complexity, namely flat character and round character. Sometimes, flat characters can be called types or “two dimensional”. They are captured by the author’s view
on one side. The author usually does not develop them as fully as the major character. They are static and not grow or change in the story. The advantages of
flat character are easily recognized and remembered by the readers afterward. Round character often appears as the center of the story and looks like real human
beings. With his or her complex aspects in temperament and motivation, sometimes he or she surprises the readers with unexpected behavior. The author
develops round characters fully, and the characters grow and change during the story Foster 46-54.
b. Theories of Characterization
Characterization refers to the presentation of persons in narrative or dramatic work by means of character’s action, speech, or physical appearances
Baldick 30. A character can be differentiated from others because they have their own personality and physical attributes.
The way to study the characters is through understanding the characterization which provides the creation of major character and the minor
ones, so that the result is a clear explanation. Characterization is one of the literary elements representing persons. Holman and Harmon define characterization as the
creation of imaginary persons. They are created imaginatively, but they have to be seen real, so that they exist for the readers as lifelike Holman 81. The author can
introduce the characters in detail, so that the readers might obtain a complete
description of a certain character and the readers can figure out characteristics or personality traits of certain characters.
According to Allport, as quoted by Larver and Scheier in Perspective on Personality, the characteristics of a character are related with his or her behavior,
thoughts, and feelings Allport 5. They will influence the way of thinking, feeling and behavior from a person. Therefore, to understand deeper about character, it is
important to know well about his or her characteristics. According to Holman and Harmon, characterization is the description of
the characteristics. The characterization is the act, the process or the result, of characterizing. In fiction the drama, the novel, the short story, and the narrative
poem, the author reveals the characters of imagery persons and the creation of these imagery persons so that they exist for the reader as lifelike is called
characterization Holman 81. The author describes the character through the characterizations so that the
reader can imagine what kind of person the character is. Barnet says that characterization is defined, as in fiction, by what the characters do, by what they
say, by what others say about them, and by setting in which they move Barnet 746.
According to Perrine in Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, characterization must observe three principles. First, the characters must be
consistent in their behavior. They must not behave one way on one occasion and a different way on another unless there is a clearly sufficient reason for the change.
Second the character must be clearly motivated in whatever they do, especially
when there is any change in their behavior. We must be able to understand the reasons for what they do, if not immediately, at least by the end of the story.
Third, the characters must be plausible of life like Perrine 69. Murphy in Understanding Unseen also conveyed some details of
characterizing the character. The character’s personality can be seen through personal description that is from the description of his physical appearances and
attributes, which may refer to the clothing or the way he dresses. The author can also give direct knowledge of what a character is thinking about. Besides
describing the character directly, the author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of the characters. It can be through the conversations and the
things they say about him. The characters’ past life can also help us to figure out his motives of his present action, and the author can gives us a clue of his
character by letting us know how he reacts to various situations and events Murphy 161-173. Those are some ways which the author makes his reader
aware of the characteristics of the characters that he writes about in his book However, I only choose six ways to understand the character of Celie so the writer
can get a clue to find the characterization of Celie. They are: 1.
Character as seen by another: the author describes the character through the eyes and opinion of another.
2. Speech: the author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of
the persons in book through what the person says 3.
Past of life: by letting the reader can learn something about a person’s past life the author can give a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s
character. 4.
Reactions: the author can give a clue to a person’s character by letting the
readers know how that person reacts to various situations and events. 5.
Direct comment: the author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
6. Thoughts: the author gives the readers direct knowledge of what a person is
thinking about.
3. Theory of Feminism
