analyze the characters in the story. This approach also has a purpose to comprehend the patterns of human personality and behavior. Through this
approach, the characters’ thought, personality and behavior can be analyzed deeply.
1. Character and Characterization
Theory of character is needed to analyze the character. Foster divides character into two kinds; they are flat and round character 1974: 51. A flat
character is static and does not develop, whereas a round character is complex and represents many traits and qualities. Henkle 1977: 87-100 divides characters
based on the prominence and function. They are major and secondary characters. Major characters are the ones who deserve the attention from the readers and other
characters. Secondary characters, on the other hand, are the ones who perform more limited functions. Characters also can be determined by analyzing the role of
the characters. Characters can be protagonist and antagonist. The antagonist is the one who directly opposes the protagonist Holman and Harmon, 1986: 27.
According to Holman and Harmon 1986: 400, the protagonist is the leading figure both in terms of importance in the play and of ability to enlist the readers’
interest and sympathy. The theory of characterization is needed in analyzing the characters, how
they are presented, in the novel. The theory can help in representing the discovery the characteristics of the characters presented in the story.
a. Definition
Characterization is the process by which an author creates the character, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
the particular type of person he is Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 180. Characterization helps the author to communicate and guide the readers to
interpret and understand more about the character in the story. Murphy 1972: 161 determines characterization as the way an author conveys the characters and
the personalities naturally so that the reader get to know and understand the characters. In addition, Holman and Harmon 1986: 81-82 state that
characterization is the process of creating an unreal person. Though the characters are unreal in the story; they appear to be real in the mind of the readers.
b. Methods of Characterization
According to Murphy 1972: 161-172, there are nine ways in which the
author uses to make his or her characters understandable and come alive for his or
her readers. They are: 1
Personal description In personal description, the author can describe a person’s appearance and
clothes. The author may draw details about the character’s appearance, such as his or her build, his or her skin color, his or her hair, his or her hand and so on.
Besides the appearance the author also may explain the clothes worn by the character.
2 Character as seen by another
Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another character. This means that the readers
notice the different opinion and judgment on the character. Therefore, the readers get a reflected image.
3 Speech
The author gives the readers a perception on the characteristics of the character through what the characters says and states. The reader may know the
personality by the character’s opinion or statement. 4
Past life Through a person’s past life, the author can give the readers a clue to have
helped to shape a person’s character. The author may give a direct or indirect comment through the person’s thought, his or her conversation or through the
medium of another person. 5
Conversation of others The author can also portray the character through conversation of others
and what they say about him or her. In other words, this means that the character can be analyzed through what people think or say about him or her.
6 Reaction
The author shares a clue to a person’s character by letting the reader know how that person reacts to various situations and events.
7 Direct comment
The author comments on a person’s character in the story directly. Here, the author gives his or her personal comment or description of the character he or
she creates directly in the story. 8
Thoughts The author expresses the character’s thought in the story. In other word,
the author helps the readers to know what the character is thinking in his or her mind. By knowing the character’s thought, the readers can analyze what goes in
his or her mind. 9
Mannerisms The author can illustrate a person’s mannerisms, habit, or modes of
behavior which may also tell the readers something about the character.
2. Theory of Psychology
