Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter deals with five parts. First is the background of the study that states the reasons why the writer chooses this topic. Second is problem formulation containing three questions that are analyzed and discussed in this study. Third is objective of the study that answers the questions formulated in the problem formulation. The next part is benefit of the study that describes the benefits of this study for the readers, the students of English Language Education Study Program, the English teachers, and the researchers. The last part is definition of terms related to the study.

A. Background of the Study

Reading literary works gives pleasure and enjoyment for the readers. However, it also offers more than that. Little says that reading literary works can add our understanding about our lives and environment 1. In our environment we can see that many people enjoy reading literary works because some literary works represent their lives, for example in a novel. In a novel, there are conflicts that make the story more interesting. The conflicts in a novel are usually faced by people in real life. In a real life we always deal with conflicts or problems. The problems may come from us or other people. Isenhart and Spangle say that conflict cannot be separated from our life 1. People will always find conflicts in their life. As individual, we 2 have our own conflict. In relationship with others, we will find more conflicts. Worchel and Cooper state that conflict is a contradiction as a result of incompatibility within the individual or between two or more individuals 46. Stanton states two kinds of conflict namely, internal conflict and external conflict. Internal conflict is a conflict between two desires within a character. External conflict is a conflict between characters or between a character and his environment 16. In literature, people are able to find conflicts inside it because literature is the portrait of people’s life. The author of literature wants to say something to the readers about life. Little says that most of literary works deal with human life including its problems. There are family problems, social problems, and personal problems which can be found in the literary works 1. In real life, people may have different views in facing their problem. Some people are able to face it patiently and wisely. They can find the best solution to their problems. They can use their mind and heart in solving their problem. On the other hand, some people cannot face their problem well. They cannot use their mind and thought in solving their problem. Since they cannot find the best solution, they will feel depressed. They even want to end their life because they cannot hold their problems anymore. Dr. Peter Parker says that someone’s mood influences the will to end someone’s life. Such people who want to end their life can be found in our environment www.sinarharapan.com. Nowadays, we often hear news about suicide in our environment, people cut their pulse, drink insect pesticide, hang themselves, etc. The researchers in America say 3 that the number of teenagers who want to suicide increases from time to time. In Indonesia, there are many people try to end their life. In Bogor, there was a boy named Daud Firdaus who tried to end his life by drinking insect pesticide because he could not accept their parents’ divorce www.indosiar.compatroli. Another case happened in Surabaya, East Java. A family consisting of four persons was found dead in their house. From the evidence found in that house, the police said that the father had killed his wife and two children before he killed himself. The police said that economic problem became the cause of this case www.surabayapost.co.id. In addition, the article states that the causes of suicide are depression, wrong eat circum, and harassment. The conflicts mentioned above have similarity with the conflicts in the novel For One More Day by Mitch Albom. In the novel, there are many conflicts faced by the character, Chick Benetto, which lead him to end his life. He faces many conflicts since he was very young. Since he gets many problems in his life, he cannot hold his problems anymore. He feels depressed and wants to end his life. Chick Benetto cannot face his problems patiently and wisely. He wants an easy way to end all of his problems. In the novel For One More Day, Mitch Albom gives many conflicts that people usually face. Mitch Albom also gives the resolutions taken by the character in facing the problems. In the novel, it is interesting to study Chick Benetto’s conflicts. The writer is interested in analyzing Chick Benetto’s internal and external conflicts because Chick Benetto faces many family conflicts during his life which make him try to end his 4 life. Therefore, by analyzing the conflicts in a novel, it can give new point of view for the readers in facing and solving their problems.

B. Problem Formulation