Character Characterization Review of Related Theories

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CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW

In this chapter, the writer presents some theories that are considered to be related with the study that herein presented. The theories are divided into three parts. Firstly, the theories of characters are presented to get a better understanding of the kinds of fictional characters. The second is the theories of characterization to get the knowledge of how the characters are described in the story. The last is the theories of human motivation which become the topic of this study that herein presented.

A. Review of Related Theories

This part presents the theoretical review which contains the theory of character-characterization and theory of human motivation. These theories aim to see how the character is described and reveal the motivation of the character. These theories are taken from library sources and websites on the internet.

1. Character

A novel contains many elements. One of them is the characters. There are many characters in the novel that are presented by the author by describing their physical or psychological appearances. The characters are described through their behaviors, their dialogues, and thoughts. Abrams 1981: 20 defines that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are 8 interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and disposition quality that are expressed in what they say through dialogue, and by what they do through action. Milligan 1983 states that the characters are divided into two types. They are major and minor characters. Major character is the most important character in the literary work because he or she plays the important role. He or she plays from the beginning until the end of the story. He or she also becomes the centre of the story. Minor characters are characters that play a less important role in the story. They just appear in certain settings and support the major character to develop the story. Usually there at least one major character in the story and the rest is minor characters. According to Forster, the characters are real in the story if the author knows everything about them. He can tell the facts or the hidden story. Forster also uses the term “flat” and “round” in the novel. He says that a flat character is easy to understand because it shows little developments in the story and of course it is easy to remember. In contrast, a round character shows developments in the story that will surprise the readers as cited in Mckonkey, 1957.

2. Characterization

Abrams 1981:33 classifies characterization as the process for distinguishing the persons in a narrative. This process may use two techniques, namely showing and telling. In showing the dramatic method, the author simply presents his characters talking and acting. He leaves the reader to infer what 9 motives and dispositions lay behind what they say and do. In telling, the author interferes authoritatively in order to describe and to evaluate the motives and dispositional qualities of his characters. Character will be meaningless without characterization. Characterization, according to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. 1971: 20, is the process of how the author makes a character to exist. Characterization can be described by using two ways, namely direct and dramatic principles. Direct principle is to draw physical appearances of the character, such as height, weight, color of slim or eyes, hair, and others. Dramatic principle is to put the character in certain situations so that the readers can understand hisher role in the story, through his way of behaving or speaking. Murphy 1972 describes nine ways in an author‟s attempt to make his characters understandable, and come alive for his reader. First is personal description. It means that the author tries to describe the character through his physical appearances. The author can describe a person‟s appearance and clothes such as his skin color, his hair or his face. Murphy, 1972 Second is character as seen by another. In this way, the author tries to describe the character through the eyes and opinions of others. Their comments and opinions about the character can help the reader to understand the character. Murphy, 1972 Third is speech. The author can give the reader insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what the character says. Whenever the 10 person is speaking, he is giving the reader some clue to his character. Murphy, 1972 The fourth way is past life. The author can give the reader a clue about what has helped to shape a person‟s character by learning about a person‟s past life. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person‟s thought, through the conversation and through the medium of another person. Murphy, 1972 The fifth is conversation of others. It can give clues to a person‟s character by seeing the conversation and the things the others says about him. All conversations between other characters that show their opinion about one person can be used. Murphy, 1972 Sixth is reaction. The readers will know a person‟s character by seeing how the character reacts to various situations or events. The spontaneous reaction of character often shows what type of person heshe is. Murphy, 1972 Seventh is direct comment. The author can describe or comment on a character directly. Since the direct comment is from the author, the comments are valid and reliable. Murphy, 1972 Eighth is thought. The author give the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in the real life. He can tell the reader what others people are thinking. In the novel, we accept this. The reader then is in a privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged into the inmost thought of a person in a novel. Murphy, 1972 11 The last is m annerism. The author may describe a person‟s mannerism or habits that may also tell the reader something about his character. Murphy, 1972 These are nine ways of the author‟s attempt to describe the character. I will use several ways to describe the characteristics of Shigeru in Lian Hearn‟s Across the Nightingale Floor. I choose several ways because some of the ways can be ignored.

3. The Relationship between Psychology and Literature