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importance of the process and they focus on the results only. As the facts say that there have been many reports about systematic cheating commited by students and supported
by teachers and headmasters. The meaning of education has been narrowed to the process of getting certificates and diplomas. The quality of education in Indonesia has
been far from being “manusia Indonesia seutuhnya”. I t means that Education system has neen focusing on cognitive aspect and leave it the moral and character building.
Recently, there have been many violences happened in our country, such as students ‘fighting which ended in death, sadistic murdering which is done by their
close and intimate family and friends, robbery which is ended in murdering and so forth. All the events were caused by various factors and aspects. I t can be the degradation of
moral and character of our nation. Now it’s time to be aware of the fact that character and moral education is urgent to be carried out and implemented in our national
education.
B. The essence of Moral and Character Education
Before discussing character education, we need to know what is meant by character. Based on the definition of character we believe, we are able to discuss and
enhance further on character education. According to Thomas Lickona, character consists of three parts which is interrelated each other. They are Moral Knowing, Moral Feeling
and Moral Action. Meanwhile a good character consists of knowing the good, loving or desiring the good and acting the good. Thomas Lickona in Ratna Megawangi, 102,
2009. Moral Knowing is importance to be taught. I t consists of moral awareness, knowing moral values, perspective taking, moral reasoning, decision making and self-
knowledge. Moral Feeling is another aspects that must be implemented. I t is the source of the energy for human being to act according to moral principles. There are six emotional
aspects that a human being must have in order to be a good human being. They are conscience, self-esteem, empathy, loving the good, self- control, and humanity. Moral
Action concerned to manifest the moral knowledge into action. The moral action is the outcome from the two aspects discussing before, moral knowing and moral feeling.
Swami Vivekananda also states, “ I f a man continuously hears bad words, thinks bad thoughts, does bad actions, his mind will be full of bad impressions, and they will
influence his thought and work without his being conscious of the fact. He will be lie a machine in the hands of his impressions, and they will force him to do evil, and that man
will be a bad man; he cannot help it. Similarly, if a man thinks good thoughts and does good works, the sum total of these impressions will be good, and they, in similar manner,
will force him to do good, even in spite of himself. When such is the case, a man’s good character is said to be established” Swami Vivekananda in Ratna Megawangi, 104,
2009. Thus, character and moral education is the muscle tone that develops from daily and hourly training of spiritual warrior. Tolbert Mc Carrol in Ratna Megawangi , 104,
2009. Then, habits lead to character building as the unknown author says.
Watch your thought because they lead to attitudes Watch your attitudes because they lead to words
Watch your words because they lead to actions Watch your actions because they lead to habits
Watch your habits because they lead to character Watch your character because it determines your destiny. Ratna Megawangi, 104, 2009
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C. The Contribution of Literary Appreciation to Moral and character Building
