8
demonstrate certain repetitive patterns, while the knowledge of psychology will help me to explain and understand the human motivation, personality and behavior pattern
written in the novel. The writer will use the psychological approach in analyzing Okonkwos
reasons in committing suicide. Okonkwo has some problems with his life, which are formed by his personality. His personalities become the starting points that motivate
him to commit suicide. Therefore, the psychological approach is the most suitable theory to explain and describe the analysis of Okonkwo’s motivations. On the other
side, the writer finds it easier to analyze and to understand the novel deeply.
2. 1. 2 Theory of Character
Characters play important role to the story in literary work. So, the readers need to know the characters in the story in order to understand the story. Every
person in the story has their own character. Therefore, the readers have to know the definition and the kinds of character.
Abrams 1981: 23 states that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work. Characters are interpreted by the readers as being
endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in their dialogue. The basic of character’s emotion, desire, and temperament called
motivation.
9
Rohrberger and Woods 1971: 20 state that characters are the persons who act in a story. They said that characters must be credible, which means that the
readers must accept them as believable people. Henkle 1981: 88-97 states two kinds of character. First character is major
character in which he also calls as protagonist. The readers are able to identify the major character from the complexity of characterization, the amount of attention
given to him, and the intensity that a character seems to transmit. He says that major character always fascinates the readers with his words or behavior so that major
character deserves the readers’ fullest attention. On the other hand, the second character, secondary character, does not have full attention from the readers. This
kind of character functions as a foil to the major character. Secondary character is generally less complex, less sophisticated, and less interesting.
Forster 1974: 46-51 divides characters into flat and round. He says that flat character is built by a single idea or quality. It is not represented by much
individualizing detail. Therefore, it can be described in a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex in temperament and motivation. This character is as
difficult to describe as people in a real life. A round character is able to surprise the readers.
2. 1. 3 Theory of Characterization
Character and characterization is a unity. In real life, we will use characterization if we want to judge someone’s characters. According to Rohrberger
10
and Wood 1971: 20, characterization is the process by which the author creates a character. This is used by the author to decide the characters of the story. Kenney
1988: 34 in his book How to Read and Write about Fiction also defines characterization as “the method by which the characters will be presented to the
readers”. Characterization in the novel helps us to know what the character in the story like. Characterization is used in order to give better understanding about the
character of the story. The readers of the literary work will experience the course of the story or it seems that he reads the story of a person not an imaginary person.
Rohrberger and Wood 1971: 20 state there are two principal ways the author can characterize. He can use direct means to describe physical appearance and
dramatic means that place the character in the situation to show what the character is through behavior or speaking.
The characterization itself according to Perrine 1974: 68-69 can be presented in two ways, direct and indirect. It is called direct presentation because the
author tells the reader about the characters in his story directly using some expositions. The author describes the characters physical appearance. For example,
the character is fat, slim, black, white, handsome, beautiful, ugly, etc. or the author explains the personality of the character. For example, he is shy, obedient, fearful,
mercenary, etc. However, in indirect presentation method, the author tells the reader about the character through character’s behavior or speaking. Then, the readers infer
what they are like from what they think, they say, or they do.
