Definition of Character Character

9 According to Stanton’s in An Introduction to Fiction, characters are individuals who appear in the story and to refer to the mixture of interest, desires, emotions and moral principles that makes up each of individual Stanton 17. While Forster’s in Aspects of the Novel, defines character as a number of word masses roughly description about himself which includes names and sex, plausible gestures, language and behavior Forster 31.

b. Kinds of Character

Perrine in Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, divides the characters into static and dynamic. A static character is a person who does not experience the changes throughout the story although he faces many problems in his life. He only makes little changes during his life. On the other hand, a dynamic character is a person who develops the character a lot through problems in his life Perrine 71. Henkle in Reading the Novel, divides character into two, major character and secondary character. A major character is the most important and complex character in the novel. Secondary characters are people in the novel who perform more limited function. Their role in the story is less complex and less interesting Henkle 89. Forster in Aspects of the Novel, classifies characters into flat and round characters. A flat character can be expressed in one sentence. This character can be easily recognized whenever he comes in. A flat character is also easily remembered by the reader afterwards. This character is not changed by circumstances. While a round character cannot be summed up in a single phrase. This character often experiences changes, so the readers cannot remember this character easily Forster 46. 10

2. Characterization

a. Meaning of Characterization

In a story, one character has a different personality from another. Even twins are not merely the same. There must be some particular personalities that can differentiate one from another. In a literary work, the way to understand each character better is through characterization. According to Redman’s A Second Book of Plays, characterization is the development of a character through what he says and does and through what other characters say about him Redman 363. Through characterization, the author of a literary work uses some methods to portray the character in the story.

b. Methods of Characterization

According to Murphy in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students there are nine methods which can describe how an author conveys the characters and the personalities in the story so that the readers can understand them 161-173. They are as follows. 1 Personal Description The author describes a person’s appearance and clothes. The readers can get the details image, for example the skin, hair, eyes, and face in an accurate description Murphy 161. 2 Characters as seen by another character The author describes the character through the eyes and opinions of another. The reader gets it, as it were, a reflected image Murphy 162. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI