Yozo has a different way of thinking from the other human beings. There are some descriptions about Yozo’s physical traits in this novel. The narrator says in
the prologue that he never sees this kind of smile. “No human being can smile with his fist doubled like that. It is a monkey”
14.The narrator gives this comment after he sees the first picture, a picture of a little boy. After seeing the second picture, a picture of a student, still he feels
confused. Although, this boy looks more handsome than the little child but again he sees an indescribable smile. But here again the face fails inexplicably to give
the impression of belonging to a living human being. 15 And yet somehow it is not the smile of a human being: it utterly lacks substance, all of what we might
call the “heaviness of blood” or perhaps the “solidity of human life”—it has not even a bird’s weight. 15
Here are the characteristics of Yozo analyzed by using Murphy’s method of characterization such as personal description, character as seen by another,
speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerism 161-173.
4.1.2.1 Yozo is an Introvert Person
Yozo never talks the truth to someone else. He just keeps his feelings in his heart. It is hard for Yozo to open himself to someone else. Every time he
meets new people, he never tries to know deeper about the people. Yozo chooses to be silent when people say something to him even to his
own family. So, it is difficult to find out what actually Yozo wants in his life. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Moreover, Yozo has a different way of thinking from most common people, so it is difficult to guess Yozo’s thoughts. As the conclusion, through his reaction and
manner, it can be assumed that Yozo is an introvert person.
4.1.2.2 Yozo Likes Pretending
He likes to be the clown of the family. Being a clown is his way to pretend. He just wants to make people around him happy. He does not want
people know his true feelings. “Before anyone realized it, I had become an accomplished clown, a child who never spoke a single truthful word.” 27 “This
was how I happened to invent my clowning”. 26 He likes to make people laugh. It is alright for him to act like a clown as
long as he can make people around him happy. He is always successful in acting as a clown. This is one of his ways to decrease the dreads about human being. So,
Yozo will always become a clown if it is the only way to show that he exists. He can make people around him laugh, even in his classroom. I could always
convulse the classroom with laughter, and even as the teacher protested what a good class it would be if only I were not in it, he would be laughing behind his
hand. At a word from me even the military drill instructor, whose more usual idiom was a barbarous, thunderous roar, would burst into helpless laughter. 43
In this novel, we could see that Yozo has many ways to entertain people. He has always a story to create a fun situation. He can do many actions in order to
make people laugh. In the summer I made everybody laugh by sauntering through the house
wearing a red woollen sweater. Even my elder brother, who was rarely PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
given to mirth, burst out laughing and commented in intolerably affectionate tones, “That doesn’t look good on you, Yozo.” But for all my
foolies I was not so insensitive to heat and cold as to walk around in a woollen sweater at the height of summer. 29
I made everyone roar with laughter by cavorting in a wild Indian dance to his hit and miss tune. 32
He never runs of idea to be a clown. He can do it naturally. He can make jokes by using any materials he has around him. He usually uses stories in making
jokes. “I was never short of material for the absurd stories I solemnly related to make the members of my family laugh”. 33
So, Yozo will always be a clown if it is the only way to show that he exists. It is alright for him if everybody laughs at him. ”I thought, “As long as I
can make them laugh, it doesn’t matter how, I’ll be all right. If I succeed in that, the human beings probably won’t mind it too much if I remain outside their
lives”. 28 By the statements above, Yozo’s character as a man who likes pretending is presented in the story in various methods, such as: mannerism,
reaction and speech. “My true nature, however, was one diametrically opposed to the role of a
mischievous imp.” 35 Yozo likes making jokes. He likes having fun by playing tricks but he will not disturb or harm someone else. Sometimes he makes fad
jokes or just for fun. People around him will not take it seriously. They will just laugh and consider that those things or Yozo’s jokes are okay.
So, Yozo is different from others who like making jokes but sometimes harm the others. Yozo likes amusing people using his own way. Based on his
reaction and manner, it can be concluded that Yozo is a nice boy in his own way. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4.1.2.3 Yozo is Sensitive
