Motivation Virginity Definition of Terms
9 Murphy 1972 states that
people’s characters and personalities in the novel can be learned and understood by using nine ways 1972: 161-173.
a. Personal description
The author describe s a person’s appearance, clothes, and gestures in order
to describe a person’s character in a novel. b.
Character as seen by another The author can describe a
person’s character by using other characters’ point of view and judgement about him or her. Thus, the author does not
often need to describe the character directly. c.
Speech How he or she speaks, responds in a conversation with another, and also
states his or her opinion are the ways of the author to describe a person’s
character in a novel. d.
Past life The author can give a clue to the events which have helped the readers to
shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, throug
h the person’s thought, through his or her conversation or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation of others
Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe a person’s character by giving a clue to a person’s character through the
conversation of other people and the things which they say about him or
10 her. The things which are talked by other people should point a person’s
character in a novel. f.
Reactions The author can let the readers know about a person’s character by giving a
clue how that person reacts to various situations and events. The reactions of a person towards some events will make the readers know the
characters of the person through the novel. g.
Direct comment The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
h. Thoughts
The author gives the readers direct knowledge about what a person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in the
real life. He tells us how a person is thinking of something. The readers become the secret listeners who listen
to an individual’s thought in the novel.
i. Mannerism
The author describes an individual’s habits, manners, and also politeness which tell the readers about his character in a novel.