Sarah. She faces many obstacles in her life but she refuses to give up. 2010.59
The character of Little Bee can reflect the moral messages of the story. This undergraduate thesis has similarity in terms of messages through
the characters and the way the character acts to get a solution. It reflects moral messages based on the characters, the way the characters solve the
problem and find the solution. This thesis describes two of main characters who have different characteristics and different conflicts but related to one
another. The main characters also have same conflicts which they struggle against to solve their problem.
Then, the writer also found the thesis entitled Messages as Seen through
the Way Gracie Responds to Her Conflicts in Dyan Sheldon’s My Worst Best Friend
by Melissa Anggun Hapsari from Sanata Dharma University. In this study Hapsari explains the conflicts which happen to
the main character, Gracie. Gracie is an honest girl but she has a best friend who influences her to tell a lie. Her name is Savanna. Hapsari said
that Savanna often forces Gracie to support her life toward her
environment. Actually Gracie does not like to do it and she feels uncomfortable if she has to talk a l
ie, but she often follows Savanna’s words. p.46
The internal conflict is that Gracie does not want to lie to everyone. But the external conflict, Gracie always tells a lie about everything, for
example she covers Savanna’s attitude by lying to Savanna’s boyfriend. In
the end of the story Gracie finally can talk to Savanna about her feelings.
From this condition, finally Gracie decides to break her friendship with Savanna. They are still friendly but they are not really friends. It means
that finally Gracie does not give up when she struggle her characteristics as an honest girl although at the first time she is often
uncertain with savanna’s characteristics, a liar. 2013:49 This study has similarities with
Hapsari’s thesis in which the main characters also have many problems and struggle against their conflicts
and solve it. The messages make the readers know about moral value. Her study describes the conflict in friendship; meanwhile this thesis not only
describes friendship but also family problems, love story and divorce.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Characters are closely related with characterization. Characters represent something which related with human’s life. According to A
Handbook to Literature by Holman and Harmon, character means a
complicated term that includes the idea of the novel constitution of the human personality, the presence of moral uprightness and the simpler
notion of the presence of creatures in art that seem to be human beings
of sort or another 1986: 81.
Meanwhile, M.J Murphy 1972:161-173 writes 9 ways to make the reader understand about the characters
’ personality in the novel or story. The nine ways are as follows.
a. Personal Description The author can describe a character through hisher appearance, the
face, body, hair, skin color, and also the clothes used. Those can give information about the characters.
b. Character as Seen by Another
The author describes the character from the eyes and opinions of the other characters’ opinion
c. Speech The author can give insight to the characters through what the
characters says. Whenever the character is conversing, he is giving a clue for the readers about the characters.
d. Past Life By letting the readers learn something about a character’s past life, the
author makes the readers be able to shape a person’s character. e. Conversation of others
The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him.
f. Reactions The author
can give us clues about a person’s character by seeing how the character reacts to different situations.
g. Direct comment The author can describe a character by giving direct comment.
h. Thoughts The author gives us direct knowledge of what is the person thinking
about and it reflects his personality. i.
Mannerism The character’s mannerism and habits in his life can describe the
character’s personality.
2. Theory of Messages
As we know that after read a novel, we can get messages from the story. So, messages are important elements in story. Then Sinclair
also said that: Messages is something important in the story, message can evaluate
us for better life. Message is defined as an idea that someone tries to communicate to people. It is also the meaning, thought or idea that is
intended to express Sinclair, 1956: 490.
In the quotation above, messages can make us understand about the
meaning of life and make us a better person who can solve problems wisely.
According to Henry Hudson in his book An Introduction to the Study of Literature
, message is good when made by literary work itself. The good message is not about follow the rule or pattern about norm in society.
But, a good message makes new pattern based on human values 1958:23. A good message gives different perspective and understanding to people
based on human value.
