Clare`s struggle to lead a normal life as seen in Audrey Niffenegger`s The Time Traveler`s Wife.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: English Language
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of
Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis analyzes a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey
Niffenegger. The characteristics, the love story and the struggles of Clare Abshire and
Henry De Tamble, as the main characters, are interesting to discuss. Henry’s
condition which suffers from a genetic disease, called clock genes, that causes him to
become a time traveler motivates Clare to struggle to lead a normal life.
There are three problems to discuss in this study related to the topic of this
thesis. The first problem is how Clare Abshire is described in this novel. The second
problem is why Clare Abshire’s struggle to lead a normal life. The last is how Clare
Abshire’s struggles to lead a normal life with her husband in this novel. The
objectives of this study are to analyze those three problems.
The method of this study is library research. The primary source of this study
is a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife. The secondary data are gained from
books, journals and articles which provide the information related to this study. They
are the theory of character and characterization, the theory of critical approaches,
ways of struggle, the theory of human basic needs, the theory of clock genes and the
theory of time travel. The approach used to support the analysis of this study is the
psychological approach.
Based on the analysis of this study, it can be concluded that Clare is a caring,
lonely and faithful woman. She always cares and waits for her husband faithfully
although her husband always leaves her alone for traveling the time. The second deals
with the causes of Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life with her husband. She
struggles to lead a normal life because of her husband genetic disease that causes him
to become a time traveler. Clare always feels lonely whenever her husband leaves her
to travel the time. Therefore, she has a big desire for having a baby to fulfill her life.
The unfortunate reality that she has to face some miscarriages also motivates her to
struggle to lead a normal life. The last deals with Clare’s efforts to struggle to lead a
normal life. There are two ways that Clare does to struggle. The first is to support
Henry to come to Dr. David Kendrick to cure Henry’s disease and the second is by
never giving up to have a baby although she has undergone some miscarriages.
Keywords: struggle, time travel, clock genes, miscarriage
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: Program Studi
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan
dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini menganalisa sebuah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife
karya Audrey Niffenegger. Karakter, cerita cinta dan perjuangan Clare Abshire dan
Henry De Tamble, sebagai tokoh utama, menarik untuk diulas. Kondisi Henry yang
mengidap penyakit genetik, yang disebut clock genes, yang menyebabkannya
menjadi seorang penjelajah waktu memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat
menjalani kehidupan yang normal.
Ada tiga masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan
topik pada skripsi ini. Masalah yang pertama adalah bagaimana Clare, tokoh utama
dalam novel ini dideskripsikan. Masalah yang kedua adalah mengapa Clare Abshire
berjuang untuk mewujudkan hidup yang normal. Masalah yang terakhir adalah
bagaimanakah perjuangan Clare Abshire untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
bersama suaminya. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membahas tiga masalah
tersebut diatas.
Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber utama
studi ini adalah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife. Sumber-sumber
pendukung lainnya diambil dari buku, jurnaldan artikel yang menyediakan informasi
yangberhubungan dengan studi ini. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori tentang karakter
dan penokohan, teori pendekatan, teori perjuangan, teori kebutuhan dasar manusia,
teori clock genes, dan teori penjelajahan waktu. Pendekatan yang digunakan untuk
mendukung analisa studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Berdasarkan analisa pada studi ini, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Clare adalah
seorang wanita yang perhatian, kesepian dan setia. Dia selalu perhatian dan
menunggu Henry dengan setia meskipun suaminya sering meninggalkannya untuk
menjelajahi waktu. Kesimpulan yang kedua menguraikan tentang sebab-sebab yang
memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat menjalani kehidupan yang normal
bersama dengan suaminya. Dia berjuang untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
karena penyakit genetik yang diidap suaminya yang menyebabkannya menjadi
seorang penjelajah waktu. Clare selalu merasa kesepian setiap suaminya pergi
meninggalkannya untuk menjelajahi waktu. Oleh karena itu dia memiliki keinginan
yang besar untuk mempunyai seorang bayi untuk mengisi kehidupannya. Kenyataan
buruk bahwa ia harus mengalami keguguran hingga beberapa kali memotivasinya
untuk berjuang mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal. Kesimpulan yang terakhir
menguraikan tentang perjuangan Clare untuk dapat mewujudkan kehidupan yang
normal bersama suaminya. Ada dua cara yang dilakukan Clare untuk berjuang, yang
pertama adalah mendukung Henry untuk berobat kepada Dr. David Kendrick dan
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
Student Number: 061214078
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
Student Number: 061214078
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work of
parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 14 January, 2013
The Writer
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
061214078
iv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Give yourself to the Lord, trust in Him
and He will help you.
(Psalm 37:5)
This thesis is dedicated to
Papa & Vea
Bapak & Ibu
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
:
Nomor Mahasiswa :
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
061214078
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan
dalam
bentuk
media
lain,
mengelolanya
dalam
bentuk
pangkalan
data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan
royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 14 Januari 2013
Yang menyatakan
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: English Language
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of
Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis analyzes a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey
Niffenegger. The characteristics, the love story and the struggles of Clare Abshire and
Henry De Tamble, as the main characters, are interesting to discuss. Henry’s
condition which suffers from a genetic disease, called clock genes, that causes him to
become a time traveler motivates Clare to struggle to lead a normal life.
There are three problems to discuss in this study related to the topic of this
thesis. The first problem is how Clare Abshire is described in this novel. The second
problem is why Clare Abshire’s struggle to lead a normal life. The last is how Clare
Abshire’s struggles to lead a normal life with her husband in this novel. The
objectives of this study are to analyze those three problems.
The method of this study is library research. The primary source of this study
is a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife. The secondary data are gained from
books, journals and articles which provide the information related to this study. They
are the theory of character and characterization, the theory of critical approaches,
ways of struggle, the theory of human basic needs, the theory of clock genes and the
theory of time travel. The approach used to support the analysis of this study is the
psychological approach.
Based on the analysis of this study, it can be concluded that Clare is a caring,
lonely and faithful woman. She always cares and waits for her husband faithfully
although her husband always leaves her alone for traveling the time. The second deals
with the causes of Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life with her husband. She
struggles to lead a normal life because of her husband genetic disease that causes him
to become a time traveler. Clare always feels lonely whenever her husband leaves her
to travel the time. Therefore, she has a big desire for having a baby to fulfill her life.
The unfortunate reality that she has to face some miscarriages also motivates her to
struggle to lead a normal life. The last deals with Clare’s efforts to struggle to lead a
normal life. There are two ways that Clare does to struggle. The first is to support
Henry to come to Dr. David Kendrick to cure Henry’s disease and the second is by
never giving up to have a baby although she has undergone some miscarriages.
Keywords: struggle, time travel, clock genes, miscarriage
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: Program Studi
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan
dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini menganalisa sebuah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife
karya Audrey Niffenegger. Karakter, cerita cinta dan perjuangan Clare Abshire dan
Henry De Tamble, sebagai tokoh utama, menarik untuk diulas. Kondisi Henry yang
mengidap penyakit genetik, yang disebut clock genes, yang menyebabkannya
menjadi seorang penjelajah waktu memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat
menjalani kehidupan yang normal.
Ada tiga masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan
topik pada skripsi ini. Masalah yang pertama adalah bagaimana Clare, tokoh utama
dalam novel ini dideskripsikan. Masalah yang kedua adalah mengapa Clare Abshire
berjuang untuk mewujudkan hidup yang normal. Masalah yang terakhir adalah
bagaimanakah perjuangan Clare Abshire untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
bersama suaminya. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membahas tiga masalah
tersebut diatas.
Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber utama
studi ini adalah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife. Sumber-sumber
pendukung lainnya diambil dari buku, jurnaldan artikel yang menyediakan informasi
yangberhubungan dengan studi ini. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori tentang karakter
dan penokohan, teori pendekatan, teori perjuangan, teori kebutuhan dasar manusia,
teori clock genes, dan teori penjelajahan waktu. Pendekatan yang digunakan untuk
mendukung analisa studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Berdasarkan analisa pada studi ini, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Clare adalah
seorang wanita yang perhatian, kesepian dan setia. Dia selalu perhatian dan
menunggu Henry dengan setia meskipun suaminya sering meninggalkannya untuk
menjelajahi waktu. Kesimpulan yang kedua menguraikan tentang sebab-sebab yang
memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat menjalani kehidupan yang normal
bersama dengan suaminya. Dia berjuang untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
karena penyakit genetik yang diidap suaminya yang menyebabkannya menjadi
seorang penjelajah waktu. Clare selalu merasa kesepian setiap suaminya pergi
meninggalkannya untuk menjelajahi waktu. Oleh karena itu dia memiliki keinginan
yang besar untuk mempunyai seorang bayi untuk mengisi kehidupannya. Kenyataan
buruk bahwa ia harus mengalami keguguran hingga beberapa kali memotivasinya
untuk berjuang mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal. Kesimpulan yang terakhir
menguraikan tentang perjuangan Clare untuk dapat mewujudkan kehidupan yang
normal bersama suaminya. Ada dua cara yang dilakukan Clare untuk berjuang, yang
pertama adalah mendukung Henry untuk berobat kepada Dr. David Kendrick dan
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
yang kedua adalah dengan pantang menyerah untuk memiliki seorang bayi meskipun
dia harus mengalami beberapa kali keguguran.
Kata kunci : perjuangan, penjelajahan waktu, clock genes, keguguran
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to devote my gratitude to My Lord Jesus Christ for
His blessing and His mercy during this thesis writing process. He always gives me
faith and hope to finish writing this thesis. He reminds me when I am lazy and He
gives me strength when I am down. I thank Him for everything he has given to me so
that I can finish writing my thesis.
I would also would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Drs. L.
Bambang Hendarto Y.,M.Hum, for his help and his patience to read, to improve
and to give me inputs during my thesis writing process. I am so glad that I can share
about life with him and he gave me advice to become a responsible person to face my
real life.
My next gratitude goes to my parents, Bapak Agustinus Sadjad and Ibu
Maria Magdalena Sumartini, for their greatest support, affection, prayer and
financial support that they have given to me during my study. I beg a big forgiveness
for making them worried about my thesis and for spending too long time to finish it.
My special gratitude goes to my beloved husband, Isidorus Andika
Hermawan, for his love, support, care and patience. He has motivated me to finish
my thesis. He always gives his hands to help me when I face some problems during
my thesis writing process. I also thank my lovely daughter Cionia Vea Aquinsila
Chrilisa Aurinka, for her smile that always cheers up my day and strengthens me.
x
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
I am also grateful to all my beloved sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces, for
their support given during my study and my thesis writing process. I also thank my
father in law and my mother in law who always give me support and remind me to
finish my thesis.
My special thanks also go to my uncle’s family, Om To, Tante Sur, Mela,
Dian and also Mbak Lim, for their big support, care and advice. They always give
me spirit and convince me that I can finish my thesis well.
My next gratitude is expressed to my beloved friends, Budhe Ika, Neisya,
Christin, Evi, Berlin, Mbak Tyas and Tante Tyas, who have given their support.
They have made me believe that I can finish my thesis.
Last but not least, I would like to extend my gratitude to all PBI lecturers in
English Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University for teaching, giving and
sharing their knowledge. They have given big contributions to enrich my knowledge
in mastering English.
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………
i
APPROVAL PAGES………………………………………………………
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY…………………………..
iv
DEDICATION PAGE……………………………………………………..
v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI…………………………..
vi
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………...
vii
ABSTRAK…………………………………………………………………..
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………….
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………….
xii
LIST OF APPENDICES…………………………………………………..
xv
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION………………………………………….
1
1.1 Background of the Study…………………………………………….
1
1.2 Problem Formulation………………………………………………...
4
1.3 Objective of the Study……………………………………………….
4
1.4 Benefits of the Study…………………………………………………
4
1.5 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………..
5
1.5.1 Struggle…………………………………………………………
5
1.5.2 Character……………………………………………………….
5
1.5.3 Time Travel…………………………………………………….
6
1.5.4 Clock Genes…………………………………………………….
6
1.5.5 Circadian Rhythms…………………………………………….
6
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE………………...
7
2.1 Review of Related Theories………………………………………….
7
2.1.1 Character……………………………………………………….
7
2.1.1.1 Definition of Character…………………………………..
7
2.1.1.2 Kinds of Character……………………………………….
8
2.1.2 Characterization………………………………………………..
9
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2.1.2.1 Definition of Characterization……………………………
9
2.1.2.2 Methods of Characterization……………………………..
9
2.1.3 Critical Approach………………………………………………
11
2.1.4 Struggle for Life……………………………………………….
12
2.1.5 Human Basic Needs……………………………………………
14
2.1.6 Clock Genes……………………………………………………
15
2.1.7 Time Travel…………………………………………………….
16
2.2 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………
17
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY………………………………………….
19
3.1 The Object of the Study………………………………………………
19
3.2 Approach of the Study……………………………………………….
20
3.3 Method of the Study……………………………………………….....
20
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS…………………………………………………..
22
4.1 The Description of Clare ……….……………………………………
22
4.1.1 Caring………………………………………………………….
23
4.1.2 Lonely………………………………………………………….
28
4.1.3 Faithful…………………………………………………………
31
4.2 The Causes of Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life ……………..
35
4.2.1 Her Husband Condition as a Time Traveler……………………
36
4.2.2 Her Loneliness…………………………………………………
41
4.2.3 Having a Baby………………………………………………….
45
4.2.4 Her Miscarriages……………………………………………….
47
4.3.2 Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life ..………….........................
51
4.3.2.1 Supporting Henry to Cure His genetic Disease…………..
52
4.3.2.2 Never Giving Up for Having a Baby……………………..
56
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
59
5.1 Conclusions…………………………………………………………...
59
5.2 Implications………………………………………………………….
62
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5.3 Suggestions…………………………………………………………
63
5.3.1 Suggestion for Future Researchers…………………………...
63
5.3.2 Suggestion for the English Teacher…….…………………….
63
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………….
65
APPENDICES……………………………………………………………..
67
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Page
Appendix 1 The Time Traveler’s Wife Summary……………………………..
68
Appendix 2 Audrey Niffenegger’s Biography…………………………………
73
Appendix 3 Lesson Plan……………………………………………………….. 74
Appendix 4 Material for Basic Reading I……………………………………… 76
Appendix 5 Reading Text………………………………………………………. 78
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts. Those are the background of the study,
problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study and definition of
terms. The background of the study presents the background information that
containing some reasons as a basis of writing this study and the importance of the topic
that being discussed. The problem formulation provides the problem to be discussed in
the form of two questions. The objective of the study has the aim to answer the
questions stated in problem formulation. The benefits of the study explain the
advantages of the study. Lastly, the definition of terms provides the important terms to
clarify the meaning of the terms.
1.1 Background of the Study
All human beings in this world have different experiences in their lives. Not all
the people have a beautiful story in their lives. Sometimes they have to face problems
which come to their lives. Moreover, they have to be strong although they are too weak
to face the problems. People should have spirit and struggle to maintain their beautiful
life, unless their own problems will depress them.
There are many kinds of problems that can emerge in human life. It can be
family problem, economic problem, love problem, etc. We have to overcome our
problems by finding solutions. Although we have a lot of problems, we still have to
continue our life. Therefore, problems motivate people to struggle to get the better life.
Life is not easy and changing every time, so people have to struggle for their lives by
1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
working hard and doing some efforts. By having the struggle people can survive in
their lives.
The story of human life as described above can be written in a literary works.
Literature can be an expression of human life. The writer of the literature can explore
their imagination and develop human realities in a good arrangement of story. Novel is
one kind of literary that can serve as reflections of human life. Bressler (1999) says
that a “novel as a work of literature is a text which certain qualities contain some
elements, such as plot, character, tone, symbol, conflict, that often represents the
author’s life and has major action to teach good values and clearly to entertain the
readers” (p.10). By writing a novel, an author can provide a moral that can give
support through people who should have strength of struggle.
A novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger describes
about a woman’s struggle by exploring Niffenegger’s fantasy. This novel tells about
the love story of Clare Abshire and Henry De Tamble but it is not a common love story
that we usually read. Niffeneger puts a problem of the story through the character of
Henry De Tamble. Henry is a time traveler although it is not his choice. Henry suffers
from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and suddenly he finds
himself disappeared from a view and leaves behind his clothes and possessions, pulls
into his past or future or into another place.
Niffenegger starts the story of The Time Traveler’s Wife by telling the first
meeting of Clare and Henry in Newberry Library, where Henry works. At that time,
Henry is 28 and Clare is 20. Henry does not realize that the girl he meets is Clare,
because he has never known her before. On the other hand, Clare knows Henry so
much. She knows Henry since Henry often visits her in her childhood. She tries to
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
convince Henry that they often meet at the past time by telling what they often do
together and shows their diary.
At the age of 28, Henry does not know Clare since he has not traveled the time
to visit Clare’s childhood yet. Henry visits Clare for the first time by traveling the time
when he is 36 and Clare is 6. Then he often travels the time through Clare’s childhood
and adolescence. They always make a note when they meet in a small pale blue child’s
diary. Henry last visits Clare in her youth on her eighteenth birthday. Then, they are
separated for two years until their meeting in Newberry library. They love each other
even though they are separated by the time and age.
As time goes, they have a good relationship although Henry often leaves Clare
to travel through the time. Then, they are married when Clare is 22 and Henry is 30.
Problems have to be faced after they have married. Henry often leaves Clare alone.
One of the big problems is that Clare really wants a baby, but she always looses the
chances. Since the baby has the same clock gene as Henry and it travels and leaves
Clare’s womb out.
Niffenegger describes that Clare is a strong woman. She always loves Henry
although Henry always leaves her. She patiently waits for Henry. She can accept
Henry although he is not normal. She has willingness to live lonely when Henry
travels. She patiently waits for the right time to have a baby although she has
miscarriages for many times. She never gives up for having a baby although the
miscarriages endanger her health.
Clare always supports Henry to cure his disease. When Henry needs a genetic
doctor to cure his disease and the doctor refuses him, Clare tries to convince the doctor
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
that Henry really needs the doctor’s help. Niffenegger explains that Clare is the right
woman to accompany Henry.
The novel is interesting to discuss because it tells how a person respects other’s
condition and also respects her time. It gives a great lesson about the importance to
struggle in life.
1.2 Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study that has been explained, there are three
problems to be discussed in this study as follows:
1. How is Clare Abshire described in this novel?
2. Why does Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life?
3. How does Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life in this novel?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The aims of this study are to answer the questions in the problem formulation.
First is to find out the character of Clare Abshire that described in The Time Traveler’s
Wife novel. Second is to analyze why Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life. And the
last is to analyze Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life.
1.4 Benefits of the Study
This study gives benefits to the reader, the students or future researchers who
are going to conduct their research on The Time Traveler’s Wife and the English
teachers or lecturers. For the reader, this study gives better understanding through The
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5
Time Traveler’s Wife novel. Hopefully this study can also give the reader
understanding that we should give mutual respect through the time that we have.
The second is for the students or future researchers who are going to conduct
their research on The Time Traveler’s Wife. Hopefully they can use this study as an
inspiration to gain good understanding in exploring the novel deeper. This study can
also be a supporting resource to complete their study.
The last is for either English teachers or lecturers. Hopefully this study can
provide a good source to teach literary especially The Time Traveler’s Wife novel for
their student.
1.5 Definition of Terms
This part provides the definitions of some terms related to the study to clarify
and avoid misunderstanding between the writer and the reader.
1.5.1 Struggle
McKechnie (1989) defines that struggle is “a task” or “goal” requiring much
effort to accomplish or achieve (p. 367). In this study, struggle refers to Clare’s effort
to face her difficulties in facing her husband condition and achieve better condition in
her relationship with her husband, Henry DeTamble.
1.5.2 Character
Based on Abrams (1981), character is “a representation of person in narrative
and dramatic works”, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral
and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do (p.
20).
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In this study, character represents the personality description through Clare, as
the main character of The Time Traveler’s Wife novel.
1.5.3 Time Travel
Based on Lewis (1975), time travel involves discrepancy between time and
time. Any traveler departs and then arrives at his destination: the times elapsed from
departure to arrival - positive, or perhaps zero -. The separation between departure and
arrival does not equal the duration of the journey (p.1). In The Time Traveler’s Wife
Henry always travels through the time, he departs and arrives without his willingness.
By travelling through the time Henry meets his love, Clare.
1.5.4 Clock Genes
Albrecht and Ripperger (2008) state that clock gene is “a number of genes that
interact with each other to make up an auto-regulatory feedback loop”, in which its
activation and repression cycle takes about one day (p.1). In this novel, Clare’s
husband, Henry, has a genetic disease that can be categorized in clock gene. The clock
genes govern circadian rhythms that cause Henry to travel through the time.
1.5.5 Circadian Rhythms
Wilma (1999) defines that circadian rhythms are biological rhythms with a
“period of approximately 24 hours” (p.1). In this novel, there are clock genes in
Henry’s body that govern circadian rhythms. Those are found in many different types
of cell, all over Henry’s body.
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is divided into two parts. They are review of related theories and
theoretical framework. The first part discusses the most relevant theories for this study.
The second part, theoretical framework, explains the contribution of the theories and
review in solving the problem of this study.
2.1 Review of Related Theories
To analyze the work of literature this study needs to employ theory of literature
including theories of character and characterization, and critical approach, struggle for
life, human basic needs theory, theory of clock genes and the theory of time travel. The
theory can be explained as follows:
2.1.1 Character
A character is an important element of a literary work. Abrams (1981) explains
that character is “the person presented in dramatic or narrative work”, who are
interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that
are expressed in what they say -the dialogue- and by what they do -the action- (p. 20).
The existence of character is important to create a situation and a soul in literary works
through the dialogue and the action of the story. If there is no character in the story, it
is impossible to develop the story.
2.1.1.1 Definition of Character
Character is one of important thing that appear in a novel. Character makes the
story of literary work seems to be real. The readers can enjoy and follow the story
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through the character actions and speeches. Based on Stanton (1965), there are two
definitions of characters. The first definition relates to the individuals in the story, such
as: how many characters are presented in the story. The second definition is “the
mixture of interests, desires, emotions and moral principles that makes up each of these
individuals”, such as: how we describes his/her characters (p.17).
Abrams (1981) also defines that character is a representation of person in
narrative and dramatic works (p.21). From its definitions, it can be assumed that
character may be widely considered as an essential element of fictional works,
especially novels and plays. So, it is necessary for the authors who write novel or other
literary works that they have enough skills in order to present their ideas into the story
through the character’s description.
2.1.1.2 Kinds of Character
Abrams (1985) categorizes the term characters into two namely major and
minor characters based on their importance. Major characters are the one that mostly
appear in the novel. Usually the acts of the story focus on these characters from the
beginning to the end. Then, minor characters appear in certain setting or just become
the background of the major one. Their roles are less important than those of the major
character (pp. 50-56).
Forster (1974) states that there are two kinds of characters: “flat and round
character” (p. 47). A flat character is characterized by one or two straits. Forster calls
this kind of character flat because we see only one side of him. The character can be
summed up into one or two words. However, a round character is complex in
temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity.
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Holman and Harmon (1986) devide characters into two, namely static and
dynamic. A static character is one who changes little or does not change at all, because
there is nothing happening within. It means that a character begins as the same kind of
character as in the end. A dynamic character is one who is modified by actions and
experiences that influence the character to change. That is why a dynamic character is
one who often changes (p.83).
2.1.2 Characterization
Character and characterization are connected and they cannot be separated.
Rohberger and Woods. Jr (1971) explains that characterization is “the process in which
an author creates a character” (p. 20). The author presents the characters in a novel by
using some methods. The author blends the methods so that he/she can create the
character become a real character.
2.1.2.1 Definition of Characterization
Based on Greenville (1990), characterization is “everything that the writers do
to build up the characters” (p. 36). It is the process of transforming the real-life people
into fiction characters. Therefore, the way of the author creates the character can be
seen through the characters’ dialogues and actions.
2.1.2.2 Methods of Characterization
Based on Murphy (1972) in Understanding Unseens, there are nine ways that
can be used to determine the characteristics of a character (pp. 161-173). The first way
is by looking at the personal description. The author attempts to describe the
characters’ physical appearance and clothes. The physical appearances include some
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details of the characters such as face, skin, body and hair. The reader can also see the
character’s appearance by looking the way she/he dresses.
The second is character as seen by another. The author describes the
characteristics of a character through the eyes and opinion of another character. So, the
reader can get a reflected image from that description. The third way is known from
the past life. The author gives the reader a clue to events that have helped to create a
character by giving some description and stories about a person’s past life. The author
can show it by giving direct moment, through the person’s thought conversation with
others or the medium of another person.
The forth is by understanding the character’s conversation of others. The author
gives a clue to the reader about a person’s character through the conversation of other
people. The reader can get better understanding of the character through the things that
people discuss about one character.
The fifth way is reactions. The author can give the reader clue to a person’s
character by letting the reader knows how that person reacts to various situation and
events. The character’s particular reactions consider representing the personality.
The sixth way is studying the direct comment. The author can describe or
comment on a person’s character directly in order to make the characters more
understandable. The seventh way is referring to the character’s thoughts. The author
gives the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. The reader can
know the character of the person by knowing what is in the character’s mind.
The eight way is by looking the speech of the character. The author gives the
details of the character in the novel through what the person says. By looking at the
character’s daily speech, the reader can get some clues about the character. The ninth
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or the last way to understand personalities is mannerism. The author describes a
person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell the reader something
about the character.
2.1.3 Critical Approach
Rohberger and Woods, Jr. (1971) explain the approaches of studying about
literature. Critical approach is employed in order to probe the positive aesthetic value
in a literary work. There are five approaches to provide the means to understand the
novel (pp. 6-15). They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the
sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach and the psychological
approach.
The first approach is the formalist approach. This approach judges the esthetic
values of a novel from the harmonious involvement of all parts of the novel to the
whole and how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique
determine structure. The extreme formalist critics examine the literary piece without
reference to facts of author’s life, without reference to the genre of the piece or to its
place in the development of the genre or in literary history, and without reference to its
social milieu.
The second is the biographical approach. This approach asserts the view work
of art is reflection of a personality, that in the esthetic experience, the reader shares the
author’s consciousness, and that at least part of the reader’s response is to the author’s
personality. They attempt to learn as much as they can about the life and development
of the author and to apply this knowledge in their attempt to understand his writing.
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The third is the sociocultural-historical approach. This approach, insists that the
real work is in reference to the civilization that produces it. It is needed to investigate
the place or society that reflects a created work. The historical critic examines either
the work itself or the work in relation to other works by the same author or to works
similar kind of object matter by different author in the same or in the different period.
The forth approach is the mythopoeic approach. This approach seeks to
discover certain universality recurrent pattern of human thought, which they believe
find expression in significant work of art. These universally recurrent patterns, they
assert, are those that found first expression in the ancient myths and folks rites and are
so basic to human thought that they have meaning for all men.
The last is the psychological approach. The psychological approach involves
the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns, but from a different
body of knowledge-that is psychology. This approach is undertaken when the critic
intends to identify any aspects of psychology underlying a certain element of a literary
work. The element particularly points up the character’s personality. This approach
uses psychological theories to explain human motivation, personality and behavior
pattern written in a literary object. This is in accordance with the insistence upon the
idea that each character’s behavior could refer to the psychology of human being. The
approach will surely give more understanding of the character’s behavior and thought.
2.1.4 Struggle for Life
People always face problems in life. Problems always come out in people’s life
and we cannot deny it. People need to struggle in their lives in order to overcome their
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problems. Since problems or difficulties always emerge in life, people need to struggle
to solve it and get a better life.
Braun, Linder and Asimov (1979) state that there are many life events that
cause people to struggle for life. These life events can be the death of a close family
member, personal injury or illness, fired from work, gain of new family member, etc
(pp. 478-480). Sometimes, those life events can affect their way of thinking in facing
their life. When people can not cope those life events, they will become stressed. Stress
is one kind of reactions that can emerge when people can not overcome their problems.
A person’s struggle may also be one of his strategies to protect him from
problems in life. may Bernard (1980) states that individuals also may consciously and
rationally implement strategies that enable them to cope with stresses and problems in
life. Then they need to adjust (p.64). People will become stressed when they can not
overcome their problem. This is one of people’s reactions towards problem that they
need to adjust.
Based on Braun, Linder and Asimov (1979), how people will react all the
stresses and problems is one aspect of the process called adjustment. Adjustment is the
process for people to cope with the difficult situations in their struggle. There are three
categories of adjustment that people can do in order to cope with difficulties. The first
category is problem solving. People need to deal with problems and try to find the
solution of its problem whether it is bad or good solution. The development of problem
sloving skills to meet a lot of kinds of situations is a very useful aid in adjustment. The
second category is acceptance of the situation. People do not need to response too
much toward their problem. It is better to accept the problems and also its
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consequences. The last category is the use of defense mechanisms to cope with stress
and anxiety, but if it is overused, it can lead to severe disturbance.
Morris (1990) defines adjustment as any effort to cope with stress. Every
adjustment is an attempt to balance our desire against the demands of the environment,
to weigh our needs and to cope as well as we can within the limits of situation (p.490).
People can fight to cope the stress by using their repression, perceptual, denial and
intellectualization. They can learn the positive things from their bad experience by
struggling. People realize that they need to struggle because they would feel satisfied
with all of their efforts.
2.1.5 Human Basic Needs
People have some reasons to do an action. People are motivated to fulfill the
action because they have a lot of needs. There are some needs that emerge in people’s
life.
Based on Maslow as quoted in Franken (2002), there are five general types of
needs (physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem and self-actualization)
that must be satisfied before a person can act unselfishly. It is called a The Hierarchy
of Needs (p. 13-15).
The first concerns physiological needs. The physiological needs are the most
basic needs in our life. They are the needs of air, water, food, sleep, hunger, thirst, sex,
sleep and activity. These needs must be fulfilled first before fulfilling the other needs.
The second is safety needs. They relate with security, shelter, freedom from fear
and anxiety. They have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic
world. People always try to avoid the dangerous things in their life and they consider
of being harmful.
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The third deals with love and belongingness needs. When the psychologigal
needs and safety needs are satisfied, other needs such as needs for love, affection and
belongingness also emerge. They relate with acceptance, affection, giving and
receiving love. We need to be loved, to be accepted and to be needed by others.
Everybody needs love, so the lack of love can stop the individual growth and his
development of potential.
The forth is self-esteem needs. They relate with ego, success, status, recognition
and accomplishments. There are two types of esteem needs. First is self-esteem which
results from competence or mastery of a task. The second is the attention and
recognition that comes from others.
The last one deals with self-actualization needs. They relate with selffulfillment and realization and enriching experience. This needs emerge after
satisfaction of the love and esteem needs.
2.1.6 Clock Genes
In The Time Traveler’s Wife novel, Clare has to struggle to lead a normal life
since her husband, Henry, has a genetic disease that can be categorized as a kind of
clock genes. It is important to use the theory of clock genes to understand Henry’s
disease that motivate Clare to become a struggle woman.
Albrecht and Ripperger (2008) explain a theory about clock genes. According
to Albrecht and Ripperger, clock genes are kind of genetic disease that can be called as
circadian clock. Clock genes are components of the circadian clock comparable to the
cogwheels of a mechanical watch. They interact with each other in an intricate manner
generating oscillations of gene expression. The underlying principle of circadian
clocks is successive gene activation in the form of a cycle: the initial activation of a
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16
gene is regulated by the last one in the sequence, making up an auto-regulatory
feedback loop for which one cycle takes about 24 hours. Positive elements activate the
expression of negative elements, which in turn stop the activity of the positive
elements. This system moves away from equilibrium before returning and hence,
perpetual cycling is the consequence (p.1).
Takahashi (2004) explains that the clock genes that govern the 24-hour
circadian rhythms of the body also function in similar cycles in peripheral cells outside
the brain, researchers have found. Their findings hint that organs throughout the body,
and not just the brain, keep time using their own internal genetic clocks (p.1).
Circadian cycle has functions to govern people’s activity such as sleeping and
waking, rest and activity, fluid balance, body temperature, cardiac output, oxygen
consumption and endocrine gland secretion. These clock genes also integrate the
metabolic state of the organism.
In The Time Traveler’s Wife novel, the clock genes govern circadian rhythms in
Henry’s body. Those have been found in many different types of cells, all over
Henry’s body and they are tied to vision. The way of Henry’s life and also his problem
can trigger Henry’s time traveling. Henry is stressed out by a lot: by watching TV, by
loud noises, by blinding lights, by drinking too much, by getting married, by having
kids, by conflict, etc.
2.1.7 Time Travel
Based on Lewis (1975), time travel is a streak through the manifold of spacetime, a whole composed of stages located at various times and places (p.2). The time
traveler is described that he can travel through the time, arrives and departs in other
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17
time and place without his willingness. He cannot guess where and when he will be at
the arrival of his traveling the time. He goes suddenly and then arrives and departs in
the other time and place for just an instant.
Lewis (1975) also states that time travel involves discrepancy between time
and time. Any traveler departs and then arrives at his destination: the times elapsed
from departure to arrival - positive, or perhaps zero -. The separation between
departure and arrival does not equal
ABSTRACT
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: English Language
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of
Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis analyzes a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey
Niffenegger. The characteristics, the love story and the struggles of Clare Abshire and
Henry De Tamble, as the main characters, are interesting to discuss. Henry’s
condition which suffers from a genetic disease, called clock genes, that causes him to
become a time traveler motivates Clare to struggle to lead a normal life.
There are three problems to discuss in this study related to the topic of this
thesis. The first problem is how Clare Abshire is described in this novel. The second
problem is why Clare Abshire’s struggle to lead a normal life. The last is how Clare
Abshire’s struggles to lead a normal life with her husband in this novel. The
objectives of this study are to analyze those three problems.
The method of this study is library research. The primary source of this study
is a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife. The secondary data are gained from
books, journals and articles which provide the information related to this study. They
are the theory of character and characterization, the theory of critical approaches,
ways of struggle, the theory of human basic needs, the theory of clock genes and the
theory of time travel. The approach used to support the analysis of this study is the
psychological approach.
Based on the analysis of this study, it can be concluded that Clare is a caring,
lonely and faithful woman. She always cares and waits for her husband faithfully
although her husband always leaves her alone for traveling the time. The second deals
with the causes of Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life with her husband. She
struggles to lead a normal life because of her husband genetic disease that causes him
to become a time traveler. Clare always feels lonely whenever her husband leaves her
to travel the time. Therefore, she has a big desire for having a baby to fulfill her life.
The unfortunate reality that she has to face some miscarriages also motivates her to
struggle to lead a normal life. The last deals with Clare’s efforts to struggle to lead a
normal life. There are two ways that Clare does to struggle. The first is to support
Henry to come to Dr. David Kendrick to cure Henry’s disease and the second is by
never giving up to have a baby although she has undergone some miscarriages.
Keywords: struggle, time travel, clock genes, miscarriage
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ABSTRAK
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: Program Studi
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan
dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini menganalisa sebuah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife
karya Audrey Niffenegger. Karakter, cerita cinta dan perjuangan Clare Abshire dan
Henry De Tamble, sebagai tokoh utama, menarik untuk diulas. Kondisi Henry yang
mengidap penyakit genetik, yang disebut clock genes, yang menyebabkannya
menjadi seorang penjelajah waktu memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat
menjalani kehidupan yang normal.
Ada tiga masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan
topik pada skripsi ini. Masalah yang pertama adalah bagaimana Clare, tokoh utama
dalam novel ini dideskripsikan. Masalah yang kedua adalah mengapa Clare Abshire
berjuang untuk mewujudkan hidup yang normal. Masalah yang terakhir adalah
bagaimanakah perjuangan Clare Abshire untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
bersama suaminya. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membahas tiga masalah
tersebut diatas.
Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber utama
studi ini adalah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife. Sumber-sumber
pendukung lainnya diambil dari buku, jurnaldan artikel yang menyediakan informasi
yangberhubungan dengan studi ini. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori tentang karakter
dan penokohan, teori pendekatan, teori perjuangan, teori kebutuhan dasar manusia,
teori clock genes, dan teori penjelajahan waktu. Pendekatan yang digunakan untuk
mendukung analisa studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Berdasarkan analisa pada studi ini, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Clare adalah
seorang wanita yang perhatian, kesepian dan setia. Dia selalu perhatian dan
menunggu Henry dengan setia meskipun suaminya sering meninggalkannya untuk
menjelajahi waktu. Kesimpulan yang kedua menguraikan tentang sebab-sebab yang
memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat menjalani kehidupan yang normal
bersama dengan suaminya. Dia berjuang untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
karena penyakit genetik yang diidap suaminya yang menyebabkannya menjadi
seorang penjelajah waktu. Clare selalu merasa kesepian setiap suaminya pergi
meninggalkannya untuk menjelajahi waktu. Oleh karena itu dia memiliki keinginan
yang besar untuk mempunyai seorang bayi untuk mengisi kehidupannya. Kenyataan
buruk bahwa ia harus mengalami keguguran hingga beberapa kali memotivasinya
untuk berjuang mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal. Kesimpulan yang terakhir
menguraikan tentang perjuangan Clare untuk dapat mewujudkan kehidupan yang
normal bersama suaminya. Ada dua cara yang dilakukan Clare untuk berjuang, yang
pertama adalah mendukung Henry untuk berobat kepada Dr. David Kendrick dan
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
Student Number: 061214078
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
Student Number: 061214078
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work of
parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 14 January, 2013
The Writer
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
061214078
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Give yourself to the Lord, trust in Him
and He will help you.
(Psalm 37:5)
This thesis is dedicated to
Papa & Vea
Bapak & Ibu
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
:
Nomor Mahasiswa :
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
061214078
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
CLARE’S STRUGGLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AS SEEN IN
AUDREY NIFFENEGGER’S THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan
dalam
bentuk
media
lain,
mengelolanya
dalam
bentuk
pangkalan
data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan
royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 14 Januari 2013
Yang menyatakan
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
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ABSTRACT
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: English Language
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of
Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis analyzes a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey
Niffenegger. The characteristics, the love story and the struggles of Clare Abshire and
Henry De Tamble, as the main characters, are interesting to discuss. Henry’s
condition which suffers from a genetic disease, called clock genes, that causes him to
become a time traveler motivates Clare to struggle to lead a normal life.
There are three problems to discuss in this study related to the topic of this
thesis. The first problem is how Clare Abshire is described in this novel. The second
problem is why Clare Abshire’s struggle to lead a normal life. The last is how Clare
Abshire’s struggles to lead a normal life with her husband in this novel. The
objectives of this study are to analyze those three problems.
The method of this study is library research. The primary source of this study
is a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife. The secondary data are gained from
books, journals and articles which provide the information related to this study. They
are the theory of character and characterization, the theory of critical approaches,
ways of struggle, the theory of human basic needs, the theory of clock genes and the
theory of time travel. The approach used to support the analysis of this study is the
psychological approach.
Based on the analysis of this study, it can be concluded that Clare is a caring,
lonely and faithful woman. She always cares and waits for her husband faithfully
although her husband always leaves her alone for traveling the time. The second deals
with the causes of Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life with her husband. She
struggles to lead a normal life because of her husband genetic disease that causes him
to become a time traveler. Clare always feels lonely whenever her husband leaves her
to travel the time. Therefore, she has a big desire for having a baby to fulfill her life.
The unfortunate reality that she has to face some miscarriages also motivates her to
struggle to lead a normal life. The last deals with Clare’s efforts to struggle to lead a
normal life. There are two ways that Clare does to struggle. The first is to support
Henry to come to Dr. David Kendrick to cure Henry’s disease and the second is by
never giving up to have a baby although she has undergone some miscarriages.
Keywords: struggle, time travel, clock genes, miscarriage
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ABSTRAK
Pawukir, Yusta V. B. (2013). Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life as Seen in
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yogyakarta: Program Studi
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan
dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini menganalisa sebuah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife
karya Audrey Niffenegger. Karakter, cerita cinta dan perjuangan Clare Abshire dan
Henry De Tamble, sebagai tokoh utama, menarik untuk diulas. Kondisi Henry yang
mengidap penyakit genetik, yang disebut clock genes, yang menyebabkannya
menjadi seorang penjelajah waktu memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat
menjalani kehidupan yang normal.
Ada tiga masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan
topik pada skripsi ini. Masalah yang pertama adalah bagaimana Clare, tokoh utama
dalam novel ini dideskripsikan. Masalah yang kedua adalah mengapa Clare Abshire
berjuang untuk mewujudkan hidup yang normal. Masalah yang terakhir adalah
bagaimanakah perjuangan Clare Abshire untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
bersama suaminya. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membahas tiga masalah
tersebut diatas.
Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber utama
studi ini adalah novel yang berjudul The Time Traveler’s Wife. Sumber-sumber
pendukung lainnya diambil dari buku, jurnaldan artikel yang menyediakan informasi
yangberhubungan dengan studi ini. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori tentang karakter
dan penokohan, teori pendekatan, teori perjuangan, teori kebutuhan dasar manusia,
teori clock genes, dan teori penjelajahan waktu. Pendekatan yang digunakan untuk
mendukung analisa studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Berdasarkan analisa pada studi ini, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Clare adalah
seorang wanita yang perhatian, kesepian dan setia. Dia selalu perhatian dan
menunggu Henry dengan setia meskipun suaminya sering meninggalkannya untuk
menjelajahi waktu. Kesimpulan yang kedua menguraikan tentang sebab-sebab yang
memotivasi Clare untuk berjuang agar dapat menjalani kehidupan yang normal
bersama dengan suaminya. Dia berjuang untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal
karena penyakit genetik yang diidap suaminya yang menyebabkannya menjadi
seorang penjelajah waktu. Clare selalu merasa kesepian setiap suaminya pergi
meninggalkannya untuk menjelajahi waktu. Oleh karena itu dia memiliki keinginan
yang besar untuk mempunyai seorang bayi untuk mengisi kehidupannya. Kenyataan
buruk bahwa ia harus mengalami keguguran hingga beberapa kali memotivasinya
untuk berjuang mewujudkan kehidupan yang normal. Kesimpulan yang terakhir
menguraikan tentang perjuangan Clare untuk dapat mewujudkan kehidupan yang
normal bersama suaminya. Ada dua cara yang dilakukan Clare untuk berjuang, yang
pertama adalah mendukung Henry untuk berobat kepada Dr. David Kendrick dan
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yang kedua adalah dengan pantang menyerah untuk memiliki seorang bayi meskipun
dia harus mengalami beberapa kali keguguran.
Kata kunci : perjuangan, penjelajahan waktu, clock genes, keguguran
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to devote my gratitude to My Lord Jesus Christ for
His blessing and His mercy during this thesis writing process. He always gives me
faith and hope to finish writing this thesis. He reminds me when I am lazy and He
gives me strength when I am down. I thank Him for everything he has given to me so
that I can finish writing my thesis.
I would also would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Drs. L.
Bambang Hendarto Y.,M.Hum, for his help and his patience to read, to improve
and to give me inputs during my thesis writing process. I am so glad that I can share
about life with him and he gave me advice to become a responsible person to face my
real life.
My next gratitude goes to my parents, Bapak Agustinus Sadjad and Ibu
Maria Magdalena Sumartini, for their greatest support, affection, prayer and
financial support that they have given to me during my study. I beg a big forgiveness
for making them worried about my thesis and for spending too long time to finish it.
My special gratitude goes to my beloved husband, Isidorus Andika
Hermawan, for his love, support, care and patience. He has motivated me to finish
my thesis. He always gives his hands to help me when I face some problems during
my thesis writing process. I also thank my lovely daughter Cionia Vea Aquinsila
Chrilisa Aurinka, for her smile that always cheers up my day and strengthens me.
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I am also grateful to all my beloved sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces, for
their support given during my study and my thesis writing process. I also thank my
father in law and my mother in law who always give me support and remind me to
finish my thesis.
My special thanks also go to my uncle’s family, Om To, Tante Sur, Mela,
Dian and also Mbak Lim, for their big support, care and advice. They always give
me spirit and convince me that I can finish my thesis well.
My next gratitude is expressed to my beloved friends, Budhe Ika, Neisya,
Christin, Evi, Berlin, Mbak Tyas and Tante Tyas, who have given their support.
They have made me believe that I can finish my thesis.
Last but not least, I would like to extend my gratitude to all PBI lecturers in
English Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University for teaching, giving and
sharing their knowledge. They have given big contributions to enrich my knowledge
in mastering English.
Yusta Vena Bayu Pawukir
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………
i
APPROVAL PAGES………………………………………………………
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY…………………………..
iv
DEDICATION PAGE……………………………………………………..
v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI…………………………..
vi
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………...
vii
ABSTRAK…………………………………………………………………..
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………….
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………….
xii
LIST OF APPENDICES…………………………………………………..
xv
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION………………………………………….
1
1.1 Background of the Study…………………………………………….
1
1.2 Problem Formulation………………………………………………...
4
1.3 Objective of the Study……………………………………………….
4
1.4 Benefits of the Study…………………………………………………
4
1.5 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………..
5
1.5.1 Struggle…………………………………………………………
5
1.5.2 Character……………………………………………………….
5
1.5.3 Time Travel…………………………………………………….
6
1.5.4 Clock Genes…………………………………………………….
6
1.5.5 Circadian Rhythms…………………………………………….
6
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE………………...
7
2.1 Review of Related Theories………………………………………….
7
2.1.1 Character……………………………………………………….
7
2.1.1.1 Definition of Character…………………………………..
7
2.1.1.2 Kinds of Character……………………………………….
8
2.1.2 Characterization………………………………………………..
9
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2.1.2.1 Definition of Characterization……………………………
9
2.1.2.2 Methods of Characterization……………………………..
9
2.1.3 Critical Approach………………………………………………
11
2.1.4 Struggle for Life……………………………………………….
12
2.1.5 Human Basic Needs……………………………………………
14
2.1.6 Clock Genes……………………………………………………
15
2.1.7 Time Travel…………………………………………………….
16
2.2 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………
17
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY………………………………………….
19
3.1 The Object of the Study………………………………………………
19
3.2 Approach of the Study……………………………………………….
20
3.3 Method of the Study……………………………………………….....
20
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS…………………………………………………..
22
4.1 The Description of Clare ……….……………………………………
22
4.1.1 Caring………………………………………………………….
23
4.1.2 Lonely………………………………………………………….
28
4.1.3 Faithful…………………………………………………………
31
4.2 The Causes of Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life ……………..
35
4.2.1 Her Husband Condition as a Time Traveler……………………
36
4.2.2 Her Loneliness…………………………………………………
41
4.2.3 Having a Baby………………………………………………….
45
4.2.4 Her Miscarriages……………………………………………….
47
4.3.2 Clare’s Struggle to Lead a Normal Life ..………….........................
51
4.3.2.1 Supporting Henry to Cure His genetic Disease…………..
52
4.3.2.2 Never Giving Up for Having a Baby……………………..
56
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
59
5.1 Conclusions…………………………………………………………...
59
5.2 Implications………………………………………………………….
62
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5.3 Suggestions…………………………………………………………
63
5.3.1 Suggestion for Future Researchers…………………………...
63
5.3.2 Suggestion for the English Teacher…….…………………….
63
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………….
65
APPENDICES……………………………………………………………..
67
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Page
Appendix 1 The Time Traveler’s Wife Summary……………………………..
68
Appendix 2 Audrey Niffenegger’s Biography…………………………………
73
Appendix 3 Lesson Plan……………………………………………………….. 74
Appendix 4 Material for Basic Reading I……………………………………… 76
Appendix 5 Reading Text………………………………………………………. 78
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1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts. Those are the background of the study,
problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study and definition of
terms. The background of the study presents the background information that
containing some reasons as a basis of writing this study and the importance of the topic
that being discussed. The problem formulation provides the problem to be discussed in
the form of two questions. The objective of the study has the aim to answer the
questions stated in problem formulation. The benefits of the study explain the
advantages of the study. Lastly, the definition of terms provides the important terms to
clarify the meaning of the terms.
1.1 Background of the Study
All human beings in this world have different experiences in their lives. Not all
the people have a beautiful story in their lives. Sometimes they have to face problems
which come to their lives. Moreover, they have to be strong although they are too weak
to face the problems. People should have spirit and struggle to maintain their beautiful
life, unless their own problems will depress them.
There are many kinds of problems that can emerge in human life. It can be
family problem, economic problem, love problem, etc. We have to overcome our
problems by finding solutions. Although we have a lot of problems, we still have to
continue our life. Therefore, problems motivate people to struggle to get the better life.
Life is not easy and changing every time, so people have to struggle for their lives by
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2
working hard and doing some efforts. By having the struggle people can survive in
their lives.
The story of human life as described above can be written in a literary works.
Literature can be an expression of human life. The writer of the literature can explore
their imagination and develop human realities in a good arrangement of story. Novel is
one kind of literary that can serve as reflections of human life. Bressler (1999) says
that a “novel as a work of literature is a text which certain qualities contain some
elements, such as plot, character, tone, symbol, conflict, that often represents the
author’s life and has major action to teach good values and clearly to entertain the
readers” (p.10). By writing a novel, an author can provide a moral that can give
support through people who should have strength of struggle.
A novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger describes
about a woman’s struggle by exploring Niffenegger’s fantasy. This novel tells about
the love story of Clare Abshire and Henry De Tamble but it is not a common love story
that we usually read. Niffeneger puts a problem of the story through the character of
Henry De Tamble. Henry is a time traveler although it is not his choice. Henry suffers
from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and suddenly he finds
himself disappeared from a view and leaves behind his clothes and possessions, pulls
into his past or future or into another place.
Niffenegger starts the story of The Time Traveler’s Wife by telling the first
meeting of Clare and Henry in Newberry Library, where Henry works. At that time,
Henry is 28 and Clare is 20. Henry does not realize that the girl he meets is Clare,
because he has never known her before. On the other hand, Clare knows Henry so
much. She knows Henry since Henry often visits her in her childhood. She tries to
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3
convince Henry that they often meet at the past time by telling what they often do
together and shows their diary.
At the age of 28, Henry does not know Clare since he has not traveled the time
to visit Clare’s childhood yet. Henry visits Clare for the first time by traveling the time
when he is 36 and Clare is 6. Then he often travels the time through Clare’s childhood
and adolescence. They always make a note when they meet in a small pale blue child’s
diary. Henry last visits Clare in her youth on her eighteenth birthday. Then, they are
separated for two years until their meeting in Newberry library. They love each other
even though they are separated by the time and age.
As time goes, they have a good relationship although Henry often leaves Clare
to travel through the time. Then, they are married when Clare is 22 and Henry is 30.
Problems have to be faced after they have married. Henry often leaves Clare alone.
One of the big problems is that Clare really wants a baby, but she always looses the
chances. Since the baby has the same clock gene as Henry and it travels and leaves
Clare’s womb out.
Niffenegger describes that Clare is a strong woman. She always loves Henry
although Henry always leaves her. She patiently waits for Henry. She can accept
Henry although he is not normal. She has willingness to live lonely when Henry
travels. She patiently waits for the right time to have a baby although she has
miscarriages for many times. She never gives up for having a baby although the
miscarriages endanger her health.
Clare always supports Henry to cure his disease. When Henry needs a genetic
doctor to cure his disease and the doctor refuses him, Clare tries to convince the doctor
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4
that Henry really needs the doctor’s help. Niffenegger explains that Clare is the right
woman to accompany Henry.
The novel is interesting to discuss because it tells how a person respects other’s
condition and also respects her time. It gives a great lesson about the importance to
struggle in life.
1.2 Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study that has been explained, there are three
problems to be discussed in this study as follows:
1. How is Clare Abshire described in this novel?
2. Why does Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life?
3. How does Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life in this novel?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The aims of this study are to answer the questions in the problem formulation.
First is to find out the character of Clare Abshire that described in The Time Traveler’s
Wife novel. Second is to analyze why Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life. And the
last is to analyze Clare’s struggle to lead a normal life.
1.4 Benefits of the Study
This study gives benefits to the reader, the students or future researchers who
are going to conduct their research on The Time Traveler’s Wife and the English
teachers or lecturers. For the reader, this study gives better understanding through The
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5
Time Traveler’s Wife novel. Hopefully this study can also give the reader
understanding that we should give mutual respect through the time that we have.
The second is for the students or future researchers who are going to conduct
their research on The Time Traveler’s Wife. Hopefully they can use this study as an
inspiration to gain good understanding in exploring the novel deeper. This study can
also be a supporting resource to complete their study.
The last is for either English teachers or lecturers. Hopefully this study can
provide a good source to teach literary especially The Time Traveler’s Wife novel for
their student.
1.5 Definition of Terms
This part provides the definitions of some terms related to the study to clarify
and avoid misunderstanding between the writer and the reader.
1.5.1 Struggle
McKechnie (1989) defines that struggle is “a task” or “goal” requiring much
effort to accomplish or achieve (p. 367). In this study, struggle refers to Clare’s effort
to face her difficulties in facing her husband condition and achieve better condition in
her relationship with her husband, Henry DeTamble.
1.5.2 Character
Based on Abrams (1981), character is “a representation of person in narrative
and dramatic works”, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral
and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do (p.
20).
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6
In this study, character represents the personality description through Clare, as
the main character of The Time Traveler’s Wife novel.
1.5.3 Time Travel
Based on Lewis (1975), time travel involves discrepancy between time and
time. Any traveler departs and then arrives at his destination: the times elapsed from
departure to arrival - positive, or perhaps zero -. The separation between departure and
arrival does not equal the duration of the journey (p.1). In The Time Traveler’s Wife
Henry always travels through the time, he departs and arrives without his willingness.
By travelling through the time Henry meets his love, Clare.
1.5.4 Clock Genes
Albrecht and Ripperger (2008) state that clock gene is “a number of genes that
interact with each other to make up an auto-regulatory feedback loop”, in which its
activation and repression cycle takes about one day (p.1). In this novel, Clare’s
husband, Henry, has a genetic disease that can be categorized in clock gene. The clock
genes govern circadian rhythms that cause Henry to travel through the time.
1.5.5 Circadian Rhythms
Wilma (1999) defines that circadian rhythms are biological rhythms with a
“period of approximately 24 hours” (p.1). In this novel, there are clock genes in
Henry’s body that govern circadian rhythms. Those are found in many different types
of cell, all over Henry’s body.
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7
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is divided into two parts. They are review of related theories and
theoretical framework. The first part discusses the most relevant theories for this study.
The second part, theoretical framework, explains the contribution of the theories and
review in solving the problem of this study.
2.1 Review of Related Theories
To analyze the work of literature this study needs to employ theory of literature
including theories of character and characterization, and critical approach, struggle for
life, human basic needs theory, theory of clock genes and the theory of time travel. The
theory can be explained as follows:
2.1.1 Character
A character is an important element of a literary work. Abrams (1981) explains
that character is “the person presented in dramatic or narrative work”, who are
interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that
are expressed in what they say -the dialogue- and by what they do -the action- (p. 20).
The existence of character is important to create a situation and a soul in literary works
through the dialogue and the action of the story. If there is no character in the story, it
is impossible to develop the story.
2.1.1.1 Definition of Character
Character is one of important thing that appear in a novel. Character makes the
story of literary work seems to be real. The readers can enjoy and follow the story
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8
through the character actions and speeches. Based on Stanton (1965), there are two
definitions of characters. The first definition relates to the individuals in the story, such
as: how many characters are presented in the story. The second definition is “the
mixture of interests, desires, emotions and moral principles that makes up each of these
individuals”, such as: how we describes his/her characters (p.17).
Abrams (1981) also defines that character is a representation of person in
narrative and dramatic works (p.21). From its definitions, it can be assumed that
character may be widely considered as an essential element of fictional works,
especially novels and plays. So, it is necessary for the authors who write novel or other
literary works that they have enough skills in order to present their ideas into the story
through the character’s description.
2.1.1.2 Kinds of Character
Abrams (1985) categorizes the term characters into two namely major and
minor characters based on their importance. Major characters are the one that mostly
appear in the novel. Usually the acts of the story focus on these characters from the
beginning to the end. Then, minor characters appear in certain setting or just become
the background of the major one. Their roles are less important than those of the major
character (pp. 50-56).
Forster (1974) states that there are two kinds of characters: “flat and round
character” (p. 47). A flat character is characterized by one or two straits. Forster calls
this kind of character flat because we see only one side of him. The character can be
summed up into one or two words. However, a round character is complex in
temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity.
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Holman and Harmon (1986) devide characters into two, namely static and
dynamic. A static character is one who changes little or does not change at all, because
there is nothing happening within. It means that a character begins as the same kind of
character as in the end. A dynamic character is one who is modified by actions and
experiences that influence the character to change. That is why a dynamic character is
one who often changes (p.83).
2.1.2 Characterization
Character and characterization are connected and they cannot be separated.
Rohberger and Woods. Jr (1971) explains that characterization is “the process in which
an author creates a character” (p. 20). The author presents the characters in a novel by
using some methods. The author blends the methods so that he/she can create the
character become a real character.
2.1.2.1 Definition of Characterization
Based on Greenville (1990), characterization is “everything that the writers do
to build up the characters” (p. 36). It is the process of transforming the real-life people
into fiction characters. Therefore, the way of the author creates the character can be
seen through the characters’ dialogues and actions.
2.1.2.2 Methods of Characterization
Based on Murphy (1972) in Understanding Unseens, there are nine ways that
can be used to determine the characteristics of a character (pp. 161-173). The first way
is by looking at the personal description. The author attempts to describe the
characters’ physical appearance and clothes. The physical appearances include some
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details of the characters such as face, skin, body and hair. The reader can also see the
character’s appearance by looking the way she/he dresses.
The second is character as seen by another. The author describes the
characteristics of a character through the eyes and opinion of another character. So, the
reader can get a reflected image from that description. The third way is known from
the past life. The author gives the reader a clue to events that have helped to create a
character by giving some description and stories about a person’s past life. The author
can show it by giving direct moment, through the person’s thought conversation with
others or the medium of another person.
The forth is by understanding the character’s conversation of others. The author
gives a clue to the reader about a person’s character through the conversation of other
people. The reader can get better understanding of the character through the things that
people discuss about one character.
The fifth way is reactions. The author can give the reader clue to a person’s
character by letting the reader knows how that person reacts to various situation and
events. The character’s particular reactions consider representing the personality.
The sixth way is studying the direct comment. The author can describe or
comment on a person’s character directly in order to make the characters more
understandable. The seventh way is referring to the character’s thoughts. The author
gives the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. The reader can
know the character of the person by knowing what is in the character’s mind.
The eight way is by looking the speech of the character. The author gives the
details of the character in the novel through what the person says. By looking at the
character’s daily speech, the reader can get some clues about the character. The ninth
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or the last way to understand personalities is mannerism. The author describes a
person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell the reader something
about the character.
2.1.3 Critical Approach
Rohberger and Woods, Jr. (1971) explain the approaches of studying about
literature. Critical approach is employed in order to probe the positive aesthetic value
in a literary work. There are five approaches to provide the means to understand the
novel (pp. 6-15). They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the
sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach and the psychological
approach.
The first approach is the formalist approach. This approach judges the esthetic
values of a novel from the harmonious involvement of all parts of the novel to the
whole and how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique
determine structure. The extreme formalist critics examine the literary piece without
reference to facts of author’s life, without reference to the genre of the piece or to its
place in the development of the genre or in literary history, and without reference to its
social milieu.
The second is the biographical approach. This approach asserts the view work
of art is reflection of a personality, that in the esthetic experience, the reader shares the
author’s consciousness, and that at least part of the reader’s response is to the author’s
personality. They attempt to learn as much as they can about the life and development
of the author and to apply this knowledge in their attempt to understand his writing.
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The third is the sociocultural-historical approach. This approach, insists that the
real work is in reference to the civilization that produces it. It is needed to investigate
the place or society that reflects a created work. The historical critic examines either
the work itself or the work in relation to other works by the same author or to works
similar kind of object matter by different author in the same or in the different period.
The forth approach is the mythopoeic approach. This approach seeks to
discover certain universality recurrent pattern of human thought, which they believe
find expression in significant work of art. These universally recurrent patterns, they
assert, are those that found first expression in the ancient myths and folks rites and are
so basic to human thought that they have meaning for all men.
The last is the psychological approach. The psychological approach involves
the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns, but from a different
body of knowledge-that is psychology. This approach is undertaken when the critic
intends to identify any aspects of psychology underlying a certain element of a literary
work. The element particularly points up the character’s personality. This approach
uses psychological theories to explain human motivation, personality and behavior
pattern written in a literary object. This is in accordance with the insistence upon the
idea that each character’s behavior could refer to the psychology of human being. The
approach will surely give more understanding of the character’s behavior and thought.
2.1.4 Struggle for Life
People always face problems in life. Problems always come out in people’s life
and we cannot deny it. People need to struggle in their lives in order to overcome their
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problems. Since problems or difficulties always emerge in life, people need to struggle
to solve it and get a better life.
Braun, Linder and Asimov (1979) state that there are many life events that
cause people to struggle for life. These life events can be the death of a close family
member, personal injury or illness, fired from work, gain of new family member, etc
(pp. 478-480). Sometimes, those life events can affect their way of thinking in facing
their life. When people can not cope those life events, they will become stressed. Stress
is one kind of reactions that can emerge when people can not overcome their problems.
A person’s struggle may also be one of his strategies to protect him from
problems in life. may Bernard (1980) states that individuals also may consciously and
rationally implement strategies that enable them to cope with stresses and problems in
life. Then they need to adjust (p.64). People will become stressed when they can not
overcome their problem. This is one of people’s reactions towards problem that they
need to adjust.
Based on Braun, Linder and Asimov (1979), how people will react all the
stresses and problems is one aspect of the process called adjustment. Adjustment is the
process for people to cope with the difficult situations in their struggle. There are three
categories of adjustment that people can do in order to cope with difficulties. The first
category is problem solving. People need to deal with problems and try to find the
solution of its problem whether it is bad or good solution. The development of problem
sloving skills to meet a lot of kinds of situations is a very useful aid in adjustment. The
second category is acceptance of the situation. People do not need to response too
much toward their problem. It is better to accept the problems and also its
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consequences. The last category is the use of defense mechanisms to cope with stress
and anxiety, but if it is overused, it can lead to severe disturbance.
Morris (1990) defines adjustment as any effort to cope with stress. Every
adjustment is an attempt to balance our desire against the demands of the environment,
to weigh our needs and to cope as well as we can within the limits of situation (p.490).
People can fight to cope the stress by using their repression, perceptual, denial and
intellectualization. They can learn the positive things from their bad experience by
struggling. People realize that they need to struggle because they would feel satisfied
with all of their efforts.
2.1.5 Human Basic Needs
People have some reasons to do an action. People are motivated to fulfill the
action because they have a lot of needs. There are some needs that emerge in people’s
life.
Based on Maslow as quoted in Franken (2002), there are five general types of
needs (physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem and self-actualization)
that must be satisfied before a person can act unselfishly. It is called a The Hierarchy
of Needs (p. 13-15).
The first concerns physiological needs. The physiological needs are the most
basic needs in our life. They are the needs of air, water, food, sleep, hunger, thirst, sex,
sleep and activity. These needs must be fulfilled first before fulfilling the other needs.
The second is safety needs. They relate with security, shelter, freedom from fear
and anxiety. They have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic
world. People always try to avoid the dangerous things in their life and they consider
of being harmful.
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The third deals with love and belongingness needs. When the psychologigal
needs and safety needs are satisfied, other needs such as needs for love, affection and
belongingness also emerge. They relate with acceptance, affection, giving and
receiving love. We need to be loved, to be accepted and to be needed by others.
Everybody needs love, so the lack of love can stop the individual growth and his
development of potential.
The forth is self-esteem needs. They relate with ego, success, status, recognition
and accomplishments. There are two types of esteem needs. First is self-esteem which
results from competence or mastery of a task. The second is the attention and
recognition that comes from others.
The last one deals with self-actualization needs. They relate with selffulfillment and realization and enriching experience. This needs emerge after
satisfaction of the love and esteem needs.
2.1.6 Clock Genes
In The Time Traveler’s Wife novel, Clare has to struggle to lead a normal life
since her husband, Henry, has a genetic disease that can be categorized as a kind of
clock genes. It is important to use the theory of clock genes to understand Henry’s
disease that motivate Clare to become a struggle woman.
Albrecht and Ripperger (2008) explain a theory about clock genes. According
to Albrecht and Ripperger, clock genes are kind of genetic disease that can be called as
circadian clock. Clock genes are components of the circadian clock comparable to the
cogwheels of a mechanical watch. They interact with each other in an intricate manner
generating oscillations of gene expression. The underlying principle of circadian
clocks is successive gene activation in the form of a cycle: the initial activation of a
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gene is regulated by the last one in the sequence, making up an auto-regulatory
feedback loop for which one cycle takes about 24 hours. Positive elements activate the
expression of negative elements, which in turn stop the activity of the positive
elements. This system moves away from equilibrium before returning and hence,
perpetual cycling is the consequence (p.1).
Takahashi (2004) explains that the clock genes that govern the 24-hour
circadian rhythms of the body also function in similar cycles in peripheral cells outside
the brain, researchers have found. Their findings hint that organs throughout the body,
and not just the brain, keep time using their own internal genetic clocks (p.1).
Circadian cycle has functions to govern people’s activity such as sleeping and
waking, rest and activity, fluid balance, body temperature, cardiac output, oxygen
consumption and endocrine gland secretion. These clock genes also integrate the
metabolic state of the organism.
In The Time Traveler’s Wife novel, the clock genes govern circadian rhythms in
Henry’s body. Those have been found in many different types of cells, all over
Henry’s body and they are tied to vision. The way of Henry’s life and also his problem
can trigger Henry’s time traveling. Henry is stressed out by a lot: by watching TV, by
loud noises, by blinding lights, by drinking too much, by getting married, by having
kids, by conflict, etc.
2.1.7 Time Travel
Based on Lewis (1975), time travel is a streak through the manifold of spacetime, a whole composed of stages located at various times and places (p.2). The time
traveler is described that he can travel through the time, arrives and departs in other
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time and place without his willingness. He cannot guess where and when he will be at
the arrival of his traveling the time. He goes suddenly and then arrives and departs in
the other time and place for just an instant.
Lewis (1975) also states that time travel involves discrepancy between time
and time. Any traveler departs and then arrives at his destination: the times elapsed
from departure to arrival - positive, or perhaps zero -. The separation between
departure and arrival does not equal