Plot Theme Drs. Mohammad Syafi’i, M.A. Reader

4 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

4.1 Plot

Plot is a literary term for which the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in a pattern, a sequence, through cause and effect, or by coincidence. One is generally interested in how well this pattern of events accomplishes some artistic or emotional effect. An intricate, complicated plot is called an imbroglio, but even the simplest statements of plot may include multiple inferences, as in traditional ballads. Stories are made up mostly of actions or incidents that follow each other sequentially. Finding a sequential or narrative order, however, is only the first step toward the more important consideration- the plot, or the controls governing the developement of the actions. The english novelist E.M.Forster, in aspect of the novel, present a memorable illustration of plot. To show a bare set of actions, he uses the following: “The king died, and then the queen died.” He points out, however, that this sequence does not form of plot because it lacks motivation and causation, which he introduces in his next example: “The king died, and then the queen died of grief.” With the phrase “of grief,” which shows that one thing grief controls or overcomes another the normal desire to live, motivation and causation enter the sequence to form a plot. In a well-plotted story, things precede or follow each Universitas Sumatera Utara other not simply because time thicks away, but more importantly because effects follow causes. In a good story nothing is irrelevant or accidental: everything is related and causative.

4.2 Theme

Theme is a broad idea, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. All stories have a theme or purpose, no matter how deviously the author chooses to present it. At one time authors stated their purpose, but such a prosedure has become old-fashioned; no self-respecting writers at present will do more than imply their theme. They suggest it through character, athmosphere, setting, plot, and style-thus theme is a kind of composite statement which requires our comprehension of numerous other elements.

4.3 Character