Goal of a Character
the reliability is questionable. However, still it is worthwhile to study his mood from his own perspective by observing the adjunct that he used.
…I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken and observe how healthily -- how
calmly I can tell you the whole story. p. 277
There are two adjuncts of process in the first paragraph describing that he was not mad, which are healthily and calmly. Both are explaining that he was fine
and not disturbed by anything. They invite the reader to believe that his mood was calm when telling his story. They could be more convincing if they are stated by a
third person. After the beginning of the story, the narrator shows another mood by his
manner. When he was stalking the old man, some adjunct of process are mentioned in the story.
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded --with
what caution --with what foresight --with what dissimulation I went to work I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before
I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it --oh so gently And then, when I had made an opening
sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed
to see how cunningly I thrust it in I moved it slowly --very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old mans sleep. It took me an hour to place my
whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha --would a madman have been so wise as this? And then, when
my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously --oh, so cautiously --cautiously for the hinges creaked --I undid it just so much
that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights --every night just at midnight --but I found the eye always closed;
and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I
went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he has passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect
that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. p. 277-278
The adjuncts above show how the narrator did his action. The first adjunct in this paragraph is wisely. It is quite similar to the previous mood that stated the
narrator was sane and astute. Next adjuncts are --with what caution --with what foresight --with what dissimulation which modify verb went. They all add details
about what the narrator can do when accomplishing his intention. It creates a serious mood. It is because the narrator did everything he could to kill the old man. Further,
adjunct gently, slowly and cautiously explain that the narrator did every action carefully. When the reader read every adjuncts of process above, he would
understand that the narrator’s mood was very cautious. The adjunct slowly is repeated twice and cautiously is repeated three times. It is repeated because there is
a prominence that the author wants to deliver to the reader. In order to drill the emotions of the narrator and apply it to the reader, the
author foregrounded this part by repeating the adjunct. Thus, when the repetition adjuncts successfully invite the reader’s attention, the character’s mood, which in
this context is being cautious, can be seen obviously. When I had made an end of these labors, it was four oclock --still dark as
midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, --for what had I now to
fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor
during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they the officers had been deputed
to search the premises. p. 280 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
In this part, when the narrator had dismembered and hid the corpse, he heard a knock at the door. Then, he opened it with a light heart. This adjunct of
process clearly describes that the narrator was in good mood. With a light heart gives opposite impression from the other adjuncts that the narrator told before. It
gives a bright impression to his action. Adjunct calmly or healthily gives neutral impression. The narrator was fine and good. The adjunct cautiously which gives a
rather dark impression. It is because someone who does something cautiously usually is up to something that he does not want the others to know about it or to
prevent something bad happen if he does it carelessly. Adjunct cautiously also increases the tension of the action when the reader read the story.
To summarize, adjuncts give hint about the implicit elements in the story, where the reader’s senses vision in the story are depending on how the narrator
tells his story. From the findings, it is proved that the adjuncts in the story contribute to help author to develop the settings, set a certain goal of the character, and
describe the character’s mood. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
42