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THE MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH
THE MAIN CHARACTER’S WAYS TO SURVIVE
IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
RENDY YOEWONO
Student Number: 014214005
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
THE MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH
THE MAIN CHARACTER’S WAYS TO SURVIVE
IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
RENDY YOEWONO
Student Number: 014214005
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day, Spread my wings and fly away… R. Kelly
This Work is Dedicated to My Father in Heaven
And
My Family
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Rendy Yoewono NIM : 014214005 demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
THE MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTER’S
WAYS TO SURVIVE IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dala m bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya dalam Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan saya ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal: 18 Oktober 2008 Saya yang menyatakan, (Rendy Yoewono)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank the Lord Jesus Chr ist for his guidance and kindness during this process of writing the undergraduate thesis. Truly, without Him, I would not be able to finish it. And through Him, I found many people who helped me and supported me along the way.
The first person whom I wo uld thank is my mother. I found out that behind her harsh words, she supported me and prayed for me every night. The second, I would thank my advisor Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M.A for her guidance and time. Through her I have find my path to finish my thesis.
I would also thank Azalia Novela for being with me all the time. She has given me courage and strength I need to finish my thesis. I am also grateful that many friends, who are willing to help me giving their advices, Ian for his computer services, Citra for cheering, Endra for his entertaining jokes, Risa for everything, and many others who belongs to the 2001 English Letters. Without them, my thesis would not have been progressing. I am thankful for the times I spent with my closest friends, Ipet, Han2, Eko, Patrice, Yolan, and Vinna. They were great memories.
I would also thank all the staff of Sanata Dharma University. They have worked so hard to make the campus a great place to study.
I realize that I could not thank all people in this page. So closing this acknowledgement, I would apologize for many names I have not mentioned, and for any words that I said wrong.
Rendy Yoewono
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………………….. i APPROVAL PAGE ………………………………………………………… ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE …………………………………………………….. iii MOTTO PAGE ……………………………………………………………... iv DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………………. v LEMBAR PENGESAHAN PUBLIKASI ILMIAH………………………….. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………… vii TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………… viii ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………… x ABSTRAK ………………………………………………………………….. xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION …………………………………………..
1 A.
1 Background of the Study ………………………………………..
B.
4 Problem Formulation …………………………………………… C.
4 Objectives of the Study ………………………………………….
D.
5 Definition of Terms ……………………………………………...
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW …………………………………
6 A.
6 Review on Related Studies ……………………………………… B.
11 Review on Related Theories …………………………………….
1. Theories of Character and Characterization ……………………
11
2. Theory of Survival Psychology…………………………………
13
3. Theories of Message ……………………………………………
16 C.
19 Theoretical Framework ………………………………………….
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ………………………………………...
20 A.
20 Object of the Study ……………………………………………… B.
22 Approach of the Study …………………………………………...
C.
23 Method of the Study ……………………………………………..
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS …………………………………………………
26 A. The Characterization of Pi Patel …………………………………… 26
1. Intelligence ………………………………………………………
26
2. Open-mindedness…………………………………………………
31
3. Spirituality………………………………………………………… 35
4. Strong determination ……………………………………………
40 B. How Pi Patel Manages to Survive ..…………………………………
43
1. Survival by Recognizing and Using His Strength………………… 44
2. Survival by Being Realistic about the Situation ………………… 50
3. Survival by Adopting Positive Attitude .. ………………………… 60
C. The Messages Revealed through Pi Patel’s Ways to Survive ………
62
1. The Mind as Human’ s Greatest Strength…………………………
63
2. The Importance of Adapting to the Current Situation ……………
64
3. The Importance of Not Giving Up Easily………………………… 65
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ………………………………………………. 66 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………. 70
ABSTRACT
RENDY YOEWONO (2008). The Messages Revealed through the Main
Character’s Ways to Survive in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta:
Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.Life of Pi is an award-winning novel written by Yann Martel, a Canadian
author. The novel depicts the topic of struggle for life and against death in an emergenc y situation. It tells about the struggle of an Indian boy who spent 227 days with a fierce tiger in the Pacific Ocean, and as the sole survivor in a shipwreck that killed his family. In this undergraduate thesis, the writer aims to examine the messages revealed through the main character’s ways to survive in his struggle for life.
Three problems are formulated to guide and limit the discussion in this study. The first problem examines the description of the main character, Pi Patel, in the novel. The second problem examines the ways through which Pi Patel manages to survive. The third problem examines the messages revealed through Pi Patel’s ways to survive.
To analyze the problems, library research method is applied as the data are collected from books, academic writings, and articles from the Internet. Formalistic approach is used to conduct this study because this study analyzes the literary work based on its intrinsic elements.
The analysis shows that Pi Patel, the main character in Martel’s Life of Pi, has several dominant characteristics: he is intelligent, open- minded, spiritual, and has strong determination. Those characteristics are shown throughout the novel through Pi’s past life, speech, thoughts, mannerism, and reactions to the situation around him. Pi manages to survive through several ways: by recognizing and using his strength, which is made possible by his intelligence; by being realistic about the situation, which is facilitated by his open- mindedness; and by adopting positive attitude, which is facilitated by his spirituality and strong determination. The messages that are revealed through Pi’s ways to survive are that the mind is human’s greatest strength, that it is essential to adapt to the current situation, and that one must not give up easily.
ABSTRAK
RENDY YOEWONO (2008). The Messages Revealed through the Main
Character’s Ways to Survive in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta: Jurusan
Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.Life of Pi , hasil karya penulis Kanada Yann Martel yang telah banyak meraih
penghargaan, merupakan sebuah novel yang mengangkat topik perjuangan bertahan hidup dalam situasi yang genting. Novel ini bercerita tentang perjuangan seorang remaja laki- laki India yang terdampar di Samudra Pasifik selama 227 hari bersama seekor harimau buas, setelah mengalami kecelakaan kapal laut yang menewaskan seluruh keluarganya. Dalam skripsi ini, penulis hendak meneliti pesan-pesan yang disampaikan melalui cara-cara sang tokoh utama untuk dapat selamat dalam perjuangannya bertahan hidup.
Tiga pertanyaan dirumuskan untuk membahas topik ini. Pertanyaan pertama berkenaan dengan penggambaran sifat-sifat tokoh utama, Pi Patel, dalam novel ini. Pertanyaan kedua berkenaan dengan cara-cara Pi Patel dapat menyelamatkan diri. Pertanyaan ketiga berkenaan dengan pesan-pesan yang dapat didapat dari cara-cara Pi Patel menyelamatkan diri.
Untuk menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut, skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka, karena data diambil dari sumber tertulis seperti buku, skripsi dan artikel dari Internet. Pendekatan formalistik dianggap paling sesuai, karena skripsi ini menelaah unsur- unsur intrinsik karya sastra ini.
Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Pi Patel, tokoh utama dalam novel Life of karangan Yann Martel, memiliki sejumlah sifat-sifat yang dominan, yaitu: cerdas,
Pi
berpikiran terbuka, spiritual, dan berkemauan keras. Sifat-sifat tersebut ditampilkan di sepanjang novel melalui kehidupan masa lalu, perkataan, pemikiran, tingkah laku, dan reaksi Pi terhadap keadaan di sekitarnya. Pi dapat menyelematkan dirinya dengan cara mengenali dan menggunakan kekuatannya, yang dimungkinkan oleh sifat cerdas Pi; menghadapi situasi secara realistis, yang dimungkinkan oleh sifatnya yang berpikiran terbuka; serta dengan berpikir positif, yang dimungkinkan oleh sifat- sifatnya yang spiritual dan berkemauan keras. Beberapa pesan yang dapat diambil dari cara-cara Pi menyelamatkan diri ialah bahwa pikiran merupakan kekuatan terbesar manusia, sangatlah penting untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan keadaan dimana kita berada, dan kita tak boleh mudah menyerah.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study It has been a prevalent idea over a long period of time that literature is the
reflection of human life. When we read a work of literature, we look at human beings, the environment they live in, the proble ms they face, and basically the lives they lead, presented in the form of writing. The exact names, places, or events may be fictional or factual, but the essence of the feelings, relationships, and problems experienced by the characters in the literary work is not far from what actually happens in real life. Dryden describes literature as “the lively image of human nature” (1970: 36) in his book Selected Criticism, while Wellek and Warren in Theory of Literature describe literature as representing human life.
Literature is the reflection of human feeling toward his life. It is closely related to human experience through which we can learn the image of human beings that is expressed in the written way. It can also be defined as the work of arts which represents human life (1956: 94).
As one can perceive from Wellek and Warren's quote above, due to literature's closeness to human life, human beings can learn a lot from literary works. According to Wellek and Warren, literature can serve as a guidance, since it helps people to meet the real internalized humanity (1956: 2). According to Dryden, literature functions “for the delight and instruction of mankind” (1970: 36). It means that people do not only get entertainment from literary works, but they can also learn something.
One of the ways people can learn from literature is through the message, which Beaty and Hunter define as the meaning or conclusion that can be drawn from a literary work (1989: 1899). Since every reader perceives a literary work subjectively (depending on his or her own knowledge, intellect, experience, background, and so on), of course different readers may draw different messages from a literary work, and a literary work may contain more than one message.
Some of the messages are clearly written and some others must be sought thoroughly, but all literary works convey one or more messages. As discussed by Moody in his book The Teaching of Literature,
Literary work always offers moral messages connected with human's noble behaviors, struggle for the right and dignity of human being (1971: 48). Since literary works represent human life, the messages in literary works teach people how to deal with life and its problems, for example personal dilemmas, relationship with fellow humans, or with the nature. According to Moody in his other book, Literary Appreciation,
...all of us who read literary work will find our knowledge broadened and deepened, whether in the individual, the social, the racial, or in the internal sphere; we shall understand the possibilities of human life, both for good and evil; we shall understand how we come to live at a particular time and place, with all its pleasure and vexations and problems we shall perhaps be able to make right rather than wrong choices (Moody, 1968: 2-3).
Thus, a literary work can become a great teacher and advisor to the readers.
One form of literary work is the novel, described in MSN Encarta as “long work of written fiction”, which mostly “involve[s] many
Encyclopaedia
characters and tell a complex story" (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_ novel Life of Pi, tells about the life of a man named Pi Patel: his childhood in India, his adult life in Canada, but mainly his experience when he spent 227 days in the Pacific Ocean, after the ship that was bringing him and his family to Canada sank. Pi was the only human survivor, and during the 227 days, he shared his lifeboat with an adult Bengal tiger. He was sixteen years old then.
This novel is interesting not only because of its bizarre and unimaginable events and setting, but also because of its wide range of topic and content. It can be regarded as a bildungsroman novel, an adventure novel, as well as a philosophical novel. The term bildungsroman comes from German term for “education novel”, meaning the kind of novel which traces the stages of growth in a character's life, whether physical, moral, or psychological growth (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560384_14/Novel.html). Life of Pi can fall under this category, as it describes Pi Patel’s transition from childhood to adulthood. Before the shipwreck, he was just an ordinary boy living with his parents and brother. In the ocean, he had to face much suffering and make important decisions alone, like an adult. Based on the content, this novel can also be categorized as an adventure novel, since it describes Pi Patel’s adventure during his time in Pacific Ocean, the obstacles he faced and his efforts to overcome them. Lastly, it can be categorized as philosophical novel, as Pi Patel also discusses his views on the universe, God, and life.
No matter what type of novel it is, the struggle for life and against death, especially in emergency situation when life and death seem so close together, is a universal topic. It has a strong appeal to all human beings, regardless of their nationality, faith, or life background. Therefore, in this study, the writer is interested to discover the messages which the author might have intended to reveal through the main character’s ways to survive in his struggle for life. The significance of this study is to discover those messages, which will enable the readers to appreciate this work of literature better, and which the readers can apply in their everyday life.
B. Problem Formulation
To guide and limit the subjects discussed in this study, the research questions are formulated below.
1. How is the main character, Pi Patel, described in Martel’s Life of Pi? 2.
How does Pi Patel manage to survive, in relation to his characteristics? 3. What messages are revealed through the ways Pi Patel manages to survive?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study aims to answer the problems formulated above. The first objective of the study is to discover the characteristics of the main character, Pi Patel, in order to understand his personal traits and qualities, which become the foundation of all his actions and thoughts. After discovering Pi Patel’s characteristics, the second objective is to discover the ways taken by Pi Patel which enable him to survive on a lifeboat for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean after a shipwreck. Lastly, the third objective is to identify the messages of the novel which are revealed through Pi Patel’s ways to survive.
D. Definition of Terms
To avoid misinterpretation and make this study easier to understand, some of the terms used in this study are defined in this part. The definitions are taken from relevant reference books and websites.
1. Message
According to Beaty and Hunter in New World of Literature, message is the real meaning or some easy conclusion that can be simply stated or summarized inside a work of art (1989: 899).
2. Character
According to Abrams, the character is “the person presented in a dramatic or literary work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are exposed in what they say, e.g. the dialogue, and what they do, e.g. the action” (1981: 20).
3. Survival
According to website (http://www.biology-
Biology Online
online.org/dictionary/Survival), the word “survival”, which originates from “survive” (meaning “a natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment”) has two definitions. However, in this case, the first definition is used, namely “a living or continuing longer than, or beyond the existence of, another person, thing, or event; an outliving.” Therefore, survival means the continuation of life for the person who experiences it.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies The novel under discussion is relatively new, having only been published
for six years at the time this thesis is written. Related studies in printed media (books, magazines, etc) are very rare. Therefore, the writer has to find alternative sources of related studies from the Internet.
If we read the existing reviews and essays, the writers basically agree that is a unique book and a good quality literary work. However, on the
Life of Pi
subject of the novel’s strong points and weak points, what makes the novel special or otherwise, the ir opinions often differ greatly and even contrast with each other.
In the essay from The Pequod website (http://www.thepequod.org.uk/ essays/reviews/lop_ym.htm), the writer celebrates Martel's method of presenting the story, namely how he restores the power of stories at the emotional level, which is closely related to the oral tradition, as opposed to the political level (with aims to “establish meaning and influence behind a linguistic act” or produce “political analysis on contemporary society”).
It is achieved through some strategies: the way Martell pretends to get the stories accidentally (told by Mr. Adirubasamy in a coffee shop, then later by Pi Patel himself), and the use of Pi's voice for the narrative. Readers might indeed question the integrity or authenticity of Pi's voice, but considering a single event can be presented with “multiple ways and biases” by an author, readers will see that the text itself is the artefact, instead of the content.
Here, Martel combines two alternative modes of reaction: rational and aesthetic, manifested in the main character's nickname “Pi” as the central metaphor (pi is a mathematical number with inifinite decimals, thus unpredictable and random, although mathematics itself is a field which desires “certainty and factuality”), and the same applies in the novel.
This is magic realism in its most subversive form because it contains the most uncanny events produced from the most obviously conventional means of comprehension: language, publishing, a trustworthy author in control of his narrative (http://www.thepequod.org.uk/essays/reviews/lop_ym.htm).
Martel also combines different “modes of discourse and genre”, which can be seen in India (a culturally and spiritually diverse nation) and Pi's faith (a combination of three religions). In the opening, Martel displays Gerrard Durrel's style in the zoology and animal psychology parts, Darwinian concept of survival of the fittest, then the “reconfiguration of the Eden myth” through the man-eating tree. While the “lone survivor” narrative style examines the fundamental qualities of human beings, without modern life, technology etc.
[It] exposes man in his most basic state as the descendant of monkeys, concerned with existence rather than production, his superiority one of int ellect rather than technology (http://www.thepequod.org.uk/essays/reviews/lop_ym.htm).
Thus, without using modern tools (“metafictional self- reference”, political relevance or commitment, etc), Martel can still present elementary things along with “moral self-discovery”; sense of humour with exposure of human psychology. The writer denies Martel's claim that this book will make readers believe in God; instead, Martel makes readers want to believe in God.
However, on the contrary, in his article for London Review of Books website titled “Credulity” (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html), Wood criticizes the novel as a “contemporary postmodern novel” due to its “theological impoverishment”.
First, Wood describes Life of Pi as a “delegate” for the genre called magic realism, but on the other hand also represents conventional realism, through the way Martel builds narrative patiently, puts relevant details, and does extensive research, namely on cultural, zoological and botanical details. Martel’s narrative reminds the readers that “realism is already magical” (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html).
Wood appreciates Martel’s foundation of plausibility through the introduction of protagonist and narrator Pi Patel in the first part. While the second part contains the usual “survival story”, such as rain, storm, lack of food, it is unique and exciting that those usual things “are entwined around the story of a man and a tiger”, which become vivid and lifelike due to Martel's skill and thorough research, eve n to the details about fish and weather (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html).
However, apart from creating vividness, the use of Pi’s naïve and simple voice also makes him a “somewhat empty” character . Wood gives three arguments as the examples: first, through his sufferings, Pi retains the “jaunty tone” from the earlier section (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html). He describes his sufferings with the same tone as he describes his childhood. If a teenage boy, who has been living a comfortable, normal life all along, suddenly loses his whole family and faces such shocking and hard disaster, it is normal that he should have an anguished tone. Secondly, Pi’s narrative as a sixteen-year-old boy contains too much commonplace, ordinary theorising “as if he were at an editorial meeting of Social Text”, which Wood regards implausible (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html). Thirdly, despite Pi’s “omnivorous spiritual hunger” displayed in the early part, as well as the closing part which also brings the topic of faith, the novel does not address the issues of faith or God in depth while Pi is at the sea. It is normal when a person undergoes extreme change in life, such as losing a family, facing life-or-death situation, etc, he also undergoes some process or development in faith, whether questioning, musing about faith, or experiencing some spiritual journey. However, apart from “passing references” to daily prayers, Pi hardly thinks of God.
Wood calls it “theological impoverishment”, which indicates this novel as a “contemporary postmodern novel” the most, because this novel does not explore the theological side (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html). Wood compares it to another novel of the same type, Robinson Crusoe, which he regards as displa ying physical and spiritual journey in the protagonist’s adventure and sufferings. Ideally, by experiencing Pi’s credulity, our own credulity as readers should be “seduced, engaged, and challenged”, but Martel has only succeeded in “seducing” us, albeit vividly, and is already satisfied with that stage (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n22/wood02_.html).
Meanwhile, in her review, Friesen (http://www.helium.com/items/729645- piyann-martelvintage-canada-2002354) praises Life of Pi as “so convincingly written that it often gets confused as a true story.” Friesen describes the novel as basically an “adventure story”, but beyond that, Martel uses this adventure story to explore philosophical and theological issues, namely through Pi’s unique religious beliefs.
From the beginning, readers already know that Pi physically survives the shipwreck; the question is whether Pi's faith changes or not after his hard experience. Indeed, when Pi experiences his suffering, he struggles to keep his faith. Thus, Friesen calls this novel “a story of spiritual survival” (http://www.helium.com/items/729645-piyann- martelvintage-canada-2002354).
According to Friesen, the novel’s strong point is its “effective” and “ingenious” use of allegory, namely the revelation that the animals in Pi’s story are representatives of people. The allegory enables readers to observe the cruel acts without being too emotional, as the actions are performed by other species. Friesen regards Martel's personification of the animals as “an invitation to examine the qua lities of human morality” (http://www.helium.com/items/729645- piyann-martelvintage-canada-2002354).
When faced with complete desperation and starvation, each of the animals is subjected to, or performs reprehensible acts. As a story about animals, this is disturbing, but not horrifying. If these acts were shown as they are, as people decapitating and eating each other, the story would be terribly macabre. However, because we are given the oddly comforting distancing of animals performing cruelties upon each other, the story remains sad, but not repulsive (http://www.helium.com/items/729645-piyann- martelvintage-canada- 2002354).
Thus, this literary work has elicited many ideas and opinions which sometimes contradict each other, and complement each other as well, since each idea actually has its right aspect. This study seeks to complete the previous studies, by contributing more insight about the novel. The difference from previous studies is, while most of the previous studies either focus on the novel's philosophical or religious side, or discuss it as a part of some particular genres, this study examines the novel from another point of view, namely the messages that can be obtained from Pi’s ways to survive. This side of the novel has not been touched deeply before, but it is worth discussing, because it is remarkable how a young boy can survive such a hard ordeal alone, and there must be some useful messages that the readers can obtain there.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theories of Character and Characterization
Character is one of the intrinsic elements of a story. One of the most well- known definition of character comes from Abrams’ A Glossary of Literary Terms.
There, Abrams defines characters in literary work as the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogue – and by what they do – the action. The grounds in a character’s temperament and moral nature for his speech and actions constitute his motivation (1981: 20).
In other words, characters in a literary work to some extent are just like human beings in the real world: they possess certain qualities or traits, which can be seen
Based on the character’s qualities, Abrams classifies characters into two groups: flat and round characters (1981: 24). Flat characters are “built around a single quality”. They are presented without much detail. Meanwhile, round characters are “complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity.”
Based on the change undergone by the characters, Holman (1986: 83) classifies characters into two: static and dynamic characters. A static character undergoes little or no change; the pattern of action reveals the character instead of showing the character changing in response to the action. Meanwhile, a dynamic character undergoes a lot of change; he or she is modified by actions and reveal the consequences of the actions. Similarly, Perrine defines dynamic character as a character that can develop and change under some possibilities in some conditions, either into bad/worse, or good/better. There are some factors which can make this to happen, for example, interaction with other character, situation, and a change of habit (1974: 71).
According to Murphy in his book Understanding Unseens , characterization is the process in which an author describe the characters in his or her work to the readers, so that the readers know and understand the characters (1972: 161). This process can be done in nine methods (1972: 161-173): the character’s personal description (physical appearance and clothes), characters as seen or described by other characters, the character’s speech (what he or she says), the character’s past life (history or background), conversation of others (what other characters say about a character), the character’s reactions to various situations and events, direct comment by the author, the character’s thoughts, and mannerism (manners, habits or idiosyncrasies).
In his book Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, Perrine discusses the three principles of characterization: consistency, motivation, and plausibility. The process of characterization must entail those principles in order to be convincing.
Firstly, the characters in the story must have consistency in the way they behave. This consistency might be broken if only there is a sufficient reason to explain this change of behavior. Secondly, whatever the characters do, they must have clear motivation especially when they break the consistency of their behaviors. Finally, the characters must appear lifelike or plausible (1974: 69).
Little (1981: 92) also suggests that the characters must be realistic. The characters can be fictional, but they should be based on real human figure and characteristics.
2. Theory of Survival Psychology
In the article “Psychology of Survival” which is taken from U.S. Army (http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html),
Field Manual No. 21-76
the writer regards mental attitude as the "key ingredient" to survive. The will to survive is more essential than survival skill. In survival environment, various stresses are inevitable, and will affect the mind. People in such situation must be able to identify stress and cope with it in order to survive. If they do not recognize and react to the stress properly, even if they have survival skill or training, it will be useless as they will not be able to use it effectively. Here, survival mainly refers to demanding physical situations and environment, for example the situation faced by soldiers on duty, or people in emergency condition, when they have to “build shelters, get food, make fires, and travel without the aid of standard navigational devices”, but it can also apply to other similar situations.
Stress is defined as a condition experienced by people as a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual response to life’s pressure (http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html). It is not a disease, so it cannot be cured. Stress can be constructive or destructive. Constructive stress has positive benefits: it stimulates us to do our best, provides the chance to learn about our values and strengths, and shows our flexibility. On the other hand, if the stress is too much, it becomes destructive, also known as distress. It discourages us, causes us to panic and even forget all of our knowledge and skills. The key to manage stress is to anticipate stressors and develop strategies to cope with them.
Any event can cause stress. When multiple stressful events occur simultaneously, they are called “stressors”. The difference between stress and stressors is that “stressors are the obvious cause, while stress is the response”. When human body detects a stressor, it sends a signal throughout the body to prepare to protect itself from the danger, for example by fighting back or running.
This signal triggers some actions in the body: The body releases stored fuels (sugar and fats) to provide quick energy; breathing rate increases to supply more oxygen to the blood; muscle tension increases to prepare for action; blood clotting mechanisms are activated to reduce bleeding from cuts; senses become more acute (hearing becomes more sensitive, eyes become big, smell becomes sharper) so that you are more aware of your surrounding and heart rate and blood pressure rise to provide more blood to the muscles (http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html).
However, the effect of stressors is cumulative. If the sources of stress continue or increase, the body will be exhausted. The body’s ability to resist stress or use stress positively will disappear. Thus, even minor stressors can result in major distress if they happen one after another quickly. Several common types of stressors in a survival are: injury, illness or death; uncertainty and lack of control; environment; hunger and thirst; fatigue; and isolation.
It is normal for everyone to experience internal reactions when facing stressors. In fact, those reactions have enabled humankind to adapt to the changing world and survive over the centuries, since each reaction has its positive and negative function. Some major natural reactions to the stressors are: fear, anxiety, anger and frustration, depression, loneliness and boredom, and guilt (http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html). Each of those reactions has positive as well as negative functions. For example, fear can have a positive function, to encourage us to be careful and not reckless. On the other hand, fear can also immobilize us and make us unable to do important activities. Whether it is the positive or the negative function that becomes dominant depends on our way to manage those reactions.
Therefore, if we manage our reactions in a healthy way, they will increase our chance to survive. For instance, we will be more attentive, more able to fight back, keep faith, maintain security, and not give up. On the contrary, if they are not managed properly, our internal fear becomes dominant and we will first suffer psychological defeat, which will then end in physical defeat. According to
(http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html), there are at least six ways to prepare psychologically and cope with stressors in survival situation.
The first way is to know oneself. It means to recognize our strong points, improve and make the maximum use of them, while finding the way to cover our weak points in areas that are necessary to survive. The second way is to anticipate fears, or knowing what frightens us and training “to build confidence in your ability to function despite your fears”. The third is to be realistic about the situation, namely to keep our hopes in accordance with the actual situation. The fourth way is to adopt positive attitude, or look at the good aspect in everything, to boost our morale and exercise our creativity. The fifth way is to remind oneself what is at stake (for example, if you give up, you will lose your life, or the lives of other people who are depending on you). The sixth way, if possible, is to train and lean stress management techniques to build confidence and prepare us physically as well as psychologically (http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch02/asch02.html).
3. Theories of Message
Message is an element that can be found in any work of art, such as literature, whether consciously or unconsciously. According to Beaty, “message is the real meaning or some easy conclusion that can be simply stated or summarized inside a work of art” (1989: 899). In his book Teori Pengkajian Fiksi, Nurgiyantoro states that, “Message is something that the author wants to tell to the readers. It is the core of a literature, and the meaning of a literature told through story” (1982: 321). In other words, message is the main essence that can cover the whole idea of the work of art, in this case, a literary work. Message can also be regarded as a kind of guidance for the readers, as implied in Nurgiyantoro’s description: “Message is a sign that is intentionally given by the author about many things on life such as how to behave, and how to act” (1982: 321).
According to Esten (1990: 22) in Kesusastraan: Pengantar Teori dan
Sejarah , there are two ways to reveal a message:
a. Directly (explicitly) In this method, the author reveals his/her message (advices, teaching, etc) directly to the reader, through his/her direct comments, which the author inserts as part of the story. The advantage of direct method is that readers get the message easily, and the author is more communicative. The disadvantage is that some readers may think that the author forces his/her belief, so half of the purpose of literature, namely for enjoyment, cannot be achieved.
b. Indirectly (implicitly) In this method, the author does not reveal the message directly. Instead, the author reveals it through other elements of the literary work, such as the series of events, conflicts, characters, the character’s attitude toward conflicts, and so on; the author let the readers interpret and conclude themselves, what the story actually tells them about. The advantage of this method is that it gives the readers freedom to interpret the story, without being too burdened with the author’s teachings and opinion. However, the disadvantage is some readers might misinterpret the message; although even the misinterpretation could also mean appreciation for the work.
Thus, the first difference between the direct and indirect way to reveal a message in literary works lies in the form of the message. In the direct way, the message is in the form of the author’s direct comment. While in the indirect way, the message has no visible form, but is conveyed through other elements of the story, such as plot, characters, and conflict. The second difference lies in the way the readers get the message. In the direct way, the readers can easily find the message, while in the indirect way, the readers must interpret the message themselves through other elements of the story.
As discussed above, message in a literary work can be revealed in several ways, through several elements of the work; one of them is through the character.
A character may represent the message of the story. Through the character’s actions, attitude, speech, or the changes he/she undergoes, for instance, readers can explore and find some messages.