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to analyse an African female slave ’s characteristics. The writer also describes the
specific point about Florens’s bad experiences as an oppressed girl under control of her white master. Primarily, the writer analyses the moral values revealed
through Florens’s bad experiences from the novel A Mercy which is different from the other reviewers.
B. Review of Related Theories
The author creates the novel with some elements. Fundamentally, a character is based on the story or novel that conveys such personalities or
characterization. Therefore, there are several theories including the theory character, the theory characterization, theory of moral value and literature
message and moral values to support the analysis. Moreover, it is to understand and to answer the problem formulation with some theories conduct with analysis.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
a. Definition of Character
Abrams explains that Character is the name of a literary genre, it is a short and usually witty.
The characters are the persons 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.
Meaning to say that character is represented a person who is revealed by
name in such literary works. The quality of moral, desire and temperament of the ground of the character are described by their action and speech. Therefore, by the
appearance, look, gesture, walk, and dress, we can see how the perspectives of their personalities are.
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Another theory is explained by Jacobs and Roberts, the traits describe the character’s behaviour toward other people. “If we learn about a person’s traits, we
can develop an understanding of that person” 1989: 144. Therefore, the readers are able to understand a certain person or a character by its traits. Some
perspective, attitude and value can be learnt by the readers. The reader can see the qualities of the character by that kind of analysis that they learn.
b. Definition of Characterization
The authors must have the technical skills to acquaint the creation that they made. “Characterization is the technique used by the writer to make the sum
total of such traits character known” Blair, 1948: 53. Generally, the author gives some personalities to a certain character more than one characteristic. It is very
important how to make some traits which is described toward the character. There are some ways to characterize the character. M.J Murphy has
mentioned nine ways of the author to create the character’s personality to such literary works.
1. Personal Description
By physical appearance, the character is described. Analysing by their personal appearance such clothes, shoes, and trousers are also important.
Furthermore, this becomes such code to know how the character is. ”The author
can describe a person’s appearance and clothes” 1981: 161. Moreover, the author can tell the details of a certain character by face, eyes, and skin. By telling
details, the readers get the accurate to describe a character.
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2. Character as seen by another
To analyse traits of a certain character, the author also has the way by using the other character to be described in a certain character. Through the other
character, the author can also describe the image of a character that is reflected with others opinions. For example, woman is seen
by a man’s eyes. It means that a man see what the woman act and
do in whatever situation she has. “Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and
opinions of another” Murphy, 1981: 162.
3. Speech
The personality of the character can be seen in her or his speech. Whatever the character says or speaks to the other character, and gives arguments or
opinions of something, it reflects what hisher image of trait is. Murphy states The author can give us an insight into character of one of the person 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 1972: 164. Through the way heshe speaks, it is very important to identify his her
characteristics. It gives some clue for the readers to analyse with more detail. The trait can be seen from the way the character speaks with other person.
4. Past Life
A character is often influenced by the experience of the past life. Something that occurs in the past can be influenced by a character. The trait can
dynamic or flat, it depends on the situation that happen in the past. It can be seen in the following quotation.
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By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life the author can gi
ve us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, though the person’s
thought, through his conversation or through the medium of another person Murphy, 1972: 166.
Depending on charact er’s past experience or events, it gives the readers
some clues to analyse the traits. Direct comment, character thought, and the conversation with another character are depicted to convey a certain character.
The past experience assures the cha racter’s traits in the present.
5. Conversation of others
Conversation of others is the one of several clues of the au thor’s methods.
Characteristics are also obtained by the dialogue of character and by the other conversation of character. Murphy also says in the following quotation.
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 do
talk about other people and the things they say often give as a clue to character of the person spoken, spoken about 1972: 167.
The characteristics is revealed in some conversation and also spoken to another people. How they speak and what they talk about something are clues to
be learnt. The readers must listen whatever they give opinion or argument that is influential to be analysed.
6. Reactions
Murphy states that “the author can also give us a clue to a person’s
character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situation and events” 1972: 168. It means that by reaction of certain character, it gives a clue
in whatever situation and events a certain character has.
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7. Direct comment
Murphy states that “the author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly” 1972: 170. Direct comment is used by the author to describe
a certain character. In this part, the author mentions the characteristics that heshe wants to created. The author describes whatever a character is beautiful or ugly,
lazy or diligent. The nature of characteristics by direct comment has been drawn for the readers.
8. Thoughts
The author gives some information or knowledge by a chara cter’s thought.
The readers get some knowledge by describing of a certain character’s thinking.
Murphy also says that 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 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 Murphy, 1972: 171. In some cases, the author gives a character with different ideas that
people cannot do in real life. In such literary work, the author creates a character whatever they want. It is possible for the readers
to know about character’s trait even though hisher thinking diverge from the readers. Therefore, by literary work
the readers can see a character’s personality. Moreover, the readers know more
deeply by analysing a character ’s thought in such novel or story.
9. Mannerisms
“The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character Murphy, 1972: 173. The
