Definition of Terms INTRODUCTION

Milligan classifies fictional characters into two kinds based on their roles in a story. The first is major characters. Major characters are characters who appear more often than the other characters in a story. Usually, from the beginning to the end of the story, those characters will become the focus. The content of the story is focused on their experiences. They perform the important role in clarifying the theme of the novel. Therefore, the success of the novel is laid on the performance of the major characters. The second is secondary character or minor character. Secondary or minor characters are characters who appear in certain setting. They necessarily become the background of the major characters and their roles are less important than that of the major characters because the focal experiences are on the major characters 1983: 155. According to Rohrberger and Woods, characters have particular personalities and physical attributes that distinguish them from other character. The process by which an author creates the character is called characterization 1971: 20. Characterization refers to “the representation of persons in narrative or dramative works”. Further, M.J Murphy provides nine ways on how the author presents the characters, as follows:

a. Personal description

What the author means by personal description is that the author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes in the story 1972: 161.

b. Character as seen by another

Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another 1972: 162.

c. Speech

The author gives an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what the person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving the reader some clues to his character 1972: 164.

d. Past life

A person’s past life can give the reader a clue to events that have helped to shapea person’s character. This can be done by a direct comment by author , through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person 1972: 166.

e. Conversations of others

The author can also give the reader a clue to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say often give us a clue to the character of the person spoken about 1972: 167.

f. Reactions

The author can give the reader a clue to a person’s character by letting the reader know how the person reacts to various situations and events 1972: 168.