Character and Characterization THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

CHAPTER II THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character and Characterization

Character is a big part of films. It is representing the emotion between the performance and audiences. By character the viewers can get the theme and understand the story. Alfred Hitchcock says “ I don’t want to film a slice of life because people can get that at home, in the street or even in front of the movie theater. They don’t have to pay money to see a slice of life. And I avoid out and out fantasy because people should be able to identify with the characters .” 3 Yet, the viewers must know what the character is. If the viewers can recognize how the characters they can feel the emotion and memorable personality of the characters. Robert in his book assumed that character is an author’s representation of a human being, specifically of those inner qualities that determine how an individual reacts to various conditions or attempts to shape his or her environment, choices and actions indicates character. 4 The method a writer uses to reveal the personality of a character in a literary works methods include : 3 Joseph M. Boggs and Dennis W. Petrie, The Art of Watcing Films Fifth Edition London : Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000 , p. 31. 4 Edgan Roberts, Writing Themes about Literature New Jersey : Prentice Hall Incorporated, 1977 , p. 54. 6 1. by what the characters says about him or her self 2. by what others reveal about the character , and 3. by the characters own action. 5 Character and characterization are different. A character is person in literary work and characterization is the way in which a character is created. From those distinctions, characterization can be understood as a method and character is the product. 6 Character is the person presented in dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral dispositional and emotional qualities that are express in what they dialogue and by what they do, the action. Kennedy in his book gives the explanation : “ The important thing for the reader to remember about characterization is that there are many varieties and many combinations of varieties. An adventure story may have an important realistic or figurative dimension that will be clear in its characterizations. As readers we must be alert and ready to respond to different kinds of characterization on their own condition.” 7 In film, characterization depends on functions. The character is followed from what he or she has to do in the play. Plays tends to emphasize the distinctions between major characters whose actions and fate are the focus of the plot, and minor ones who facilitate what happens. Characterization can involve developing a variety of aspects of a character such as appearance, age, gender, 5 Httpwww.eduliteraturePeterson, asp. Retrieved September, 15. 2009. 6 Richard Gill, Mastering English Literature London : Macmillan, 1995 , p.105. 7 X.J. Kennedy, Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama New York : Harper Collins Publishers Inc, 1991 p. 48. educational level, occupation, financial status, marital status, social status, hobbies etc. The author presents the readers with many clues. For recognition and evaluation of character in his story. These clues are comparable to the ways by which we evaluate people in the world around us, they are: 1. Action. We judge people by the way act, particularly in crucial situation. 2. A person’s speech. Like his action, can be very reveal. In addition to showing such thing as age, nationality, education, all of which serve as identification. Speech can reveal habits of mind and the reaction to people and events both sharply indicative of character. 3. Description. Physical appearance can be a clue to character, but the writer of fiction seldom stresses it. 4. Environment. The presenting of a person’s surroundings, particularly those he deliberately chooses, including the recreations he keeps contributing to an understanding of his character. 5. Though. To reveal a person’s though is an act of omniscience. Mental states such as nervous, anger, horror can be indicated by physical reaction, such as sweating palm, etc. 6. Explanation. Explanation is an outright statement by the author about his characters. 8 8 Ralp. H. Singleton and Stanton Millet, An Introduction to Literature New York : The World Publishing Company, 1966, p. 82. From the explanation above can resume that characterization is the process by which a writer makes the character seems real to the reader or we also can say that characterization is the method used by a writer to develop a character in his story.

B. Feminism