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In her thesis, Sucipto states that the relationship between the mother characters and the daughter characters affects the characterization of the
daughters. The influence of mother
– daughter relationship in characterization is reflected in the presence of the conflict, the opposition of past lives,
opinions, life style, thoughts, and manners, between the mother and the daughter. The mother, representing the older generation, is
opposed
with the
daughter, representing
the younger
generation.2001: 53 The researcher agrees on what Sucipto has stated in her thesis because the
bond between a mother and her daughter affects the characterization of the daughter herself. Thus, these effects will be discussed further on this thesis.
B. Review of Related Theories
The researcher applies some theories related to develop this thesis. The theories are:
1. Theories on Character and Characterizations
Character is the most important element in a literary work. It is the element that makes the story seems alive and makes the literary work easier
to understand. According to Abrams in his book of A Glossary of Literary Terms,
Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with
particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from the dialogues and the action. A character may remain
essentially stable, or unchanged in outlook and disposition, from beginning to end of a work, or may undergo a radical change, either
through a gradual process of development or as the result of a crisis.
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Whether a character remains stable or changes, the reader of a traditional and realistic work expects consistency. 1999: 32
– 33. In the previous edition, Abrams states that;
“Character is the persons in a dramatic or narrative work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities
that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and what they do-the action
” 1981:20. Reaske says that there are active characters and passive characters. Characters that do not change from the beginning to the end of
the story are called passive characters. These characters are usually static or unchanging. Conversely, active characters are the characters that have large
part in the play. They usually undergo some changes as a result of the action of the play 1966: 40.
Here in this Rodrigo Garcia‟s Mother and Child, the main characters are active characters and developed instantly. After knowing the real
situation of their mothers, the main characters are constantly changing their attitudes toward the values of their relationship with their mothers.
Mast states that film is like a play because it is “a sort performance art, presented for a group of persons gathered together at a specific place
and time” and concretely presents the characters in physical beings rather than abstract characters to enact their thoughts and feeling directly to the
audience 1982: 288. Bas ed on Mast‟s statement, the researcher has
considered using the theories on characterizations for play scripts or dramas to understand the characterizations of the characters that will be discussed
further in this thesis.
