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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter aims to answer the questions formulated in Chapter I. This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part will discuss the Chieko’s character.
The second part deals with the reason why Chieko has to go through her tragic life.
A. Description of Chieko’s Character
A major character is the focus of the story. He or she appears more often than other characters Milligan, 1983, p.195. In the novel The Old Capital,
Kawabata presents Chieko as one of the major characters in the story. Chieko appears from the beginning until the end of the story, because the story is about
her tragic life. She serves as the center of the story. There are nine ways an author may reveal the characters’ personality and
traits to the readers. They are personal descriptions, other characters’ views, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comments, thoughts, and
mannerisms Murphy, 1972, pp.161-173. Those ways support each other in the analysis of the character Chieko.
2. Physical Description
It is better to describe Chieko’s physical appearance before discussing her character. As cited by Staton, the word ‘character’ refers to the individuals who
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appear in the story 1965, p.17. As written in the novel The Old Capital, Chieko has fair skin white, smooth, and delicately grained. In one occasion, where she
drinks the broth of the stew that is mixed with sake, she is described as below: A faint peach blush appeared at her neck. It was a beautiful sight to see the
color rise in her youthful, white skin, so smooth and delicately grained. A fascinating charm showed in her eyes. Occasionally, she stroked her
cheek. Chieko had never before put so much as a drop of liquor to her lips, but
the broth of the stew was almost half sake. p.153
Chieko also has long hair, as shown when she prepares to go to bed. The ceiling was high in the rear of the second floor. There were two rooms
that served as private rooms for Chieko and her parents. Chieko sat at the mirror, undoing her long hair, which was always neatly arranged. p.38
According to Takichiro, her adoptive father, Chieko’s appearance is boring and uninteresting because she always wears plain clothes. As cited by
Rohrberger and Woods, characterization is an author’s creative process in creating a character that consists of describing the character’s physical appearance, style,
manners, thoughts, actions and others’ opinions about him or her 1971, p.231. Chieko’s appearance is stated in the conversation between Chieko and Takichiro
when she is waiting for her father to finish eating. In relation to Murphy’s theory, speech is used to identify characteristics 1972, p.163.
Takichiro looked his daughter over from her shoulder to her waist. “It’s so plain. You always wear my designs. You’re probably the only person who
does. You always end up wearing what won’t sell.” “It’s all right. I wear them because I like them.”
“But they’re so plain.” p.23
Moreover, Chieko’s appearance is old fashioned. She rarely wears Western-style clothes. It will look strange if she wears Western-style clothes
because she is accustomed to wearing the kimono sort of traditional clothing. In
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Murphy’s theory, this is personal description 1972, p.161. This is evidenced in Takichiro’s reaction shown below:
Chieko rarely wore slacks and a sweater, but today she did, along with heavy, brightly colored socks.
Since her father was at home, Chieko sat down to greet him. Takichiro looked wide-eye at his daughter’s unusual appearance. p.163
3. Personality Description a. Obedient
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