Character and Characterization Review of Related Theories

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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of four parts. They are review of related theories, review of related study, theoretical framework, and contexts of the novel. Those parts help the readers see the theories used in this study and how the theories are used to achieve the aim of this study.

2.1. Review of Related Theories

This part provides the theories used in this study. There are two theories used to answer the problems formulated in this study. The first theory is character and characterization. The second theory is theories related to postcolonial discourse.

2.1.1. Character and Characterization

Abram’s Glossary of Literary Term defines characters as ”the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it —the dialogue— and from what they do—the action” Abrams, 1981: 20. A character can be known through characterization, the way author defines the characters. There are four different ways to convey the character and a characterization according to Robert and Jacobs in An Introduction to Reading and Writing, which are from 1 what the characters themselves said and think, if PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 7 the author expresses their thoughts, 2 what characters do, 3 what other characters say about them, and 4 what the author says about them, speaking as story teller or observer Baldick, 1991. According to Murphy 1972:161-172, there are nine ways in which an author attempts to make his characters understandable to, and come alive for, his readers. a. Personal description The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes. b. Character as seen by another Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another. The reader gets, as it were, a reflected image. c. Speech The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what that person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clue to his character. d. Past life By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 8 e. Conversation of others The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him. People talk about other people and the things they say often give us a clue to the character of the person spoken about. f. Reactions The author can also give us a clue to a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events. g. Direct comment The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. h. Thoughts The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel we can accept this. The reader then is in a privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged in to the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel. i. Mannerisms The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character.

2.1.2. Postcolonial