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2.2.1. Character and Characterization
Abrams 1999 explains two kinds of character. A person in a story who has some specific personality or rather special quality and does not undergo
personality changes is considered as a flat character. Flat character usually appears as a hero and usually can easily be described in one word. On the other
hand, round character is a person described not only as an example of some vice or virtue or type, but also more individualized being that undergoes changes.
Round character usually appears in a story that portrays the real life or that tells the experience of the author. Thus, a round character is as difficult to describe as a
real person in a real life p. 33. According to Murphy 1972, the personality of a person can be drawn from
the outer appearance and the manner. One’s past life also determine the personality of a person. However, understanding the characters and personalities
of a person in a literary work require more attempts. More attempts are required due to readers’ inability to see the characters in a novel directly. There are nine
ways to understand the personalities of a person in a literary work pp. 161-173, the explanation are as follows:
2.2.1.1. Personal Description
The author can directly describe not only a person’s appearance and clothing, but also the personality. He can describe clearly how the characters
looks like and tell the reader the details of the character’s appearance such as the face, skin, eyes, and clothing. The reader can also acquire a person’s behavior and
manner.
10 2.2.1.2.
Characters as seen by others The author describes particular character from other characters’ point of
view and opinion. The author helps the reader to understand the character by revealing other character’s opinion about the character as a reflected image in how
the character is perceived. 2.2.1.3.
Speech The author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the
persons in the literary work through what that person says. Whenever the person speaks, whenever he puts forward the opinion, he is giving the readers some clues
to his characters. 2.2.1.4.
Past Life The author shows a person’s character by revealing the person’s past life. It
can be done by direct comment from the author, through the person’s conversation, and through the medium of the other person.
2.2.1.5. Conversation of others
The author can also give the readers clues about a person’s character through the conversation, either by other people or by the things, they say about
him. 2.2.1.6.
Reactions The author gives the clues by letting the readers know how the characters in
the story react to various situations. Using this kind of characterization, the readers may expect to find the quality of the characters in dealing with those
various situations.
11 2.2.1.7.
Direct comment Usually the author gives his comment and description explicitly towards his
characters in the story. There is no medium that the author used to characterize a character. Thus, the reader can easily understand the personality of a character
from the author’s direct comments in a novel. 2.2.1.8.
Thoughts The author may give the readers direct knowledge of what a person is
thinking about. Here, the author can tell the readers what different people are thinking.
2.2.1.9. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism or habits both positive and negative one, which may also tell the readers something about his character.
2.2.2. Psychosynthesis
Roberto Assagioli, an Italian psychiatrist, is known as the father of psychosynthesis. Assagioli first studied psychoanalysis from Sigmun Freud. In
1965, Assagioli proposed a model of a person that is different from Freud’s and C.G. Jung’s. Assagioli names the model Psychosynthesis. The important
difference is that Assagioli emphasize that soul or spiritual aspect is a reality within self. Meanwhile, Jung believed that spiritual aspect was subjective.
Assagioli’s theory was rejected by many psychiatrists. However, 40 years after he proposed the theory, psychosynthesis becomes inspiration to many psychiatrists.
After his death in 1974, Assagioli’s manuscripts are studied and developed. Some of the latest books that explain psychosynthesis are produced based on the
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