AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
Student Number: 031214072
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
Student Number: 031214072
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
A Thesis on
AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE
FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD
By Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
Student Number: 031214072 Approved by
Major Sponsor Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto, M.Hum. August 11, 2008
A Thesis on
AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE
FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD
By Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
Student Number: 031214072 Defended before the Board of Examiners
On August 22, 2008 and Declared Acceptable Board of Examiners Chairperson : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ………………….
Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. .………………… Member : Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto, M.Hum. …………………. Member : Yohana Veniranda, S.Pd., M.Hum. …………………. Member : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ………………….
Yogyakarta, August 22, 2008 Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Sanata Dharma University Dean, Drs. Tarsisius Sarkim, M.Ed., Ph.D.
“When you’re out alone, you need to learn how to make decisions for yourself. Don’t always expect other people to understand and approve of your choice in life.” (Fan Wu)
I dedicate this thesis to my beloved family and friends
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or parts of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and bibliography, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, August 11, 2008 The Writer
Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma : Nama : YOHANA AVILA LUKITANINGRUM Nomor Mahasiswa : 031214072
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul : AN ANALYSIS OF THE STRUGGLES OF A FATHER TO GET A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS SON AS SEEN IN CORMAC MCCARTHY’S THE ROAD beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, me- ngalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal : 8 September 2008 Yang menyatakan ( Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum )
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to my Lord, Jesus Christ.Particularly, I thank Him for His amazing love, strength, and forgiveness during the bad and good times in my life. I realize that I would never be able to finish my thesis without His blessing.
My sincere gratitude goes to Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto, M.Hum., my major sponsor, for his guidance and corrections in finishing my thesis. I would also like to express my appreciation to all the lecturers in the English Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. I thank them for the guidance during my study here. I also thank all the secretariat staff in the English Language Education Study Program, especially Mbak Danik and Mbak Tari for helping me with the administrative matters.
My deepest and endless gratitude is addressed to my beloved parents, Ag. Lasimin and M.Y. Sri Indarti.. My sincere gratitude also goes to my lovely sisters, Yosephin Lukitasari and Y.F. Lukitaningsih. Their never ending prayers, love, support, and encouragement really give me strength to stand firmly.
I would like to thank all my friends in the English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University, especially, Janiati, Beta, Pipin, Upiek, Putri, Lidya, Mbak Wida, Mbak Natalia, Arum, and other friends that I cannot mention one by one. I thank them for their help and support. I have learnt so many things from them. My sincere thanks go to Mas Sigit for his help, prayer, love, and support. I also thank him for being my big bother. I sincerely thank Cc Maria and Dian for her help, love, support, and prayer.
Last but not least, I would like to thank all people who I cannot mention one by one here for their beneficial supports.
Yohana Avila Lukitaningrum
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................................ i PAGE OF APPROVAL ................................................................................................ ii
PAGE OF ACCEPTANCE ........................................................................................... iii
PAGE OF DEDICATION............................................................................................. iv STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ........................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. vii ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................... xi ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................................... xiiCHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study ...........................................................................................
1 B. Problem Formulation .................................................................................................
4 C. Objectives of the Study..............................................................................................
4 D. Benefits of the Study .................................................................................................
4 E. Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................
5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Theories.......................................................................................
7 1. Character and Characterization............................................................................
7 a. Character . .................................................................................................
7 1) Definition....................................................................................................
7 2) Kinds of Character ......................................................................................
8
b. Characterization ............................................................................................. 10 1) Definition.................................................................................................... 10 2) Ways of Characterization ........................................................................... 10
2. Critical Approach................................................................................................. 11
3. Motivation............................................................................................................ 13
4. Struggle for Life .................................................................................................. 14
5. Parental Love ....................................................................................................... 16
B. Criticisms on The Road ............................................................................................. 18
C. Theoretical Framework.............................................................................................. 19
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Subject Matter............................................................................................................ 20 B. Approach of the Study ............................................................................................... 21 C. Method of the Study .................................................................................................. 22
D. Sources....................................................................................................................... 22
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS A. Characteristics of the Father in The Road ................................................................. 24
1. Easygoing ............................................................................................................ 25
2. Skilled .................................................................................................................. 27
3. Educated .............................................................................................................. 28
4. Sick ...................................................................................................................... 31
5. Affectionate ......................................................................................................... 32
6. Responsible.......................................................................................................... 34
7. Wise ..................................................................................................................... 36
8. Smart.................................................................................................................... 38
9. Brave.................................................................................................................... 41
B. The Cause of the Struggle of the Father .................................................................... 42
C. The Struggles of the Father ....................................................................................... 47
1. Forgetting his Past ............................................................................................... 47
2. Finding Food and Shelter..................................................................................... 50
3. Fighting against his Fears of Death ..................................................................... 54
4. Protecting his Son from Cannibals ...................................................................... 58
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions................................................................................................................ 60 B. Suggestions ................................................................................................................ 62
1. Suggestion for Future Researchers ...................................................................... 62
2. Suggestion for Teaching-Learning Activity ........................................................ 63 Implementation in Teaching Speaking ................................................................ 63
BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................... 65
LIST OF APPENDICESA. The Summary of The Road........................................................................................ 67
B. The Biography of Cormac McCarthy ........................................................................ 69
C. Lesson Plan for Teaching Speaking .......................................................................... 72
D. Material...................................................................................................................... 74
ABSTRACT
Lukitaningrum, Yohana A. An Analysis of the Struggles of a Father to Get a Better Life for
his Son as Seen in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road . Yogyakarta: English Language
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses Cormac McCarthy’s novel entitled The Road. The novel tells about the struggles of a father to gain a better life for his son. This study discusses the main character’s characteristics, the reasons for his struggles, and the ways he struggles to overcome the appearing problems.
There are two problems to be discussed in this study related to the main character: (1) How is the main character, the father, described in the novel? (2) How does the father struggle to overcome the appearing obstacles to get a better life for his son?
This study employs a library study method. There are two kinds of data sources employed in this study: primary and secondary sources. The primary data source is the novel The Road itself which becomes the object of the study. The secondary sources are books on literature, psychology, and the Internet sources that provide information related to the study. This study makes use of theory of character, characterization, critical approach, motivation, struggle for life, and parental love to answer the problem formulation. In addition, this study applies the psychological approach because this study deals with the struggles of the main character in this novel. It deals with personality, courage, love, and human relationship.
Based on the analysis of the main character, it can be concluded that the father is an easygoing, educated and affectionate man. He is also a skilled, sick, responsible, wise, smart, and brave person. The father’s struggles are caused by his huge love for his son. He considers his son as the reason and purpose of him to keep alive and strong.
Further, the analysis shows that there are four actions conducted by the father in order to survive. The first is forgetting his past. The second is finding food and shelter. The third is fighting against his fears of death, and the fourth is protecting his son from cannibals. In resolving the appearing problems the father uses his skill and experiences.
This thesis also provides some suggestions for future researchers related to other possible studies on The Road. Future researchers may analyze the character of the father concerning with his personality development and his son’s views about his father’s struggles. In addition, the study also provides a lesson plan using some parts of the novel in teaching English especially in speaking class.
ABSTRAK
Lukitaningrum, Yohana A. An Analysis of the Struggles of a Father to Get a Better Life for
his Son as Seen in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road . Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan
Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas novel Cormac McCarthy berjudul The Road. Novel tersebut bercerita tentang perjuangan seorang ayah untuk mendapatkan kehidupan yang lebih baik bagi putranya. Studi ini membahas karakteristik tokoh utama, alasan tokoh utama berjuang, dan cara tokoh utama berjuang menghadapi masalah-masalah yang muncul.
Ada dua masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan tokoh utama: (1) Bagaimana tokoh utama, sang ayah, digambarkan? (2) Bagaimana sang ayah menyelesaikan persoalan-persoalan yang muncul untuk mendapatkan kehidupan yang lebih baik bagi putranya?
Studi ini menggunakan studi pustaka. Ada dua sumber data yang digunakan dalam studi ini: sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utamanya adalah novel The Road. Sumber keduanya adalah buku-buku sastra, buku-buku psikologi, dan beberapa situs internet yang menyediakan informasi yang berhubungan dengan studi ini. Studi ini mengunakan teori tokoh, penokohan, pendekatan kritis, motivasi, perjuangan hidup, dan cinta orang tua untuk menjawab pertanyaan. Sebagai tambahan, studi ini menggunakan pendekatan psikologis karena berkaitan dengan masalah-masalah batin tokoh utama. Hal itu berkaitan dengan kepribadian manusia, keberanian, cinta,dan hubungan manusia.
Berdasarkan analisis terhadap tokoh utama, dapat disimpulkan bahwa sang ayah adalah pria yang bersikap tenang, terpelajar, dan penuh cinta. Ia juga seorang pribadi yang terampil, sakit, bertanggung jawab, bijaksana, pintar dan berani. Perjuangan sang ayah disebabkan cintanya yang sangat besar bagi putranya. Ia menjadikan putranya sebagai alasan dan tujuan untuk tetap hidup dan kuat.
Selanjutnya analisis juga menunjukkan bahwa terdapat empat tindakan yang dilakukan sang ayah untuk bertahan hidup. Tindakan pertama adalah melupakan masa lalunya. Tindakan kedua adalah menemukan makanan dan tempat berlindung. Tindakan ketiga adalah melawan ketakutan-ketakutannya akan kematian, dan tindakan keempat adalah melindungi putranya dari para kanibal. Dalam menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang muncul, sang ayah menggunakan keahlian dan pengalamannya
Skripsi in juga memberikan beberapa saran untuk peneliti-peneliti yang akan datang mengenai kemungkinan penelitian lainnya terhadap The Road. Peneliti yang akan datang dapat menganalisis karakter sang ayah yang berkaitan dengan perkembangan kepribadiannya dan pandangan putranya mengenai perjuangan sang ayah. Sebagai tambahan, studi ini juga menyediakan rencana pembelajaran menggunakan novel dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris terutama kelas berbicara.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter consists of five parts: background of the study, problem formulation,
objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The background of the study explains the reasons for choosing the novel The Road as the subject of the study and the importance of discussing the topic of the study. The problem formulation deals with the problems discussed in this study. The objectives of the study point out the purposes of conducting the study. The benefits of the study present the advantages that may be attained through this study and the definition of terms explains some important terms used in this study.
A. Background of the Study
If we think about life, we also think about struggling to survive. According to McKechnie (1410) struggle is “a task or goal requiring much effort to accomplish or achieve”. In other words, people need to show their brave hearts, endurance and strength to withstand all the opposing and disturbing influences to gain their goals. Meanwhile, in daily life people deal with complex problems that have to be accomplished with various strategies. In this case, people are demanded to work hard to manage their life struggles. In addition, Brockovich and Eliot (177) say that people have an inner power that consists of strength, conviction, and moral empowerment to be who they really are. This power will force and enable them to struggle with themselves, others, and against circumstances to overcome their problems.
Besides, in struggling to overcome problems people have their own underlying to manage problems that is so-called ambition. This ambition may enable people to find many ideas and ways to struggle. While courage is needed in order to put this ambition into actions. According to Furey (4), courage is “a force, a force that puts our consciences and our values into action”. Courage does not imply an absence of fear but it insists people do what they believe is right in spite of their fears.
However, people sometimes cannot differentiate their sanities and insanities behavior because they are overwhelmed with their ambitions. They may do everything in order to succeed without giving attention whether it is right or wrong. Further, every movement they take will give influences to their character and emotion. They may become frustrated, irritated, motivated, diligent, tough, and smart. Therefore, through the process of struggle, people experience many different kinds of feelings and something new and different which are useful for their own lives.
Life struggle that is a part of social issues in human life can also be found in a work of literature, such as novel. Hudson (10) says, “Literature is the expression of life through the medium of language. It can be regarded as something essential since it contains about real life, people, thought, and feeling about life”. In short, by reading literary works, we learn the reflection of human life experience that is described in a written form. We can also broaden, deepen, and sharpen our awareness of life by reading novels (Perrine 3). It is because through a novel, the author is aware of the situation around him and then expresses his experiences of life in a meaningful of way that can be understood by the readers.
The Road, a novel written by Cormac McCarthy, an American writer, presents a life struggle of a father to get a better life for his son. The story tells about a father and his young son who travel together southwards across an unnamed road to escape from the unforgiving winter that will undoubtedly kill them. In order to survive they have to broken houses, supermarkets, and gas stations to find food, clothes, and oil to burn wood and turn on their lamp. They just have a little stuff that is put in a supermarket cart and knapsacks.
The father and his son do everything to survive. They call themselves the good guys because they do not eat people. They also try to help other people whenever they can do. Further, the struggles of the father to protect and to get a better life for his son are so hard. Before the story begins, it is told briefly that his wife has already committed suicide, overwhelmed by the horror of cannibalism and the misery affected by their existence. In consequence, he has to bring up his son by himself and his son’s life thoroughly depends on him because he is still very young.
The struggles of a father to protect his son in The Road is interesting to analyze because it shows how hard a human being builds his hopes among harsh hopelessness in a world where murders and cannibalisms have replaced care and community. It is also a reflection of parents’ love and responsibility for taking care of their children. Besides, there are some reasons that make the novel worth discussed. Firstly, the interesting thing found in The Road is the author does not give proper name nor the clear profession of the character. It may indicate that all people regardless of his/her name, profession, and status in the society can make a better life if they have a strong motivation to struggle and wants to learn from their own and others’ experiences.
Secondly, the way the author depicts the hard struggles of a father, which may portray his big responsibility for raising his young child in reality. The way the author created the conflicts, solved the problems, and gave the logical explanation to the main character and his son to overcome the appearing obstacles in the story is so fascinating. It seems that he puts all his conflicts and experiences of fathering a young son into his novel. his son. It is expected by analyzing the struggles of a father in the novel, I may have a better perspective of how hard people survive in overcoming the appearing conflicts and learn how love is given by a parent for his child. The aim of this study is analyzing the struggles of a father, as seen in The Road, to get a better life for his son including the reasons why.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems are formulated to help me understand the novel and make the discussion more focused. Based on the background above, there are two problems formulated in this study. They are:
1. How is the main character, the father, described in this novel?
2. How does the father struggle to overcome the appearing obstacles to get a better life for his son?
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation stated previously, the study in The Road has two objectives. The first objective is intended to describe the characteristics of the father in The Road. The second objective is to find out the ways the father struggles to overcome the appearing obstacles in order to get a better life for his son including the reason he conducts his struggles.
D. Benefits of the Study
The study of this literary work will hopefully give some benefits to me as well as the readers. Firstly, through this study, I can learn a lot about the value of life and get survive. Secondly, the expecting aim of this study is to make the readers familiar with a novel written by Cormac McCarthy and to bring up some help in understanding the story of The Road.
By reading this thesis, the readers in general and the English Language Education Study Program students in Sanata Dharma University may get better understanding about the characteristics of the father as the main character analyzed in this study. The readers can also see the great efforts and motivation when discussing character in this study. These may influence us to struggle and face our problems in our daily life. Besides, for students who want to analyze the novel, hopefully this study can be a helpful source to know McCarthy’s novel and can be a reference in writing thesis on literature concerning life struggle.
Thirdly, English teachers may use some texts in the novel to teach English. The texts can be used to teach reading or speaking for Senior High School students. The students can learn the values and the meaning of life such as being optimistic and strong regardless of the condition they face.
E. Definition of Terms
To avoid misunderstanding and to help the readers understand the study, there are several terms that have to be clarified.
1. Struggle
According to McKechnie (1410), “struggle is a task or goal requiring much effort to accomplish or achieve”. While Abate (1514) says that struggle means make a violent or determine effort under difficulties. In this study, struggle means the efforts made by the people to survive in any condition, such as the efforts to find basic needs and security.
2. Character
According to Abrams (20), a character is person who is presented in a dramatic narrative work. The person is interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and by what they do- the actions. Character here means both person and his traits.
3. Parental Love Moore (8) defines that parental love is love a parent feels for his or her children.
Parental love consists of maternal love or motherly love and paternal love or fatherly love.
4. Motivation
Murray (8) defines motivation as a desire that has a certain goal to obtain. While Huffman (364) says that motivation refers to the process of activating, maintaining, and directing behavior toward a particular goal. In this study, motivation means a strong desire that encourages someone to achieve his life goals.
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter consists of three parts. They are review of related theories, criticisms, and
theoretical framework. First, review of related theories presents some theories used in the analysis. Second, criticisms concern with some criticisms upon the novel analyzed in the study by other writers and critics. Third, theoretical framework discusses how the theories reviewed are applied in the analysis.
A. Review of Related Theories
The review of related theories presents theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of critical approach, and theory of psychology. The explanations of the theories are as follows.
1. Character and Characterization a. Character 1) Definition
It is important to know characters presented in the story in order to analyze literary works, such as novels, play, and drama. Through the characters in the story, the reader can understand the story and even the messages. According to Abrams (20) a character is “The person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed with a moral disposition qualities, that are expressed in what they say- the dialogues- and by what they do- the actions.”. It means that a character can be seen through what the character says and does in the story.
A character seems to exist as life like. The reason why they behave like human the idea of the moral constitution of human personality, the presence of human uprightness, and simpler notion of creature (Holman and Harmon 82).
Each character of the story plays different roles. Rohrberger and Woods Jr. (26) define that a character is a person involved in a story that acts out, in particular time and place, and some kinds of conflict in a pattern of event. The actions of all characters will give impacts to the content of the story from the beginning to the end of story. In conclusion, character can mean persons or traits that act out different roles in the story. Understanding character is needed to describe and categorize the characters, especially the main character in this study.
2) Kinds of Character
In order to understand that the character in the story remains stable or changes, character should be categorized. There are some theories related to the classification of the fictional characters into several categories.
According to Henkle (88) character can be divided into two parts namely major characters and secondary characters. A major character is the most significant and complex in a novel. A major character can be identified through the complexity of his or her characterization. More attention is given to him or her either by the other characters or by the reader for the sake of understanding the focal experiences of the novel. A major character is also completely needed the reader’s fullest attention because he or she performs a structural key function in a story.
On the contrary, a secondary character is character who serves functions that are more restricted. His performances and response to the experience are more limited than the major one. A secondary character is less sophisticated; therefore, his response to experience is less complex and less interesting.
In addition, major and secondary characters are also determined by the character appearance frequency in the story (Milligan 155). Major characters are those who appear more often than the other characters. Secondary characters are those who appear less in the story. Further, major characters can be divided into two, protagonist and antagonist (Altenbern and Lewis 59). The protagonist refers to the ideal one and becomes a manifestation of readers’ admiration. The readers often give sympathy and empathy to protagonist characters. Conversely, an antagonist character is a character that causes conflicts.
Perrine (71) classifies fictional characters into two types, static and dynamic characters. Static characters are characters that change little or even do not undergo any changes in their outlook or personalities during the course of the story. They remain stable and become the same sort of persons from the beginning up to the end of story. They are described without many details and they are not changes by circumstances. Dynamic characters are persons or characters that undergo changes in some aspects of their characters, personalities, or outlook from the beginning up to the end of the story. The changes could be for better or for worse and maybe a significant or a less significant one, but it is something important and basic, and more than a minor change in opinion.
Forster (18) divides characters into two, flat and round characters. Flat characters are characters, which are built around single idea or quality and presented in outline without much individualizing detail. It can fairly be described in single phrase or sentence. However, round characters are complex in temperament and motivation. They are represented with a subtle particularly. Therefore, it is difficult to describe them with any adequacy as persons in real life. They also have capability in surprising us.
b. Characterization 1) Definition
In order to communicate and guide the readers in interpreting and understanding more about the characters in the story, an author needs employing appropriate ways to convey the characters. The way in which an author conveys the characters in the story understandable to and come alive for his readers is called characterization (Murphy 161).
In addition, Holman and Harmon (81-82) state characterization is the process of creating an unreal person who exists for readers as life like. In other words, the character can appear in the mind of the readers because he or she represents people’s character in real life.
2) Ways of Characterization
Murphy (161-73) his book Understanding Unseen mentions nine ways in which an author conveys the characters’ personalities and traits in a story to the readers. They are personal description, characters as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerisms.
The first is personal description. In presenting a character in a story, the author draws the details of the character’s physical appearance. The author may describe whether the character is tall, beautiful, thin, with curly or blonde hair, and bad looking. The author may also describe the clothes worn by the character. This can show the character’s economic status in society.
The second is characters as seen by another. The author describes a character through the eyes and opinion of another character. The reader may get a reflected image and better understanding about the characteristics of a character.
The third is speech. The author gives the reader an insight into the character in a story through what the character says and states. It means that the readers may know the character’ personality through the way the character says and puts forward an opinion to other characters.
The fourth is past life. The author reveals the characteristics of a character from his or her life past. The reader may know the clues from the direct comment by the author, through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.
The fifth is conversation of others. The characteristics of a character in a story can be seen through the conversation of other people and the things they say about him or her.
The sixth is reaction. The author shows the readers how a character reacts to various situations and events. This is related to a character’s emotion that triggers actions.
For example, when a character is happy, he or she may laugh, sing a song, and hug somebody else.
The seventh is direct comment. The author describes or comments on a person character directly. It means that the author speaks about his or her personal comment or description of a character directly in a story.
The eighth is thoughts. The author describes a character’s personality and position through what the character is thinking about in his or her mind. The ninth is mannerisms.
The author helps the reader understand a character by illustrating a person’s mannerisms, habit, or modes of behavior in dealing with something or someone in a story.
2. Critical Approach
Literature, as one of works of art, contains of esthetic value. The readers’ evaluative judgment is given to it as an esthetic response. In order to have a reasonable judgment, a means called a critical approach is needed (Rohrberger and Woods Jr. 3). A positive values. Rohrberger and Woods Jr. (6-13) mentions there are five approaches to analyze literary works.
The first approach is the formalist approach. This approach deals with the total integrity of literary works. The involvement of each esthetic part to the whole is seen as a harmony to the complete work. Thus, the beauty of the literary works lies on the author’s works such as novels, dramas, or play.
The second approach is the biographical approach. The proponents of this approach believe that by knowing the author’s personal life, the readers are led to a better understanding and appreciation of the author’s works.
The third approach is the sociocultural-historical approach. This approach concerns with the social, cultural, and historical environment in the literary work. The proponents of this approach say that literary works can not be separated from its society, culture, and time.
The fourth approach is the mythopeoic approach. This approach is used to find out certain universally recurrent patterns of human thoughts in literary works. The recurrent pattern is related to the certain belief of the certain people mind. The recurrent pattern can be found in ancient myths, folk rites, and theological aspects of some doctrines that basically have meaning for all people.
The fifth approach is the psychological approach. This approach is used to identify any psychological aspects lies on a certain element of a literary work. The proponents of this approach come up with an idea that each character’s behavior may refer to the psychology of human being. Therefore, this approach can be used to analyze the character’s behavior and thought deeply.
3. Motivation
In doing their actions, people must have underlying motivation. In general, motivation refers to the reason that underlies a given behavior. Further, according to Beck (24) motivation broadly concerns with the contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of goal-directed behavior. The reason why motivation is assumed to be a choice (direction) is that motivation becomes a stimulus that gives energy to the behaviors relevant to the situation the individual at the moment. While, motivation involves the persistence of behavior is aimed to enable the sustained efforts occur even if the obstacles occur. Motivation should apt to goal-directed behavior in order to create energy that activates the individual to a level that enables the performance of the appropriate behaviors.
Furthermore, Maslow states that motivation is based on human needs. These needs should be fulfilled in order to get satisfaction and to grow up as a mature human being.
Maslow also says, “People seldom gain a state of complete satisfaction except for a short time. As one desire is satisfied, another pops up to take its place.” (Aiken 113). Thus, people always require and desire something and their needs are interrelated, as one need is satisfied then move to gain the next higher needs.
According to Maslow in Psychology: A Concise Introduction as quoted by Pettijohn (216), there are five basic needs. They are physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization. The first deals with the physiological needs, which include motives such as hunger, thirst, sex, exercise, and rest. It means that the physiological needs focus on needs for physical survival. Maslow (216) believes that higher needs in the hierarchy can become stronger when physiological needs start to be met.
The second are the safety needs. The motives that may include are security, stability, dependency, protection, freedom from fear and anxiety, and need for structure and order. The dominant forces such as security, protection, and safety affect a person’s life until they can be satisfied. As people grow up, the safety needs are largely met. When they feel secure and safe, they will develop to the next higher needs.
The third are the belongingness and love needs. The motives covered are love and affection. People have the strong desire of having contact with friends, family, and society when these needs dominate. As human beings, people need to give and receive love. They can make it through marriage, work, or social activities. If the belongingness and love needs are not satisfied, psychological problems may develop.
The fourth are the esteem needs. The motives include a high evaluation of oneself, self-respect, achievement, and recognition by others. In society, people need to gain competence to get others’ respect. People will also feel confident and important if they earn recognition, attention, and status. Thus, the lack of satisfying esteem needs causes the feeling of inferiority and helplessness.
The fifth is the self-actualization. After satisfying the physiological needs, safety, love, and esteem needs, people move to the highest level, self-actualization. This may refer to the identification of the psychological need for growth, development, and the attainment of the individual’s special potential. This need is also considered the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming. Self- actualization is highly individualized because of the difference of people’s capability.
4. Struggle for Life
People in this world always face many problems in their lives. Whether the survive, they need to struggle wisely and carefully. McKechnie (1410) says that struggle is “a task or goal requiring many efforts to accomplish or achieve”. The good implementation of that goal or task is the reflection of human’s hard work. According to Huffman, et al (410), our goals in life provide the source of our motivation. It means that the source of people’s struggle is their goals and the reason why people struggle is that they have wants that motivate them. For example, a parent that loves his or her children and wants to make them happy has tasks or goals for taking care of them, giving good education in order to prepare them for their independent lives, and communicating with them well to show that their parent loves them.
Moreover, a person’s struggles may cover his strategies in solving his life problems. The appropriate strategy is that people need to apply adjustment after they are attacked by stress to cope their problems (Weiner 64). According to Pettijohn (282) adjustment is the way people adequately give response to the demands of stress in their lives. Thus, adjustment can lead people into the forms of coping problems.
According to Huffman, et al (453) there is three forms of coping problem. The first is an emotion-focused form of coping dealing with emotional-cognitive strategies that change people’s view of stressful situation. In the other words, this is related to people acceptance of situation and controlling the symptoms of stress. The second are defense mechanisms, which concern with unconscious strategies that protect ego and avoid anxiety by distorting reality. One of defense mechanism types is repression. According to Pettijohn (293) based on Freud’s idea about the types of defense mechanism, repression is an unconscious activity that is done conveniently by a person in order to forget or repress painful memories and unacceptable motives. The person conducts it because he or she does not want to deal with this anymore. Repression can only work for a short run because
While the third is a problem-focused form of coping that reveals the strategies dealing directly with the stressful strategies by applying problem-solving techniques to decrease it. Further, Brockovich and Eliot (180) add that problem-solving skills may include isolating the problem, identifying the route to its obstacle, figuring out a way to get round it, and fixing the problems.
5. Parental Love
Moore (8) defines that parental love is a parent feels for his or her children. This love is followed by a huge sacrifice of time, energy, expense and upset, as parent does everything in their power to promote their children’s happiness. Even when problems arise in the relationship, as they inevitably do, the caring usually continues undiminished because of the powerful ties built up over so many years.