys feeling like an infant or a child. Since he was so deprived of

love in his childhood, he now thrives on the affection and love of others, which is

usually the case when we are all infants who are solely dependent on our family. It’s

as if he has returned to his childhood and he thrives on the love and physical affection

provided by his friends and family.

2. Mitch Albom

Mitch is a sports writer who gave up his dream of becoming a musician for a

dreams of material wealth and professional success. Since his college graduation he

has become very disillusioned and has since devoted his life to money and success.

He works most days and nights dedicating little time to himself or his wife. When the

union for the Detroit newspaper goes on strike, he finds himself for the first time,

without steady work or paycheck. Since his visits with Morrie and the strike, he

becomes very frustrated with his career decisions, materialistic mentality and the way

he treats his relationships. Through his meetings with Morrie, he realizes that he must

change this life in which he thought he was happy. He wants another chance to

reassess his values and priorities so that he can create a fulfilling life for himself


before it is too late.

Through his meetings with Morrie, he has learned how much of his life he has

wasted consumed in his work. After listening to Morrie’s philosophies Mitch finds his

life quite meaningless. As he watches Morrie inch closer to his death each week,

Mitch sees what he must change in his life: he wishes to die knowing that he has lived

his life to the fullest, that he has loved and forgiven himself as well as others and to

have no regrets. Morrie helps him see the man who he wishes to become; he would

like to value love instead of money and accept people over pop-culture and media

gossip. Morrie was successful at penetrating Mitch’s ignorance and allows Mitch to

see life in a whole new perspective.

2.1.2 The Minor Characters

The minor characters can be defined as the supporting characters of the major

characters that their function is to illuminate the major characters. The appearance of

minor characters is usually infrequently, it is so much different from the appearance

of the main characters in the story who always dominate for the entire story. The

minor characters role are also seems not important as the role of the main characters,

although the minor characters sometimes related to the major characters directly.


Here are list and short analysis of the minor characters of the novel written by

Mitch Albom entitled Tuesdays with Morrie, which the novel is being analyzed in this

thesis:

1. Peter

Mitch's younger brother, Peter lives in Spain after having moved to Europe

immediately after graduating from high school. He is now suffering from pancreatic

cancer, and flies to various European cities seeking treatment. However, he

continually refuses to accept help from his family, namely from Mitch, as he has, for

the most part, estranged himself from them after his departure from the United States.

He does not want help from Mitch or any other member of his family presumably

because he has too much pride to accept it. Growing up, he earned a reputation as the

family bad boy, as where Mitch had been the family's clean-cut, straight-A student.

Mitch's brother is a man who does not want help from a family he has deserted, and

who feels that he must prove himself and his independence to them.

Much like Mitch had during his college years at Brandeis, Peter protects

himself with a thick veneer of toughness. He has not asked for help from his family

since his high school graduation, and has no intention of doing so as an adult. When

Mitch contacts him, he is very reluctant to reestablish a relationship with his brother,

and leaves a curt message that he is doing just fine and does not need anyone else's

help. He also reminds Mitch that he does not want to talk about his illness. But as

Mitch learns from Morrie, everyone, to some degree, needs other people to survive,


thus the quote by Auden which Morrie recites numerous times during his lessons with

Mitch, "Love or perish." Despite his fierce independence and refusal of help, Peter

also needs the love of friends and family to survive his cancer. He realizes this after

Mitch is persistent in his attempts to speak with him. Mitch does not contact his

brother so that he may pity or dote on him because of his cancer, but because he wants

to rekindle some aspect of the loving relationship they shared as children.

2. Charlie

Morrie's dispassionate father who immigrated to America to escape the

Russian Army. Charlie raises his children on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and

works in the fur business, though he seldom finds jobs and earns barely enough

money to feed his family. He shows Morrie and his brother David little attention, and

no affection whatsoever, and insists that Morrie keep his mother's death a secret from

David, as he wants his son to believe that his stepmother, Eva, is his biological

mother. He dies after having run away from muggers and Morrie must travel to New

York to identify his body at the city morgue.

3. Charlotte

Morrie's caring wife, who at his insistence, keeps her job as a professor at

M.I.T. throughout Morrie's illness.

4. David

Morrie's younger brother who, after their mother's death, is sent with Morrie to

a small hotel in the woods of Connecticut. There, he develops polio, seemingly just

after he and Morrie have spent a night frolicking outside in the rain. Although his


paralysis has nothing to do with their night in the rain, Morrie blames himself for

David's paralysis.

5. Rob and Jon

Morrie's two adult sons who, though they live far, often travel to Boston to

visit Morrie, especially as his condition worsen.

6. Norman

An old friend of Morrie's who he has long been estranged from. He had been

an artist, and had sculpted a bust of Morrie, a deft depiction of his features. He

eventually moved away, and shortly thereafter, did not send his regards to Morrie or

Charlotte although he knew that Charlotte would be undergoing a serious surgery.

Because of his carelessness, Morrie forfeits his friendship with him and refuses to

accept his apology, which he regrets, especially after his death a few years following

their break up.

7. Ted Koppel

One of the most famous living television interviewers, Koppel conducts three

interviews with Morrie for the news show "Nightline." He is surprised when Morrie

asks him personal questions just after they have met, though he immediately seems to

like Morrie, and eventually grows to call him a friend. He is moved almost to tears

during his last interview with Morrie, having deconstructed what Morrie had called

his "narcissistic" television personality.

8. Maurie Stein


A good friend of Morrie's who sends some of Morrie's aphorisms to a Boston

Globe reporter who eventually publishes a feature story on Morrie. The reporter's

article prompts Ted Koppel to ask Morrie for an interview.

9. Eva

The kind, caring immigrant woman who Charlie marries after Morrie's mother

dies. She gives Morrie and his brother David the love and affection they have so

longed for, and instills in Morrie his love of books and desire for education.

10. Connie

Morrie's home health aide who is always there to assist Morrie in going to the

bathroom, getting into his chair, and eating his meals. She is in disbelief when O.J.

Simpson is voted not guilty by the court jury.

11. Janine

Mitch's patient wife who willingly takes a phone call from Morrie, whom she

has never met, and insists upon joining Mitch on his next Tuesday visit. Although she

usually does not sing upon request, she does for Morrie, and moves him to tears with

her beautiful voice.

12. Al Axelrad

A rabbi from Brandeis and a long-time friend of Morrie's. He performs

Morrie's funeral service.

13. Tony


Morrie's home care worker who helps him in and out of his swimming suit.

2.2 Conflict

Conflict is necessary to every fiction works; there is usually one major

conflict. In stories, there could be several conflicts. Conflict adds excitement and

suspense to a story. The conflict usually becomes clear to the beginning of a story. As

the plot unfolds, the reader starts to wonder what will happen next and how the

characters will handle the situation. Many readers enjoy trying to predict the final

outcome.

The excitement usually builds to a high point, or climax. The climax is the

turning point of the story. Something has happened to resolve the conflict.

Conflict is also the essential part to the plot, without conflict there will be no

plot. The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea. It is the

sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events

having a beginning, middle, and end. The story usually has one plot so it can be read

in all at once. The conflict triggers the order of the plot to move to the next order of

the plot, so the movement of the order of the plot is determined by conflict in a story,

especially in novel.

http://www.dowlingcentral.com/MrsD/area/literature/Terms/Plot.html�


2.2.1 The Definition of Conflict

Conflict occurs when a man fails to fulfill his desire. It is natural to human

since they have to face the obstacles that lie between their desires and their goals or

dreams, and when the satisfaction of human’s desires is rather impossible to reach that

is the moment when human undergo the conflict. The conflict of the human happened

because human has a limited and restricted capacity to satisfy most of his need. When

human endure the conflict, this can cause human to react and brings out the extremes

of human energy, human may take action, decision, response, and interactions toward

the conflict which they are facing.

In a fiction works, conflict of the characters occurs between the characters and

also between the characters against the outside force. They include the conflict of one

individual against another individual, the conflict between an individual against the

outside forces such as: nature (disaster), community, society, culture and behavior,

ideas, etc. Conflict also can be happened in one individual against himself, this

conflict is when the character experience by some kind of inner conflict. According to

Robert (1995: 1694) states that the conflict is:

“The opposition between two characters, between large group of people, or between protagonist and larger forces such as natural objects, ideas, modes of behavior, public opinion, and the like. Conflict may also be internal and psychological.”


In conclusion, the conflict generally divided into two types, they are the

external conflict which includes the conflict against human and outside force, and

then the internal conflict which concern to the inner conflict.

2.2.2 Types of Conflicts

Based on the discussion above, it can be conclude that the types of conflicts

can be divided into two categories; they are the internal conflict and the external

conflict. The internal conflict is known as a struggle within one's self; a person must

make some decision, overcome problem, quiet their temper, resist an urge, respond

the idea, against a mode or behavior, and the like. This struggle that takes place in a

character's mind called internal conflict. For example, a character may have to decide

between right and wrong or between two solutions to a problem. Sometimes, the

character must deal with his or her own mixed feelings or emotions.

The internal conflict is more commonly referred to as “man vs. self”, as the

name suggests, it deals with a character having to overcome and change something

about his or her being that they are struggling against what they have in mind.

Common types of internal conflicts include overcoming fears, will, and ego-flaws.

These types of conflicts are often difficult to pin down and rely heavily on emotion.


On the other hand, the external conflict is the struggle of the character against

the force from outside. There are several kinds of these external conflicts that the

character might face. First, the character against another character, this is happen

when the character is in conflict with another character, the most common form of

this kind of conflict is when the protagonist character against the antagonist character.

Second, the character against the society, this conflict is occur when the character

have the opposing and different thinking about ideas, culture, modes, opinions from

the most common people have in the society. Third, the character against the nature

force, this conflict will be faced by the character when the character has to face such a

natural phenomena or disaster, for example, when the character has to endure the

disaster from the natural force.

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

In order to gather and compose the data in this thesis, the library research is

applied as the method of the analysis in this thesis. The relevant data that found as the

source of the idea which support to the topic being discus in this thesis all are

collected and then applied in finishing this thesis.


3.1 The Data Collecting Procedure

Referring to the library research as the method of analysis in collecting the

data for this thesis, this thesis obtained the supporting data from several books as the

sources of the data, the primary source of the data acquired from the novel which is

being discus in this thesis, which is that novel is written by Mitch Albom entitled

Tuesdays With Morrie, this novel as the primary source of the data that this thesis

used to obtain the conflicts found from the main characters to analyze. Then the

secondary data is drawn from others books as the references which the books are the

most concerned about the conflict in the fiction work especially novel.

Several steps are applied in the data collecting procedure for this thesis.

Firstly, the data acquisition from the novel is gathered by reading the novel. The

entire novel is read while identifying the conflicts found from the main characters

based on the conflict definition itself, then marked the conflicts that found in the

novel in order to ease in classifying which types the conflicts found from the main

characters belong to, whether it is the external conflicts or the internal conflicts.

Secondly, the secondary data are gathered from several books that related to the topic

of this thesis. The related books that concern to the subject matter being analyzed are

used as the source of idea to support the analysis of this thesis and also to give

additional information and statement that can be drawn for this thesis, the important


and the relevant information from these books are marked and underlined so that it

can be used to support the analysis of this thesis, these books finally also used as the

references for this thesis.

3.2 The Data Selecting Procedure

When all the data and information that related to the topic of this thesis are

collected, then it will be selected to the most significant data that will be used in the

process of finishing this thesis. In this step, the conflicts of the main characters that

found as the primary data for this thesis are classified according to the types of the

conflict based on the motif of the conflict, so that the data analyzing in this thesis will

be easier to describe. Meanwhile, the data and information found from the related

books will be drawn to this thesis in order to support the analysis in this thesis.

3.3 The Data Analyzing Procedure

The data analyzing procedure is applied when all the primary data from the

novel is collected and selected, as the data from the novel is in a form of written text,

which concern about the classification of conflicts found from the main characters

that has been chosen to the most significant data, then the data will be interpreted and


to be brought into this thesis as the subject matter of the analysis, that is the main

characters conflict found from the novel. Next, the analysis will be stated by

explaining the conflict of the main characters based on the definition and the

classification of the conflict as descriptions above which reflected in Mitch Albom’s

Tuesdays with Morrie.

CHAPTER 4

AN ANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTERS’ CONFLICTS FOUND IN

MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAY WITH MORRIE


The main discussion of this topic is focus on the main characters conflict.

Based on the classification of the conflicts, there are two main types of conflict; the

external conflict and the internal conflict. So this chapter will be identified and

analyzed the conflict of the main characters found from the novel written by Mitch

Albom entitled Tuesdays with Morrie.

4.1 Internal Conflicts

The internal conflicts from the main characters in the novel written by Mitch

Albom entitled Tuesdays with Morrie can be found from two main characters in this

novel, they are Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom. The dominant internal conflicts in

this novel is dominated by Morrie as one of the main character, that his struggle

against the diseases from which he is suffering, he got asthma and amyotrophic

lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a kind of brutal illness

of the neurological system. Meanwhile as for Mitch, his main conflict of this story is

how he overcomes his materialistic life. This is an internal conflict because Mitch is

struggling with himself on how to live a good life. He learns not to live his life with

full of money and fame, but to live with his own interests and do the good things for

the others people’s mind as how Morrie taught him before.

4.1.1 Morrie’s Internal Conflicts


The internal conflicts of Morrie begin with his symptoms of asthma when he

is sixty years old. This is the first conflict that he encountered. This conflict can be

identified from the quotation from the novel below.

“He developed asthma in his sixties. His breathing became labored. One day he was walking along the Charles River, and a cold burst of wind left him choking for air. He was rushed to the hospital and injected with adrenaline”. Mitch (1997:6)

The quotation shows that when Morrie was walking along the Charles River,

he got trouble to breath because of his symptoms of asthma. Then, from of the very

cold weather makes the air felt so cold so that he choked for the air when he breathes.

From his agony, the people around take him to the hospital immediately to get the

first aid, and he injected with adrenaline.

The next Morrie’s conflicts occurred when he felt that something wrong with

him, he becomes weary easily, and it is not because of his old age but he convinced

that there must be something serious is not right about him. This conflict is shown by

the quotation below.

”But Morrie, who was always more in touch with his insides then the rest of us, knew something wrong was wrong. This was more than old age. He was weary all the time. He had trouble sleeping. He dreamt he was lying.

He began to see doctors. Lots of them. They tested his blood. They tested his urine. They put a scope up his rear end and looked inside his intestines. Finally, when nothing could be found, one doctor ordered a muscle


biopsy, taking a small piece out of Morrie’s calf. The lab report came back suggesting a neurological problem, and Morrie was brought in for yet another series of tests. In one of those tests, he sat in a special seat as they zapped him with electrical current-an electric chair, of shorts-and studied his neurological responses.” Mitch (1997:6)

The quotation above shows that he is worries about himself, something terrific

about him that he had in mind gives him difficulty to be able to sleep, even that he has

a dream about his death. Then, he tries to find out what is going on with him by

consulting to some doctors he know. Finally, after consulting to one of the doctors,

comes a result from laboratory tests, the doctor found that he got a problem with his

neurological system. Then he must face another test to find out what exactly the

illness which he is suffers.

Morrie’s worry finally reveal by hearing the result of the test from the doctor,

surely he heard the news with a great shock and panic that he suffer a deadly disease

which is an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

This part can be shown as the quotation below.

“We need to check this further.” The doctor said, looking over his result. “Why?” Morrie asked. “What is it?” “We are not sure. Your times are slow.”His times were slow? What did that mean?

Finally, on a hot, humid day in August 1994, Morrie and his wife, Charlotte, went to neurologist’s office, and he asked them to sit before he broke the news: Morrie


had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Lou Gehrig’s disease, a brutal, unforgiving illness of the neurological system.

There was no known cure.

“How did I get it?” Morrie asked. Nobody knew “Is it terminal?”Yes. “So I’m going to die?”Yes you are, the doctor said. I’m very sorry. Mitch (1997:7)

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that Morrie suffer is still unknown the

motive why and how Morrie get this brutal illness. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

(ALS) will damage all the human nerves step by step until that person die. Morrie is

very shock to hear the laboratory tests result, by knowing that this illness makes his

life shorter than he ever imagine, because he is going to die soon.

Morrie is suffering a lot from this illness. He then confuses of what to do next,

what he has to do before his death. While he is searching for the answer, he lives his

life with so many changing that could even make his life more difficult and even

worse. This statement is identified from the quotation of the novel below.

“As my professor searched for answer, the disease took him over, day by day, week by week. He backed the car out of garage one morning and could barely push the brakes. That was the end of his driving.

He kept tripping, so he purchased a cane. That was the end of his walking free.

He went for his regular swim at the YMCA, but found he could no longer undress himself. So he hired his first home care worker-a theology student named Tony-who


help him in and out of the pool, and in and out of his bathing suit. In the locker room, the other swimmers pretended not to stare. They started anyhow. That was the end of his privacy.” Mitch (1997:8)

Morrie’s life is almost changing a lot, and his illness affect so much to his

daily activities. Started from driving his car and he can no longer drives his own car,

to have a walk by his foot freely, but now he should walk with a cane, even that the

worst part he couldn’t undress himself for his regular swimming at YCMA, yet by

helping from a theology student named Tony.

Soon Morrie finds out that his life is about to come to an end, the statement

from the doctor explained how this amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) kill Morrie

from the inside. The probability of what this disease would do toward Morrie’s body,

it will destroy is body step by step, and finally the doctor analyze how much time

does this amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) need to devour all of his body. This is

can be shown from the quotation below.

“ALS is like a lit candle: it melts your nerves and leaves your body a pile of wax. Often, it begins with the legs and works its way up. You lose control of your tight muscles, so that you cannot support yourself standing. You lose control of your trunk muscles, so that you cannot sit up straight. By the end, if you are still alive, you are breathing through a tube in a hole in your throat, while your soul, perfectly awake, is imprisoned inside a limp husk, perhaps able to blink, or cluck a tongue, like something from a science fiction movie, the man frozen inside his own flesh. This take no more than five years from the day you contract the disease.


Morrie’s doctors guessed he had two years left.

Morrie knew it was less.” Mitch (1997:9)

From the quotation above, it shows that the doctor consider Morrie’s time is

almost over, it is about two years left. Although Morrie knows that it was less than

two years.

Morrie’s disease now become a real serious problem to his daily activity, by

the first time since he get this amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) he unable to walk

freely from his muscle of legs is lose control, the doctor then suggest that he use a

cane to support him, but now, the condition is even worst that he should use a walker

to help him because the cane is no longer enough. His body also weakened than

before, to go to the bathroom back and forth is too exhausting for him. This is

described by the quotation below.

“One day, using his cane, he stepped onto the curb and fell over into the street. The cane was exchanged for a walker. As his body weakened the back and forth to the bathroom became too exhausting, so Morrie began to urinate into a large beaker. He had to support himself as he did this, meaning someone had to hold the beaker while Morrie fill it.

Most of us would be embarrassed by all this, especially at Morrie’s age. But Morrie was not like most of us, when some of his close colleagues would visit, he would say to them, “Listen, I have to pee. Would you mind helping? Are you okay with that?” Mitch (1997:11)


The quotation above explain that Morrie gets himself to fell over the street

when he walk with his cane, then he replace the cane with a walker, because the cane

is no longer support him to walk, as his body weakened and become weary easily. He

could not reach the bathroom back and forth, so that he uses a large beaker to urinate.

Now he should try to not to be embarrass when he asked his friend to help him while

he urinate.

The worst part of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could do to Morrie

as he never wanted become true, now Morrie’s legs were dead. His legs were useless

now. He no longer walks from some place to place by his legs. He should spend his

days all the time in his wheelchair. This statement is supported by the quotation

below.

“Morrie was in a wheelchair full-time now, getting used to helpers lifting him like a heavy sack from the chair to the bed and the bed to the chair. He had begun to chough while eating, and chewing was a chore. His legs were dead; ho would never walk again.” Mitch (1997:18)

It shows that Morrie now could do nothing to move himself to anywhere.

Since his legs were dead by the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now he uses his

helpers to lift him from chair to bad and from the bad to chair. This is one of the

difficult parts he must get trough from suffering amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).


One day, Morrie has a conversation with Mitch talking about how he is going

to die. Morrei explain to Mitch how does it feel when the amyotrophic lateral

sclerosis (ALS) and also his asthma will finish his life over. It can be seen from

quotation below.

“I shot a glance at my watch-force of habit- it was getting late and I thought about changing my plane reservation home. Then Morrie did something that haunts me to this day. “You know how I’m going to die?”He said

I raised my eyebrows.

“I’m going to suffocate. Yes. My lungs, because of my asthma, can’t handle the disease. It’s moving up my body, this ALS. It’s already got my legs. Pretty soon it’ll get my arms and hands. And when it hits my lungs…”

He shrugged his shoulders. “…I’m sunk.”

I had no idea what to say, so I said, “well, you know, I mean…you never know.” Mitch (1997:36)

Morrie explain to Mitch how he is going to die because of his asthma. It

makes him hard to breath, and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) he suffered

makes him even harder to breath until it attack his lungs, and Morrie already know

what will happen after that. Morrie gives a picture of imagination as a person who

choking for air from runs out of oxygen, just like a drowning person.


It seems that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) of which Morrie suffered

is not the only threat for him which will end his life, but also his asthma which is also

dangerous illness that could end his life anytime. This quotation shows a little test to

examine the ability of the lungs.

Morrie closed his eyes.

“I know, Mitch. You mustn’t be afraid of my dying. I’ve had a good life, and we all know it’s going to happen. I maybe have four or five months.” Come on, I said nervously. Nobody can say-

“I can,” he said softly. “There’s even a little test. A doctor shows me.” A test? “Inhale a few times.” I did as he said. “Now, once more, but this time, when you exhale, count as many numbers as you can before you take another breath.” I quickly exhale the numbers. “One-two-three-four-five-seven-eight…” I reached seventy before my breath was gone. “Good,” Morrie said. “You have healthy lungs. Now, watch what I do.” He inhaled, then began his number count in a soft, wobbly voice. “One-two-three-four-five-seven-eight-nine-ten-eleven-twenty-thirteen-fourteen-fiveteen-sixteen-seventeen-eightteen—“He stopped, gasping for air. “When the doctor first asked me to do this, I could reach twenty-three. Now it’s eighteen.” He closed his eyes, shook his head. “My tank is almost empty.” Mitch (1997:37)

The quotation shows that Morrie performed a simple test to analyze the ability

of the lungs to breath. He first asked Mitch to do that simple test, and then he does the

same test. Finally, he compares the result of their test, as the result shows that Mitch

still has a good lungs, but the fact that Morrie’s lungs is the contrary to Mitch’s lungs.

This is because of the asthma that Morrie suffered.


Morrie’s diseases are now developed very fast, as he always visited by his

beloved student Mitch every Tuesdays. By visiting Morrie often, Mitch then realizes

that Morrie’s diseases has progress so fast, this makes Mitch feels so sad to see

Morrie’s condition. Morrie’s condition as observed by Mitch is shown by the

quotation below.

“Meanwhile, I looked for his sings for the disease’s progression. His fingers worked well enough to write with a pencil, or hold up his glasses, but he could not lift his arms much higher than his chest. He was spending less and less time in the kitchen or living room and more in his study, where he had a large reclining chair set up with pillows, blankets, and specially cut pieces of foam rubber that held his feet and gave support to his withered legs. He kept a bell near his side, and when his head needed adjusting or he had to “go on the commode,” as he referred to it, he would shake the bell and Connie, Tony, Bertha, or Amy-his small army of home care workers—would come in. It wasn’t always easy for him to lift the bell, and he got frustrated when he couldn’t make it work.” Mitch (1997:56)

Now, the activities that Morrie could do is only the easy ones, he is powerless

now.

Morrie’s condition that always getting worst time by time obviously makes

Morrie feels sorry for himself. This horrible amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) soon

will take over his whole body. This quotation below shows that one morning he is

crying for himself. He afraid if loses some parts of his body, just like his legs that has

been took over by the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).


“Sometimes, in the morning.” He said. “That’s when I mourn. I feel around my body, I move my fingers and my hands—whatever I can still move—and I mourn what I’ve lost. I mourn the slow, insidious way in which I’m dying. But then I stop mourning.” Mitch (1997:56)

From the quotation above shows that in one morning he wakes up, he feel

gloomy. He is afraid if some part of his body is missing again, that he could no longer

can uses.

Someday, when Morrie is having an interview and talk with Ted Koppel, it

can be seen clearly that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) now influence his

movement so much, and he can hardly to speak. The quotation below shows how

Morrie’s condition during his interview.

“As he spoke, it becomes obvious. He was not waving his hands to make a point as freely as he had in their first conversation. He had trouble pronouncing certain words—the l sound seemed to get caught in his throat. In a few more months, he might no longer speak at all.” Mitch (1997:70)

Morrie’s story about his life now been published by the TV show, that is the

“Nightline” hosted by the famous interviewer, Ted Koppel in ABC-TV channel, so

sometimes Ted Koppel and his crew visits Morrie’s house for interview.


The asthma, of which Morrie suffered, now is already on the top of its critical

stage. Sometimes Morrie gets trouble to swallow air to breath. This condition forces

him to an Oxygen machine to help him breathing. This can be showed from the

quotation below.

“Here in Morrie’s office, life went on one precious day at a time. Now we sat together, a few feet from the newest addition to the house: an oxygen machine. It was small and portable, about knee-high. On some nights, when he couldn’t get enough air to swallow, Morrie attached the long plastic tubing to his nose, clamping in his nostrils like a leech. I hate the idea of Morrie connected to a machine of any kind, and I tried not to look at it as Morrie spoke.” Mitch (1997:80)

The oxygen machine helps Morrie to breath, when the oxygen of his

surrounding is insufficient for him to breath, he attach his nose with a long plastic

pipe which connected to the oxygen machine. Mitch does not seem like to see this

view.

Morrie is not only having trouble when he is breath, but also he has trouble

with his food. All the food which Mitch brought if he visits Morrie is only stored in

refrigerator. This part can be seen when Mitch visits Morrie’s house and meet

Charlotte, Morrie’s wife.

“I lifted up the bags from the market—my normal food supply, I said jokingly—and she seemed to smile and fret at the same time. “There’s already so much food. He hasn’t eaten any from last week.” This took me by surprised. He hasn’t eaten any, I asked? She opened the refrigerator and I saw familiar containers of chicken


salad, vermicelli, vegetables, stuffed squash, all things I had brought for Morrie. She opened the freezer and there was even more. “Morrie can’t eat most of this food. It’s too hard for him to swallow. He has to eat soft things and liquid drinks now.” Mitch (1997:100)

Charlotte explains to Mitch that his husband could not eat most of the food

which he gives. Morrie should eat soft food and liquid drinks. This is because the

regular food is very hard for Morrie to chew and swallow.

Finally, Morrie’s struggling against his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is

come to an end with Morrie’s surrender. Now he could do nothing about his daily

activity. Started from the most personal and basic things. He depend on the others

help, this can be shown from the quotation below.

“Morrie lost his battle. Someone was now wiping his behind. He faced this with typically brave acceptance. No longer able to reach behind him when he used the commode, he informed of Connie of his latest limitation. “Would you be embarrassed to do it for me?” She said no. I found it typical that he asked first. It took some getting used to, Morrie admitted, because it was, in a way, complete surrender to the disease. The most personal and basic things had now been taken from him—going to the bathroom, wiping his nose, washing his private parts. With the exception of breathing and swallowing his food, he was dependent on the others for nearly everything.” Mitch (1997:115)


Morrie now is no longer struggling against the disease. He finally completely

surrenders. He reached the stages just like he ever imagine before, that is someone has

to take care of all his most personal and basic thing.

As for Morrie’s asthma is already on its critical phrase, now He even get

trouble to get lose the poison liquid from his lungs, and then as the quotation below,

shows that how the physical therapist teach Mitch to help Morrie to lose the liquid

from his lungs.

“Hit him harder.” I slapped Morrie’s back. “Harder.” I slapped him again. “Near his shoulders… now down lower.” Morrie, dressed in pajama bottoms, lay in bed on his side, his head flush against the pillow, his mouth open. The physical therapist was showing me how to bang loose the poison in his lungs—which he needed done regularly now, to keep it from solidifying, to keep him breathing.” Mitch (1997:152)

Mitch has to slap Morrie’s back softly in order to help Morrie to get lose the

poison liquid from his lungs. This should be done regularly, from avoiding the

solidifying to keep him breathing.

Morrie also has to use morphine in order to ease him to breath. It can be seen

from the quot ation from the novel below.


“Charlotte came down the hall and hugged me she said that Morrie was still sleeping, even though it was 10 A.M. We went into the kitchen. I helped her straighten up, noticing all the bottles of the pills, lined up on the table, a small army of brown plastic soldiers with white caps. My old professor was taking morphine now to ease his breathing.” Mitch (1997:182)

Finally, this is the hardest part of Morrie from suffering the amyotrophic

lateral sclerosis (ALS) and asthma. This is not about his condition, not about the

difficulty of how he must breath, but it is about how he should leave his beloved

student and says farewell. This quotation shows Morrie’s conversation with Mitch,

and saying good bye.

I pulled the covers down and grasped his fingers. They disappeared inside my own. I leaned in a close, a few inches from his face. It was the first time I had seen him unshaven, the small white whiskers looking so out of place, as it someone had shaken salt neatly across his cheek and chin. How could there be new life in his beard when it was draining everywhere else? Morrie, I said softly. “Coach,” He corrected. Coach, I said, I felt a shiver. He spoke in short bursts, inhaling air, exhaling words. His voice was thin and raspy. He smelled of ointment. “You… are a good soul.” A good soul. “Touched me…” He whispered. He moved my hands to his heart. “Here.” It felt as if I had a pit in my throat. Coach? “Ahhh?” I don’t know how to say good-bye. He patted my hand weakly, keeping it on his chest. “This …is how we say… good-bye…” He breathed softly, in and out, I could feel his ribcage rise and fall. Then he looked right at me. “Love …you,” he rasped. I love you too coach. “Know you do… know… something… else…” What else do you know? “You … always have…” His eyes got small, and ten he cried, his face contorting like a baby who hasn’t figured how his tear ducts work.”


This conversation between Morrie and Mitch is their last conversation and

also the last lesson that Mitch earn from Morrie. Then, soon after that meeting, Morrie

is gone forever. He died on Saturday morning.

4.1.2 Mitch’s Internal Conflicts

The internal conflict that Mitch encountered is his materialistic life, and also

most of the time Mitch always unable to keep his promises. Morrie taught him a lot of

things, one of them just to love life. Mitch now appreciates things, and takes the time

to be with others. He tries to correct some of the things he did in his life, or didn’t do.

In the graduation day, Mitch actually promised to his professor Morrie to

always keep in touch. But the fact that until the day he saw Morrie on the “Nightline”

TV shows, he never gives a contact to morrie. It is shown from this scene about Mitch

confession below.

“At this point, I should explain what had happened to e since the summer day when I last hugged my dear and wise professor, and promised to keep in touch. I did not keep in touch. In fact, I lost contact with most of the people I knew in college, including my beer-drinking friends and the first woman I ever woke up with in the morning. The years after graduation hardened me into


someone quite different from the strutting graduate who left campus that day headed for New York City, ready to offer the world his talent.” Mitch (1997:14)

The quotation above shows that Mitch not only lost contact with Morrie, but

also with most of his friend from college. But still Mitch had broken his promise with

Morrie by not giving Morrie a call.

Mitch also failed to make his dream come true, his dream began when he met

a woman named Janine and then Mitch married Janine after seven years in

relationship. His dream was to start a family with his wife. But that never happen.

Mitch was drowned with his own success and became too busy with all his work. The

failure of Mitch of reaching his wife dream can be shown from the quotation below.

“I met a dark-haired woman named Janine who somehow loved me despite y schedule and the constant absence. We married after a seven years courtship. I was back to work a week after the wedding. I told her and myself that we would one day start a family, something she wanted very much. But that day never come. Instead, I buried myself in accomplishments, because with accomplishments, I believe I could control things.” Mitch (1997:16)

In this scene, Mitch explains what his life has changed to since college. He no

longer wants to follow himself and be a musician. He is obsessed with the money and

fame of his career, and thinks that he could control things with money.


Mitch as always, he was very busy with all of his work and all of his

accomplishments, then he ignores people surrounding, as if the only thing he has

mind was his works.

“As for Morrie? Well, I thought about him now and then, the things he had taught me about “being human” and “relating to the others,” but it was always in the distance, as if from another life. Over the years, I threw away any mail that came from Brandies University, figuring they were only asking for money. So I did not know of Morrie’s illness. The people who might have told were long forgotten, their phone numbers buried in some packed-away box in the attic.” Mitch (1997:17)

Mitch failed to be a better person who cares with other. He failed to apply the

lesson that Morrie taught him in his life that is to be a person with love and to care

about people we love and the people around.

Mitch apparently always failed to keep his promises, not only his promise with

Morrie, but also his promise to himself. This quotation below shows how Mitch

finally realizes that he broke his promise.

Yet here Morrie talking with the wonder of our college years, as if I’d simply been on a long vacation

“Have you found someone to share your heart with?” he asked.

“Are you giving to your community?


“Are you at peace with yourself?

“Are you trying to be as human as you can be?

I squirmed, wanting to show that I had been grappling deeply with such questions. What happened to me? I once promised myself I would never work for money, that I would join the Peace Corps that I would live in beautiful, inspirational places. Instead, I had been in Detroit for ten years now, at the same workplace, using the same bank, visiting the same barber. I was thirty seven, more efficient than in college, tied to computers and modems and cell phones.

Mitch ever promised to himself that he would never be a person who works

only for money, but it is contrary to the fact. Mitch now is a person who obsessed by

his work and money.

4.2 External Conflicts

The external of conflicts found from the main characters in the novel entitled

Tuesdays with Morrie can be found from the main characters that are having conflict

with another minor character form this novel. The external conflicts involved Morrie

as the first main character having conflicts with the interviewer from the “Nightline”

TV show Ted Koppel, with his father named Charlie in his childhood, and with his

best friend named Norman. Meanwhile, Mitch himself in this novel, the external

involves only one character from this novel that is his conflict with his brother, named

Peter who lives in Spain.


4.2.1 Morrie’s Conflict with Ted Koppel

Based on this novel, when the first time Morrie is going to be interviewed by

the host of the “Nightline” TV shows Ted Koppel. Koppel intends to expose the life

of a professor from Brandeis University to all over the world since Morrie suffers

from the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This can conflict can be found from the

quotation of the novel below.

Inside the office, Morrie mentioned for Koppel to sit down. He crossed his hands in his lap and smile.

“Tell me something close to your heart,” Morrie began.

“My heart?” Koppel studied the old man. “All right,” he said cautiously, and he spoke about his children. They were closed to his heart, weren’t they?

“Good,” Morrie said. “Now tell me something about your faith.”

Koppel was uncomfortable. “I usually don’t talk about such thing with people I’ve only known for a few minutes.”

“Ted, I’m dying,” Morrie said, peering over his glasses. “I don’t have a lot of time here.” Koppel laughed. All right. Faith. He quotes a passage from Marcus Aurelius, something he felt strongly about. Morrie nodded.” Mitch (1997:19)

Morrie has skeptical impression when the first time he saw Koppel, the he

apparently wanted to know Koppel by doing some interrogation before he agreed to

do the interview, he asked Koppel with some question about his faith and about the

person he loved, this questions make Koppel feels uncomforted.


Morrie finally agreed to do this interview because he wanted to share to the

world trough the “Nightline” TV show about the lesson how we supposed to live by

loving and caring to other people especially the people we love, and how to gain

happiness without depend on money and materialistic life. He did this as the last thing

he wanted to do in his life because it is about to end from the suffering of

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

4.2.2 Morrie’s Conflict with Charlie

Morrie’s childhood was not very happy. He came from a poor family. He lived

in a tenement building on the poor Lower East Side of Manhattan. His Mother died

when Morrie still eight years old. Then he lived with his brother David and his father

Charlie who worked in a fur business. They are terribly poor, so that Morrie should

find any work that he could find to earned money, to support his family. Most of the

conflicts of Morrrie with his father occurred since his mother decease.

Charlie was lack of affection to his sons Morrie and David. For Morrie, he

could only find the real of love and affection was from his mother. But after his

mother decease, Morrie hoped that he could get the same treatment as his mother gave

to him from Charlie, but that would never happened.


“And in the afternoons, he stood at the bottom of the subway steps and hawked magazines, turning whatever

money he made over to his family to buy food. In the evening, he watched his father eat in silence, hoping for—but never getting—a show of affection, communication, warmth. At nine years old, he felt as if the weight of a mountain were on his business.” Mitch (1997:75)

“Every night, when Morrie was little, Charlie would go for a walk after dinner. He was a small Russian man, with a ruddy complexion and a full head of grayish hair. Morrie and his brother, David, would look out the window and see him leaning against the lamppost, and Morie wished he would come inside and talk to them, but rarely did. Nor did he tuck them in, nor kiss them good-night.” Mitch (1997:139)

The quotations above shows that Morrie who only nine years old, he felt as if

too much burdens he should bear at his age. Moreover, his father was so cold to him

that he never gets affection as a father supposed to give to his children.

About his mother decease, Morrie was forced by Charlie not to tell to David

about what was happened to their mother. This is really hard for Morrie to keep inside

all the memories of his mother and not to tell to David the truth. Morrie’s sadness can

be shown from the quotation below.


“He studied at night, by the lamp at the kitchen table. And in the morning he would go to synagogue to say Yizkor—the memorial prayer for the dead—for his mother. He did this to keep her memory alive. Incredibly, Morrie had been told by his father never to talk about her. Charlie wanted young David to think Eva was his natural mother. It was a terrible burden to Morrie. For years, the only evidence Morrie had of his mother was the telegram announcing her death. He had hidden it the day it arrived. He would keep it the rest of his life.” Mitch (1997:77)

From the quotation above, shows that Charlie wanted Morrie to keep a secret

from David that their real mother was dead, and forced him to tell a lie to David by

considering Eva was their natural mother.

When Morrie was a teenager, Charlie took him to a fur factory where he

worked. That was when in a depression, Charlie wanted Morrie to get a job. Charlie

brought Morrie to his boss in the fur factory for asking if there a vacancy for his son,

it can be shown from the quotation below.

“During lunch break, his father took Morrie to the boss and pushed him in front of him, asking if there was any work for his son. But there was barely enough work for the adult laborers, and no one was giving it up. This, for Morrie, was a blessing. He hated the place. He made another vow that he kept to the end of his life: he would never do any work that exploited someone else, and he would never allow himself to make money off the sweat of others.

“What will you do?” Eva would ask him


“I don’t know,” he would say. He ruled out law, because he didn’t like lawyers, and he ruled out medicine, because he couldn’t take the sight of blood.

“What will you do?”

It was only through default that the best professor I ever had became a teacher.” Mitch (1997:78)

Charlie pushed Morrie to work in the fur factory, but it was blessing for

Morrie when the boss said there was no vacancy left, because Morrie hate to do the

job which exploited people to earn money. Then the quotation above shows the

conversation between Morrie and his step mother Eva about what kind of the job that

Morrie wanted. And he wanted to be a teacher. He already promised to himself not to

do the job which exploited people to earned money.

4.2.3 Morrie’s Conflict with Norman

Norman is an old friend of Morrie's who he has long been estranged from. He

had been an artist, and had sculpted a bust of Morrie, a deft depiction of his features.

Morrie’s conflict with Norman begins when Norman moved to Chicago, and

Charlotte had a serious surgery. Although Norman knew about this bad news that

Morrie’s wife had a serious surgery, but he did not visited Morrie’s at that time, and

he even gave a call to Morrie and Charlotte.

“Norman and his wife moved away to Chicago. A little while later, my wife, Charlotte, had to have a pretty


serious operation. Norman and his wife never go in touch with us. I know they knew about it. Charlotte and I were very hurt because they never called to see how she was. So we dropped the relationship.” Mitch (1997:165)

The quotation above shows the disappointment of Morrie and Charlotte with

Norman. It hurts so much for them to see that Norman never got in touch with them

although Norman knew that Charlotte was in serious surgery. Finally, Morrie dropped

the relationship between him and Norman.

4.2.4 Mitch’s Conflict with Peter

Peter is Mitch's younger brother who lives in Spain. Peter flies to various

European cities seeking treatment for his pancreatic cancer, he refuses any help from

his family. Mitch conflict towards Peter occurred when Peter got cancer. Peter spend

years to fighting against his disease, searching for the medicine and treatment around

the Europe, because at that time, the experimental aid that available in the United

States is not sufficient for Peter cancer.

“The bad news was, my brother did not want me around— not me, or anyone in the family. Much as we tried to call and visit, he held us at bay, insisting this fight was something he needed to do by himself. Months would pass without a word from him. Messages on his answering machine would go without reply. I was ripped with guilt for what I felt I should be doing


for him and fueled with anger for his denying us the right to do it.” Mitch (1997:96)

The quotation above shows that Mitch relation to his brother is now estranges.

Mitch felt so guilty about his brother that he is now far away from him.

Mitch always thinking about his brother although his brother seems

successfully defeats the cancer from the treatment and medicine that he got. Mitch

still worries about him and really wants to talk to Peter.

“And each time I would call my brother’s apartment in Spain and get the answering machine—him speaking in Spanish, another sign of how far apart we had drifted—I would hang up and work for some more.” Mitch (1997:97)

“I had tried calling my brother in Spain several times. I left messages saying that I really wanted to talk to him, that I had been doing a lot of thinking about us. A few weeks later, I got back a short message saying everything was okay, but he was sorry, he really didn’t feel like o talking about being sick.” Mitch (1997:130)

The quotation above shows that Mitch having difficulties in communicating

with Peter. Every time Mitch tries to call Peter, he only found that the answering

machine received his call. Once Peter reply the message, but then he explain in the

message that really did not feel like to talk.


CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

1. Conclusions

The conflict in a novel is necessary. Conflict adds excitement and suspense to

a story. The conflict usually becomes clear to the beginning of a story. As the plot

unfolds, the reader starts to wonder what will happen next and how the characters will

handle the situation. Many readers enjoy trying to predict the final outcome. The

conflict also needed in order to of plot faster to the next order.

After analyzing the conflict of the main characters found for the novel of

Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie, it can be drawn that the external conflicts of the

http://www.dowlingcentral.com/MrsD/area/literature/Terms/Plot.html�


main characters tends to the opposition between the main characters against other

people ideas, modes of behavior, culture, and public opinion. This external conflict of

Morrie comes out because he has different way of thinking about his view of life from

the other people commonly. Then this difference of way of thinking will cause the

disagreements which finally will bring out the conflicts, and the external conflicts of

Mitch is his relation with his brother that his brother tries bo be independent person

that he does not want Mitch to see him anymore, since he got the cancer. Meanwhile,

the internal conflict is the opposition between a person against him/her self, it is also

known as the inner conflict. Referring to the main characters’ internal conflicts found

from the novel, the internal conflict for Morrie, as one of the main character in this

novel, his internal conflicts are most from his struggle against his deadly diseases, his

disease asthma and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have change his entire life

to be more difficult to get trough, and finally Morrie presume that he is surrender with

the diseases he faces, and finally bring him to death. And as for Mitch, his internal

conflicts are from his way of life and his opinion for choosing which one is seems

right for him about other people, how to live his life and overcoming his materialistic

life, and also he learns the difficulties to keep all his promises to all the people he

loves.

Finally, based on the characteristic of the novel itself, that the novel is also the

pictures and as the representatives of human real life, it seems that the conflicts which

found from the novel then it is being analyzed it can be a lesson for the reader to

know what to do, how to behave, and what decision should we choose when a person

encounter the conflicts in their life.


2. Suggestions

Based on the analysis of this thesis, it can be found a moral suggestions

concern with how should the characters face their conflict. The conflict that found

form the novel is triggered by a natural events that really exist in our real life. The

conflict cannot be avoided, but it must be faced wisely. The external conflict that a

person encounter will push them to learn and to understand to each other, they will

learn to respect the different opinion and behavior from the other, although the other

view of opinion might be wrong or contradiction from the character view, it is a

natural that every human has their own way of life. Meanwhile, the internal conflict

can build the person to be a better individual for the future. This is because the

internal conflict offers the lessons to think and to consider about the decision that

should they take and the action that should they make.

So it can be drawn the characteristics of the conflicts itself are able to comes

out at anytime, and it is obviously inevitable. In this novel, the writer also shows that

the motif of the conflict is by look no age, position, religion, and no matter who is the

person, everyone has to encounters conflicts in their life.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Albom, Mitch. 1997. Tuesdays with Morrie. United States: Time Warner Books.

Bonaza, Blaze O, Emil Roy and Sandra Roy. 1982. Studies in Fiction. New York: University

Graphics Inc.

Karl and Hamalian. 1967. The Shape of Fiction: British and American Short Stories.

NewYork: McGraw-Hill Inc.

Kenney, William. 1966. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: Monarch Press.

Klaver, Mario. 1999. An Introduction to Literary Studies. London: Routledge.

Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 1998. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yoyagkarta: Gajh Mada University

Press.

Ratna, Kuta, Nyoman. 2004. Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra. Denpasar: Pustaka

Pelajar.


Ratna, Kuta, Nyoman. 2004. Teori Penelitian Sastra. Denpasar: Pustaka Pelajar.

Roberts, Edgar and Henry E. Jacobs. 1995. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and

Writing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.

Stanford, Judith A. 2003. Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. New

York: McGraw-Hill Inc.

Stanton, Robert. 2007. Teori Fiksi Robert Stanton. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar.

Taylor, Richard. 1981. Understanding the Elements of Literature. London: The Mac Millan

Press Ltd.

Watson, George. 1979. The Story of the Novel. London: The Mac Millan Press Ltd.

Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. 1985. Theory of Literature. New York: Penguin Books.

APPENDIX

BIOGRAPHY OF MITCH ALBOM

Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned and best-selling author,

journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician.

His books have collectively sold over 28 million copies worldwide; have been

published in forty-one territories and in forty-two languages around the world; and

have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television

movies.

Mitch was born on May 23, 1958 in Passaic, New Jersey, the middle of three

children to Rhoda and Ira Albom. The family moved to the Buffalo, N.Y. area briefly


before settling in Oaklyn, New Jersey, not far from Philadelphia. Mitch grew up

wanting to be a cartoonist before switching to music. He taught himself to play piano,

and played in bands, including The Lucky Tiger Grease Stick Band, throughout his

adolescence. After attending high schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, he left for

college after his junior year. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1979 at Brandeis

University in Waltham, Massachusetts, majoring in sociology, but stayed true to his

dream of a life in music, and upon graduation, he worked for several years as a

performer, both in Europe and America. One of his engagements during this time

included a taverna on the Greek island of Crete, in which he was a featured American

performer who sang Elvis Presley and Ray Charles songs. He also wrote and

produced the recording of several songs. In his early 20’s, while living in New York,

he took an interest in journalism and volunteered to work for a local weekly paper, the

Queens Tribune. He eventually returned to graduate school, earning a Master’s degree

from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, followed by an MBA

from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. During this time, he paid

his tuition partly through work as a piano player.

Mitch eventually turned full-time to his writing, working as a freelance sports

journalist in New York for publications such as Sports Illustrated, GEO, and The

Philadelphia Inquirer. His first full time newspaper job was as a feature writer and

eventual sports columnist for The Fort Lauderdale News and Sun Sentinel in Florida.

He moved to Detroit in 1985, where he became a nationally-acclaimed sports

journalist at the Detroit Free Press and one of the best-known media figures in that

city’s history, working in newspapers, radio and television. He currently hosts a daily


talk show on WJR radio (airs Monday through Friday, 5-7 p.m. EST) and appears

regularly on ESPN Sports Reporters and SportsCenter.

In 1995, he married Janine Sabino. That same year he re-encountered Morrie

Schwartz, a former college professor who was dying of ALS, also known as Lou

Gehrig’s disease. His visits with Schwartz would lead to the book Tuesdays with

Morrie, which moved Mitch away from sports and began his career as an

internationally recognized author.

Tuesdays with Morrie is the chronicle of Mitch’s time spent with his beloved

professor. As a labor of love, Mitch wrote the book to help pay Morrie’s medical bills.

It spent four years on the New York Times Bestseller list and is now the most

successful memoir ever published. His first novel, The Five People You Meet in

Heaven, is the most successful US hardcover first adult novel ever. For One More

Day, his most recent, debuted at No.1 on the New York Times Bestseller List and

spent nine months on the list. In October 2006, For One More Day was the first book

chosen by Starbucks in the newly launched Book Break Program, which also helped

fight illiteracy by donating one dollar from every book sold to Jumpstart.

All three of Albom’s best sellers have been turned into successful TV movies.

Oprah Winfrey produced the film version of Tuesdays With Morrie in December

1999, starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. The film garnered four Emmy awards,

including best TV film, director, actor and supporting actor. The critically acclaimed

Five People You Meet in Heaven aired on ABC in winter, 2004. Directed by Lloyd

Kramer, the film was the most watched TV movie of the year, with 19 million

viewers. Most recently, Oprah Winfrey Presents Mitch Albom’s For One More Day


aired on ABC in December 2007 and earned Ellen Burstyn a Screen Actors Guild

nomination.

An award-winning journalist and radio host, Albom wrote the screenplay for

both For One More Day and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and is an

established playwright, having authored numerous pieces for the theater, including the

off-Broadway version of Tuesdays With Morrie (co-written with Jeffrey Hatcher)

which has seen over one hundred productions across the US and Canada.

Mitch is also an accomplished song writer and lyricist. Later in his life, when

music had become a sideline, he would see several of his songs recorded, including

the song “Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song)” which he wrote for rock singer Warren

Zevon. Albom also wrote and performed songs for several TV movies, including

“Cookin’ for Two” for Christmas in Connecticut, the 1992 remake directed by Arnold

Schwarzenegger.

He has founded three charities in the metropolitan Detroit area: The Dream

Fund, established in 1989, allows disadvantaged children to become involved with the

arts. A Time to Help, founded in 1998, brings volunteers together once a month to

tackle various projects in Detroit, including staffing shelters, building homes with

Habitat for Humanity, and operating meals on wheels programs for the elderly. S.A.Y

Detroit, Mitch’s most recent effort, is an umbrella program to fund shelters and care

for the homeless in his city. He also raises money for literacy projects through a

variety of means including his performances with The Rock Bottom Remainders, a

band made up of writers which includes Stephen King, Dave Barry, Scott Turow,


Amy Tan and Ridley Pearson. Mitch serves on the boards of various charities and, in

1999, was named National Hospice Organization's Man of the Year.

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