Analysis of The Elements of Plot of Wilkie Collins' 'The Moonstone'.
ABSTRACT
Dalam Tugas Akhir ini saya membahas tentang sebuah novel misteri yang
berjudul The Moonstone karya Wilkie Collins. Novel ini mengisahkan tentang
sebuah batu berlian kuning yang dianggap suci oleh bangsa India yang sekarang
menjadi milik Rachel Verinder. Setelah batu ini tiba di rumah Rachel, terjadilah
kekacauan yang seakan-akan disebabkan oleh kedatangan batu bulan tersebut.
Dalam novel ini terdapat 8 suspense dan 8 surprise. Ketegangan pertama
kali terjadi ketika secara tiba-tiba muncul 3 orang India yang terus mengikuti ke
mana batu bulan itu pergi. Lalu disusul menghilangnya batu bulan tersebut dari
kamar Rachel. Ketegangan demi ketegangan terjadi sampai akhirnya diketahui
bahwa Godfrey, sepupu Rachel, adalah orang yang membawa pergi batu bulan
tersebut dan menggadaikannya kepada Luker untuk dapat melunasi utangnya.
Novel detektif ini memiliki plot yang menarik dan menegangkan. Melalui
suspense pembaca bisa merasakan ketegangan cerita, melalui surprise pembaca
dibuat terkejut dengan kenyataan yang berbeda dari ekspekstasi. Hubungan antara
suspense dan surprise yang masuk akal membentuk artistic unity dari novel ini.
ii
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
i
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem . . . . . . . . . … . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purpose of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Method of Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
3
3
3
CHAPTER TWO: ANALYSIS OF THE ELEMENTS OF PLOT IN
WILKIE COLLINS’ THE MOONSTONE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
CHAPTER THREE : CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25
APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
Summary of The Moonstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Biography of Wilkie Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
27
.
i
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
Wilkie Collins is a very famous writer of the Victorian period. He is
known as a talented detective writer. He wrote mostly detective novels. The
Moonstone, which I have chosen to analyze in my thesis, is one of his popular
works.
T.S. Eliot, a famous essayist, author and poet, in his response to the The
Moonstone (1868), says that for him The Moonstone can be considered to be the
first, longest, and best detective novel in England (Eliot 615). It tells about the
mystery of the missing diamond which is called the Moonstone. There is also an
issue about the diamond itself. At the beginning of the story it is said that the
diamond is being cursed and will bring misery to anyone who has the diamond.
Rachel, the latest owner of the moonstone, loses the diamond. Then Rachel’s
family try to hire a detective, Sergeant Cuff, whom they think can help to find the
culprit. After a long investigation, the detective finds several clues that lead to the
criminal.
1
Maranatha Christian University
In revealing the crime the author presents a lot of suspenses and surprises, which
makes the novel interesting to read.
As a detective novel, the outstanding literary element in The Moonstone is
obviously the plot. That is why in this thesis I will analyse the elements of plot:
suspense, surprise and artistic unity. Suspense is “the quality in a story that makes
the reader ask ‘what’s going to happen next?’ or ‘how will this turn out?’ and
impels him to read on to find the answers to these questions” (Perrine 45). The
tension in the readers grows further because of the curiosity about what will
happen next. While surprise is “proportional to the unexpectedness of what
happens; it becomes pronounced when the story departs radically from our
expectation” (47). Surprise will become the answer to the suspense. Sometimes
the reader has different expectations to a surprise. And the third aspect in the
elements of plot is the artistic unity. The artistic unity is
. . . that condition of a successful literary work whereby all its elements
work together for the achievement of its central purpose. In an artistically
unified work nothing is included that is irrelevant to the central purpose,
nothing is omitted that is essential to it, and the parts are arranged in the
most effective order for the achievement of that purpose. (“Artistic
Unity”)
Statement of the Problem
The problems I am going to discuss in my thesis are:
1. What are the suspenses of the novel?
2. What are the surprises of the novel?
3. How is the artistic unity presented in the novel?
2
Maranatha Christian University
Purpose of the Study
Based on the above problems, the purposes of the study are:
1. To show the suspenses in the novel.
2. To show the surprises in the novel.
3. To show how the artistic unity is presented in the novel.
Method of Research
I use the library research in writing the analysis of the novel. I read The
Moonstone as a primary text. Then, I take some data from the Internet sites and
reference books to support my analysis of suspense, surprise and artistic unity of
the novel. In the end, I draw some conclusion.
Organization of the Thesis
This thesis consists of three chapters preceded by the Table of Contents,
and the Abstract. Chapter One is the Introduction, which consists of the
Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study,
the Method of Research, and the Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two is the
analysis of the elements of plot of Wilkie Collin’s The Moonstone. Chapter Three
is the Conclusion. Finally, the thesis ends with the Bibliography and the
Appendices, which consist the synopsis of the novel and the biography of the
author.
3
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER THREE
CONCLUSION
After analyzing the novel, I come to a conclusion that The Moonstone has
interesting elements of plot. The author has arranged the suspenses in such a way
that the readers feel the tension along the story. The author successfully keeps the
tension up to the climax. The surprises are unpredictable and can make the readers
feel surprised. Besides, the connection between the suspenses and the surprises
also build a good artistic unity.
Collins successfully creates the suspense that makes the readers feel
curious. In the first and second suspenses, Collins involves the 3 Indians. Both of
the suspenses are directly answered by the surprises that tell the 3 Indians are
high-caste Brahmins and they follow Franklin because they want to steal the
diamond. Later they are proved innocent for the disappearance of the diamond
because they have a strong alibi. The surprises are well presented because the
readers never expect the surprise.
After the first and second suspenses are answered, Collins involves the
people in Lady Verinder’s house to be the suspects. Rosanna and Rachel
22
Maranatha Christian University
become the suspects for the disappearance of the diamond. These suspenses are
not directly answered in the novel. However, the readers will feel curious while
reading this suspense.
For the next suspense, the Indian comes back to ask Mr. Bruff a question.
He asks a question to know how long it takes for someone to redeem collateral for
his debt. This suspense is directly answered by the next surprise that tells in the
end Mr. Bruff can figure out the motive of his question.
In the fourth and fifth surprises, Collins successfully makes the readers
shocked with the fact that Franklin is the thief. It turns out that the nightgown
does not belong to Rosanna but it belongs to Franklin. Rosanna hides the
nightgown so that she can cover up Franklin’s fault because she has a feeling for
him. Moreover, in the fifth surprise Rachel also mentions that she witnesses on
that night that Franklin goes to her room and takes the diamond. From this
situation, the readers can conclude that Franklin is the culprit and the mystery
seems to be solved. Both of the surprises come with an unpredictable result. The
readers never expect Franklin will turn out to be the culprit.
Again, Collins can trick the readers with the answer of the suspense. When
the sixth suspense is shown, the readers feel curious of what happens on that night
so that Franklin cannot remember and denies that he has taken the diamond. This
situation makes the readers feel curious and feel the tension wonder the answer.
This suspense is directly answered by the next surprise.
In the next surprise, the author successfully keeps the tension up into the
climax. At first the readers think that Franklin is the thief, but later at the climax
as we can see on the seventh suspense, the author reveals that the real thief is
23
Maranatha Christian University
Godfrey Ablewhite. This fact successfully makes the readers surprised. The case
seems to be solved, because finally the real thief can be found. However, the
readers still do not know where the moonstone is because when Godfrey is found,
the moonstone is not with him. This situation grows into the next suspense that
asks where the diamond is.
For the resolution, we can find it in the last suspense and surprise in the
novel. At the end of the story, the moonstone finds its way back to its original
place. Finally the high-caste Brahmin can accomplish their mission to restore the
diamond back. Besides, the connection between the suspenses and surprises is
acceptable, which builds the artistic unity of the story.
Based on the analysis about the elements of plot above, I can conclude that
the author Collins, has succeeded in making an interesting plot, including the
suspenses that build up the tension for the readers, the unpredictable surprises that
can surprise and trick the readers, and also the artistic unity which is well
presented. When Collins decides not to answer some suspenses directly, it makes
the reader feel curious and keep on reading until the suspense is answered. The
surprise which goes totally different from the readers’ expectation successfully is
presented in the novel by Collins. Moreover, the relation between the suspense
and the surprise makes sense so that the events can be artistically unified.
24
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary text:
Collins,Wilkie. The Moonstone. London: Penguin English Library. 2012. Print.
References:
“Artistic Unity.” humanitiesweb.org. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Eliot, T.S. The Moonstone. In Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone. London: Penguin
English Library. 2012. Print.
Gasson, Andrew. “Wilkie Collins.” The Literature Network. 2006. Web. 10 Nov.
2013.
Merriman, C.O. “Wilkie Collins – A Short Biography.” Wilkie – Collins.Info.
2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Perrine, Laurence. Story and Structure. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
inc. 1974. Print.
25
Maranatha Christian University
Dalam Tugas Akhir ini saya membahas tentang sebuah novel misteri yang
berjudul The Moonstone karya Wilkie Collins. Novel ini mengisahkan tentang
sebuah batu berlian kuning yang dianggap suci oleh bangsa India yang sekarang
menjadi milik Rachel Verinder. Setelah batu ini tiba di rumah Rachel, terjadilah
kekacauan yang seakan-akan disebabkan oleh kedatangan batu bulan tersebut.
Dalam novel ini terdapat 8 suspense dan 8 surprise. Ketegangan pertama
kali terjadi ketika secara tiba-tiba muncul 3 orang India yang terus mengikuti ke
mana batu bulan itu pergi. Lalu disusul menghilangnya batu bulan tersebut dari
kamar Rachel. Ketegangan demi ketegangan terjadi sampai akhirnya diketahui
bahwa Godfrey, sepupu Rachel, adalah orang yang membawa pergi batu bulan
tersebut dan menggadaikannya kepada Luker untuk dapat melunasi utangnya.
Novel detektif ini memiliki plot yang menarik dan menegangkan. Melalui
suspense pembaca bisa merasakan ketegangan cerita, melalui surprise pembaca
dibuat terkejut dengan kenyataan yang berbeda dari ekspekstasi. Hubungan antara
suspense dan surprise yang masuk akal membentuk artistic unity dari novel ini.
ii
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
i
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem . . . . . . . . . … . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purpose of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Method of Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
3
3
3
CHAPTER TWO: ANALYSIS OF THE ELEMENTS OF PLOT IN
WILKIE COLLINS’ THE MOONSTONE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
CHAPTER THREE : CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25
APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
Summary of The Moonstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Biography of Wilkie Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
27
.
i
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
Wilkie Collins is a very famous writer of the Victorian period. He is
known as a talented detective writer. He wrote mostly detective novels. The
Moonstone, which I have chosen to analyze in my thesis, is one of his popular
works.
T.S. Eliot, a famous essayist, author and poet, in his response to the The
Moonstone (1868), says that for him The Moonstone can be considered to be the
first, longest, and best detective novel in England (Eliot 615). It tells about the
mystery of the missing diamond which is called the Moonstone. There is also an
issue about the diamond itself. At the beginning of the story it is said that the
diamond is being cursed and will bring misery to anyone who has the diamond.
Rachel, the latest owner of the moonstone, loses the diamond. Then Rachel’s
family try to hire a detective, Sergeant Cuff, whom they think can help to find the
culprit. After a long investigation, the detective finds several clues that lead to the
criminal.
1
Maranatha Christian University
In revealing the crime the author presents a lot of suspenses and surprises, which
makes the novel interesting to read.
As a detective novel, the outstanding literary element in The Moonstone is
obviously the plot. That is why in this thesis I will analyse the elements of plot:
suspense, surprise and artistic unity. Suspense is “the quality in a story that makes
the reader ask ‘what’s going to happen next?’ or ‘how will this turn out?’ and
impels him to read on to find the answers to these questions” (Perrine 45). The
tension in the readers grows further because of the curiosity about what will
happen next. While surprise is “proportional to the unexpectedness of what
happens; it becomes pronounced when the story departs radically from our
expectation” (47). Surprise will become the answer to the suspense. Sometimes
the reader has different expectations to a surprise. And the third aspect in the
elements of plot is the artistic unity. The artistic unity is
. . . that condition of a successful literary work whereby all its elements
work together for the achievement of its central purpose. In an artistically
unified work nothing is included that is irrelevant to the central purpose,
nothing is omitted that is essential to it, and the parts are arranged in the
most effective order for the achievement of that purpose. (“Artistic
Unity”)
Statement of the Problem
The problems I am going to discuss in my thesis are:
1. What are the suspenses of the novel?
2. What are the surprises of the novel?
3. How is the artistic unity presented in the novel?
2
Maranatha Christian University
Purpose of the Study
Based on the above problems, the purposes of the study are:
1. To show the suspenses in the novel.
2. To show the surprises in the novel.
3. To show how the artistic unity is presented in the novel.
Method of Research
I use the library research in writing the analysis of the novel. I read The
Moonstone as a primary text. Then, I take some data from the Internet sites and
reference books to support my analysis of suspense, surprise and artistic unity of
the novel. In the end, I draw some conclusion.
Organization of the Thesis
This thesis consists of three chapters preceded by the Table of Contents,
and the Abstract. Chapter One is the Introduction, which consists of the
Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study,
the Method of Research, and the Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two is the
analysis of the elements of plot of Wilkie Collin’s The Moonstone. Chapter Three
is the Conclusion. Finally, the thesis ends with the Bibliography and the
Appendices, which consist the synopsis of the novel and the biography of the
author.
3
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER THREE
CONCLUSION
After analyzing the novel, I come to a conclusion that The Moonstone has
interesting elements of plot. The author has arranged the suspenses in such a way
that the readers feel the tension along the story. The author successfully keeps the
tension up to the climax. The surprises are unpredictable and can make the readers
feel surprised. Besides, the connection between the suspenses and the surprises
also build a good artistic unity.
Collins successfully creates the suspense that makes the readers feel
curious. In the first and second suspenses, Collins involves the 3 Indians. Both of
the suspenses are directly answered by the surprises that tell the 3 Indians are
high-caste Brahmins and they follow Franklin because they want to steal the
diamond. Later they are proved innocent for the disappearance of the diamond
because they have a strong alibi. The surprises are well presented because the
readers never expect the surprise.
After the first and second suspenses are answered, Collins involves the
people in Lady Verinder’s house to be the suspects. Rosanna and Rachel
22
Maranatha Christian University
become the suspects for the disappearance of the diamond. These suspenses are
not directly answered in the novel. However, the readers will feel curious while
reading this suspense.
For the next suspense, the Indian comes back to ask Mr. Bruff a question.
He asks a question to know how long it takes for someone to redeem collateral for
his debt. This suspense is directly answered by the next surprise that tells in the
end Mr. Bruff can figure out the motive of his question.
In the fourth and fifth surprises, Collins successfully makes the readers
shocked with the fact that Franklin is the thief. It turns out that the nightgown
does not belong to Rosanna but it belongs to Franklin. Rosanna hides the
nightgown so that she can cover up Franklin’s fault because she has a feeling for
him. Moreover, in the fifth surprise Rachel also mentions that she witnesses on
that night that Franklin goes to her room and takes the diamond. From this
situation, the readers can conclude that Franklin is the culprit and the mystery
seems to be solved. Both of the surprises come with an unpredictable result. The
readers never expect Franklin will turn out to be the culprit.
Again, Collins can trick the readers with the answer of the suspense. When
the sixth suspense is shown, the readers feel curious of what happens on that night
so that Franklin cannot remember and denies that he has taken the diamond. This
situation makes the readers feel curious and feel the tension wonder the answer.
This suspense is directly answered by the next surprise.
In the next surprise, the author successfully keeps the tension up into the
climax. At first the readers think that Franklin is the thief, but later at the climax
as we can see on the seventh suspense, the author reveals that the real thief is
23
Maranatha Christian University
Godfrey Ablewhite. This fact successfully makes the readers surprised. The case
seems to be solved, because finally the real thief can be found. However, the
readers still do not know where the moonstone is because when Godfrey is found,
the moonstone is not with him. This situation grows into the next suspense that
asks where the diamond is.
For the resolution, we can find it in the last suspense and surprise in the
novel. At the end of the story, the moonstone finds its way back to its original
place. Finally the high-caste Brahmin can accomplish their mission to restore the
diamond back. Besides, the connection between the suspenses and surprises is
acceptable, which builds the artistic unity of the story.
Based on the analysis about the elements of plot above, I can conclude that
the author Collins, has succeeded in making an interesting plot, including the
suspenses that build up the tension for the readers, the unpredictable surprises that
can surprise and trick the readers, and also the artistic unity which is well
presented. When Collins decides not to answer some suspenses directly, it makes
the reader feel curious and keep on reading until the suspense is answered. The
surprise which goes totally different from the readers’ expectation successfully is
presented in the novel by Collins. Moreover, the relation between the suspense
and the surprise makes sense so that the events can be artistically unified.
24
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary text:
Collins,Wilkie. The Moonstone. London: Penguin English Library. 2012. Print.
References:
“Artistic Unity.” humanitiesweb.org. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Eliot, T.S. The Moonstone. In Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone. London: Penguin
English Library. 2012. Print.
Gasson, Andrew. “Wilkie Collins.” The Literature Network. 2006. Web. 10 Nov.
2013.
Merriman, C.O. “Wilkie Collins – A Short Biography.” Wilkie – Collins.Info.
2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Perrine, Laurence. Story and Structure. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
inc. 1974. Print.
25
Maranatha Christian University