8 Those studies give deeper information for the writer in analyzing the story
of the novel. In the first studies, Nanang explains about the influence of motivation towards behavior resulted in Griffin’s self-destruction in H. G. Well’s
The Invisible Man . He uses psychological approach to analyze it. The second
study presenting the analysis also uses psychological approach to analyze the motivation revealed in the main character’s conflicts in Elie Wiesel’s Night. Two
of them share the same view about motivation and the use of psychological approach. Different from all the previous studies above, the last focuses on love,
how true love can lose. Not every love story ends with happy ending. From the previous studies above this study discusses about the influence of S
avannah’s characteristics and conditions in her motivations to marry Tim.
This study focuses on Savannah’s characteristics, her conditions and her motivations to marry Tim. The writer uses a psychological approach. In this study,
the writer emphasizes more on Savannah’s characteristics and conditions in her
motivations to marry Tim as seen in the Dear John. The writer tries to discover something new about characteristics, conditions, and motivations. The writer
hopes that this study can give new understanding about the story of the novel.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Character is the important thing in a piece of literary work because the character can build the story move more alive and interesting. In A Glossary of
9 Literary Terms
, Abrams states precisely that a character is the person depicted in a dramatic or narrative work, which is interpreted by the audiences or the readers
that is born with the qualities of moral and disposition, which are performed in human action and speech, or it may be said that all of the characters can be seen in
what they say 1981: 20. Character can also be defined as the figure in the story. It gives us the description through the professions, statements, dialogues, and
minds. Therefore, looking how they face the problems and how they behave in the daily life are the way to notice what kind of person they are.
Abrams also divides the characters into main or major character and minor character. Major character usually becomes the center of the story, the person who
acts, and he must handle the attention of the readers. Therefore, he or she is the most important character in the story. The readers usually focus on this character
including his or her behavior, attitude, action, and speech from the beginning up to the ending of the story. However, minor character just becomes the background
of the major character. The performance of this character is just presented in a certain event. If it is compared to the major character, their roles are less
important than the major character. The function of this character is also to strengthen the development of the major character 1981: 20-21.
According to Stanton 1965: 17, the term character is used in two ways. The first one is giving a particular description about the individuals who appear in
the story. The second one refers to the combination of interest, desires, emotion, and moral principles that form the individuals. Every story usually has a main
10 character that is significant to all events in the story. They usually cause the
conversion either in her or him in the readers’ attitude towards her or him. According to Murphy, in his book titled Understanding Unseens, there are
some ways of characterizing the characters 1972: 161-163 a.
Character as Seen by Another Instead of describing the characters directly, the author describes the
characters through the opinion of other characters. The other characters will explain further about the characters based on their own opinions, thinking, or
feelings. b.
Speech Sometimes, the author explains about the characteristics of the characters
through what they say. From the way of their speech in conversation with others, it can be understood what the characters will be described.
c. Past Life
The past has a relation with the present world. What happened with the characters in the past can shape a person’s character and the character’s past life is
always closely connected to his or her present life. d.
Conversation of Others The author also gives information about his characters through the
conversation of one character to others. The conversation, which discussed the other characters, will explain about what the characteristics of the person. From
that conversation, the readers can get the description about characters.
11 e.
Reaction The description of the characters can be seen through their action to various
situations and events. The actions of the characters show his or her personality and the actions are related to his or her motives and thought.
f. Thought
This is also given directly by the author about the way of thinking of the character. The author gives directly what the characters are thinking about so that
the readers can find out the personality of the characters. g.
Mannerism The author gives the description about how the character behaves and talks,
we can know the personality of character through his or her mannerism.
2. Theory of Motivation
