Conflict Plot Fiction Structural Aspects

CHAPTER II THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Fiction Structural Aspects

Literature is concerned with all aspects of human life and the universe in their entirety, surely every work of literatures is about something, and the more of a person reads, the better stocked will his mind be with knowledge. There are some opinions about the aspects of novel. Wellek 1977:216 in his book theory of literature stated that novel differenciate in three main aspects such as: plot, characterization, and setting. While Forster1974:31 divided the structural aspects in the novel in to seven part. They are: sequences, society, imagination, prediction, form, and rhythm. While Taylor 1981:48-49 divided the aspects in conceptual aspects, action, character, and setting. There are many other opinions and concepts in dividing the aspects of novel. But there are four important things that used in compiling a novel, they are: conflict, plot, character, and setting.

2.1.1 Conflict

Conflict is actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests. A conflict can be internal within oneself to individuals. Conflict as a concept can help explain many aspects of social life such as social disagreement, conflicts of interests, and fights between individuals, groups, or organizations. In political terms, conflict can refer to wars, revolutions or other struggles, which may involve the use of force as in the term armed conflict. Without proper social arrangement or resolution, conflicts in social settings can result in stress or tensions among stakeholders. When an interpersonal conflict does occur, its effect is often broader than two individuals involved, and can affect many associate individuals and relationships, in more or less adverse, and sometimes even humorous way. Forster 197:33 said that a novel must be able to Universitas Sumatera Utara present a conflict. Novel must be able to tell the readers about what has happened and what will happen then. Unless that’s not a novel. Forster also stated that a novel must have a certain time in telling a conflict like minutes, hour, or year Forster, 1974:35. Then, how are the readers can find a conflict in a novel? The answer is if the readers want to know what will happen then. If the readers don’t want to know what will happen then so it’s failed to build a conflict. If a conflict was failed to built up, so it was failed to be a novel. In this novel the readers want to know after Dan Haley bought Tom, what will happen to Tom? Does He will escape, or He will make a fight with Haley? Or will He meet his family anymore?

2.1.2 Plot

In literature, a plot is all the events in a story particularly rendered towards the achievement of some particular artistic or emotional effect. In other words, its what mostly happened in the story or novel or what the storys general theme is based on, such as the mood, characters, setting, and conflicts occurring in a story. Plot is a form of a story that raise a conflict. This opinion can be insufficient because we can’t differenciate plot and conflict. Forster 1974:93 has a better opinion about plot. He said that plot is a narrative situation that serve a special attention to the main character. A way to differenciate plot and story is about question “why”. For example in the novel of Native Son, the story is “Mrs. Dalton enter the room and then Bigger Thomas killed Mary Dalton”, but the plot is “Mrs. Dalton enter the room and then Bigger Thomas killed Mary Dalton because He afraid to Her.” In the story when Bigger Thomas killed Mary Dalton, readers will ask “then?” but in a plot the question become “why he did it?” Universitas Sumatera Utara Actually plot divided in some elements. “Stories that are written in a pyramid pattern divide the plot into three essential parts. The first part is the rising action, in which complication creates some sort of conflict for the protagonist. The second part is the climax, the moment of greatest emotional tension in narrative, usually making a turning point in the plot at which the rising action reverses to become the falling action. The third part, the falling action resolution is characterized by diminishing tensions and the resolution of the plot’s conflicts and complications”. http:web.cocc.edu Taylor 1981:52 stated that “a well-made plot always contained an introduction, a development section of rising action, a crisis or catasthrope, a resolution or falling action, and a climax or unraveling of the original conflict that had set the plot in motion.” As an example, I will take a well-known story , Cinderella. Firstly, readers recognized to the characters in the story, Cinderella, the Fairy, the rat, bad stepmother, three bad stepsisters, and kind prince. Readers also recognized to the setting of the story, such as: palace, the physically and mentally passion that accepted by Cinderella from her step mother and sisters. The story development when there was an announcement from kingdom that the prince was looking for a wife and that’s why a dance party will held and all the ladies were invited. Crisis started when Cinderella, ith the help of fairy can attended the party dance with the prince, but not for a long time because exactly at twelve o’clock the magic of the fairy will be finished. But, when Cinderella ran away, one of her shoes was left. By the shoe resolution, the prince went along the country and looked for ladies who had the shoes. Finally the prince found the owner of the shoe, Cinderella and then merry her. The Climax is same with another fairytale, they live very happy. Universitas Sumatera Utara The Plot of Uncle Tom’s Cabin Novel The first plot in this novel is a hassle of a slave to face his life. His closely related with God make him to be a tough person to experience all the bad things happen to him by his employer. Part one introduction is the happy life of Uncle Tomin the house that built beside his employer house. Together with his wife and three of his children, Uncle Tom spend the dinner in that little house. In the beginning of this story the readers provided a sorrow for this family that Mr. Shelby actually had sold Uncle Tom to Dan Haley, a slave trader. This is the beginning of uncle Tom’s journey when he will leave all his lovely people. The development plot when Dan Haley will bring Tom to the slave market. There Tom will be auctioned. Fortunately, before arrive at the market, tom had been sold out to a rich men from New Orleans. Here, Tom meet a new friend, a little girl, Eva, who has an angel heart and always tell Tom the stories in the Bible. Tom find his spirit again to run his life. Tom trusted to manage the financial of St. Clare. But, Crisis started hen the happiness changes to be sadness when Eva, his little friend, getting ill and passed away. Then followed by his father not so long time after that. Tom’s life is getting bad, before after Augustine St. Clare, his employer had promised a freedom letter to Tom. But because he had passed away , the promise is canceled. Marie St. Clare, the wife of Augustine sold Tom to the owner of cotton plantation, Simon Legree. Uncle Tom realized that this is the end of his life. Simon Legree is the bad employer in his life. He tried to keep tough and attempted to get rid of the two slaves from the plantation, Casey and Emeline. His obstinancy and his desirability his slavery friend is a resolution for Tom because he realize that he will never come back to his wife and children. Universitas Sumatera Utara Climax from this plot is when Tom was in pain after being whipped because he didn’t want to tell where the two slaves. George Shelby, the first son of his employer, Arthur Shelby, come to buy Tom again. But it’s too late because Tom had passed away.

2.1.3 Character and Characterization