23 uses five theories. They are theory of character, method of characterization, theory
of psychology and psychological approach, theory of motivation, theory symbol, and theory of love.
Theory of character, method of characterization, and theory of psychology and psychological approach can be used to analyse the main characters, Paulo and
Chris in order to answer the first research question, which is how they are portrayed in the novel.
In order to answer the second research question, the writer uses theory of motivation, theory of symbol, and theory of love. These theories are used to find
out the meaning of Paulo‘s forty-day journey in the Mojave Desert. Moreover,
theory of symbol is us ed to see things that represent the forms of Paulo‘s angel.
This theory is important to see whether or not the angel appear because the appearance of Paulo‘s angel is critical to the study. These theories can be applied
to help the writer to analyse the true meaning of Paulo‘s forty-day journey in the
Mojave Desert related to Paulo‘s will in achieving his self-actualization through the fullfillment of his safety needs, social needs, and esteem needs.
D. Context of the Novel
The Valkyries is a novel written by Paulo Coelho. This novel consists of
212 pages. The original version Paulo Coelho‘s The Valkyries was written in
Portuguese. The novel was first printed and bound in Brazil by Editora Rocca Ltd. The novel was translated into English by Alan R. Clarke and published in 1995 in
24 the United States of America by Harper Collins Publisher Inc. The story is
narrated from the third person point of view. Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian novelist who likes to use his personal
experience as the inspiration in writing a literary works. The Valkyries, is one of Paulo Coelho‘s novels which was written based on his personal experience
such as, his marriage and his social life, which can be seen from the Au thor‘s
Note in Paulo Coelho‘s The Valkyries 1995,
―In order to relate the events that took place, I had to reveal details from my personal life-my marriage, my relationships with others, and the fragile distance
that separates the magical Tradition to which I belong from the person I am. As is true for any human being, exposing my weaknesses and my private life is not
easy
‖. p. 211
The events narrated in the novel occurred on September 5 and October 17,
1988. Besides The Valkyries, Paulo Coelho also wrote some other famous novels such as The Alchemist, The Pilgrimage, Eleven Minutes, Veronika Decides to
Die , By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, The Fifth Mountain, and
Warrior of the Light: A Manual . As stated by the jury of Bambi Award 2001 which
took place in Germany, the jury gave the Germany‘s most prestigious prize to Paulo Coelho. They also announced that Coelho is not only one of the most widely
read, but also one of the most influential authors writing today www.paulocoelho.com.
Paulo Coe lho‘s The Valkyries, tells a story about his spiritual journey
accompanied by his wife named Chris. The story began with the meeting between J. and Paulo. J. is Paulo‘s master. J. gave Paulo a task. He told Paulo to go to Los
25 Angeles, to meet Gene. Gene was meant to teach Paulo of how to converse with
his angels. But then, Gene told Paulo to search for the Valkyries. The Valkyries were a group of women who rode on motorcycles, wandering around the Mojave
Desert. Gene said that Paulo needed to meet the Valkyries in order to learn how to converse with his angels. Valhalla is the leader of the Valkyries. Paulo finally met
the Valkyries and Valhalla gave Paulo and even his wife some tests before they were finally able to converse with their angels.
26
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents the methods of the study to solve the problems formulated in chapter I. This study is intended to answer: How Paulo and Chris
are portrayed in the novel? And what is the true meaning of Paulo‘s journey as
seen in the novel as seen in Paulo Coelho ‘s The Valkyries?
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is The Valkyries, one of the most popular novels of Paulo Coelho. It was published in 1996 by Harper Collins Publisher and later
became the bestseller. The novel was first printed and bound in Brazil by Editora Rocca Ltd. The novel consists of 212 pages. The story is narrated through the
third person point of view. The events narrated in the novel occurred on September 5 and October 17, 1988.
B. Approach of the Study
This study uses a psychological approach. The psychological approach is used to answer the formulated question. This approach can help the writer to
understand the two main characters‘ personalities better and the meaning of their
forty-day journey in the Mojave Desert. The psychological approach is also useful for the writer to find the extrinsic aspects of the novel or the deeper meaning.
