an outcast. As a result, Jonathan must go out and leave his flocks and live alone in his life. It is not easy for him, because leaving his flocks means he has to live apart
with his parents. It becomes another conflict for him. Jonathan life experience represents human life. When a person has hisher
willingness to be different and heshe tries something new that totally contradicts with the society heshe lives, then the society will outcast the person since heshe is
different. People always judge other people and then drive himher away when this person has different thought, idea, or opinion. The author portrayed human’s
lifeproblem and the real condition of a society through Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
This novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, is a fable. The novel tells about life experience of Jonathan, a seagull that gets a punishment from his leader of the
flocks because he breaks the rule among seagulls. Jonathan is trying to learn perfection of flying because he gets bored with the routine activity as a seagull. He
wants something new and believes that there is still another way to live besides finding some food with the simplest way of flying. He thinks that he can fly like an
eagle, flying so high, fast, and being perfect. This novel is interesting to analyze since the author, Richard Bach, describes human life through the experience life of
a seagull. From the main character, Jonathan, people can learn how conflicts can
appear and how to face the conflicts then resolve them. That is what the study is about.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study that is discussed, there are three research questions as the problem formulation. The questions are:
1. How is Jonathan characterized in the novel?
2. What are the personal conflicts faced by Jonathan?
3. How does Jonathan’s character influence him in resolving his personal
conflicts?
C. Objectives of the Study
There are three aims that can be achieved from this study. First, this study attempts to describe the character of Jonathan in the novel Jonathan Livingston
Seagull. Second, this study attempts to find out the personal conflicts faced by Jonathan. Third, this study attempts to analyze the influence of Jonathan’s character
in resolving his personal conflicts.
D. Benefits of the Study
There some benefits of this study. In this study, the writer as a researcher expects to get a better understanding about Jonathan’s characters and his personal
conflicts. The writer also expects the readers of this thesis, especially for those who are interested in Jonathan Livingston Seagull and willing to have a study of
Jonathan; it will help them to study the literary work itself. This thesis also gives them some additional information in understanding the novel and helps them in
analyzing the characters of Jonathan in Jonathan Livingston Seagull. They also can learn how to solve the problems. In general, this study can give beneficial
information of personal conflicts and how to solve the conflicts. Other benefits of this study are for PBI students. By reading this thesis, the
students of PBI will gain a lot of information to understand the story of the novel. The novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, can be as one of references to improve
their English skill.
E. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation, the researcher defines some important terms that are used in the study.
Influence Drever proposes that the word ‘influence’ means any past or present
condition, experienced as or actually playing a part in determining one’behaviour, or course of thought in the present 134. While in this study, influence means the
power of somebody’s character to affect his or her way of thinking in resolving his or her personal conflict.
Character Abrams states that ‘characters’ are the person presented in a dramatic or
narrative work, which are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say – dialogue
– and what they do – in action 23. Another opinion related to character also given by Stanton in An Introduction to a Literature. In this book, Stanton states that
“character” is commonly used in two ways; it designates the individuals who appear in the story and it refers to the mixture of interest, desires, emotions, and moral
principle that make up each of the individuals 17. In this study “character” means not only a person who can act as the main character in a dramatic story or novel but
also the characteristics of the character itself. 3.
Resolve McKean says that resolve is a settle or find a solution to a problem, dispute,
or contentious matter; decide firmly on a course of action 1441. In this study, the word resolve is the way of someone solves hisher problems.
4. Resolution
Drever says that resolution is a decision regarding a line of product to be pursued; a firm adherence to a decision that has been taken; a character trait,
marked by firmness of purpose in persisting in a course of action decided on 244. In this study the word resolution is to solve or settle problems.
5. Conflict
Jones and Gerard as cited in Worchel and Cooper, state that conflict is a state that requires the person when he is motivated to make two or more mutual
incompatible action 460. Hocker and Willmot, also stated their definition about “conflict” as cited in Isenhart and Spangle. Based on their definition, “conflict” is
an expressed struggle between at least two independent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare resources and interference from the other party in
achieving their goal 3. They also divide a conflict into two types. First, interpersonal conflict and second is intrapersonal conflict.
Interpersonal conflict is a conflict which happens between two or more people when they are involved in achieving the incompatible goal. While
intrapersonal conflict is a conflict within an individual when he or she makes a decision between two or more alternatives while other people do not behave as what
the individual expects them to do .
In this study, the conflict which is discussed by the writer is both intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict.
8
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
