Major Character Theory of Character

10

a. Major Character

Major character whom we observe most often in the novel, whose appearance are frequent, attain the level of preeminence. They are created because they are given the amplitude and attention to present convincing dramatizations of the human issue of the book. If they fail in this role, the book essentially fails. However if we understand them, we presumably understand the focal experience in the novel. b. Secondary Character The secondary character function is to populate the world of novels. Since fiction presents human contexts, the secondary characters establish that context. Secondary characters may be a friend of the major character in novel, or one who comes on scene frequently to comment on events or interact with the major characters. c. Minor Character The minor characters, being generally less complex or less intense, and drawn in shallow or relief, present what is often only one side of the experience. The novel is sharpened by the actions of subsidiary characters. They function to construct a composite picture of the human condition that is at issue in the novel p.92-99. E.M. Forster in his book, Aspects of The Novel, mentions that there are two kinds of characters. “First is flat characters who are compelled by a set idea in PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 11 their creator. Second is round characters who embody all the variations and complexities of human nature” as cited in Henkle, 1977, p.91. Laar and Schoonderwoerd 1969 explained: A round character is the most perfect way for a novelist to represent his characters in their wholeness and in all their different aspects. A flat character is represented only or mainly in one aspect. A flat characters are constructed round a single idea or quality e.g. goodness, badness, etc. and they can usually be summed up in a few words or a single sentence. In flat characters, some trait of characters is for some reason exaggerated, while the other aspects or traits are hardly paid attention to. They represent people as more simple than in fact they are p.170-171. Henkle 1977 notes, “If a character is not supposed to be complex and lifelike, if he supposed to represent an idea then it is useless to look for psychological subtlety in his portrait” p.21. He further adds, “The principle objective of the creation of characters in novel is to enable us to understand, and to experience, people p.86. In other words, a character has to be able to represent a human life with its social interaction. Thus, the author’s intention and messages will be apprehended for the readers. 2. Methods of Characterization Characterization theory is used to discover further about characters in novel. Laar and Schoonderwoerd 1969 state: Character in a novel should not be static. There must be development. While the plot, the story, goes forward, the characters should go forward too and vice versa. Character may be delineated characterize or drawn either from the inside by analysis of motives etc., or from the outside by description of external elements. Characters may also be drawn by showing them in contact with other characters and by showing how they react to other human being. The way one character behaves to another character – the interplay of characters – may tell us a good deal about them p.171. 12 Rohrberger and Woods 1971 explain that characterization is an author’s creative process in creating a character. This process consists of describing the character’s physical appearance, style, manner, thought, action and other’s opinion about him or her p.231. By understanding this process, the characteristics of a character will be easier to describe. In this study, Murphy’s theory of characterization is used to analyze the characters. According to Murphy 1972, there are nine ways for author to make his or her characters understandable, which are as follows.

a. Personal Description