action that the character takes in some way reflects the quality of his or her particular personality.
12
d Characterization through Internal Action
There is an inner world of action that normally remains unseen and unheard by even the most careful observerlistener. Yet the dimension of human
nature that this world embraces is often essential to a real understanding of a character. Inner action occurs within characters minds and emotions and consists
of secret, unspoken thoughts, daydreams, aspirations, memories, fears, and fantasies. Peoples hopes, dreams, and aspirations can be as important to an
understanding of their character as any real achievement, and their fears and insecurities can be more terrible to them than any real catastrophic failure.
13
e Characterization through Reactions of Other Characters
The other characters view a person often serves as an excellent means of characterization. Sometimes, a great deal of information about a character is
already provided through such means before the character first appears on the screen. The other character can tell about the problem which is caused by the main
character and the characteristic of the main character.
14
f Characterization through Contrast: Dramatic Foils
One of the most effective techniques of characterization is the use of foils contrasting characters whose behavior, attitudes, opinions, lifestyle, physical
appearance, and so on are the opposite of those of the main characters. The effect
12
Ibid. p. 62.
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid. p. 64.
is similar to that achieved by putting black and white together the black appears blacker and the white appears whiter.
15
g Characterization Through Caricature and Leitmotif
In order to catch a character quickly and deeply in our minds and memories, actors often exaggerate or distort one or more dominant features or
personality traits. This device is called caricature from the technique used in cartooning.
16
A similar means of characterization, leitmotif, is the repetition of a single action, phrase, or idea by a character until it becomes almost a trademark or theme
song for that character. Because it essentially exaggerates and emphasizes through repetition, such a device acts very much like caricature.
17
h Characterization Through Choice of Name
One important method of characterization is the use of names possessing appropriate qualities of sound, meaning, or connotation. This technique is known
as name typing. The screenwriter usually thinks hard to give the name to the character and the name usually has the special connotation and the meaning of
something which has relationship to the role of the character, although the general connotation of the name still exists.
18
C. Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham H. Maslow was born in 1908 with Russia-Jews immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York. He is a shy, neurotic, and depressive but a
15
Ibid.
16
Ibid. pp. 65-66
17
Ibid
18
Ibid. p. 66
highly courageous and “super” clever person.
19
In 1954, Maslow released his book, Motivation and Personality, two theories that are very popular and
influenced for some universities in America were Psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud and Behaviorism of John B. Watson.
20
In psychology, the Psychoanalysis of Freud is considered as the first force. While the Behaviorism as second force. It seems Maslow has been
admired both has different principal.
21
The sample of Freud’s research were his neurotic and psychotic patients. Maslow argued that before we understand
about mental illness, people should know about healthy mental first. In the other hand, the Behaviorists collected the data of the research from animals are
like pigeon and mouse. Maslow thought that their conclusions can be applied for fish, frogs, or mouse, but not for human.
22
Maslow, in his best work, Motivation and Personality, described a number of propositions that have to be
concerned first before someone making a good theory of motivation. Maslow admitted that some good propositions which mean can be accepted by a huge
number of population. The other propositions may be cannot be accepted and debatable.
To gain a please and fully satisfy life is motivation to human, and its process is the central of Maslow’s theory. Maslow’s theory of personality rests
on several basic assumption regarding motivation. First, Maslow adopted
19
Tom Butler-Bowdon, 50 Self-Help Classics Jakarta: Bhuana Ilmu Populer, 2005, p. 273
20
Frank Globe, Mazhab Ketiga: Psikologi Humanistik Abraham Maslow Yogyakarta: Kanisius, 1987, p.17
21
Ibid. p.18
22
Ibid. P. 33
holistic approach to motivation, repeatedly pointing out that whole person, not any single part of function, is motivated. Second, motivation is usually
complex; it means that person’s behavior may appear from separate motives. Third assumption is that people are continually motivated by one need or
another. When one need has been satisfied, then it will lose its motivational power and will be replaced by another need. Next assumption is that all people
everywhere are motivated by the same basic needs. Needs for food, safety and friendship are common to the entire species. The last assumption is that needs
can be arranged on a hierarchy.
23
Conversely, if the things that satisfy our lower order needs are swept away, we are no longer concerned about the maintenance
of our higher order needs. According to Maslow, there are five levels of hierarchy of needs; there
are physiological needs, safety needs, social needs love and belonging, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Physiological, security, social, and
esteem needs are deficiency needs also known as D-needs, meaning that these needs arise due to deprivation. Satisfying these lower-level needs is important
in order to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences. Maslow termed the highest-level of the pyramid as growth needs also known as being needs or B-
needs. Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.
24
23
Jess Feist Gregory J. Feist,Theories of Personality, fifth edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002, p. 497.
24
Kendra Cherry, “Hierarchy of Needs, The Five Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, www.About.comHierarchy-of-needs.htm accessed on 22nd October 2014
