character who only present once or several times in a story and in a short portion narration.
2. Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is a character in a story that we adore – popularly called hero - a character that represent norm personification, an ideal values for us.
However, antagonist is a character who causes conflict. Antagonist, directly or indirectly, physical or spiritual opposes with the protagonist.
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B. Characterization
Characterization is a representation of a character or characters on a stage or in writing, especially by imitating or describing actions, gestures, or
speeches.
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Characterization can involve developing variety aspects of a character such as age, educational level, social status, belief, ambitions, motivations, etc.
These are the types of characterization: 1.
Flat and Round Character in plays like character in novels and short stories, may be
round or flat. Major characters are likely to be round, while minor characters are apt to be flat.
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Major characters are mostly appear in the whole story and described more detail by the author. That is why the author tells all the aspect
of life on the major characters. As the definition by Kennedy round character
15
Ibid., p. 176-9
16
www.answers.comtopiccharacterization retrieved on Oct 9
th
, 2006
17
Laurie G. Kirzner and Stephen R. Mandel, Literature, Reading, Reacting, Writing, Texas: Holt, Rinehart University and Winston, Inc, 1991, p. 1146
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presents us with more facets –that is their author portray them in greater depth and in more generous detail.
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Moreover flat character is a character who has single personal quality, a single nature character.
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Because of flat character has single personal quality, flat character is predictable, more familiar and sometimes stereotype.
2. Static or Dynamic
Static character is a character in a story that shows no change at all or shows a little change. Then the dynamic character is a character who change
and significantly affected by events of the narrative.
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Flat characters are usually static character because they do not change and have only one
characteristic which dominant focused on. For example the figure of police or soldier who has single idea or characteristics such as strong, as hero, brave,
etc. And if the characters seen from all the aspects and change throughout the story, described as dynamic.
According to Kenney as quoted by B. Rahmanto and P. Hariyanto, there are three methods to get characteristic.
1. Discursive
Discursive or direct method means that the author represents the characteristic of the character directly to the readers. The narrator literally
tells the readers what the character is like, such as attitudes, emotions and even the physical traits.
18
Kennedy, X. J, Literature, An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama, Fifth Edition, Harper Collins, 1991, p. 48
19
Burhan, op. cit., p. 181
20
Ibid., p. 188
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Taken from Layar Terkembang written by S. T Alisjahbana which is describing the character of Tuti in direct method.
Tuti is not the kind of person who easily to be amazed by something. She knows that she is smart and many things she can
do and get. Everything is measured by her that is why she is rarely praise. She has thought and opinion of herself about everything
and all of her idea according to consideration which are supported by certain belief.
2. Dramatic
Dramatic method means that the author let the characters to show themselves through their own words and their actions, such as from dialogue,
characters feelings, thoughts, actions, attitudes, physical traits, etc. In a short story of ‘Kado Perkawinan’ written by in part 3, for example there are
dialogues between Rabiah and her mother; or in part 11 there are dialogues between Rabiah and her husband when they were opened the gift, show how
the character of Rabiah described by the author in dramatic method. The author explains the character of Rabiah dominantly with showing Rabiah’s
thought and her feelings as in part 5. Part 3
Malamnya ia berkata kepada ibunya, “Mengapa ayah menjadi tukang cukur?
“Mengapa kau bertanya seperti itu anakku?” “Mereka mengejekku. Anak si tukang cukur. Kata mereka.”
“Kau malu anakku?” “Telingaku tebal menahan malu, Ibu. Mengapa ayah memilih
pekerjaan tukang cukur? Apa tidak ada pekerjaan lain yang bisa dikerjakan ayah?”
“Semua pekerjaan itu mulia anakku.” Begitu si Ibu menasehati anaknya.
Part 11 “Kau tidak boleh kecewa, sayang. Semua pekerjaan itu mulia. Aku
adalah tukang cukur di kantorku. Kau jangan kecewa sayang. Kau harus menyadari bahwa semua pekerjaan yang halal itu mulia.”
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“Mengapa kau tidak mengatakannya sejak dulu?” “Aku tidak ingin merusak impianmu. Aku hanya ingin menjaga
impianmu. Dan sekarang kuharap kau sudah terbangun dari mimpimu.”
Part 5 Rabiah tidak pernah mau menyambut kotak tempat alat cukur itu
setiap ayahnya pulang.kotak cukur itu, kalau dia bisa berkata, dia tentu akan berkata seperti ini. “Mengapa kau selalu lari dari
kenyataan Rabiah. Apakah kau tidak sadar bahwa akulah yang memberimu makan sejak bayi sampai kau dewasa. Seharusnya kau
sayang padaku. Tidakkah kau bersyukur bahwa ayahmu masih mampu mempergunakan alat-alat yang kusimpan di dalam diriku ini?
Coba kau bayangkan kalau dia sudah tidak mampu lagi, apa jadinya?” Tentu saja Rabiah tidak mendengar kata-kata itu semua.
Hanya hati nurani anak yang pandai bersyukur yang bisa menangkap kaat-kata itu.
From the quotation above the author describes the character of Rabiah as a woman who ashamed because she was mocked by her friends as a
barber’s daughter. Rabiah was disappointed when she knew that her husband was a barber as like her father’s job. The author also tells that Rabiah was
never accepted the reality of her father’s job as a barber. 3.
Contextual The author represents the characters from the verbal context around
the characters. Clearly, the author represents the characters’ setting or circle around them, such as: hisher room, hisher house, hisher work place, or a
place where the characters’ live. Taken from Siti Nurbaya which is describing the condition of Datuk Maringgih’ residence, Datuk Maringgih is a rich trader
in Padang but he is a miser, unclean and dishonest.
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Di serambi muka hanya ada sebuah lampu gantung macam lama, yang telah berkarat besi-besinya. Apabila tak ada orang datang,
lampu itu tiada dipasang. Dan oleh sebab yang empunya rumah
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B. Rahmanto and P. Hariyanto, Cerita Rekaan dan Drama, Universitas Terbuka, 1999, p. 2.13-4
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rupanya jarang menerima tamu pada malam hari di sana, minyak tanah yang ada dalam lampu itu, terkadang-kadang berpekan-pekan
belum habis. Di bawah lampu ini, ada meja bundar, yang rupanya telah sangat tua, dikelilingi oleh empat kursi goyang dari kayu, yang
warnanya hamper tidak kelihatan lagi, karena catnya telah hilang. Di ruang tengah, hanya ada sebuah lemari pakaian, yang umurnya
kira-kira setengah abad. Sebuah meja marmer kecil, yang batunya telah kuning serta berlubang-lubang terletak dekat dinding, diapit
oleh dua buah kursi kayu yang tempat duduknya dari kulit kambing, sedang di lantai terhampar tikar rotan yang telah tua. Ruang tengah
ini pada malam hari diterangi oleh lampu dinding, yang dipasang dari setengah tujuh sampai pukul sepuluh malam. Rusli, 1979: p. 86
4. Anti-hero
An anti-hero is a character that the reader roots for, despite his flaws and the bad things he’s done or how he justifies these misdeeds. Sometimes
the anti-hero is able to toe the line between good and evil, but often he’s a danger to himself and others. An antihero often reflects society’s confusion
and ambivalence about morality. The differences between hero and anti-hero are as follows:
a. A hero is an idealist. An anti-hero is a realist
. b. A hero has a conventional moral code.
An anti-hero has a moral code that is quirky and individual. c. A hero is somehow extraordinary.
An anti-hero can be ordinary. d. A hero is always proactive and striving.
An anti-hero can be passive. e. A hero is often decisive.
An anti-hero can be indecisive or pushed into action against his will. f. A hero succeeds at his ultimate goals, unless the story is a tragedy.
An anti-hero might fail in a tragedy, but in other stories he might be redeemed by the story’s events, or he might remain largely unchanged,
including being immoral.
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g. A hero is motivated by virtues, morals, a higher calling, pure intentions, and love for a specific person or humanity.
An anti-hero can be motivated by a more primitive, lower nature, including greed or lust, through much of the story, but he can sometimes
be redeemed and answer a higher calling near the end. h. A hero is motivated to overcome flaws and fears, and to reach a higher
level. This higher level might be about self-improvement, a deeper spiritual connection, or trying to save humankind from extinction. His
motivation and usually altruistic nature lends courage and creativity to his cause. Often, a hero makes sacrifices in the story for the better of others.
An anti-hero, while possibly motivated by love or compassion at times, is most often propelled by self-interest.
i. A hero always faces monstrous opposition, which essentially makes him heroic in the first place. As he’s standing up to the bad guys and troubles
the world hurls at him, he will take tremendous risks and sometimes battle an authority. His stance is always based on principles.
An anti-hero also battles authority and sometimes goes up against tremendous odds, but not always because of principles. His motives can be
selfish, criminal, or rebellious.
j. A hero can be complex, but he is generally unambivalent. An anti-hero is a complicated character who reflects the ambivalence of
many real people.
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An anti-hero’s actions and ways of thinking demand that the reader think about issues and ask difficult questions.
C. Theme
