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CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
X. J. Kennedy explains that “modern literary fiction in English has been dominated by two forms: the novel and the short story. The two have many
elements in common. Perhaps we will be able to define the short story more meaningfully, for it has traits more essential than just a particular length, if first,
for comparison, we consider some related varieties of fiction: the fable and the tale. Ancient forms whose origins date back to the time of word of mouth
storytelling, the fable and the tale are relatively simply in structure; in them we can plainly see elements also found in the short story and in the novel”
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Folk tales and fairy tales also come out of the oral tradition. These tales and fairy tales also come out of the oral tradition. These tales which
developed concurrently with other narrative forms. The folk tales and fairy tales that survive such as Cinderella and
Aesop‟s Fables are contemporary versions of old, even ancient, tales that can be traced back centuries through many different
cultures. Despite their variety these narrative forms have several elements in common. First, they have straight forward characterizations, often contrasting
distinctly different personality types. In additions, the folk tale or fairy tale has an
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X. J. Kennedy, An Introduction to Fiction, Fifth Edition New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1991, p. 2.
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obvious theme or moral good triumphing over evil, for instance.
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Folklorists make distinctions among the categories of folktales. Legend and traditions are narratives of an explanatory nature concerning creation
and tribal beginnings, supernatural beings, and quasi historical figures e.g., King Arthur. These stories are related as fact and concern a specific time and place.
Fairy tales are entirely fictional and often begin with such formulas as “once upon a time…” Popular examples recount the supernatural adventures and mishaps of
youngest daughters, transformed princess, mermaids, and wood fairies and elves e.g., Cinderella. Animal tales abound in every culture; most of them are clearly
anthropomorphic, the animals assuming human personalities. Such tales are classified according to three subdivisions: the etiological tale, or tale concerning
origins e.g., Great Hare of the Native North Americans; the fable pointing to a moral
Aesop‟s Fables; and the beast epic e.g., Reynard the Fox. Myths, which are more difficult to define satisfactorily, treat happenings of a long time ago; they
generally concern the adventures of gods, giants, heroes, nymphs, satyrs, and villains, as well as etiological themes.
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A fairy tales analyzed by the writer is Hansel and Gretel created by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. This story tells about the young children of a poor
wood cutter, when a great famine came to the land, their stepmother plans to take the children into the woods and leave them there to fend for themselves. So that,
she and her husband might not starve. Their stepmother forces their father to agree
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Ibid, p. 36.
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Folktale from httpwww.infoplease.comcebentAo819070.html1Q1Mmmjse, Accessed on June 18
th
, 2011.
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to leave the children in the woods to die. In the woods the children come upon the house of an evil witch who plans to eat them.
In this tale, the writer will analyze the problem by looking on the character’s characterization. The writer chooses this tale tells about the
relationship between family, which is taken from the reality or mimesis of reality world and this tale more literary and more sentimental to analyze.
B. Focus of the Study
Kategori