C. Character and Characterization
The term „character‟ originally found in many literary works such as in work of fiction, drama, or novel. Character is someone who acts, appears, or is referred to
as playing a part in a literary work. The term of character also applies in film. Both of them in literary works and in film have a same function and same meaning. The
relationship between plot and character is a vital and necessary one. Without character there would be no plot and hence, no story.
For purposes of analysis, character are customarily describes by their relationship to plot, by the degree of development they are given to the author or
director, and by whether or not they undergo significant character change.
The major or central character are those they seen more of over a longer
period of time; then the audience learn more about them, and make people think of them as more complex and, therefore, frequently mor
e „realistic‟ then the minor
character, the figure who fill out the story. The major character of the plot is usually
protagonist. The protagonist is usually enough to identify: he or she is the essential
character without there would be no plot in the fir st place. It‟s the protagonist‟s fate
the conflict or problem being wrestled with
23
on which attention of the reader or
the audience is focused. Protagonist, whose opponent is the antagonist, the antagonist
may always manage to compete and defeat the protagonist. To describe the relative degree to which character are developed by their
creator, E.M Forster distinguishes between what he calls flat and round characters.
Flat characters are those who embody or represent a single characteristic, trait, or
idea, or a most a very limited number of such qualities. Flat. Round characters are
just opposite. They embody a number of qualities and traits and are complex
23
James H. Pickering, Concise Companion to Literature New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 2002, p. 24.
multidimensional characters of considerable intellectual and emotional depth who have capacity to grow and change.
24
Yet while minor characters maybe less prominent and less complex, they are ultimately just as important to a story as a major characters. In fact minor characters
often play a key role in shaping our interpretations of, and attitudes toward, the major characters and in precipitating the changes that major characters undergo.
Like many a minor character is described as foils
25
to major character in the sense that they serve as a contrast, throwing into relief the traits that distinguish and define
to major character. In presenting and establishing character the author or the director allow the characters to reveal themselves directly through their dialogue and their
actions. A good deal of characterization —the art, craft, method of presentation, or
creation a personages —involves a similar process.
26
How character is presented is called characterization.
24
Ibid. p. 26.
25
Peter Simon, The Norton Introduction to literature: shorter eight editions. new York: Norton company Inc, 2002, p.103.
26
Ibid
D. Representation