A main character analysis on Patricia Highsmith's Strangers On A Train

A MAIN CHARACTERANALYSIS ON PATRICIA HIGHSMITH’S STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

ARIEF FIRMANSYAH Reg. 203026002090

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

“SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH”

JAKARTA

2009

ABSTRACT

Arief Firmansyah,“A main CharacterAnalysis on Patricia Highsmith’s Stranger on a Train,” Thesis. Jakarta; English Letters Department, Letters and Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah, June 2009.

The objective of this research is to know how the character Charles Anthony Bruno characterized by the author. The writer collects the characteristics of the main character through the characterization. The collected data are analyzed by using character analysis.

In this analysis the writer finds out the main character’s characteristics such as confident, smart, kind, careless, optimistic, and temperamental. Bruno has a plan to kill his father and he tries to manipulate Guy Haines to join him. Bruno got frustrated because of some reason, and his parent divorces. This fiction tells to the readers that even they have a terrible problem; they should be calm to face it.

The writer tries to analyze Bruno’s characteristics by using character analysis. This research uses Descriptive Qualitative method is based on the comprehension about the correlation of the conflict of main character in the novel which is evaluated from character analysis to get about Bruno’s characteristics.In the beginning when Bruno meet Guy Haines on a train, Bruno wants to kill his father because Bruno hates him, and Guy Haines wants to divorce his wife because his wife affairs. So they have a perfect alibi for swapping murders.

APPROVMENT

A MAIN CHARACTERANALYSIS ON PATRICIA HIGHSMITH’S STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for

Strata 1 Degree

By: Arief Firmansyah Reg. 203026002090

Approved By:

Elve Oktafiyani, M, Hum NIP.150 317 725

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

“SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH”

JAKARTA

2009

LEGALIZATION

This thesis entitles“A Main Character Analysis on Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train has been defended before the letters and humanities faculty’s examination committee on June 17, 2009. The thesis has already been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for the strata one Degree.

Jakarta, June 2009

Examination Committee

Chair person, Secretary,

Dr. H. Muhammad Farkhan,M,Pd Drs. Asep Saefudin,M,Pd

NIP. 150 299 480 NIP. 150 261 902

Members:

Dr. H. Muhammad Farkhan,M,Pd Supardi, SS NIP. 150 299 480

DECLARATION

I herby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no materials previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.

Jakarta, June 2009

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

All praise to be ALLAH SWT, lord of the universe, with his amazing guidance the writer can accomplish the process of making this thesis. Salutation and peace be upon our prophet Muhammad saw, his family and all his family and his companions. The writer would like to express his greatest honor to his beloved family especially his father H. Burhanuddin Zahari, his mother Hj. St Chumairoh who always give their affection, patience, motivation, spiritual and material support, during the writer’s study andprocess of finishing this thesis.

The writer would like to address his thanks and great attitude to his advisor Mrs. Elve Oktafiyani M,Hum for her patience, valuable helps, corrections during developing and completing this thesis.

The writer would like to express the deepest gratitude to those who helped in finishing this thesis, they are;

1. Dr. Abdul Chair, Ma, the Dean of Letters and Humanities Department. 2. Dr. M. Farkhan, M.Pd,the head of English Letters Department.

3. All lecture of English Letters Department and All Staff of Letters and Humanities Faculty.

4. His Big Family ofK.H. Sya’dullah& K.H. Kosim 5. His Big Family ofH. Jahari & H. Juhri Poning

6. His Sisters and BrotherFuji Wahyuni, Fauza Faustina, M. Lukman. 7. His cousinsLabib Ramidz Abdullah, Mang Udin.

May ALLAH SWT always blesses and protects them. The writer hopes this thesis can be guidance in literary study.

Jakarta, June 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ……….…….… i

APPROVEMENT ……….….. ii

LEGALIZATION ……….… iii

DECLARATION ……….… iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ……….….…. v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……….… vii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 ………...…... 1

A. Background of the Study ………...…… 1

B. Focus of the Study ………..….... 3

C. Research Questions ………..….. 3

D. Objectives of the Study ……….….… 3

E. Significances of the Study ………..…… 3

F. Research Methodology ……….…….. 3

1. Method ……… 3

2. Data Analysis ……….………. 4

3. Instrument of Research ……….……... 4

4. Unit of Analysis ………. . 4

CHAPTER II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character and Characterization ...……….………. 6

B. The understanding of Novel ……….………….……. 12

C. The Elements of Novel ……….…….……. 12

1. Theme ……….. . 12

2. Plot ……… 13

3. Setting ………... 14

4. Point of View ……… 15

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS A. Data description …..………... 15

B. Analysis of Charles A Bruno’sCharacteristics …..……… 19

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion ………... 26

B. Suggestion ………... 28

BIBLIOGRAPHY ……….……. 29

APPENDICES ……… 31

Appendix I ……… 31

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Novel is a picture of real life and manners, and of the time in which is written. The romance, in lofty and elevated language, describes what never happened nor is likely to happen.1Novel as story in prose about imaginary people long enough to cover a book, or as an imaginative story book, novel was a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length, portraying character, action, and scene representative of real life in a plot of more or less intrigue. Fiction is formed from Greek language fiction, victim that means to form, to make, to told and to create, the shot story as a part of novel which has the element in its form, that is the narration, presentation of point of view, the aim of the narration, the correlation between the writer also the work, and metaphysic qualification.2 “A novel is a long work of fiction. A mayor novel often has a complicated plot, many mayors and minor characters a significant theme and several a complicated settings”3

A novel analyzed by the writer is the Strangers on a Train created By Patricia Highsmith because the writer saw that Charles Anthony Bruno turned out to be a sadistic psychopath who manipulated Guy into swapping murders with him, “some people are better off dead, Bruno remarks, like your wife and my father”, Bruno said. As Bruno carried out his twisted plan, Guy was trapped in 1

Rene Wellek and Austin Warren,Theory of Literature,(London: 1997), p. 280. 2

Nyoman Kuthe Ratna,Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penulisan Sastra(Yogyakarta, 2004), p. 298. 3

Highsmith’s perilous world, where, under the right circumstances, anybody was capable of murder. In this novel, the writer will consider observing that problem by looking on the character’s characterization. The writer chooses this novel because it is a story about murder, which is taken from the reality or mimesis of reality world.

Literary work is a picture of reality world that is pictured on the canvas of author’s fictional world. Author is a person who has the authority in writing a literary work. It can be seen from the world ‘author’ that means a man with authority. Environment factors such as culture, social, politic, economic, history and author’s life have some important role in the process of literary work creating that has been created by the author’s imagination.

Every literary work has an ideology. Therefore, in every single literary work there are some points that need to be investigated because every literary work has something that cannot be seen by lot of people. For example; ideology, is the thing has created a lot of literary work, which investigated variety of literary work to find the ideas or the message that to be revealed from literary works.

B. Focus of the Study

This research focuses on the study of Charles Anthony Bruno’s characteristics in the novelStrangers on a Traincreated by Patricia Highsmith by using character analysis.

C. Research Questions

The writer formulates the problem that will be analyzed by this question; what are the main character’s characteristics ina novelStrangers on a Train?

D. Objectives of the study

The aim of the research is to know what the main character’s characteristics in a novelStrangers on a Trainare.

E. Significance of the study

The writer hopes the result of this study can give positive contribution for the readers who want to do a deeper study about character analysis. The writer also hopes the result of this study can give very advantages literature knowledge for the readers who has desire to know the character analysis in the novel, especially inStrangers on a Trainnovel by Patricia Highsmith.

F. Research Methodology 1. Method

In this thesis, the writer uses Descriptive Qualitative method. The research is based on the comprehension about the correlation of the conflict of main character in the novel “Strangers on a Train” which is evaluated from character analysis. The data description is taken from quotation, statement, and how the novelist describes the character in her novel.

2. Data Analysis

In this thesis, the writer uses content analysis to analyze the data, because literary works that the writer analyzes is a novel that describes about character’s characteristics of someone who commits the murder because he needs to get satisfaction himself. In this circumstance the writer analyses the character in Patricia Highsmith’sStrangers on a Train.

3. Instrument of Research

The research instrument is the writer himself by examining the texts of novel, giving checklist, and tabulation by quoting the evidence from the novel. The evidence here would be presented by some expressions. Scene, and act from the character that character analysis in discovering the deepest Bruno’s Characteristics.

4. Unit of Analysis

The unit that is analyzed in this research is Strangers on a Train novel written by Patricia Highsmith. The novel is published by Norton paperback 2001, by Amanda Morison, New York, and Manufacturing by The Courier Companies, Inc.

5. Place and Time

The writer began this research in last semester of academic years 2009, at English Letters Department, Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character and Characterization

Brook and Warren view character as complexity of potentialities action.4 The characters can be human or non-human creatures that live in the fictional story. They present the actions that build the story. The presentation of the characters can be as flat or round character static or dynamic character. These types depend on the role of the characters in the story.

Whereas round characters tend to be dynamic, flat characters tend to be statistic. But even a very complex, well developed major character’s inability to change. A story’s minor characters are often static; their growth is not usually relevant to be story’s development.5The character refers to the person or player of the story. Character and characterization refers to the player’s characterization and attitude, more refers to the personal quality of the character. Character is presumably an imaged person who inhabits a story although that simple definition may admit to a few exceptions. Characterization means how the writer tells reader about the physical and non-physical characteristic of the person told in the story.6

Based on its characters, a flat character is a figure having certain quality of personality only. Meanwhile of a rounded character is an actor who has and tells her various aspects the onside of her life, identity, and personality. Commonly a 4

Henri Guntur Tarigan,Dasar-dasar Sastra, (Bandung: Angkasa, 1993), p. 148. 5

Laurece Perren, Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense, (London: Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1984) 5thEdition, p.90.

6

Martin Stephen, An Introductory Guide to English Literature, (Essex: Longman Group Ltd), p.12.

term of figure indicates to an actor in story and featuring indicates to an attitude of actors interpreted by readers that it shows to quality of an actor personality. Looking to aspect of the part of an actor and the importance of an actor in a story, there is an actor indeed very important and he often acts continuously so that the character dominates in story.

Based on the condition and developing, the character can be divided on a static character and a developing character. A static character is a character not meeting a change on characterizing in an accidents going on. But a developing character is a character that experiences a changing and developing character as such as with change a certain happening’s.7

Character is complex of potentialities of action.8 The characters are the people in the story. They do some action according to their part and role in the story or we also can say that character person presented in dramatic or narrative work. According to the book Introduction to literature written by Larry M. Sutton, character can be divided into four types, they are: flat character, round character, static character and dynamic character.9

A flat character embodies one or two qualities, ideas or traits that can be readily describes in a brief summery. They are not psychological complex characters and therefore are readily accessible to readers. Some flat characters are recognized as stock characters. Round characters are more complex than flat or stock character, and often display the inconsistencies and internal conflict found 7

Makalah proposal skripsi,A Character Analysis of David Lurie and Lucy in “Disgrace”Novel using Sociology Approach.

8

Henry Guntur Tarigan,Dasar-dasar Sastra, (Bandung: Angkasa, 1993), p. 148. 9

in most real people. They are more fully developed and therefore are harder to summarize. Static character does not change throughout the work and the reader’s knowledge of that character does not grow. Dynamic character undergoes some kind of change because of the action in a plot.

A character may be drawn with a few method personality traits or with complex collection of them. Sometimes character may be presented by narrator or by author itself through his explanation in the story. Indirectly; readers must learn about characters from the character’s own words, action or comments by other around them.10If a character changes or grows during the course of the play, he or she is dynamic. Meanwhile, if a character that does not change in any significant way during the course of the work is static.

Character may also be classified as either dynamic or statistic. Dynamic characters grow and change in the course of a story, developing as they react to events and to other characters. A static character may face the same challenges a dynamic character might encounter; yet the statistic character will remain essentially unchanged.

Character has a different meaning with characterization. Character is the person which is presented in works of narrative or drama who convey their personal qualities through dialogue and action by which the reader or audience understands their thoughts, feeling, intentions and motives.11 Character is

10

Encyclopedia American: Volume 6, 1985, p. 366. 11

The Department of English, University of Victoria,Character and Characterization, from http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/LTCharacter html, retrieved 8th2009.

presumably an imagined person who inhabits a story.12Characters are divided into two types; there are main/major character and minor character. The major character is a character that always appears and dominates in every part of story. It is a character that is often told in the story.13 Minor Character is character that only appears in one event. Appearance of minor character in the entire story is less, not significant and it appears only when there is connection with major character, either directly or indirectly.14

Round character according to Perrine is complex and many sides; they might require an easy for full analysis. It undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of character, personality or outlook.15 Major characters are likely to be round, while minor characters to be flat. Flat character is one embodying asingle ideaorquality.The flat character something called atypeorcaricature.For it can be summed up in sentence. Flat characters usually have small part in the story.

Characters are divided into two kinds: they are round character and flat character. Flat character is character which is only having one quality of certain person, or one specific character. The character and behavior of flat character are straight, monotone, and its only figure of one specific character. Round character is character that had and exposed his life side possibilities, his personality side and spirit.16 Round character more looking like real human’s life, beside of having

12

X. J. Kennedy, Literature“An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”, (NewYork: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991), p.47.

13

Adib Sofia Sugiastuti,Feminisme dan Sastra “Menguak Citra Perempuan dalam Layar Terkembang” (Bandung: Penerbit Katarsis, 2003), p.69

14

Ibid.p.16. 15

Encyclopedia Americana (1985),op.cit.367. 16

many kinds of behaviors and action possibilities, he also often give a surprise. Beside that Burhan Nurgiantoro also explains that the characters are divided into two the typical such as main character and peripheral character. Main characters are characters that have a big part in the story. Whereas peripheral characters are not developed nearly as fully as the central characters do not demand our sympathy. Peripheral characters only have small pans in the story.17

Major character or central character is a character that holds on an important role. This character is very dominant and always appears in each conflict. On the other hand, there is another character appears only few times or she/he might be in a short portion, and this character is known as minor character.18 Another common term in Drama is protagonist. Protagonist character deals with truth and conflicts with other characters. While antagonist character forces and often gives any trouble or conflict to the protagonist one.

Character is showing at perpetrator of presented story or the player of the story, whereas characterization is portraying of clear picture about someone who present in a story.19So it can be said that, character as one person who play a part of figure and characterization is the way of narrator to submit an attitude, interest, desire, emotion, and moral principle that had by the figure in his story. In defining or depicting all of character figure in the story recognized in the story recognized by three kinds of way , such as, analytically, where the author explains in detail his figures character, fictionally the author does not explain directly but he use the other way by defining place, setting of the figure, or by presenting the dialog 17

Ibid. p.167 18

Encyclopedia Americana (1985),op.cit.368. 19

among one figure to another’s, by narrating deed, behavior, or figure reaction to an event, and alliance between analytic and dramatic (in this case between analytic and dramatic have to complete each other).20

Characterization is the process of creating character in fiction. The manners of describing can be done through the events, author direct statement, character direct statement, conversation, and though statement from others characters.21

Characterization can involve developing a variety of aspect of a character, such as appearance, age, gender, educational level, occupation or vocation, financial status, marital status, hobbies, religious belief, ambition, motivation, characterization is an element of the discourse.22

Characterization is the process of conveying information about characters in fiction. Characters are usually presented through their actions, dialect, and thoughts, as well as by description. Characterization can be regarded a variety of aspects of a character, such as appearance, age, gender, educational level, vocation or occupation, financial status, marital status, cultural background, hobbies, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ambitions, motivations, personality, etc. According Shreklisch Onion Layer Model, the psychological makeup of a fully developed story book character involves fears, emotions, back story, issues,

20

Ibid. p. 165. 21

Burhan Nurgiantoro,Teori Pengkajian Fiksi, (Jogjakarta: Gajah Mada University Press, 1988), p. 164.

beliefs, practices, desires, and intentions. Obviously, a character may differ from the author in any or all these areas.23

Meanwhile, characterization is portraying of clear picture about someone, which presents in a story. Characterization means how the writer tells the reader about physical and non-physical characteristic of the person told in the story. Characterization or personality, is defined, as in fiction, by what the characters do, by what they say, by what others say about them, and setting in which they move. The characters are also defined in part by other characters as whom they in some degree resemble or from whom they in some degree differ.

B. The understanding of Novel

Literary work is an application of feeling and language toward real life. One of literary work form is a novel. The Novel is an exploration or chronic of living, dreaming and illustration in standard work, influence, connection, result, destroy, or human behavior.

In literary books, novel is a story long enough to fill a complete book, in which characters and events are usually in prose about imaginary people long enough to cover a book. “The definition of novel is a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length, in which characters and actions representative of real life are portrayed in a plot of mere or less complexity”.24

There are two important aspects to understand a novel. They are the intrinsic and extrinsic elements. The intrinsic elements are the analysis of the 23

Characterization, fromhttp://en.wikipedia.pedia.org/Characterization, retrieved May 8th2009. 24

Oxford advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, (University Press, 2005), 7thEdition, p. 1039.

literature itself without looking to the relation with the extern aspects. They are theme, plot, character, setting, and point of view. Whereas the intrinsic element is the analysis of the literature work it by looking to the relation with the extern aspects such as sociology, psychology, religious, and philosophy.

C. The Elements of Novel 1. Theme

Theme is not summary of the story. The theme of a piece fiction is its controlling ideas or its central insight. It is the unifying generalization about life stated or implied by the story.25 The gist of one’s thoughts or root of the matter, which will be submitted by the narrator to reader with the context of whole story.26

Theme in literature is important subject and experiences of our public and private lives such as love, marriage, hope and so on. The common experiences in life can become a theme in literatures.27

2. Plot

Plot is the way in which a story’s events are arranged, and following what ever progression of time, place, and action the author has adopted, and it is shaped by causal connections, by the interaction between characters, and by the

25

Emil and Sandra Roy,Literary Spectrum, (Boston: Purdue University, 1974), p. 284. 26

Suroto,Theory dan Bimbingan Apresiasi Sastra Indonesia, (Jakarta: Penerbit Erlangga, 1989), p.88.

juxtaposition of events.28 Reader interest and involvement in a story are heightened by its conflict, the struggle between opposing forces that emerges as the story’s action develops. A work’s plot explores one or more conflicts, moving from exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, anticlimax, and finally to a resolution.

A writer may present a story’s events in strict chronological order with the event that actually occurred first presented in the sequence in which it took place. Many sequences are possible as the writer manipulates events to create interest, suspense, confusion, wonder, or other effects.

Writers commonly use established techniques like flashbacks and foreshadowing to vary chronological order. A flashback is moves out of sequence to examine an event or situation that occurred before the time in which the story’s action takes place. And foreshadowing is the presentation early in a story of situations, character or objects that seem to have no special importance, but that in fact are later revealed to have great significance.29

3. Setting

The setting of a work of fiction establishes its historical, geographical, and physical environment. Setting however, means more than just the approximate time and place in which the work is set; setting also encompasses a wide variety of physical and cultural features. Historical context establishes social, cultural, economic and political environment. Astory’s geographical context can also help 28

Laurence Perrine, Reading and Writing about Fiction, (London: Hacourt Brace Javanovich, 1984), p.62.

29

readers to understand characters behavior. A work’s physical context includes such varied, miscellaneous factors as the time of day, whether a story unfolds primarily inside or out of doors, what the whether is like, and the story’s general atmosphere.

4. Point of View

Abrams (1981) in Nurgiyantoro (2005: 248) says that point of view is a way or views that is used by the writer as a tool to describe the characters, action, setting and some events in which conducted the story in a fiction to the readers. There are two main categories of point of view:

a. Third person points of view (in which the narrator is in the crudest sense, not a participant in the story)

b. First-person points of view (in which “I” who narrates the story plays a part in it)30

30

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS

A. Data Description

The writer tried to analyze Bruno’scharacteristics inStrangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith. Bruno was the main character in the novel Strangers on Train. The writer tried to analyze in every aspect and through the events that done by Bruno as the main character.

Character can be human and non human creature that is like in the fictional story, the represent the actions that build the story. The presentation of the characters can be as flat or round character and static or dynamic character. Those types are depending on the role of the characters in the story.31

The character refers to the person or player of the story, character are divided into two types there are main/major character and minor character. Major character is a character that always appears and dominated every part of the story. That is character often told in a story. Minor character is character that only appears in one event. Appearance of minor character in the entire story is not significant and it appears only when there is connection with major character, either directly or indirectly.32

This chapter focuses on the development of Bruno’s characteristics characterized by the author. The novel is about two passengers on the same train Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno. Guy is a successful architect in the 31

X. J. Kennedy,Literature “An Introduction to Fiction,Poetry and Drama” (New York: Harper

Collins Publisher, 1991), p.6. 32

Department of English, University of Victoria, Character and Characterization, from http;//web.uvic.ca/guide/ character. Retrieved January 2, 2008.

midst of divorce, while Bruno turns out to be sadistic psychopath who manipulates guy into swapping murders with him.

The writer tabulated some characteristics of Charles Anthony Bruno as: Confident Man, Smart, Careless Man, Optimistic Person, Kind Person, and Temperamental. Those characters would direct to be a perfect murder with manipulated Guy Haines.

Table I

Charles Anthony Bruno’s Characteristics

NO Corpus Indication Page

1. “I don’t think I’ve introduced my self,” he half stood up” “Bruno, Charles Anthony Bruno,” Guy shock his hand briefly.” “Guy Haines”. “Glad to meet you”.

“Hey!” Bruno whispered, and saw her turn. “Say, isn’t your name Miriam?”She faced him, but he knew she could barely see him. “Yeah, who’re you?”

I keep thinking about that idea we had for a couple of murders. It could be done, I am sure. I cannot express to you my Supremes confidence in the idea! Though I know subject does not interest you.

“Like a trip to the moon in a rocket. Setting a speed record in a car-blindfolded. I did that once. Didn’t set a record, but I when up to a hundred sixty.”

Confident Man

12

80

22

2. “Hey! Cheeses, what an idea! We murder for each other, see? I kill your wife and you kill my father! We meet on the train, see, and nobody knows we know each other! Perfect alibis! Catch?” Bruno said.

“Okay kill me if you want to! You can say it is self-defense!”Bruno whined. There was nothing he could do to stop Bruno’s smile, not even kill him.

Guy frowned. A question took form in his mind, and immediately he knew the answer. He remembered Bruno’s idea for a murder.…But it was drunken bravado on Bruno’s part, he thought. Why should he react seriously?

Smart

34

129

51

3. He began to realize what he intended to do. He was on his way to do murder which not only would fulfill a desire of years, but would benefit a friend. It made Bruno very happy to do things for his friends. And his victim deserved her fate.

The police are downstairs, he though. This just the time they would catch him, at down. And he didn’t care at all. He would make a complete confession. He would blurt it all out at once!

Careless Man

66

161

4. “It’s the idea of my life! Don’t you get it? I could do it sometimes when you’re out of

town.” Bruno said toGuy Haines. Optimistic Person

“ He felt like he could do it. Something kept telling him that the time, circumstances, the cause would never be better. A pure murder, without personal motives! He didn’t consider the possibility of Guy’s murdering his father a motive, because he didn’t count on it.

60

5. Bruno pushed his hair back. “Want to dance, Mom?” “You’re in no condition to dance.” “You’re a nice guy. You take everything serious. You take women the hard way, too, don’t you?”

“Don’t look so sad, Mom.” Bruno said, “Darling, will you promise me you’all cut down? The doctor said this is beginning of the end. This morning was a warning, don’t you see? “Yes ma” Bruno said.

Kind Person

174

24

225

6. “I don’t wanna walk!” Bruno yelled, wrenching away and stopping. The fresh air was waiting him like a fish.

36

“Who is he?” Bob whispered to Guy. “Guy and I are supermen!” Bruno said.

“You’re a supermen drinker,” Helen remarked. “That’s not true!” Bruno struggled onto one knee.

“Charles, calm down!” Anne told him, but she smiled, too, and Bruno only grinned back.

B. Analysis of Charles Anthony Bruno’sCharacteristics

Bruno was aConfident Man. It can be known from the way he introduced himself to stranger in the train.

“I don’t think I’ve introduced my self,” he half stood up “Bruno, Charles Anthony Bruno,” Guy shook his hand briefly. “Guy Haines”. “Glad to meet you”. (Highsmith 2001, 12)

The above sentence shows that Bruno was aConfident Man. Confident is feeling or showing certainty about something. Bruno was confident man over hospitality. He began to tell Guy a long story about his life in college, how he would have become a photographer if something hadn’t happened at a certain time with his father. Guy didn’t listen. He felt sick of Bruno.

The other evidence from Bruno that he was a Confident Manwas proved when Bruno met Guy Haines’s wife for the first time. Bruno came closer to her and greeted her.

“Hey!” Bruno whispered, and saw her turn. “Say, isn’t your name Miriam?”She faced him, but he knew she could barely see him. “Yeah, who’re you?”(Highsmith 2001, 80)

The above sentence shows that Bruno dared to greet Guy Haines’s wife although it was the first time he met her.

The statement showing that Bruno was aConfident Manwas also showed when he always expressed that what he would be successful in action of murder. I keep thinking about that idea we had for a couple of murders. It could be done, I am sure. I cannot express to you my Supremes confidence in the idea! Though I know subject does not interest you. (Highsmith 2001, 47)

The sentence “I cannot express to you my Supremes confidence in the idea” shows that he was assured that his plan would be successful, even though Guy Haines did not really know what exactly he planned about it.

The evidence showing that Bruno was aConfident Mancan be seen from the sentence below.

“Like a trip to the moon in a rocket. Setting a speed record in a car-blindfolded. I did that once. Didn’t set a record, but I when up to a hundred sixty.”

The above-cited sentence shows that Bruno was veryConfident. He even dared showing Guy Haines that he could drive a car in a very high speed with blindfolded eye.

Bruno was alsoSmart Person.It can be known by him-self when he gave a brilliant idea to switch a victim to kill. Bruno killed guy Haines’s wife while Guy Haines killed Bruno’s father.

“Hey! Cheeses, what an idea! We murder for each other, see? I kill your wife and you kill my father! We meet on the train, see, and nobody knows we know each other! Perfect alibis! Catch?” Bruno saidto Guy Haines.(Highsmith 2001, 34)

The above sentence shows that Bruno wasSmart. Smart means having or showing intelligence. Bruno realized that he made Guy Haines afraid and the word sickened him. Bruno knew that Guy Haines wanted to break away from Bruno.

The other evidence that Bruno wasSmart,was described by the dialogue between Bruno and Guy Haines.

“Okay kill me if you want to! You can say it is self-defense!” Bruno whined.... There was nothing he could do to stop Bruno’s smile, not even kill him. (Highsmith 2001, 129)

Bruno knew that Guy Haines hadn’t got courage to kill him because he knew something about Guy Haines secret, Guy Haines knew there was nothing he could stopBruno’s smile, not even kill him.

Bruno wasSmart Person. It can be known by his friend Guy Haines when Bruno had a plan for murder.

Guy frowned. A question took form in his mind, and immediately he knew the answer. He remembered Bruno’s idea for a murder.…But it was drunken bravado on Bruno’s part, he thought. Why should he react seriously? (Highsmith 2001, 51)

From above sentence, we can see that his friend Guy Haines acknowledged that Bruno conducted murder smartly and seriously.

Bruno was also aCareless Man, It can be showed by him-self that, he did not care with himself, he felt very happy if he could help his friend even he only had a few friends in his life. It was described by the narrator above.

He began to realize what he intended to do. He was on his way to do murder which not only would fulfill a desire of years, but would benefit a friend. It made Bruno very happy to do things for his friends. And his victim deserved her fate. (Highsmith 2001, 66)

The above sentence shows that Bruno was Careless Man. The statement “but would benefit a friend” showed that Bruno conducted murder not for his satisfaction but for his friend’s. Althoughit would risk his life which means that he was a careless man. When his friend asked him to join them to California, Bruno refused because he had to go to see Guy Haines to continue the plan. He believed that Guy would accept his plan to be a perfect murder.

Bruno was Careless Man. It was described by narrator, that he was a careless manbecause he didn’t afraid about anything including to the police.

The police are downstairs, he though. This just the time they would catch him, at down. And he didn’t care at all. He would make a complete confession. He would blurt it all out at once! (Highsmith 2001, 161)

The above sentence shows that Bruno was Careless Man. Bruno kept conducting his idea for murder. Though, the police chased him to stop his plan. Bruno however, did not care about it and he thought to make a complete confession about murder, if he arrested by the police.

He was Optimistic Person. It was described when he gave a brilliant idea to be a perfect murder. He believed that his plan would be working well if Guy Haines wanted to join him. It was described by him when he opened the plan to Guy Haines. Bruno would have been capable for arranging his father murder. Bruno had an idea for conducting double murder.

“It’s the idea of my life! Don’t you get it? I could do it sometimes when you’re out oftown.” Bruno said to Guy Haines.(Highsmith 2001, 34)

Bruno was not only careless man, but he was also anOptimistic Person, he always assured that his plan would be successful without any problem.

“He felt like he could do it. Something kept telling him that the time, circumstances, the cause would never be better. A pure murder, without personal motives! He didn’t consider the possibility of Guy’s murdering his father a motive, because he didn’t count on it.”(Highsmith 2001, 60)

From the sentence above we can see that Bruno was very convinced that he conduct the murder. He was also ensured that he could be a perfect murder. Guy believed about Bruno’s idea. He would do what they have planned to kill their each target. And Guy thought that Bruno was a brilliant person whom always showed successful actions.

He was also aKind Person. It was described by the dialogue between him and his mother. He cared about his mother. It proved that Bruno was a Kind Person. He loved his mother very much. He can be seen from quotation bellow. Bruno pushed his hair back. “Want to dance, Mom?” “You’re in no condition to dance.”(Highsmith 2001, 174)

That statement above shows us that Bruno was a Kind Person; he really cared about his mother. He reminded her mother not to go dancing because he knew that his mother was still ill.

There is much evidence that Bruno was aKind Person, for example, when he made a conversation with Guy Haines in the train. Guy confessed him as a nice person it can be seen from quotation bellow.

“You’re a nice guy. You take everything serious. You take women the hard way, too, don’t you?”(Highsmitsh 2001, 24)

The quotation above explains that Bruno had found to mate a good conversation with Guy Haines; he looked like he was a kind person.

Bruno as aKind Personwas also described in the dialogue between Bruno and his mother.

“Don’t look so sad, Mom.” Bruno said, “Darling, will you promise me you’llcut down? The doctor said this is beginning of the end. This morning was a warning, don’t you see? “Yes ma” Bruno said.(Highsmith 2001, 225)

The sentence shows that Bruno was aKind Personwhen his mother asked him to have medical check up to a doctor who had affair with his mother after he killed his father. He could not murder his mother because he really cares about mother, he would do anything for his mother.

His feeling,Temperamental, was shown by him when he always yelled at anyone if there was something did not pleasure him. It was described by him when Guy Haines asked him to walk but Bruno refused to walk and start yelling at him.

“I don’t wanna walk!” Bruno yelled, wrenching away and stopping. The fresh air was waiting him like a fish. (Highsmith 2001, 36)

The above sentence shows that Bruno was a temperamental person. Temperamental is liable to unreasonable change of mood. Bruno yelled to release his angry when his friend asked him to walk.

Bruno was also aTemperamental.It can be known by him-self when Guy Haines introduced his friend; Bruno seemed upset with Guy Haines’s friend because he called Bruno a supermen drinker. The evidence could be seen from the quotation below.

“Who is he?” Bob whispered to Guy. “Guy and I are supermen!” Bruno said. “You’re a supermen drinker,” Helen remarked. “That’s not true!” Bruno struggled onto one knee. “Charles, calm down!” Anne told him, but she smiled, too, and Bruno only grinned back.(Highsmith 2001, 261)

The above sentence shows that Bruno could not control his emotion when he was said a Supermen drinker by Helen. It was clearly that Bruno had a temperament feeling; it made him a perfect murder.

From the analysis above, the writer concluded that Patricia Highsmith described Charles Anthony Bruno as a main character to her readers in various ways; she implied Bruno’s characteristics trough narrator’s explanation, description, dialogue, thought and feeling, and action as well as reaction. As a human being, Bruno had positive and negative sides of personalities in his own

character; those positive personalities might lead up to negative condition in his life. A great character that led him up to maintain himself in the middle of his self-adjustment process might show his weakness character later.

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion

From the analysis, the writer concluded that Patricia Highsmith described Charles Anthony Bruno as a main character. The writer found 6 Bruno’s characteristics in his life, such as Confident man, Smart, Careless man, Optimistic person, Kind person, Temperament and 16 sentences that supporting those characteristics in the novel. Bruno has a plan to kill his father and he tried to manipulate Guy Haines to join him. Bruno got frustrated because of some reasons, and his parent divorces.

Therefore, from the analysis, the writer can see that Bruno wasConfident Man because he had over hospitality; when he began to tell Guy a long story about his life in college. Confident is feeling or showing certainty about something. The other evidence from Bruno that he was a confident man was proved thatBruno dared to greet Guy Haines’s wife although it was the first time he met her. Bruno was very confident because he even dared showing Guy Haines that he could drive a car in a very high speed with blindfolded eye. Bruno was a confident man because he was also showed when he always expressed that what he would be successful in action of murder.

Bruno was alsoSmart Person. It can be known by him-self when he gave a brilliant idea to switch a victim to kill. Smart means having or showing intelligence. Bruno was also smart because he knew that Guy Haines hadn’t got courage to kill him because he knew something about Guy Haines secret. Bruno

was smart because Guy Haines knew that Bruno conducted murder smartly and seriously.

Bruno was also aCareless Man,because he did not care with himself, he felt very happy if he could help his friend even he only had a few friends in his life. Bruno was a careless man becausehe didn’t afraid about anything including to the police. Bruno kept conducting his idea for murder. Though, the police chased him to stop his plan. Bruno, however, did not care about it and he thought to make a complete confession about murder, if he arrested by the police.

He was alsoOptimistic Person;it was described when he gave a brilliant idea to be a perfect murder. He believed that his plan would be working well, when he opened the plan to Guy Haines. He was optimistic person because he always assured that his plan would be successful without any problem andhe was also ensured that he could be a perfect murder.

Bruno was also a Kind Personbecause he really cared about his mother and he loved his mother very much. It proved when he reminded her mother not to go dancing because he knew that his mother was still ill. Bruno was a kind person because he would do anything for his mother.

Bruno was aTemperamental Person because he always yelled at anyone if there was something did not pleasure him, he yelled to release his angry when his friend asked him to walk but Bruno refused to walk and start yelling at him. Temperamental is liable to unreasonable change of mood. Bruno was a Temperamental Person because he seemed upset when he called a supermen

drinker, Bruno could not control his emotion when he was said a Supermen drinker by Helen.

The writer concluded that Patricia Highsmith described Charles Anthony Bruno as a main character to her readers in various ways; she implied Bruno’s characteristics trough narrator’s explanation, description, dialogue, thought and feeling, and action as well as reaction. As a human being, Bruno had positive and negative sides of personalities in his own character; those positive personalities might lead up to negative condition in his life. A great character that led him up to maintain himself in the middle of his self-adjustment process might show his weakness character later.

B. Suggestion

The writer suggests for those who are interested in the study about literature, especially inStrangers on a Trainnovel written by Patricia Highsmith, to use Descriptive Qualitative method in the research based on the comprehension of the conflict of main character in the novel to get character’s characteristics. Anyone who is interested in doing deeper study about character’s characteristics may use the data taken from quotation, statement, and how the novelist describes the character in her novel. Besides that, the writer also expects that the research will be useful to the reader who wants to analyze a fiction about main character in literary work any kind.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Farkhan, Muhammad.Proposal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra, Penerbit Cella, Jakarta, 2007.

Farkhan, Muhammad.Penulisa Karya Ilmiah, Penerbit Cella, Jakatra, 2007. Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren.Theory of Literature,London, 1997.

Ratna, Nyoman Kuthe.Teori. Metode, dan Teknik Penulisan Sastra,Yogyakarta, 2004.

Bowler Ellen,literature.New Jersey, Hall, Inc, 1994.

Tarigan, Henri Guntur.Dasar-dasar Sastra, Bandung: Angkasa, 1993.

Stephen, Martin.An Introductory Guide to English Literature, Essex: Longman Group Ltd.

Tarigan, Henry Guntur.Dasar-dasar Sastra, Bandung: Angkasa, 1993. Sutton, Larry M. et al. Journey:An Introduction to Literature, Boston: Brook

Press, 1971.

Perren, Laurece.Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense, London: Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1984.

The Department of English, University of Victoria, Character and Characterization, from http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/LTCharacter html,

retrieved 8th2009.

Kennedy, X. J.Literature“An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”,New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.

Sugiastuti, Adib Sofia.Feminisme dan Sastra “Menguak Citra Perempuan dalam Layar Terkembang”Bandung: Penerbit Katarsis, 2003.

Nurgiantoro, Burhan.Teori Pengkajian Fiksi, Jogjakarta: Gajah Mada University Press, 1988.

Characterization, from http;//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characterization, retrieved May 20, 2008.

Oxford advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, (University Press, 2005), 7thEdition.

Emil, and Roy Sandra.Literary Spectrum, Boston: Purdue University, 1974. Suroto,Theory dan Bimbingan Apresiasi Sastra Indonesia, Jakarta: Penerbit

Erlangga, 1989.

Mars, Nicolas.An Introduction to literary Studies, London: Routledge, 1999. Perrine, Laurence.Reading and Writing about Fiction, London: Hacourt Brace

Javanovich, 1984.

Charlotte, I. Lee.Oral Interpretation, London: Northwestern University, 1974. Kennedy, X. J.Literature“An Introduction to Fiction,Poetry and Drama”New

York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1991.

Department of English, University of Victoria,Character and Characterization, from http;//web.uvic.ca/guide/ character. Retrieved January 2, 2008. http://amie47.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/short-story/

APPENDICES

Appendix I

Appendix II

Biography of the AuthorStrangers on a Train

Born in Forth Worth, Texas, in 1921,Patricia Highsmith spent much of her adult life in Switzerland and France. She was educated at Barnard College, where she studied English, Latin, and Greek. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, published initially in 1950, proved to be a major commercial success and was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. Despite this early recognition, Highsmith was unappreciated in the United States for the entire length of her career.

Writing under the pseudonym of Clare Morgan, she then published The Price of Salt in 1953, which had been turned down by her previous American publisher because of its frank exploration of homosexual themes. Her most popular literary creation was Tom Ripley, the dapper sociopath who first debuted in her 1955 novels, The Talented Mr. Ripley. She followed with four other Ripley novels. Posthumously made into a major motion picture, The Talented Mr. Ripley has helped bring about a renewed appreciation of Highsmith’s work in the United States.

The author of more than twenty books, Highsmith has won the O. Henry Memorial Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Le Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, and the Award of the Crime Writers Association of Great Britian. She died in Switzerland on February 4, 1995, and her literary archives are maintained in Berne.

was smart because Guy Haines knew that Bruno conducted murder smartly and seriously.

Bruno was also aCareless Man,because he did not care with himself, he felt very happy if he could help his friend even he only had a few friends in his life. Bruno was a careless man becausehe didn’t afraid about anything including to the police. Bruno kept conducting his idea for murder. Though, the police chased him to stop his plan. Bruno, however, did not care about it and he thought to make a complete confession about murder, if he arrested by the police.

He was alsoOptimistic Person;it was described when he gave a brilliant idea to be a perfect murder. He believed that his plan would be working well, when he opened the plan to Guy Haines. He was optimistic person because he always assured that his plan would be successful without any problem andhe was also ensured that he could be a perfect murder.

Bruno was also a Kind Personbecause he really cared about his mother and he loved his mother very much. It proved when he reminded her mother not to go dancing because he knew that his mother was still ill. Bruno was a kind person because he would do anything for his mother.

Bruno was aTemperamental Person because he always yelled at anyone if there was something did not pleasure him, he yelled to release his angry when his friend asked him to walk but Bruno refused to walk and start yelling at him. Temperamental is liable to unreasonable change of mood. Bruno was a

drinker, Bruno could not control his emotion when he was said a Supermen drinker by Helen.

The writer concluded that Patricia Highsmith described Charles Anthony Bruno as a main character to her readers in various ways; she implied Bruno’s characteristics trough narrator’s explanation, description, dialogue, thought and feeling, and action as well as reaction. As a human being, Bruno had positive and negative sides of personalities in his own character; those positive personalities might lead up to negative condition in his life. A great character that led him up to maintain himself in the middle of his self-adjustment process might show his weakness character later.

B. Suggestion

The writer suggests for those who are interested in the study about literature, especially inStrangers on a Trainnovel written by Patricia Highsmith, to use Descriptive Qualitative method in the research based on the comprehension of the conflict of main character in the novel to get character’s characteristics. Anyone who is interested in doing deeper study about character’s characteristics may use the data taken from quotation, statement, and how the novelist describes the character in her novel. Besides that, the writer also expects that the research will be useful to the reader who wants to analyze a fiction about main character in literary work any kind.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Farkhan, Muhammad.Proposal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra, Penerbit Cella, Jakarta, 2007.

Farkhan, Muhammad.Penulisa Karya Ilmiah, Penerbit Cella, Jakatra, 2007. Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren.Theory of Literature,London, 1997.

Ratna, Nyoman Kuthe.Teori. Metode, dan Teknik Penulisan Sastra,Yogyakarta, 2004.

Bowler Ellen,literature.New Jersey, Hall, Inc, 1994.

Tarigan, Henri Guntur.Dasar-dasar Sastra, Bandung: Angkasa, 1993.

Stephen, Martin.An Introductory Guide to English Literature, Essex: Longman Group Ltd.

Tarigan, Henry Guntur.Dasar-dasar Sastra, Bandung: Angkasa, 1993. Sutton, Larry M. et al. Journey:An Introduction to Literature, Boston: Brook

Press, 1971.

Perren, Laurece.Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense, London: Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1984.

The Department of English, University of Victoria, Character and Characterization, from http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/LTCharacter html,

retrieved 8th2009.

Kennedy, X. J.Literature“An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”,New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.

Sugiastuti, Adib Sofia.Feminisme dan Sastra “Menguak Citra Perempuan dalam

Layar Terkembang”Bandung: Penerbit Katarsis, 2003.

Nurgiantoro, Burhan.Teori Pengkajian Fiksi, Jogjakarta: Gajah Mada University Press, 1988.

Oxford advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, (University Press, 2005), 7thEdition.

Emil, and Roy Sandra.Literary Spectrum, Boston: Purdue University, 1974. Suroto,Theory dan Bimbingan Apresiasi Sastra Indonesia, Jakarta: Penerbit

Erlangga, 1989.

Mars, Nicolas.An Introduction to literary Studies, London: Routledge, 1999. Perrine, Laurence.Reading and Writing about Fiction, London: Hacourt Brace

Javanovich, 1984.

Charlotte, I. Lee.Oral Interpretation, London: Northwestern University, 1974. Kennedy, X. J.Literature“An Introduction to Fiction,Poetry and Drama”New

York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1991.

Department of English, University of Victoria,Character and Characterization, from http;//web.uvic.ca/guide/ character. Retrieved January 2, 2008. http://amie47.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/short-story/

APPENDICES

Appendix I

Appendix II

Biography of the AuthorStrangers on a Train

Born in Forth Worth, Texas, in 1921,Patricia Highsmith spent much of her adult life in Switzerland and France. She was educated at Barnard College, where she studied English, Latin, and Greek. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, published initially in 1950, proved to be a major commercial success and was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. Despite this early recognition, Highsmith was unappreciated in the United States for the entire length of her career.

Writing under the pseudonym of Clare Morgan, she then published The Price of Salt in 1953, which had been turned down by her previous American publisher because of its frank exploration of homosexual themes. Her most popular literary creation was Tom Ripley, the dapper sociopath who first debuted in her 1955 novels, The Talented Mr. Ripley. She followed with four other Ripley novels. Posthumously made into a major motion picture, The Talented Mr. Ripley has helped bring about a renewed appreciation of Highsmith’s work in the United States.

The author of more than twenty books, Highsmith has won the O. Henry Memorial Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Le Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, and the Award of the Crime Writers Association of Great Britian. She died in Switzerland on February 4, 1995, and her literary archives are maintained in Berne.