AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS, SETTING, AND PLOT IN INDING THE THEME OF JANE AUSTEN’S NORTHANGER ABBEY
AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS, SETTING,
AND PLOT IN INDING THE THEME OF JANE AUSTEN’S
NORTHANGER ABBEY
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
INDAH SRI HAYU RUKMIADI
Student Number: 064214073
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2010
AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS, SETTING,
AND PLOT IN INDING THE THEME OF JANE AUSTEN’S
NORTHANGER ABBEY
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
INDAH SRI HAYU RUKMIADI
Student Number: 064214073
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2010
Faith is to believe what you do
not see; the reward of this
faith is to see what you
believe.
(Saint Augustine)
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Indah Sri Hayu Rukmiadi Nomor Mahasiswa : 064214073 Dalam pengembangan karya ilmiah, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS, SETTING AND PLOT
IN FINDING THE THEME OF JANE AUSTEN’S NORTHANGER ABBEY beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada).
Dengan demikian, saya memberikan Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mengaplikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa meminta ijin kepada saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya. Selama nama saya tercantum sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Di buat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal: 16 November 2010 Yang menyatakan Indah Sri Hayu Rukmiadi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect due to my advisor, Maria Ananta, S.S, M.Ed., for her patience and her guidance. My greatest thanks go to my co-advisor, Harris H. Setiajid, S.S, M.Hum., for giving suggestions and advices. I thank you for your criticisms and your force to motivate me.
My enormous thanks go to my mommy Alexandra Jovita Poedjianti, my mama Irene Herawati and my aunty Sundari for all supports and prayers.
You are wonderful women I have. Thank you for being my fences. I also give thank to my brother, Michael Abraham ‘Jojok’, who always accompanies me with his patience, my lovely sister, Vera Ayu, who teaches me to survive, and all of my relatives who encourage me to finish this thesis.
I give my special thanks to my beloved daddy, Yosef Wahjoedie for all memories that strengthens me. Although he is in heaven, I know he never stops holding me tight when I finish my study in English Letters. Love u dad…
My big thanks come to Mas Bowo, Mas Talok, and Rm. In Nugroho, who always give me motivation to finish my study. I miss every moment to meet with you all.
I thank for all of the lecturers of English Letters of Sanata Dharma University and for all of the staff who also give me support to finish my study.
My special thanks come to Mbak Ninik who helps me sincerely when I study.
Thanks to all friends in English Letters of Sanata Dharma University,
Mela, Elis, Siska, Ucy, Viana, Adit (Achong) for your supports. I will not forget to say to Mela that I will never stop teasing at her. I love your patience and your understanding. For all my friends in Pemalang; Iqga, Baktiawan (Tuyul), Andi,
Tinus, Ali, Sinta (‘Ndut) and Fuby who always support me in finishing this
thesis, I thank you all. I also give thanks for my KKN friends; Thea, Fani, Dika, Tara, Rara, Vivin and Arga for the time to share knowledge.
For everyone who supports me in finishing my study, I thank you so much. I am so sorry if I cannot mention your names one by one. I will always remember your lessons in my heart.
Finally, I give my deepest honor for Jesus Christ, my Almighty God in heaven. I praise Your name for all Your grace, Your power, and Your mercy for You sent to me many wonderful people I mentioned to help me finishing my study. In this part, let me present this undergraduate thesis for You and now, I am ready to continue my life with You.
Indah Sri Hayu Rukmiadi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………… i
APPROVAL PAGE………………………………………………….. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE……………………………………………….. iii MOTTO PAGE………………………………………………………. iv LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN………………………... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………….. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………….. viii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………… x ABSTRAK……………………………………………………………… xiCHAPTER I: INRODUCTION……………………………………… 1 A. Background of the Study…………………………………… 1 B. Problem Formulation……………………………………….. 4 C. Objectives of the Study……………………………………..
4 D. Definition of Terms………………………………………… 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW…………………………. 6 A. Review of Related Studies………………………………….. 6 B. Review of Related Theories………………………………….. 8 1. Theory of Character and Characterization……………… 8 2. Theory of Setting…….………………………………….. 11 3. Theory of Plot…………………………………………… 13 4. Theory of Theme…………………………………………. 14 C. Theoretical Framework……………………………………… 16 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY…………………………………. 17 A. Object of the Study…………………………………………. 17 B. Approach of the Study……………………………………… 18 C. Method of the Study………………………………………… 19 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS…………………………………………… 21 A. The Description of the Characteristics of the Major Characters 21 1. The characteristics of Catherine Morland…………….
22 2. The characteristics of Henry Tilney…………………..
26 B. The Description of the Setting ……………………………….
28
1. The Setting of Time………………………………….... 28
2. The Setting of Place…………………………………… 30
3. The Portrayal of the Society in Northanger Abbey…… 30
C. The Description of Plot ……………………………………….. 33 1. Beginning……………………………………………….
34
a. Exposition/Introduction……………………………… 34 2. Middle…………………………………………………..
38
a. Rising Action……………………………………….. 38
b. Climax ……………………………………………….. 40
3. End ……………………………………………………… 42
a. Falling Action………………………………………… 42
b. Resolution …………………………………………… 43 D. Theme…………………………………………………………..
45 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………………………………………... 51
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………….. 52 SUMMARY………………………………………………………………. 54
ABSTRACT
INDAH SRI HAYU RUKMIADI. An Analysis on the Major Characters,
Setting, and Plot in Finding the Theme of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2010.Northanger Abbey is a classic novel that was written by Jane Austen and
published in 1817 in England. This novel is very interesting because it tells about the English social condition that is reflected by a love adventure of an uptown girl named Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney, a noble clergyman, in the city of Bath.
Two interesting problems will be discussed in the analysis. The first problems are; the description of the characteristics of the major characters, the setting, and the plot. In the second problem, the writer explains what the significances of those internal elements in finding the main idea or the theme of
Northanger Abbey .
This thesis is based in the library research as the methodology. There are theories on character and characterization, theories on setting and theory on plot that are used in answering the first problem formulation. In the second problem formulation, the writer uses theory on theme in finding the theme. To go deeper into the analysis, the writer uses the formalistic approach, which was analyzing the internal elements of the literary work. The approach supports the writer and the readers to get the value and the meaning of the literary work such Northanger Abbey.
Although Northanger Abbey is a classic mild novel, the main idea is very strong. The characteristics’ of the major characters, the setting, and the plot are very well connected in finding the theme. The writer finds the theme is “social status and wealth are the obstacles in building a relationship.” This is the suitable theme because Northanger Abbey tells about the struggle of Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney to reach their happiness by breaking the social perception about marriage.
ABSTRAK
INDAH SRI HAYU RUKMIADI. An Analysis on The Major Characters, Setting, and Plot in Finding the Theme of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.
Northanger Abbey adalah sebuah novel klasik karangan Jane Austen yang
dipublikasikan pada tahun 1817 di Inggris. Novel ini sangat menarik karena mengangkat kehidupan masyarakat Inggris yang digambarkan melalui petualangan cinta Catherine Morland, seorang gadis desa dan Henry Tilney, pendeta muda bangsawan.
Penulis akan mengangkat dua permasalahan dalam novel Northanger
Abbey . Permasalahan pertama adalah deskripsi mengenai karakteristik para tokoh
utama, deskripsi latar, dan deskripsi plot. Pada permasalahan yang kedua, penulis akan mengaitkan pengaruh dari analisa deskripsi dalam menemukan tema atau pokok pikiran dari novel tersebut.
Penulis menggunakan metode pustaka. Ada beberapa teori yang digunakan dalam penulisan tesis ini, yaitu teori penokohan dan karakterisasi, teori seting, dan teori plot yang digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan pertama. Pada permasalahan kedua, penulis mengaplikasikan teori tema untuk menyelesaikannya. Untuk memperdalam analisis, penulis menggunakan pendekatan formalistik yang menggali karya sastra melalui intrinsik elemennya. Pendekatan ini membantu penulis dan para pembaca untuk menangkap pesan dan pokok pikiran karya sastra itu sendiri, seperti halnya dalam Northanger Abbey.
Meskipun Northanger Abbey adalah novel klasik yang ringan, namun isinya sangat kuat. Setiap intrinsik elemennya saling mempengaruhi. Penulis mengungkapkan bahwa tema Northanger Abbey adalah “status sosial dan kekayaan merupakan hambatan dalam suatu hubungan ”. Tema ini sesuai dengan
Northanger Abbey yang menceritakan perjuangan Catherine Morland dan Henry
Tilney dalam memperjuangan cinta mereka meraih kebahagiaan dengan melawan persepsi sosial.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Reading a book opens knowledge and perspective. It also gives spiritual experience for the readers. Literary works are part of reflections of human life. They have meaningful values for the author even for the readers. In the literary works, the author, share everything about some issues such as politics, humanity, education, social, and even their life experience.
According to Wilfred L. Guerin in A Handbook of Critical Approaches to
Literature, analyzing literature needs more than a pure pleasure. It has to maintain
the knowledge (1998:5). The readers perhaps are capable of predicting and assuming such knowledge and the intelligent application of several interpretive technique of a piece of literature.
In literature, it is very important and requires attention to other elements in the story. Intrinsic elements of the fiction such as plot, character, message, setting, atmosphere and symbols cannot be forgotten because those elements are considered to lead the story into a good story. When understanding those elements and realizing that they are connected each other, it will help the reader to find theme that is offered in the novel.
In this analysis, the writer tries to find the theme. The focus is to find what the story is about. The theme is interesting elements that enriching a fiction and inspiring the readers. A successful fiction has an invisible story that is indicated through the other device or elements of a fiction. Therefore, Stanton says in An
Introduction to Fiction that at finding the theme, the readers must find and go deeper to the characters’ characteristics, the situation, and the plot (1965: 21).
Intrinsic elements have aesthetic values if the author can make it into a beautiful idea. The author arranges her idea by presenting the characters. Without the characters, the readers cannot enjoy it. They are like breath in a novel or fiction. Sometime an author puts the characters on to the story to convey her ideas, opinion, criticism or messages about life or social condition.
A novel is different. A novel picks and focuses on that. If it is an historical novel, it picks a theme that (hopefully) of the true historical era or the life central character and uses versions of actual historical characters (a few fictional ones, of necessary) to illuminate that theme. (http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/solander theme character.htm _taken October 12, 2010) Steven Pressfield explains that the theme of a historical fiction is description of a relation between the character and historical events. It is indicating how the characters react to the problem that happens in a certain condition. The character itself has its own role to represent the historical reality that is packaged in a plot that flows the reader to feel the sense of the story.
The setting helps the readers to have a description about the place or condition in the novel. The setting and the characters cannot be separated because they are connected each other. In the book of An Introduction to Reading and
Writing , Edgar and Jacobs state that the setting in a novel can influence the characteristics of the characters (1987:218).
Combining characters and setting support the author’s idea to create a plot. It serves a story or the arrangement of the author’s idea. Most of plot serves some events or phenomenon. It is like a stream in a fiction that flows to the points where the author wants to reach.
Knowing that each element has the contribution and the uniqueness for a fiction, the writer is interesting to go deeper to analyze them. Besides those elements are important, the writer considers that those elements are wonderful. They have the power that builds and lead a novel to be a good literary work.
The writer chooses Northanger Abbey as her object of study. Northanger
Abbey is one Jane Austen’s masterpieces. The writer selects Austen’s work
because Jane Austen was an excellent novelist. She provides beautiful novels in her life such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield
Park, Northanger Abbey and Emma. One of her masterpieces is Northanger
Abbey . It was written in 1797 and published in 1818. Northanger Abbey tells
about a heroine named Catherine Morland, a young and naïve girl from middle class, who is living around society which is influenced by literature, fashion, balls, party, and wealth. It is told that Catherine has difficulties to find a true friend because she is betrayed by her friend, Isabella Thorphe. Since Isabella is engaged, flirts another man who is richer that her brother was, Catherine becomes so disappointed and uneasy to seek such a best friend. Her love adventure with Henry Tilney gets an obstacle form Henry’s father, General Tilney, who does not allow him to marry too Catherine since the girl is not coming from the upper class. in Northanger Abbey is interesting for the writer. By knowing the theme, the writer will find what the point of the story is. To find the theme, the writer will go deeper by analyzing some intern elements of Northanger Abbey such as plot, setting, and the major characters’ characteristic.
B. Problem formulation
1. How are the plot, major characters, and setting described in the story?
2. How are the plot, setting, and the major characters significant in finding the theme of the story?
C. Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are to find out the answer that is to reveal the theme in the Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Based on the problem formulation, the writer has to find the description of the major character’s characteristics, plot, and setting. After solving those problems, the writer will try to analyze how those elements are connected to reveal the theme.
D. Definition of terms
The writer writes the definition of terms to help the reader in understanding the meaning of some words that are considered important to convey of this study.
1. Character
M. H. Abrams in his book, A Glossary of Literary Terms, defines characters as “the person presented in a dramatic or narrative, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional quality, that is expressed in what he says- the dialogue-and by what he does- the action.” (1993:23).
2. Plot
Peter Barry in his Beginning Theory explains that plot is the narrative account. In the plot, those events are edited, ordered, packaged, and presented as narration. (2002:223).
3. Setting
M. H. Abrams says that the settings of a narrative or dramatic works are taken from the general locale, historical time and social circumstance in which the action occurs. Settings also represent a particular scene which positioning the actors (1993:193).
4. Theme
To reveal theme, the writer also uses term “theme” in definition of terms in her thesis. in Glossary of Literary Terms, Abrams defines theme as a general concept or doctrine, whether it is implicit or asserted in the literary work that is designed to incorporated and persuade the reader to find the meaning or the imagery of the literary works and the purpose of the author (1993:121)
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies It is interesting to analyze Northanger Abbey for the writer. Northanger
th
Abbey is one of Jane Austen’s works that was written in 18 century. It is
successful to influence her readers and other novelists. Northanger Abbey seems like a reflection of Austen’s life. In the novel, she became an author who could combine social concerns and social values, such as: history, humanity, and even personal development into a good mixture.
Elizabeth Langland in Society in the Novel opines that Northanger Abbey is a novel that was written in good technique to highlight the concern about the society and the individual. It presents the society as acceptable context for the characters although there are sources between private and public lives (1984:26).
The Harvard Students studies that Northanger Abbey is a novel that sees the reality life in eighteenth century in British. It contains the worry about the necessary of marriage for the British women to raise their social status.
Concerns over matters of marriage and courtship proliferate in Northanger Abbey. Throughout the novel, Austen foreground the economic
th
significance of marriage: in 18 century England, fortune were built through family alliances. (http://www.gradesaver.com/northanger-abbey/study-guide/major- theme/_taken October 31, 2010)
As it is noted down in Northanger Abbey Essay, the novel of Northanger
Abbey is a mild novel that tells about the youth life of Catherine Morland who
experiences to live in a new hectic circumstance. She is introduced with the higher- level life and survives among her sophisticated friends.
Northanger Abbey is a novel that is about more than a girl who is looking
to find a husband. Its author Jane Austen is able to create a type of gothic parody that throughout the novel is integrated into the characterization and able to show the realities of a young girl growing up in a complicated and complex adult society.
(http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/36551.html_taken: May 10, 2010) According to Dusty Carter, Jane Austen is an anti-romantic author. On the contrary, she presents the difference things in Northanger Abbey. The romantic story between the major characters is served meaningfully for the readers.
Jane Austen is commonly viewed as anti-romantic, but her novel,
Northanger Abbey , possesses and promotes many of the ideas prevalent in
romantic literature. Heroine Catherine Morland is an especially romantic characters whose spontaneity, emotion, and sincerity eventually lead her to happiness. (http://www.gradesaver.com/northanger-abbey/essays/essay4/_taken: October 31, 2010) For a girl like Catherine Morland is not easy to deal with the problems that she must face in the society. To reach her happiness, she and her mate must work hard to break the social perception that intimidates her relationship.
This thesis will explore further the romantic experience of Catherine Morland that is suitable with Catherine Morland’s love journey. Intrinsic elements of the novel especially the characters, the setting, the plot, and the theme, become the focus of this thesis.
B. Review of Related Theories
Before analyzing the theme, the writer focuses to analyze the major character so that the writer knows the characteristics of the main characters, the setting, and the plot of the story. In this thesis, the writer uses theory on character and characterization, theory on setting, theory on plot and theory on theme.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
In Abram’s A Glossary of Literary Terms, it defines that characters are the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they-say that is called the dialogue and by what they-do or
the action (1993:193)
He adds that character in a fiction is divided into two types;
a. Major Characters This is the three-dimensional or round characters. They revealed the bad and the good qualities. They have goals, ambitions and values that change as the result of what happen to them. They are also called as the dynamic character. b. Minor Characters This is the flat or the two-dimensional characters. They have only one or two significant qualities. They are usually all good or all bad. they are also mentioned as the static characters because they reveal no change (1993:24)
Murphy in Understading Unseens states that there are nine ways to characterize the characters. They are: a. Personal Description The author describes a person by looking his/her appearance or clothes (1972:161).
b. Character as seen by another The author describes a character from other characters’ opinion. It is like a reflected image. It means that one way to make reader understand the character easily by observing what the other characters say about him/her (1972:162).
c. Speech This is the way which author describes the character by observing what he/she says. The author must observe whenever the character speaks, whenever the character talks with other characters (dialogue), and whenever the character shares his/her opinion (1972:164). d. Past Life The author gives the readers clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s characteristics by letting them learn something about a person’s past life. It is observed through the direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his/ her conversation or through the medium of another person (1972:166).
e. Conversation of others Person’s characteristics are also presented through the conversation of other people and the things that other characters say about him/her (1972:169).
f. Reactions In this stage, a person’s characteristics observed through the reactions toward the various situations and events (1972:169).
g. Direct Comment Direct comment is one of methods, which can convey character’s characteristics (1972:170).
h. Thoughts By knowing the thoughts of the character, the readers will get some knowledge about his/her characteristics. The author gives us description what different people are thinking about the character (1972:171). i. Mannerism Through this stage, the author gives us clue to observe the character’s characteristics through his/her mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies (1972:173).
2. Theory of Setting
Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to Literature, describe the setting as the physical, sometime the spiritual background against which the actions a narrative in novel, drama, short story, and poem take place (1986: 465).
They list that there are some elements, which can signify the setting. They are: a. The actual geographical location, its topography, scenery and such physical arrangement as the location of the windows and doors in a room.
b. The occupation and daily manner of living of the characters .
c. The time/period in which the action take place, for example epoch in history/ season of the year.
d. The general environment of the characters, for example religious, mental, social, emotion condition through which the people in the narrative move.
While in Understanding Unseen, Murphy says that the setting has three points that must be concerned. They are: a) Time.
Murphy divides the setting of time into four parts. First is the present time. In this period, author writes a book about his own time or about the things that happen around her. The second, the author uses past time to go backwards in time.
Usually the author uses this setting to write about historical events or to attempt in illuminating the past to his readers. The next period is the future time. The author uses this setting by using her imagination and she tries to take the readers into the future. The last is setting of time is no specific time. In this case, the author gives no any specific time to indicate when the story happens (1972: 143-144).
b) Place According to Murphy, the author uses two kinds of setting of place. First, the author uses the familiar place to set her story in places that have a familiar background with the readers. The author also uses the unfamiliar place as the setting that is unknown by the readers or perhaps this is an imagination of the author (1972:145).
c) Atmosphere Atmosphere is a general feeling that is conveyed to the readers. The atmosphere could be like the breath or the mood of the character. The atmosphere is abstract. Atmosphere covers the story. The readers indicate the novel’s atmosphere by feeling sorrow, happy, evil, optimistic, and so on after reading the novel (1972: 146).
In addition, Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs in their book, Fiction:
An Introduction to Reading and Writing, said that setting gives important roles
that are to bear the character and to give some effect for them. It is signified by some questions such as, whether the characters happy or unhappy where they live, whether they could express their feelings or not, whether the place amused them to stay or not, how the cultural, economic and ethnic level influence them, what kinds the job that characters do, and how the setting influence the characters in terms making decisions, transportation, speech habits, eating habits, attitude about love and honor and their general folkways (1987:218).
3. Theory of Plot
In this thesis, the writer uses theory on plot as one of her theories in this thesis. According to William Kenney in the book How to Analyze Fiction, William Kenney explains in that the arrangement of the plot (1966:13-14). The stages could be like following stages; 1) Exposition
It is the beginning of a story. It provides the background information and introduces the characters, the setting and the basic situation.
2) Rising action or complications This is the event where the conflict reveals. In this part, the author provides the problem that the major characters must encounter.
3) Climax It is the turning points (the high suspense) in the story. In this process, the readers will be led into what the outcome is going to be. Climax usually occurs near the end of the story. 4) Falling action The event in the story will lead to the resolution in this session.
5) Resolution or denouement This is the ending of the story when the conflicts are resolved and the readers know the result of the story.
In addition, Peter Barry is his Beginning Theory says that the events in a plot can be divided into two; flashback and flash forward. The author will turn to events that happened in the previous era when using flashback. In the flash forward, the author refers to the events, which happen in the future time (2002:223).
4. Theory of Theme Clarence Hugh Holman in A Handbook to Literature explains that theme is a central idea in a work. In nonfiction literary works such prose, it may be thought of as the general topic of discussion or will be the subject of the discourse. In other words, theme is the main idea that the writer expresses and can be defined as the underlying meaning of the story. Holman adds that theme of a novel is more that its subject matter. Subject matter is something concrete that influences the author. Commonly it could be something abstract. The theme of a novel is what it is about but it is better to say that the theme is what a novel’s story means. In a novel, theme is beneath of the surface of the novel, while the surfaces are the characters, plot, and setting. Theme of a novel is beneath the surface because the readers must draw and tie up the all of the surface before they get the meaning (1986:502).
According to Virgil Scout in Studies in the Short Stories, theme can be defined as the generalization that is implied or stated. It can lie behind the narration of a specific situation that involves specific individuals. Theme appears when human being lives in the same world and they want to share similar emotions and react to face the similar problem. Theme cannot be associated with moral message and the pat of maxim or the ethical or moral value to judge which one the good and which one the bad or to show that the good party always win the bad one (1968:8).
To determine the theme, it needs some steps. Since the theme cannot be justified with some subject such as materialism, death, or justice, or ethical value, the writer must determine firstly what the story is about. A theme must be stated in a statement. In the second step, the reader must consider the ways the characters are represented or what the typical of the characters are. It is necessary to know their disposition, the attitude or the concept of the characters. The last steps to determine a theme is considering how the characters react to the problem of the situation in the story and see what happens to them (1968:11)
C. Theoretical Framework
This study aims to find out the theme of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey through analyzing the major characters, plot and the setting in the novel. In this analysis, the writer provides some theories to find the answer of the problems. They are theory of character and characterization, theory of setting, theory of plot and theory of theme. These theories will support the analysis and help to answer the problem formulations.
In answering the first question of the problem formulation, the writer will apply theory of character and the characterization toward the major characters in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. After finding a clear description of the characters and their characteristics, the writer will jump to look for a description of the place and the social situation of the Northanger Abbey. The writer will apply theory of setting to do this analysis. In the end, the writer will apply theory of plot to find the clear sequence of Northanger Abbey,
In the second problem formulation, the writer will examine how the major characters, setting and the plot are significant in finding theme. The writer will apply theory of theme to support the research in order to get the right theme.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study The object of this study is taken from a literary work as a novel that was
written by Jane Austen, which is entitled Northanger Abbey. This novel was the first writing of Austen, but published at last in 1818. As the object of analysis, the writer reads Northanger Abbey, which was the third printing, published by The New American Library in 1965. The work contains of 221 pages and is divided into thirty-one chapters.
Jane Austen was a great female author in the Victorian era. She had written some popular novels such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice,
Persuasion and Emma . To appreciate Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey was made
in movie for twice. The first Northanger Abbey movie was released in 1986 and the second release was in 2008. Northanger Abbey movie got IFTA Award in 2008 for the category the Best Director of Photography.
Northanger Abbey is a novel that told about a young girl named Chaterine
Morland. She is a daughter of a clergy from middle class. One day, she has a chance to visit the city of Bath with her wealthy relation whose childless named Allen family. While staying in Bath, she is introduced with some new friends. They are Isabella Thorpe and her brother, John Thorpe, who make trouble in her life later. Besides that, she also know some good friends like Eleanor Tilney and
Henry Tilney. The girl falls in love with Henry Tilney. Unfortunately, she is rejected by the Tilney’s father because of her social status. Living in Bath makes Chaterine Morland learns many things. She faces the society that considers that status, class, and money are important in making a relationship.
B. Approach of the study
In this research, the writer uses the formalistic approach to analyze her work. Guerin says in A Handbook of Critical Approach to Literature that to fulfill the formalistic approach, the readers need to make a close reading (2004: 94).
In reading literature, especially a fiction, the reader will be served some question in their mind about the fiction. The question could be how the readers see the readings, what the readers’ responses, and what the novel’s author wants to say by arranging those internal elements. Those questions can encourage the readers to be more sensible to go deeper in analyzing each word or each element. It will lead that every words and form have special function and the meaning. This process of analysis supports the readers to feel close to the work (2004:93).
Using the formalistic approach means to emphasize objective and literal interpretation which is in the internal elements. The readers are not allowed to discuss the elements which are in outside, such as: the politic or the historical issue or the opinion of the novel’s author.
From the explanation above, the writer knows and understands the characteristics of the formalistic approach. Since this thesis will discuss about the internal elements of Northanger Abbey, the writer uses the formalistic approach. This approach will help the writer in analyzing how the internal elements such as the characters, the setting, the plot are related each other to reveal the theme.
C. Method of Study
The writer used library research as the method of the study. The writer collected some sources and uses them to analyze the problem formulations that were presented in the first chapter. In this study, the writer used the story
Northanger Abbey itself as the primary source of the study and used another
sources to support this study.Northanger Abbey was the main source of this study, written by Jane
Austen. For the secondary sources, the writer used some books that could be considered as references. To add more information, the writer also collected online resources which were taken from internet that are related to the research problems, such as some analysis done by previous researchers on the short stories and on the author, theories on plot, theories on character and characterization, theories on setting and theories on theme.
The writer made some steps in discussing the topic. The first step was reading Northanger Abbey. The second step was reading some reference books and some online journals about Northanger Abbey. The third step, the writer decided formulating the problems and to apply the suitable approach to analyze the study. The fourth step was answering the problems of the study and figured out how plot, major characters and the setting are significant in finding the theme. In the last part, the writer would draw the conclusion based on the analysis in the previous chapter.
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS The analysis in this chapter is divided into two parts based on the
problems that are formulated in the first chapter. In the first part, the writer will analyze the characteristics of the major characters, the setting and the plot of
Northanger Abbey . The second, the writer jumps to analyze how the major
characters, the setting and the plot are related each other to reveal the theme.A. The Description of the Major Characters of Northanger Abbey
To analyze the characters, the writer deals with the theories that are written in the previous chapter. In the previous chapter, the writer uses two kinds of theories. First, the writer uses the theory on character from Abram. Second, the writer uses the theory on characterization from Murphy to help the writer to analyze the characteristics of the major characters.
To start analyzing it, the writer looks back to what Murphy says in his
Understanding Unseens that there are some ways to analyze the characters. Those
ways are; personal description, characters as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of other, reaction, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerism.
Northanger Abbey provides two major characters. The novel introduces Catherine Morland as the first major character closely in the first chapter.
No one who had ever seen catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation of life, the character of her father and mother, her own disposition, were all equally against her (p.9) The disposition of Catherine Morland is introduced close and quickly from her infancy through age ten to seventeen and the rest of the previous chapters are telling about her experience.
Henry Tilney is the second major character of the novel. Henry Tilney is Catherine’s friend and advisor. The figure of Henry Tilney is very important because he is not only a lover, but also a hero for Catherine.
This short of mysteriousness, which is always so becoming in a hero, threw a fresh grace in Catherine’s imagination around his person and manners (p.28)
1. The Description of the Characteristics of Catherine Morland
is a novel that introduces Catherine Morland as the first
Northanger Abbey