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“typical fictional plots begin with an exposition that provides background information we need to make sense of the action, describes the setting, and
introduces that major characters; these plots develop a series of complications or intensifications of the conflict that lead to a crisis or
moment of great tension. The conflict may reach a climax or turning point, a moment of greater tension that fixes the outcome; then, the action falls
of
f as the plot’s complications are sorted out and resolved the resolution or denouement” Diyanni, 2000: 44-45.
The quotation above can be inferred that a story has a structure or arrangement of linear sequence of events which is divided into some phases that each of them is
characterized by its role in developing the storys conflict. It is also characterized by the level of tension.
1 Exposition or Introduction
Exposition is the starting point of narrative providing information about the main characters and their environments in narrative. Diyanni 2000: 44 called
it as a very common fictional plot that start with exposition including background information of the action, setting, the introduction of the main characters.
2 Rising action or Conflict
Conflict is the dilemma, problem or clash of desire between the protagonist and antagonist character or between the positive and negative thought
from the main character. Diyanni 2000: 45 argues that the conflict is the battle between against potencies of which problem gets commonly solved by the end of
narrative. A conflict can be internal or external. Internal conflict refers to the main character himself who is experiencing a clash, while external conflict refers to a
clash between two sides: person and person, person and nature, or between groups of people.
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3 Complication
Complication is part of a story in which a problem gets complicated and a problem between the antagonist and the protagonist gets worst. Complication also
refers to a development of plot or “intensifications of the conflict that lead to a
crisis or moment of greatest tension” Diyanni, 2000: 45.
4 Climax
Climax is the peak of the story. In this phase, the greatest incident happens and the last effect has to be accepted. Diyanni 2000: 49 defines the climax as the
uppermost pressure between the protagonist and the antagonist in which a last effect is obtained.
5 Resolution
Resolution is the end of the story in which the troubles do not appear anymore. According to Diyanni 2000: 53 Resolution refers to the last effect that
is necessary to take.
b. Setting
Setting is the background information of story that supports the idea of story. Setting is the general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in
which its action occurs; the setting of an episode or scene within a work is the particular location in which it takes place. According to Diyanni 2000: 61
setting deals with vision, scene, noise, colors, and dialect that make the story seems real. Setting is divided into place and time. Place is a setting that refers to
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physical surrounding like environtment in which the main character is introduced. Time is a setting that refers to a certain time in story like hour, year, or century in
story.
B. Review of Previous Related Research Findings
Many researches in literary studies are related to archetypes and mythologies, especially the archetypes
of hero’s journey. It makes this topic too large to be discussed. Prominent literary works from Paulo Coelho’s quest story
The Alchemist provides the characteristics that could be the source of evidences to encourage that topic. Those are some related previous researches that deal with
the archetypal hero’s journey and have similar object with this research. The researcher selected these sources based on the fact that they either deal with Paulo
Coelho’s The Alchemist or the archetypes of hero’s journey.
Lily Hasanah 2008 studied the process of decision making in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. This student of English department from university of
Airlangga conducted the research with the aims to examine Santiago’s experiences in dealing with his dilemmas and the process of decision making. The
result of her research is that Santiago’s decision making is based on his subjectivity. Santiago is able to overcome his dilemmas. Although he listens to the
community’s opinion, still he makes his own consideration in the process of making decision. Her research entitled
Decision Making in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist
employs Soren Kierkegaard’s theory on mechanism of existentialism.
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In a research conducted by Julia Boll 2011 the topic of the archetypes of hero’s journey is presented. Her research entitled Harry Potter’s Archetypal
Journey Heroism in the Harry Potter Series, Berndt Steveker, eds has the aim to explore the narrative structure underlying J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter heptalogy.
The study suggests that this heptalogy follows the model of the Monomyth of hero’s journey not only as a basic pattern for the whole story line, but also for
each individual volume. Her work is published by Ashgate publisher and focuses on archetypal and myth theory. Julia Boll relies on Joseph Campbell’s The hero
with a Thousand Faces and Carl Gustav Jung’s psychological archetypes. She
found that the novel series apply the original form of hero’s journey through the cycle of Separation- Initiation- Return. Meanwhile, the characters of the novel
take on the roles of different Jungian archetypes. The last related research study is conducted by Gatricya Rahman, a former
student of Yogyakarta State University. Her research 2014 has the aim to reveal the archetypes of hero and hero’s journey in The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales
and uncovers the literary methods used to reveal those archetypes. Through her research entitled
The Archetypes of Hero and Hero’s Journey in Five Grimm’s Fairy Tales, she found that there are four archetypes of hero in the tales. Then,
there are mainly eleven stages among twelve stages of the archetypes of hero’s
journey found in the tales. The last result, the archetypes of hero are mainly revealed by character revelation, mostly through actions and speeches, the
archetypes of hero’s journey are presented through plot and setting of time and place.
