An abstract of Parker's Marriage Failure

An abstract from the analysis of the story Sam Parker’s marriage Failure through conflicts in Danielle Steel’s Lightning. Written by I.Syamsudin

This study is concerned conflict and marriage failure which are found in the story of Lightning by Danielle Steel. The problems in this study are:
What kinds of conflicts does Sam Parker experience in his marriage?
How do those conflicts lead to his marriage failure?
Why does he fail to maintain his marriage?
How does he can avoid divorce?

The writer applies qualitative approach because by using this approach the writer can produce descriptive information that give a better understanding of the conflicts which lead to marriage failure and the reason of this marriage failure itself. While the steps of data analysis are classifying conflicts, describing how the conflicts lead to marriage failure and explaining why he fails to maintain his marriage. Then little description of how he can avoid divorce.

From the analysis the writer has found: First, conflicts are experienced by Sam Parker in his marriage. He is so trauma with his parent’s tragic death. Sam Parker undergoes several conflicts in his marriage such as: psychological conflict, refusing the fact that his wife affects cancer (he is so afraid and trauma), refusing the doctor’s suggestion and statement, forcing his wife in order to avoid doing a mastectomy, and betraying his wife by doing affair with another woman.
His psychological conflicts lead him depression and confusion. Those conflicts lead to marriage failure. He cannot stand with his wife illness, he refuses brutally when his wife talks about her sickness, and he does not have capability to help his wife’s problem. He is so weak and afraid to face his wife’s sickness problem. Moreover, he does not care his wife anymore. An incapable person like Sam Parker may make excessive destruction to the marriage and to the marriage partner. His failure to maintain his marriage is influenced by several factors. For example: selfishness, different opinion, extra marital affairs, his wife sickness and trauma.