12 action.” p. 20. It means that character in a novel should be understood by the
reader. The reader can imagine how the character looks like by noticing what the character says and does.
In addition, Forster 1985 says that character can also be categorized as flat and round. A flat character is not changed by circumstance. The author can
describe the character in one sentence and describe it completely. The advantage of this character is that it can be easily recognized and easily remembered by the
reader because the character does not experience changes. A round character is more complex in temperament and motivation. The author describes the character
like a human being in real life who can act unpredictably. Thus, a round character undergoes changes that can surprise the reader pp. 46-54.
Besides, characters can also be categorized into major and secondary or minor characters. According to Henkle 1977 a major character is a character that
gets fullest attention from the reader and it plays larger roles to carry meanings or ideas in a novel. Whereas a minor character is less complex, or less intense in the
story and it supports the major character pp. 92-96. Characters in a novel can be revealed through characterization created by the author.
3. Characterization
To reveal the description of every character, we need to know how the characters are described by the author. There are nine ways the author does to
expose the character as proposed by Murphy 1972, pp. 161-173. The first one is through personal description. The author describes a person‟s appearance and
13 clothes p. 161. Usually, the author describes the person by using adjectives so
that it gives detailed information to the reader in understanding the person. The second is character as seen by another. The author describes the
person through the eyes and opinions of another p. 162. Thus, the reader gets a reflected image of it. The third one is through speech. The author gives the reader
an insight into the character in the book through what that person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts
forward an opinion, he is giving some clue to what his character is p. 164. The dialogue in the novel can also determine someone‟s character.
Fourth is through past life. By letting the reader learn something about a person‟s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape
a person‟s character. It can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person‟s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another
person p. 166. Everyone has different past life that is worthy to discuss. Fifth is through conversation of others. The author gives us clues to a
person‟s character through the conversations of other characters and the things they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say
often give us a clue to the character of the person spoken about p. 167. Six is through reactions. The author gives us a clue to a person‟s character
by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events p. 168. Then, it is through direct comment that the author can describe or comment
on a person‟s character directly p. 170. Next, through thoughts is also another way to describe a character. The author can give us direct knowledge of what a
14 person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real
life. He can tell us what different people are thinking. The reader then is in privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged in to the
inmost thoughts of a person in a novel p. 171. The last is through mannerisms. The au
thor can describe a person‟s mannerisms, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character p. 173.
4. Friendship
