Novel The Psychopaths in Caroline Roberts’ Novel the Lost Girl

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

a. Novel

Novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. Novel is a prose narrative dealing with human beings and their actions over a period of time and displaying varieties of human character in relation to life. Quoted from http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiNovel . In analyzing a literary work, such as a novel, we need to apply some approaches to get the better ideas of understanding of how to analyze this literary work. These approaches can be applied to analyze a literary work from the inside, outside, or from the both sides of aspects of literary work itself. In this case, the writer applies extrinsic approach to analyze a novel from the outside of its text. The novel of The Lost Girl bringing psychopath as its main topic brings the analysis of the novel to psychological approach as well as extrinsic approach. Richard Taylor 1981:1 in Mita Juniarta Tarigan’s thesis said that literature is essentially an imaginative act that is an act of the writer’s imagination in selecting, ordering, and interpreting life experience. Literature also refers to composition that tells stories, dramatize situation, express emotions and analyze advocates ideas. It enables us to recognize human dreams and struggles in different places and times that we would never otherwise know. It provides the comparative basis from which we can see worthiness in the aims of all people, and help us to see the beauty in the world around us. It also exercises emotions through interest, concern, tension, excitement, hope, fear, regret, laughter, and sympathy. Universitas Sumatera Utara Psychology is the study of behavior and mental process, primarily among humans. Human behaviors and mental processes are nothing less than the substance of our lives: our actions, our thoughts, our attitudes, our moods, even our hope and dreams. Rathus 2007:4 gives explanation about psychology. He says that: “Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Topics of interest to psychologists include the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, intelligence, language, thought, growth a development, personality, stress and health, psychological disorder, way of treating those disorder, sexual behavior, and the behavior of people in social setting such as groups and organizations.” Like other science, psychology has its own goal. Its goal is to understand behavior and mental processes. In psychology, psychologists observe and record how people relate to one another and to the environment. They also have learned much that they can help people fulfill their potential as human beings and increase understanding between individuals, groups, nations and culture Quoted from www.a2psychology.comarticlespsychology.htm. Wellek and Austin Warren 1956:73 said that the most widespread and flourishing methods of studying literature concern themselves with its setting, its environment, and its external causes. They also brought an understanding of how psychology enters into literature, such as : the study of the creative process, and also the study of the psychological types and laws present within works of literature, or, finally, the effects of literature upon its readers. The object of psychology and literature is human being. Both of this sciences study about human behavior or character and human development. Literature consists of the psychology of the character who conducts a story while everything that relates to the characters such as attitude or behavior and morality are Universitas Sumatera Utara part of psychology. Psychology of literature is a study of literature which values a literary works as an activity of the psyche. The writer uses his feeling and emotion in his works. It also happens on the readers, they will use their feeling and emotion in reading the literary works because the works are coming from the experience of the writer himself and the experience from other people Wellek and Warren, 1956:81- 93. Wade and Carole Tavris 2007:195-196 said that Freud used Psychoanalytic theory as the dominant approach to explain the difference of personality. The view of the theory generally explains that conflict, guilt, self defense, and how to make a relation to others can be traced to the dynamics of things that are not recognized from childhood. Wade and Carole Tavris 2007:195 also said that according to Freud, personality consists of three main systems, they are: id, ego, and superego. Id is part of the personality which contains of psychic energy derived, especially sexual and aggressive instincts, ego is part of personality which represents the logic, reason, and rational self-control, and the superego is part of personality which represents consciousness, morality, and social standards. A healthy personality should be able to balance the three systems in it. People who are too controlled by the id appear impulsive and have a selfish desire. People who are too controlled by the superego appear stiff, too cling to morality, and love to rule others. People with the weak ego can’t balance the needs with personal desires with social duties and limitations of realistic. When desire is denied, a bad childhood memories, the influences of environment, etc are not able to be controlled by ego or superego, the failure of a person will happened. Like what was happened to Fred and Rose West, they rape, Universitas Sumatera Utara kill, mutilate, and bury their victims including Caroline Roberts because they can’t control their id. Freud theory implicitly assumes that people are basically evil character. Human impulses, if not controlled, will aim for the destruction of another human being, and also the destruction of his own. Koswara 1986:117 said that Abraham H. Maslow has a different opinion on Freuds theory, he said that human beings are basically good, or rather neutral. According to the humanistic perspective, evil or destructive forces that exist in humans it is the result of bad environment and is not innate. According to the sub-forms of the novel, this novel can be classified as the Bildungsroman novel, It is a kind of narrative work which describes the protagonist’s apprenticeship before he becomes a mature person. A Bildungsroman tells about the growing up or coming of age of a sensitive person who is looking for answers and experience. The genre evolved from folklore tales of a dunce or youngest son going out in the world to seek his fortune. Usually in the beginning of the story there is an emotional loss which makes the protagonist leave on his journey. In a Bildungsroman, the goal is maturity, and the protagonist achieves it gradually and with difficulty. The genre often features a main conflict between the main character and society. Typically, the values of society are gradually accepted by the protagonist and he is ultimately accepted into society – the protagonists mistakes and disappointments are over. In some works, the protagonist is able to reach out and help others after having achieved maturity. In this works, the novel teaches us not to be a psychopath. This thesis will be discussing about the characters as the elements of psychology, focusing on Psychopath and the characteristic of psychopath itself, which is somehow developed the character’s personality. These reading materials Universitas Sumatera Utara like Theory of Literature by Rene Wellek and Austin Warren and an introduction of psychopathology by Derek Russell Davis has become the basis in analyzing and writing this thesis. Also, the Teori-teori Kepribadian by Koswara and Psikologi Edisi Kesembilan by Carol Wade and Carole Travis help the writer in understanding the term and the description of Psychopath itself. Character is an important element because the actor is human, so the definition of character will be explained in the