23 The third stage proposed by Alder and Peter 1975 is reintegration. It is an
increased ability to function in the new culture. The emotions associated with this stage are typically anger and represent toward the new culture as having caused
difficulties and being less adequate than the old familiar ways. The fourth stage proposed by Alder and Peter 1975 is the continuing of reintegration. It increases
ability to see the bad or good elements in both old and new culture. The last is reciprocal interdependent. It happens when the person has ideally achieved
biculturalism, has become fluent in both old and new culture.
B. Theoretical Framework
In the previous section, the researcher includes four categories of related theories to help analyze the novel and answer the research problems of this study.
Those categories include the theory of character and characterization, the critical approach, the theory of psychology, and the theory of culture. The theory of
character and characterization includes the theory of character and characterization and as well as the method of characterization. The critical approach includes some
approaches that are used to underlay this study. The theory of psychology includes the theory of conflict. In the last category, the theory of culture is stated. Hence, in
this theoretical framework, the researcher explains the contribution of those four categories of theoretical scope to this study.
Since one of the aims of this study is to find the major character’s
characteristics, the researcher uses the methods of characterization by Murphy 1972 and Card 1988. The methods of characterization that are proposed by
24 Murphy are personal description, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction,
direct comment, thought, and mannerism. The other methods of characterization come from Card include motive, the past, reputation, stereotype, network, habits
and patterns, talents and abilities, tastes and preferences, and body. The researcher includes the methods because those are appropriate to analyze the major character
’ characteristics as seen and described in the novel. Those kinds of methods can be
used to indicate the responses from the main character in dealing with culture shock experiences. It can show how Kai Ting
’s characteristics are seen and described in the novel.
Besides, the critical approach is included as a reference since in analyzing the novel, the study employs psychological and sociocultural-historical approaches,
which is the part of the five approaches by Rohrberger and Wood. Both approaches are in this study to avoid the subjectivity. The theory of psychology includes theory
of conflict which consists of the types of conflict and the conflict resolution. Those theories aims to help reveal the conflicts that the major character experiences in
dealing with culture shock. Besides, the theory of culture is used to widen the understanding about two different cultures; America and China. Since this study
aims to find the influences of culture to conflict, the socio-cultural historical approach is applied. Therefore, it leads to the discussion of culture shock conflict
experiences based on those related theories and specifically using psychological and sociocultural-historical approaches.
