Character Review of Related Theories

10 The creating process of character is called “characterization”. Author can characterize in two ways; direct and dramatic. Direct means the author plainly tells the readers about the characters. It can be through physical appearance, moral quality, intellectuality, and other important information about the characters. In dramatic, author places the characters in a situation to show what they are. Readers can reveal their characters through the way they behave and speak p. 20. However, another element is needed to help people in building a complete description of the character, either psychologically or physically that are known as characterization. Rohrberger and Woods 1971 also define the word “characterization” as “the process by which an author creates character, the devices by which he makes people believe a character is the particular type of p erson he is” p. 20. How the author makes the readers understand his characteristics and personalities is needed to know. For that purpose, the author usually employs some techniques of characterization. Murphy 1972 points out nine ways in which an author attempts to make his characters understandable to and come alive for his readers, as follows pp. 161-173: a. Personal description The author describes a person’s appearance and clothing using some adjectives to tell the readers the details of the character’s appearance such as his face, skin, eyes, and his body. It is important because each character has an individual aspect so that the reader can have a better imagination. 11 b. Character as seen by another The author describes a character’s personality by letting the other characters in the story tell what they see from the characters they encounter. So, the readers will gain some clues through the judgment of the other characters. c. Speech The reader will gain some clues to a per son’s character through the character’s own words. When he gives his opinion in conversation with another, he is reflecting his personality. From his speech we know his attitude toward other characters and life. d. Past life The author can also describe his or her character by letting the readers learn some events or experiences about the character’s past life that has some close connections to his present life. The author gives a clue about the character’s past experiences or moments which have influenced a nd formed the character’s personality. This can be done through some straight comments from the author himself through his conversation with the other characters or through the means of another character. e. Conversation of others The author gives the reade rs hints to a character’s personality from the other character ’s conversation about other character.