Amanda’s Traumatic Memory in Christina Schwarz’s Drowning Ruth

Sari, Nia Permata. 09.05.1.1.1.00067. Amanda’s Traumatic Memory in Christina Schwarz’s Drowning Ruth. Thesis. English Study Program, Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences, University of Trunojoyo Madura. Advisors: (I) Suci Suryani, S.S., M.Pd., (II) Rif’ah Inayati, S.S., M.A.
Amanda’s Traumatic Memory in Christina Schwarz’s Drowning Ruth
Memory is as collection of system of human’s brain that has a function as the place for storing and recalling all of the information which is felt and experienced by human being during their life, such as personal experiences, emotions, facts, procedures, skills and also habits. Memory also means that a person who experienced an event or felt something in the past, he is able to recognize and remember those things at the present time as its function to storing and recalling all of the information. Thus, Memory brings some impacts to the personal life whether it is good or bad.
This study is conducted to describe the kind of traumatic memory which is experienced by Amanda Starkey in Christina Schwarz’s Drowning Ruth. It also explains any kind of the things as cause of Amanda to relive her trauma and the emotions which accompanied her traumatic memory. In this study, trauma and memory theory from Lawrence Langer (1991) is applied. Therefore, a qualitative research is applied in this study in order to collect the data by reading and re-reading the novel as the source of data. Then, the data are classified based on the statements of research problem and analyzed by the process of reduction, display and conclusion.
Finally, in Christina Schwarz’s Drowning Ruth, it is found that Amanda Starkey suffers of anguished memory which makes her cannot link her past and her present life. Trigger is found in this novel as a one cause of reliving Amanda’s trauma, such as lake and hallucination. Then, anger is the emotion that accompanying Amanda’s traumatic memory which changes Amanda to be a person who easy to angry.