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4 Having peaceful life in Indonesia


In Indonesia, Elizabeth Gilbert finds heavenly and worldly happiness, and her love in
Bali. It is her aim of life. All of her journey makes Elizabeth becomes a wise women. In Bali, she
finds many friends included Wayan. Elizabeth helps her to have a house, so Elizabeth makes up a
purse for Wayan. It is as a symbol that Elizabeth has a mature soul. Also, Elizabeth meets Felipe
who becomes her true love. Furthermore, Freedom and responsibility, spirituality, and meaning
of life will be founded by Logotherapy concept.
4.4.1 Freedom and responsibility concept
Elizabeth Gilberts freedom in this phase is choosing Felipe as her beloved. Felipe is fifty
two years old. He is twenty years older than Elizabeth. Felipe is Brazilian, gentleman, and kind
man. He has been through a hard divorce. He has been living in Bali about five years and works
with Balinese silversmiths to make jewelry. He is also a single parent, raising his children and
tending the children since they were little. Elizabeth has dinner almost every night with Felipe.
Elizabeth is interest in Felipe because of it. Elizabeth says, I guess I have a crush on him. After a
few dinners, Im fairly certain I have a crush on him. Hes more than he appears (Gilbert, 2010:
306). Elizabeth uses her freedom in life, so she decides to get interested in Felipe. Although,
there are some men who are interested in Elizabeth but she thinks that Felipe has different
character than others.
Moreover, Elizabeth has responsibility that relates to her choice as her freedom. In this
situation, Felipe describes about the consequences for Elizabeth who chooses Felipe as her man.
Felipe says, You knowI obviously need to keep living in Bali because my
business is here, and because its so close to Australia, where my kids live. I also need to
be in Brazil often, because thats where the gemstones are and because I have family
there. And you obviously need to be in the United States, because thats where your work
is, and thats where your family and friends are. So I was thinking . . . maybe we could try
to build a life together thats somehow divided between America, Australia, Brazil and
Bali. (Gilbert, 2010: 369)
It is the consequence as the responsibility towards Elizabeths freedom. In that conversation,
Elizabeth just laughs and asks Why not? as the response to Felipe. (Gilbert, 2010: 370).
Elizabeths response towards Felipe means that Elizabeth agrees about all of the consequences of
loving and living with Felipe. Elizabeth is able to run her life with Felipe by long distance
relationship and also she perceptively accepts Felipe as her husband who has kids.
4.4.2 Spirituality
In this phase, Elizabeth shows her spirituality when she learns meditation with Ketut
Liyer. Ketut Liyer is one of medical practitioners in Bali. He teaches Elizabeth a simple

meditation by sitting and smiling every morning. Ketut tells that smiling with face and mind
triggers positive energy and clean away negative energy. Every morning, Elizabeth always does
meditation while the sun comes up over the rice fields (Gilbert, 2010: 257). Another spirituality
concept in this phase is represented by Elizabeth in the following conversation,
I [Elizabeth Gilbert]ve been praying a lot lately, comfortably and frequently.
Most of the time, I find that I want to pray when Im on my bicycle, riding home from
Ketuts house through the monkey forest and the rice terraces in the dusky late
afternoons. I pray, of course, not to be hit by another bus, or jumped by a monkey or bit
by a dog, but thats just superfluous; most of my prayers are expressions of sheer
gratitude for the fullness of my contentment. I have never felt less burdened by myself or
by the world. (Gilbert, 2010: 289)
As Elizabeth expects before that she wants to find out a balance between heavenly and worldly
happiness, finally it comes true by her meditation and pray. After Elizabeth does meditation
every morning and always prays everywhere, she feels there is no burden between herself and
the world. It means that spiritual dimension covers Elizabeths soul, so the benevolence,
supremacy, and nobleness of human appear in her life that makes her life peaceful.
4.4.3 Meaning of life
In Indonesia, Elizabeth Gilbert gets meaning of life from two sources. There are
experiential value and attitudinal value. Experiential value in this phase is shown by Elizabeths
benevolence to her friends, and attitudinal value including self-detachment, self-transcendence,
and self-actualization represents Elizabeths thought maturity. However, creative value does not
show during her life in Indonesia.
4.4.3.1 Experiential value
In this phase, Elizabeth shows her experiential value by having some friends in Bali. One
of them is Mario. Mario is one of the guys who work at hotel. They meet when Elizabeth checks
in. At one morning, Mario helps her buy a bicycle. He takes Elizabeth to his cousins shop,
where she gets a nice mountain bike, a helmet, a lock and a basket. Mario also helps her move to
a new house and all his friends at the hotel give her a tearful farewell (Gilbert, 2010: 242-243).
The closeness between Elizabeth and Mario is implied when Mario helps Elizabeth to buy a
bicycle and to move to a new house. They do not know for a long time, but they trust and help
each other. It represents that Elizabeth has a good social interaction although in a new place.
Another man who becomes Elizabeths good friend is Yudhi. Elizabeth knows him
because he rents a house where Elizabeth stays. He works for the Englishwoman who owns the
place. At one day, they have trip around Bali Island by a car. Yudhi stayed in America and what
he most missed about America is driving around the country by a car with some friends. Thus, he
does it in Bali with Elizabeth to memorize America (Gilbert, 2010: 323). By tripping around Bali

Island, it shows there is no clumsy between Elizabeth and Yudhi. She feels comfort with Yudhi.
Therefore, Yudhi invites Elizabeth to enjoy the trip around Bali Island like Yudhi has done in
America.
Moreover, Elizabeth meets Armenia in Bali. Armenia is a Brazilian woman who always
tries to look nice and feminine in every condition. Someday, Armenia asks to Elizabeth to join in
a party. Elizabeth decides to go to party, but she does not have a proper dress and cosmetics, so
Armenia allows her to use her property (Gilbert, 2010: 296). Experiential value is shown by
Elizabeth in that case it shows Elizabeths suppleness in social interact. Elizabeth is easy going
with others although she has different culture. Elizabeth easily gets along with Armenia who has
different culture and habit. Armenia always tries to look nice and feminine contrary to
Elizabeths. However, Armenia does not be shy to invite Elizabeth in a party.
In the party, Elizabeth finds new friends such as the witty Australian former journalist,
the quiet intellectual German who has promises to lend Elizabeth novels from his personal
library, the handsome older Brazilian man who cooks the giant feast in the party, and a welsh
man who is called Ian (Gilbert, 2010: 297-298). In this case, Elizabeth shows that she easily get
friends despite from different culture. It can enrich her knowledge about many characters of
people from different culture. Then, it also represents that Elizabeth has good social
communication.
After the party, there is Felipe who accompanies Elizabeth back to house. It becomes the
beginning of their love. Furthermore, Felipe often invites Elizabeth to dinner. Someday, Felipe
brings Elizabeth to his house. They have sexual intercourse in Felipes house. It happens after
Felipe makes a dinner for Elizabeth. Suddenly, Felipe sinks his face toward Elizabeths armpit
and pronounces how much he loves the marvelous dirty stink of Elizabeth. They sink in their
lust. So, Elizabeth agrees with Felipes invitation to come to his bed and makes love each other
(Gilbert, 2010: 321). Frankl describes that normal sex is a mode of expression for love. It is a
vehicle of love. Thus, sex is a way to express the ultimate of togetherness (Frankl, 1992: 116). In
this manner, Elizabeth and Felipe express their love by doing sexual intercourse. It also shows
Elizabeths commitment to accept Felipe as her ideal companion.
On the other hand, Elizabeth has a friendship with Wayan Nuriyasih. She is a Balinese
healer. Wayan has a little storefront shop in the center of Ubud called Traditional Balinese
Healing Center. She has a little daughter, her name is Tutti. Elizabeth often visits Tutti and
Wayan. Someday, Wayan and Tutti makes a surprise to celebrate Elizabeths anniversary. Wayan
and Tutti decorates their house with balloons and palm fronds and also invite two Balinese
traditional dancers to amuse Elizabeth (Gilbert, 2010: 340). A surprise from Wayan and Tutti
represents their affection to Elizabeth. They regard Elizabeth as a part of their family. Elizabeth
feels happy because of the surprise. It also ensures Elizabeth that Wayan and Tutti always
supports her in every condition.

4.4.3.2 Attitudinal value


In this phase, Elizabeth shows her attitudinal value by doing self-detachment, selftranscendence, and self-actualization. It naturally appears in Elizabeths life in Bali. Elizabeth
shows self-detachment when she remembers about her love stories in the past. Selftranscendence appears when she imagines her life with Ian. Then, self-actualization shows when
Elizabeth always spends her time in morning to read the book as her hobby.
Firstly, self-detachment is Elizabeths memories about her past. In Bali, it appears when
she remembers about her love stories. It shows in the following conversation,
I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen
in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in
everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest
potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential
of a man, rather than with the man himself, and then I married young and quick, from a
place of love and hope, but without a lot of discussion over what the realities of marriage
would mean (Gilbert, 2010: 318).
In this situation, Elizabeth describes about herself who very quickly makes decision about men
without measuring the risks. It becomes Elizabeths consideration and introspection to run her
life. There are many men who are interested in her during her life in Bali, but she does not be
hasty to make decision about it.
Secondly, the self-transcendence is about Elizabeths imagination about her future. It
appears when Elizabeth imagines her future with Ian. Ian is one of men who are interested in
Elizabeth during her life in Bali. Elizabeth says, I start blowing the whole evening up into
something much huger than it was, imagining myself getting involved with this Welsh guy who
hadnt even given me an e-mail address. I can see all the way into our future already, including
the arguments over his smoking habit. I wonder if giving myself to a man again will ruin my
journey/writing/life, etc (Gilbert, 2010: 300). In this case, Elizabeths self-transcendence
becomes her capability to make better future which is expected. Because of self-transcendence,
Elizabeth does not respond Ian. She can imagine her life with Ian in the future. Therefore, she is
more interested with Felipe, so she chooses Felipe as her sweetheart.
Thirdly, the self-actualization is about Elizabeths hobby. It shows when she finds a
library in Bali. She gets a library card and often borrows some book. Then, she always spends
her time by reading some books in the garden. It becomes luscious portion of life during her life
in Bali (Gilbert, 2010: 260). By reading some books, Elizabeth finds happiness in life. She feels
fresher when she reads some books during her busy times in Bali which exhausts her mind.
Hobby is one of the aspects which makes Elizabeths life more meaningful even in the suffer
condition.

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