Critical Approach Characters and Characterization

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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter is divided into three parts. The first is a review of related theories, the second describes the criticisms and sources and the third is theoretical framework. Review of related theories, gives a brief explanation of the theories as the basis of the analysis such as theory of the critical approach, theory of character and characterization, theory of perception and racism, and the briefly American society in the 1930’s. The criticisms include the sources from which the criticisms are taken.

A. Review of Related Theories

1. Critical Approach

Rohrberger and Woods Jr. 6-17 in Reading and Writing Literature divide theory of the critical approach into five approaches, and they are explained as follows: a. The formalist approach This approach is concerned with demonstrating the harmonious involvement of all the parts to the whole and with pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique determine structure. b. The Biographical Approach This approach asserts the necessity for an appreciation of the ideas and personality of the author to an understanding of the literary object. 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. c. The Sociocultural-Historical Approach Two factors are present here. First, accuracy in the presentation of historical facts is of value to the historian, but not necessarily to the author. Second, a work of literature might have historical significance, but not necessarily literary significance. d. The Mythopoeic Approach Critics who make use of the meopoeic frame of reference seek to discover certain universally recurrent if human thought, which they believe find expressive in significant works of arts. e. The Psychological Approach This approach involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. In applying this theory, we must be careful not to take the part for the whole and reduce a piece of literature to a mere statement of behavior pattern.

2. Characters and Characterization

According to Abrams 20, characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interrupted by the readers are being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in when they say the dialogues and by the do the actions”. It implies that there is a relation between the presentation of character as well as his personality traits and what the readers get from his presentation. That is why a character should be credible or a character is believable. In other words, the reader will accept them as believable people. Based on Henkle’s theory 88-97, character can be categorized into two. They are major characters and secondary characters. A major character is the most important and complex in the literary work, such as a novel. HeShe can be identified from the complexity of hisher characterization and more attention is given to himher either by the other character or by the reader. Therefore, the reader gives the great attention to the major character for the sake of understanding of the experiences of the novel. Secondary characters are who have limited function in the novel. The function of the secondary characters is to occupy the world in the novel, which looks like real life condition. Besides, they can be functioned as a point of reference if they are to see the major character’s greater intensity when the secondary character has the same emotional state as the major one or take apart in a situation which is the same with the major one’s, which is called as an “analogue”. At any rate heshe maybe less sophisticated, so hisher responses to the experience will be less complex and interesting. Another element to help us build a complete description on the character, either psychologically or physically is characterization. According to Rohrberger and Woods Jr. 20 characterization is defined as the process by which an author creates character. Based on Murphy’s theory in his book Understanding Unseen 161-173 there are some ways in which an author attempts to make his character understandable to and come alive for his readers. Those are: a. Personal description The way in which the author describes a person through his appearance and clothes. b. Characters as seen by other The way in which the author describes a person through the eyes and opinions of others. c. Speech The author can give readers an insight into the character of one of the persons in the novel through what the person said. d. Past life Knowing something about a person’s past life also can help the reader shaping a man’s characteristic. e. Conversation of others People’s opinion about a person can be a clue to the reader in characterizing a man. f. Reactions The way a person reacts to various situations and events shows the characteristic of a man. g. Direct comment The author can give the reader direct description or comment on a person’s character. h. Thoughts The author gives the reader a clue by direct knowledge of what a person. i. Mannerism The author describes a person’s mannerisms habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell reader something about the man’s character.

3. Perception