M. J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens presents nine ways to help the readers understand the character presented in a story. However, only several
would be used by the writer in analyzing the character for this study such as: a Characters as seen by another. A character is described by the author through
what the others see and think about the character as. b Speech. A character of a person is revealed through what he or she says. c Reactions.
The character‘s reactions towards situations and events could also reveal the character‘s traits. d
Thoughts. Through a person‘s thoughts, the person‘s character could also be
revealed. e Mannerisms. The person‘s manners, habits, temperaments, reveal the
person‘s character Murphy, 1972: 161-173.
2. Theory on the Relation between Literature and Society
Literature in one way or another is closely related to the society in which the work is produced. The fact that the author is part of the society has influenced
the author to produce the literary works which represent the society in which the author lives
and share the experience of the author‘s. Rene Wellek and Austin Warren define the literature and society as
Literature ‗represents‘ ‗life‘ is, in large measure, a social reality, even though the natural world and the inner or subjective world of the individual have also
been objects of literary ‗imitation‘ Wellek and Warren, 1956: 94. It means that through literature the reality of the social life is depicted. The
author shares his or her real life experience and the condition of the society in his or her time and then expresses it through his or her work of literature. Therefore,
literary works that are produced are closely related to the social life of the time in which the author lives as Wellek and Warren also stat
ed that ―the writer has been
a citizen, has pronounced on questions of social and political importance, has taken part in issues of his time Wellek and Warren, 1956:
97.‖
C. Review of Related Backgrounds
1. Review on the Background of the Aborigine
s’ Society
When talking about the history of the Aborigines society in accordance to the European settlement it would be indeed be a long story. To trace down the
background of the Aborigines society then it would also include how the word Aborigine is used. The word Aborigine itself has its meaning which is according
Encyclopedia of Race and Ethnic Studies by Ellis Cashmore the word ‗Aboriginal‘ is derived from the Latin phrase ab origine which means from the
beginning Cashmore, 2004: 1. In the same book, Claude Levi-Strauss noted that the indigenous Australians evolved in Australia since 50,000 BCE Cashmore,
2004: 1 which means that the Aborigines settlers in Australia had been occupying the land long before there was any white contact.
Then in the year 1770 was when Lieutenant James Cook claimed the eastern half of the Australian for the British. Cook did not consider the indigenous
people as being the land owners and thus, there were no any treaty or negotiation made with the indigenous people when he claimed the land.
Cook‘s incorrect declaration that the land was terra nullius or waste was the beginning of the
colonialism in Australia Cashmore, 2004: 1. Since the European had the concept that the white settlers are always
superior to any other race, this overtaking land from the Aborigines made the whites also feel right to start made the Aborigines to be put into labours and work
for them. This is supported as it is also noted in the Encyclopedia of Race and Ethnic Studies that even though the land of Australia had been occupied by the
Aborigines before any of the white settler made any contact, the pastoral and mining frontier that are found from southeast and coastal areas across Australia
brought the Aborigines into pressures Cashmore, 2004: 1. The history continues as there were some policies began to be made as in
the 1850s, the Australian colonies put the settlers to be in charge of Aboriginal policy. This policy, under a name of ―protection‖ led to a restrictive and racist
controls where the Aborigines were put at disadvantage position. Those who were born as mixed descent, were forced out from reserves which was the earlier form
of concentration camp, and the children were taken from their families and were admitted to the orphanages, training homes, apprenticeships, and white foster
care. Whereas the people of full descent or in other words are purely of Aborigines descendants were made into confinements under strict controls. Thus,
these people could be put into labors by the white employers. This Aboriginal Acts had taken away the civil rights of the Aborigines that includes the freedom to
do whatever they want, the rights to own properties, freedom to marry anyone belong to a different race, the power over their own family, and the right to put
their cultural activities into practice Cashmore, 2004: 1-2. Some of the policies which were made throughout the long history
between the Aborigines and the whites would be summarized from the site written by Jenns Korff which the writer thinks are important to be paid attention to in this
study.
