B. Approach of the Study
In this research, the writer uses new criticism approach because it is appropriate for this study. New criticism analyzes intrinsic elements in literary
work. Wilfred L Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature
states that a new criticism approach concentrates on the literary work itself 1979:20. From the quotation above, new criticism delivers the analysis
based on the text itself. Selden, Widdowson and Brooker in
A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory
states that new criticism is a method which does not talk about context
– historical, biographical, intellectual and so on in analyzing literary work. However, new criticism only focuses on analyzing the ‘’text in itself’’,
with its language and organization. New criticism does not reach text’s meaning,
but the way the text ‘speaks itself’ 2005:19. To serve the writer’s purpose in discovering the relation between main
characters and conflicts to find message, the new criticism provides the suitable method. Firstly, the writer wants to dig up what conflicts in literary work are.
Conflicts in literary work are important. Abrams states that many plots deal with conflicts; he explains that issue as follows:
In addition to the conflict between individual, there may be the conflict of a protagonist against fate, or against circumstances that stand between him
and a goal he has set himself, and in some works, the conflict is between opposing desires or values in a character’s of own mind Abram,
1981:128.
Secondly, the writer wants to dig up what message in literary work is. According to Beaty and Hunter, in their book New Worlds of Literature, a
message is defined as the real meaning or some easy conclusions that can be simply stated or summarized inside a work of art 1989:899.
Based on those definitions, the writer thinks that conflicts and characters have a relation to imply message in literary work. Message in literary work can
be taken from the way the main characters solve the conflicts. Message can be taken when the readers interpret the conflicts in a story. For example, in Lost
and Found as the object of the study, the conflict happens when Jamee runs
away from home. At the moment, the reader can see that this action is not proper way to solve the problem that she has. On the other hand, when her family
rescues her in the mountain, the reader can interpret that it is the way they work together then understand each other problem then they can solve the problem
together. The reader’s interpretation as explained above can be one of the ways to reveal messages on literary work. The message can be taken by the reader as
the reader’s personal lesson-learn. So, after they read the literary work, they can be enriched by wider perspective to solve the problem in real life.
C. Method of the Study
First, the writer began to read the novel Lost and Found by Anne Schraff and tried to understand the problems which happen in this story. Many tragedies
in this story can be discussed and developed in order to be a good research. After that, the writer found problem formulations as the topic of this undergraduate
thesis. Problem formulation which the writer discussed is about characters and characterization, conflicts and messages.
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