contain only the sequence of actions they do. Thus, author’s comment is more explicit than the characters’ actions.
The quality of a character can be strongly identified by actions and speeches because both things are naturally influenced by the personality of the character
Lukens, 1999:83. By actions, the personality is implicitly illustrated. The readers are able to feel the journey of “coming to know” what kinds of personality the
characters have, especially the main characters. By speeches, the personality is implicitly embodied in the contents of the speeches.
Becoming independent is a trait that needs processes. The analysis on the actions and speeches of the characters being studied is the way to show the
characters’ independence through characterization. Besides, other characters’ and author’s comments also play important roles to help show independence in child
characters. The dominant results by actions and speeches indicates that child characters have gained independence. It means that child characters are free from
dictate that haunts them.
E. Previous Research Findings
To support the research in this study discussing about children’s independence and the role of adults, there were two previous research used. The first
was Frances E. Dolan’s article entitled Mastery at Misselthwaite Manor: Taming Shrews in the Secret Garden published by The John Hopkins University Press in
Children’s Literature journal volume 41 page 204-224 year of publication 2013. The
second one was Susan Shau Ming Tan’s Burning with Us: Sacrificing Childhood in The Hunger Games published by The John Hopkins University Press in The Lion and
The Unicorn journal volume 37 number 1 page 54-73 year of publication 2013. Frances E. Dolan stated his rejection upon didactic children’s stories. He
believed that children have their own ability in understanding and interpreting books or stories they read. The interaction between children and the stories they read could
emerge in children’s mind because they try themselves to engage with the texts. He believed that the hidden point in children’s stories can draw attention both children
and adults 2013:206. Thus, he used The Secret Garden as the source of his research in examining the shrew character of the story. Shrew character has some
characteristics, such as being defiant, curious in annoying ways, influential to other characters to be disturbing ones, and having a tendency to make a fight Dolan,
2013:204. It shows that delinquency becomes the natural ideal of children. The shrew character conquers the unpleasant behavior by doing the restricted activities.
He looked upon the character of Mary in the novel who he claimed as having shrew characteristics. Mary was tamed through the story course. She helped her
friend, Colin, to seize his happiness and health by entering a garden that was prohibited by Colin’s father to go through. It was the sample of taming the shrew
characteristics by doing defiant action which was entering a prohibited garden to look for happiness. It implies that children have their own to get happiness to tame their
shrewdness even though by doing something that was judged by adults as an unpleasant action.
The second research was taken from Susan Shau Ming Tan’s work. She chose The Hunger Games as the source of her research because it showed the
portrayal of the threatened life of children in Panem. The burning child can mean two things. She took statements from Lacan and Jacqueline Rose about it. Lacan defined
burning child as the sacrifice of childhood to get the adulthood symbolism while Jacqueline Rose defined it as the child who can be found only in adults’ mind
2013:54-55. It shows that children position in literature is often portrayed or represented through adults’ way of thinking upon how they want children to be.
Tan’s work implied that children’s life could be threatened by adults’ strict regulation. Children living in Panem have to get haunted by the fact that they have to
sacrifice their lives to join the Hunger Games starting from age 12. Children are voiceless and powerless thus all they can do is to obey the regulation. In order to save
a family, Katniss Everdeen volunteers herself to substitute her 12-year-old sister, Prim, from being chosen as the tribute for the game. She prefers sacrificing her own
life than letting her sister be the victim of the old regulation. To broaden the insight of the perspectives on child characters, this research
discussed not only about the nature of children’s literature which is against didacticism but also to examine the kinds of children’s independence, adults’ positive
roles, and author’s ways in reflecting children’s independence through characterization. These topics are new to discuss.
F. Conceptual Framework
