9 changes in the story. A static character is the same at the end of the story as he or
she was at the beginning. Meanwhile, a dynamic character is one who undergoes an important change in the story. The change of the character may be larger or
smaller or may be better or worse. However, Rohrberger and Woods, Jr 35 classify character into two
kinds. The first is protagonist and the second is antagonist. The protagonist is the central focus of character heroheroine in the story against which is arrayed. A
protagonist is the most important character in the story as it is the one to whom all the events in the story have relevance. Meanwhile, the antagonist is another major
character of the story that opposes the protagonist. He or she is involved in the conflicts with the protagonist.
2.1.2 Characterization 2.1.2.1 Definition of Characterization
Like us, who exist in this world, there are characters who live and act in the novel. Therefore, the character presented in the novel is usually credible. This
is why the writer has to create a good imaginary person so that the readers can feel their existence as in real life. Murphy 161 defines characterization as the way in
which an author attempts to make his characters understandable and alive for his readers.
2.1.2.2 Methods of Characterization
There are some techniques which an author can use to make his characters understandable and lively for readers. Murphy 161-173 highlights methods of
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10 characterization to enable us look how an author describes the characters and the
personalities of the people he or she writes about. These methods are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversations of
others, reaction, direct comment, thought, and mannerisms. The first method is personal description. Using this method the author can
describe a person’s appearance which is related to hair, skin, face, build, and clothes. From this personal description, the character of the person can be
portrayed. The second method is character as seen by another. As well as describing
character directly, the author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of another. Other characters’ opinions about a character help readers
understand to the character deeper. The third method is speech. Using this technique, the author can give
readers an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what the person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he or she is in
conversation with another, whenever he or she puts forward an opinion, he or she is giving us some clues as to his or her character. The character’s speech
implicitly shows his or her personality. The character’s personality can be shown by the way he or she talks.
The fourth method is past life. Using this method the author guides the reader to learn something about the person’s past life. This can give readers a clue
to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by
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11 direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his or her
conversation or through the medium of another person. The fifth method is through the conversation of others. Using this
technique, the author can also give readers clues to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him. People who
have conversations with other people and the things they say often give us a clue to the character of the person spoken about.
The sixth method is reactions. In this way, the author can also give the readers a clue to a person’s character by letting know how that person reacts to
various situations or events. For example when a lady drops her hat. Someone may help her by picking it up and giving the hat to the lady to show his or her
kindness, while others may do nothing. The seventh method is direct comment. In this technique the author can
describe or comment on a person’s character directly. Usually the author gives his or her opinions or comments in the story through the narrator’s view.
The eighth method is thoughts. Using this method, the author can give the readers knowledge of what a person is thinking about. The author can do what he
cannot do in real life; the author can also tell readers what the character is thinking about. The reader is in a privileged position; he or she has a secret
listening device plugged into the deepest thoughts of a person in a novel. The last method is mannerisms. In this way the author can describe the
person’s mannerisms, habits, or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something
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12 about his or her character. The author reveals the habits of the character both
positive and negative which help us know something about the character. Author does not only apply one of those nine methods in describing the
story, but the author varies them to make the reader go into the flow of the story. Therefore, the reader is usually unaware of the method which the author uses to
reveal the characters and personalities, so that the reader will think that the characters are real people.
2.1.3 Critical Approaches
