This psychological approach is suitable to this research since it is human who does the gossips and conflicts. Instead of focusing only on the text, the writer
in this research deepens the analysis into the other dimension in this text which is beyond the characters’ mind and behavior.
In this research, elements that are analyzed are conflict and gossip. These two things are really connected to someone’s mind. Therefore, psychological
approach is considered as the most proper approach to be used to analyze Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl.
C. Method of the Study
Using the novel Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar as the primary source led the writer in this research to use library research method in conducting the
analysis. As the secondary sources, the writer chose several suitable books due to the need in solving the problem formulation presented in the first chapter. Some
data on the website which were found in the internet were used as the secondary sources as well.
After reading the primary source, Gossip Girl, for several times, the writer in this research figured out several topics based on the main issues within the
story. The topics were sorted carefully so that eventually the writer used the most applicable topic which was about the influence of gossips toward the conflicts.
Those parts were followed by making problem formulation to be answered in the analysis. After finding some theories which were suitable to answer the problems,
some data were collected as the secondary sources to support the study.
In answering the first problem formulation, the writer used the theory of conflict which were taken from Hugh Holman and William Harmon in A
Handbook to Literature, Robert Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction, and Maciver and Charles H. Page in Society: An Introductory Analysis. In answering
the second problem formulation, the theory of gossip was the one that was needed. The data were taken from Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern in Witchcraft,
Sorcery, Rummors, and Gossip, Patricia Meyer Spacks in Gossip, and a journal from Erik K. Foster entitled Research on Gossip. After having enough data to
read, the writer in this research started doing the analysis.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer answers the questions formulated in chapter I. The writer of this research analyzes the problems with sufficient understanding
into three parts. The first part discusses about the gossips in Cecily von Ziegesar‘s
Gossip Girl which is questioned in the first problem formulation. The second part shows the conflicts in the story in relation with the gossips. The results are
compiled to figure out the answer for the third question. Hence, the third part in this chapter discusses about the influences of gossips toward the conflicts which
have been mentioned previously.
A. Gossips in Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl
I n Cecily von Ziegesar‘s Gossip Girl, gossips play a quite prominent role
in bringing the reader to understand the plot. Based on psychology science, gossip is every person‘s behavior, egalitarian in practice and in allure Wert, 2004: 76. It
is a ―form of discourse between persons discussing the behavior, character, situation, or attributes of a
bsent others‖ Fine, 1997: 422. Gossips itself cannot be judged as something that is always bad.
Therefore, the writer in this research distinguishes them through their function. It is important to differentiate the functions from the two different points of views;
the gossipee and the gossipers. Spacks 1985: 6 herself differentiates gossips into three characteristics; destructiveness, avoidance and competition, and intimacy. It
is then developed by Foster 2004: 83-86 trying to differ gossips into four
