Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This first chapter consists of five parts. The first part is research background, which explores the description of the topic and the reasons why the writer chooses that novel. The second part is problem formulation, which contains questions discussed in this study. The third part is objective of the study, which answers questions, which are stated in the problem formulation. The fourth part is benefit of the study. It explains the benefit of this work to the readers. The last section is definition of terms. Definition of terms describes important terms related to the topic being discussed.

A. Background of the Study

Literature is a kind of art that provides enjoyment for the readers. Besides, it involves valuable points, which are able to develop someone’s experience, and knowledge since literature is the portrayal of human beings and their relationship with others. Novel is one of various literary works despite short story, play, and poem. The purpose of novel is to give pleasure and enjoyment for the readers. By reading a novel, readers’ emotion will be challenged and their mind will be expanded. Readers could use their imagination to jump into the real situation of the story to get the actual feeling and to flow with the story. Hence, readers will get pleasure by reading novel. However, it is not the only purpose. The other importance of a novel is to develop readers’ understanding related to certain 1 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 2 events or issues that may happen in the society since novel is the representative of social or human life problem. Holman Harmon state, “All novels are representation of fictional narrative of life and experience but the form itself as a protean as life and experience themselves” 336. So many issues or events are portrayed in novels, such as issue about feminism, racism, political, and psychology. This study analyzes a novel entitled My Sister’s Keeper . This novel raises psychological issue, that is motivation. Motivation is a driving force for someone to do something to achieve certain goal. Beck states, “Motivation is broadly concerned with contemporary determinants of choice direction, persistence and vigor of goal-directed behavior” 24. Everyone from all age, adult, teenager, old people or even child, have motivation why they behave as they do. Beck adds, “All of us like to feel that we are free to act as we choose” 7. It is for the reason that all of people have desire and free will to attain their goal. They have desire to fulfill their needs. However, sometimes others do not give their countenance on their need and goal since it may cause bad effect for others’ importance. This condition is experienced by the focused-character of My Sister’s Keeper novel, namely Anna. Anna is a thirteen-year-old girl who is intentionally designed to save her older sister, Kate, from Leukemia. She is created through baby designer processes for the purpose that she can be a perfect match to save her sister’s life from that deadly illness. At the beginning, the only donation anticipated is blood from the baby’s umbilical cord. Nevertheless, after several years when her sister falls into the same illness, Anna has to donate whatever is PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 3 needed by her sister such as leukocytes, bone marrow and her kidney. Surprisingly, she decides to stop her organ donation for her sister. Even, Anna hires a professional lawyer to support her effort to be medically emancipated. She really wants to be free from the entire things related to the organ donation. However, her parents cannot accept her risky action that will cause serious problem for Kate. Besides, Anna’s parents assume that a child does not have right yet to make her own medical decision. Moreover, they think that what Anna does is an unthinkable action. They expect that Anna will continue to support her sister’s life because the only one who can save Kate’s life is Anna. Despite Anna has already known about the consequences of her action that may cause her sister’s death, she stands ground upon her decision. This study discovers Anna’s motivation to stop her organ donation for her sister. It will analyze the factors that lead Anna to come into such peril decision that will give bad impact for her sister, her family as well as for she herself. Moreover, this study will observe the Anna’s personality. The understanding of Anna’s personality is considered important because it will affect her motivation in doing that action.

B. Problem Formulation