rather a highly complex organization of stratified characters with multiple meaning and relationship 1977: 27. Wellek and Warren show that a literary
work is not just about language but also about the human experiences in a complex situation which is created by the novelist. The novelist tries to create a
character in a situation with his or her conflict and way of solving the conflict. In other words, a character of human with his or her responsibility, belief, image,
thought, feeling, problems or conflicts can be found in the novel. In this study, the writer will use a novel called The Good Earth by Pearl S.
Buck. This novel was published in 1931 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932 and William Dean Howells Medal in 1935. The Good Earth describes a daily life of a
farmer who lately became a landowner name Wang Lung. In this study, the writer chooses to describe the conflict felt by O-lan, Wang Lung’s first wife. O-lan was a
slave before she married to Wang Lung. Having an experience from becoming a slave, a farmer’s wife to a landowner’s wife, a mother, a daughter in law and an
experience of concubine, O-lan has a personal conflict that is interesting to be analyzed. It seems like O-lan is hiding her conflict secretly. Besides, O-lan also
has her own way to solve her conflict. This study tries to analyze the character of O-lan and how the characteristics influence the way of O-lan in resolving her
conflict in her life. This study focused on O-lan’s character and her personal conflict and the
resolution of O-lan’s personal conflicts.
A. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the problem above, this study builds three PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
questions as the problem formulation. They are:
1. How is O-lan’s character described in this novel?
2. What are the personal conflicts faced by O-lan?
3. How does O-lan’s character influence her in resolving her personal
conflicts?
B. Objectives of the Study
The aims of this study are to answer the problem stated in the problem formulation. To be more specific, this study aims to describe the characteristics of
O-lan found in The Good Earth. After explaining about the characteristics of O- lan, the study reveals the personal conflicts felt by O-lan. The personal conflicts
contains of both intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. This study continues to analyze the influence of O-lan’s character in resolving her personal conflicts.
C. Benefits of the Study
In analyzing Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth, the writer aimed at some advantages that hopefully could be attained. The study is to make the readers of
this thesis familiar with Buck’s work. By reading this thesis, the readers in general and the students of Sanata Dharma University may understand how someone’s
character can influence his or her way of resolving the conflict in his or her life. Moreover, the writer hopes that in the future the readers can make some addition
or correction in order to get a better interpretation. This study also probably brings up usefulness for readers in understanding the story of The Good Earth.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to gain better understanding and to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation, the writer defines some important terms that are used in the
study. 1.
Influence The word “influence” according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
is the power to affect somebody’s actions, character or beliefs Hornby, 1995: 611. In this study, the influence refers to the power of somebody’s character to
affect his or her way in resolving his or her personal conflict. 2.
Character Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms states that characters are the
person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that
are expressed in what they say – the dialogue – and by what they do – the action 1981: 23. In An Introduction to a Literature Stanton, 1965: 17, “character” is
commonly used in two ways; it designates the individuals who appear in the story and it refers to the mixtures of interest, desires, emotions and moral principle that
make up each of the individuals. Another opinion comes from Barnet 1986: 113 is character is a figure that acts out in a story. Hence, character in this study means
not only a person who acts out but also the characteristics of the character. 3.
Resolving The word “resolve” in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary means to
solve or settle problems, doubts, etc Hornby, 1995: 998. In this study, the word resolving refers to the meaning stated by Hornby.
4. Conflict
Jones and Gerard as cited in Worchel and Cooper, 1979: 460 determine conflict as a state that requires the person when he is motivated to make two or
more mutual incompatible actions. This means a person will face a conflict when he can not complete two or more mutual actions together. Another definition of
conflict comes from Hocker and Willmot. According to them as cited in Isenhart and Spangle 2000: 3, conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two
interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare resources and interference from the other party in achieving their goal. Worchel and Cooper
1979: 460 also classify conflict into two types; they are intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict.
Intrapersonal conflict is a conflict that an individual experiences when he or she makes a decision between two or more alternatives which will lead to a
situation in which other people do not behave as the individual expects them to. The interpersonal conflict is a conflict which happens between two or more
people when they are involved in achieving the incompatible goal. In this study, the conflicts discussed are both the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts.
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
