Lena's decition in beautiful creatures by kami garcia and margaret stohl.

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Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree of English Department Faculty of Arts and Humanities State Islamic

University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya

BY : NUR FAZLINA Reg. Number : A03213044

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA 2017

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ABSTRACT

Fazlina, Nur. 2017. Lena’s Decision in Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Letters and Humanities. States Islamic University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

The Advisor: Abu Fanani, S.S., M.Pd.

This thesis talks about existence found in Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This thesis focuses on Lena Duchannes main character in the novel. The aim of this thesis is to describe Lena character and characterization and Lena’s existence against Caster’s tradition in the novel.

This thesis is descriptive analytic. It uses library based study to collect books, journals, and internet sources having related with this analysis.

The result of this thesis finds Lena as one of main characters in the novel is dynamic character. It happens because at the first Lena described as pessimistic but finally she become optimistic and not giving up to decide her own fate. Besides, some reasons that lead Lena’s existence against Caster’s tradition are because Lena wants to be like ordinary girl, Lena falls in love with Mortal, and Lena afraid on her Claiming. Finally, in the story Lena shows five concept of existentialism by Jean Paul Sartre that are; Freedom, Responsibility, Anguish, Subjectivity, and Engagement.

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ABSTRAK

The Advisor: Abu Fanani, S.S., M.Pd.

Skripsi ini menceritakan tentang kajian eksistensi yang ditemukan dalam novel Beautiful Creatures karya Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Skripsi ini fokus pada Lena Duchannes sebagai karakter utama di dalam novel tersebut. Tujuan adalah untuk menggambarkan karakter Lena dan eksistensi Lena yang bertentangan dengan tradisi para Caster.

Penelitian ini adalah penilitian kualitatif. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penilitian kepuastakaan yaitu mengumpulkan buku-buku, jurnal, dan referensi internet yang memiliki hubungan dengan analisis ini.

Hasil peneletian menunjukkan bahwa Lena merupakan salah satu tokoh utama dalam novel tersebut memiliki karakter yang berkembang karena sebelumnya Lena digambarkan sebagai karakter yang pesimis menjadi karakter yang optimis dan tidak menyerah untuk menentukan nasib kehidupannya sendiri. Kemudian, beberapa alasan menuntun eksistensi Lena yang bertentangan dengan tradisi Caster yakni Lena ingin menjalani kehidupan seperti gadis biasa, Lena jatuh cinta kepada Mortal, dan Lena takut akan hari pengklaimannya. Yang terakhir, di dalam cerita Lena menunjukkan lima konsep eksistensi oleh Jean Paul Sartre yakni: Kebebasan, Tanggung Jawab, Kecemasan, Subjektivitas, dan Komitment.

Kata Kunci: Caster, Mortal, Pilihan, Kebebasan, Tradisi

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Inside Cover Page……… i

Inside Title Page……….. i

Declaration Page……….. ii

Motto………... iv

Dedication Page………... v

Advisor’s Approval Page……….… vi

Examiners Approval Page……… vii

Acknowledgement……….….. viii

Table of Contents……….…… x

Abstract……… xiii

Abstrak………...….. xiv

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study……….…….. 1

1.2 Statement of Problem………. 5

1.3 Objective of Study………...…. 5

1.4 Scope and Limitation………. 6

1.5 Significance of the Study………..……… 6

1.6 Method of the Study………..… 7

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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Framework………. 9

2.1.1 New Criticism……… 9

2.1.1.1 Character……….. 10

2.1.1.2 Characterization……….…….. 12

2.1.2 Existentialism……….. 15

2.1.2.1 Theory of Existentialism by Sartre………..………. 17

2.1.2.1.1 Freedom………. 18

2.1.2.1.2 Responsibility……… 18

2.1.2.1.3 Anguish………. 19

2.1.2.1.4 Subjectivity………... 20

2.1.2.1.5 Engagement……….. 21

2.2 Literary Review……….. 22

CHAPTER III ANALYSYS 3.1 Lena’s Character and Characterization………. 24

3.2 The Motives that Lead Lena Duchannes Does Something Different From Caster’s Tradition………...………... 28

3.2.1 Lena Wants to Feel Like an Ordinary Girl………... 28

3.2.2 Lena Falls in Love with Mortal………...……….… 32

3.2.3 Lena’s Family Have No Free Will……… 35

3.3 The Ways of Lena Duchannes Show Her Existence ...………….… 38

3.3.1 Lena’s Freedom……….………...…….. 38

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3.3.3 Lena’s Anguish………..…. 46

3.3.4 Lena’s Subjectivity………. 49

3.3.5 Lena’s Engagement……… 54

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

Conclusion……….. 59

Suggestion………... 61

WORKS CITED……… 62

APPENDIXES

SYNOPSIS……….. 66

BIOGRAPHY………. 68

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the Study

Literature generally reflects life which capture and interpret what has happened and is happening to people personally and to the world as a whole. With literature we can see human nature through tragedy and romance, joy and sorrow, in approval and denial, in moments of heroism and in moments of cowardice. Literary texts are supposed to be ideological in the sense that they cannot give us knowledge of the social formation; but they do give us

something to equal importance in analyzing culture, an imaginary

representation of real relations (Eagleton and Milne 392). In other words literary works represent human real life and social reality. There are a lot of occurrences as outlined by the author into a literary work.

Literary work frequently seizes the pictures of society and depicts

significant features about tradition, history, social anthropology, and political science in every period. Records of the traditional events are often supported with description about individual, family, or social behavior though society. Every period has specific features about family tradition principles influenced by society (Jana 1). Furthermore, family tradition is daily activities that are done repeatedly in a family. In the traditions there are usually magic, spirit, and texture to our everyday lives. Traditions and rituals often tell a story about a family; it can teach children where their family came from or give them insights into their cultural or religious history, it plays an important role in

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shaping a child’s personal identity (Cox 17). In the formatting of child’s character, traditions often limit a child; sometimes the child has no other choice and must follow what has become a tradition in the family. In some cases, tradition control child’s life, with whom they should be friends, whom they should marry, at what age they should get married, etc. The tradition that limited children’s or people choice, means that it restricts their freedom. They cannot get their existence.

Existentialist thought that individuals are always free to make choices and guide their lives towards their lives towards their own chosen goal or project. The claim holds that individuals cannot escape this freedom, even in

overwhelming circumstances (Aronson 44). Moreover, people cannot escape responsibility by adopting an external moral system, as the adoption of such is in itself a choice that people endorse, implicitly or explicitly, for which people must take full responsibility. People cannot discharge this responsibility, as each attempt to part one’s self from the freedom of choice is in itself a demonstration of choice and choice is dependent on a person’s wills and desires (Sartre 46). It means that existentialism is not only about freedom of choices, but there are always responsibilities that people will get following their choices.

More than any other recent philosophical movement, the existentialists communicated their ideas through plays, novels and short stories (Rickman 3). Like another field of study, literature also has its main function as knowledge. Nevertheless, the writer doesn’t discuss existentialism in all type of literary

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works. In this study, the writer will discuss about existentialism depicted in the novel as one of literary works that will be analyzed.

The novel is a fantasy novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, which is Beautiful Creatures. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are some of modern authors that wrote fantasy novel. Both Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are

the number one of New York Times, USA Today Publisher Weekly, LA Times,

Wall Street Journal, Indiebound & International bestselling collaborate authors of the Beautiful Creatures Series; Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemption (Peres 4). The writer chose Beautiful Creatures as research subject because in this series, the writer found more sources that related with Lena Duchannes’ existent than in the other series. Moreover, in Beautiful Creatures the story focuses to Lena Duchannes’ decision to claim by herself. Meanwhile, in Beautiful Darkness, the story focuses on Ethan Wate and then Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemptionfocus on the effect after Lena Duchannes’ claimed.

Beautiful Creatures sets in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina. The story begins with Ethan Wate, a teenager who lives with his father and their housekeeper Amma. Ethan has been dreaming of a girl. In the dream, he’s trying to save her but she slips away from him. In another day, there is a new student, her name is Lena and she’s the niece of an eccentric recluse, Macon Ravenwood. When Ethan sees Lena, he recognizes her as the girls from his dreams. Lena is not acceptable by other girls who have a very tight clique and refuse to admit outsiders.

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Lena reveals to Ethan that she and all of her family members are Caster that different with ordinary human. Lena tells that she’ll be ―Claimed‖ on her sixteenth birthday, and that she has no choice in whether she’ll become Light or Dark Caster. She wants to be Light one, but she still worry if she will be the Dark one.

Lena and Ethan fall in love each other. But Lena’s family doesn’t like Ethan and they told him to stay away from Lena. Apparently, a Caster is not destined to be together with a Mortal or ordinary human. If a Caster has a relationship with a Mortal, the consequent is one of them should die. A Caster who has a relationship with a Mortal becomes a Dark Caster and become a different person entirely without the capability to love anyone. On the night of Claiming, Lena’s is upset that she hasn’t had time to think through the

situation armed with the full knowledge and she blocks out the moon – a vital part in the Claiming ceremony. Finally she chooses to claime herself to become half Light half Dark and leaving Ethan along with their relationship.

Through reading the novel, the writer recognizes that there is much of existential case that can be analysed. Lena Duchannes’ choice of her own life looks interesting enough to discuss. The tradition from her family cannot change her decision for rise her identity. She decides herself what she has to do even though she had to sacrifice her family tradition that literally so hard for her. Moreover, writer also will analyze the character and characterization to know more detail about the reason of Lena in picking her choice.

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By giving the literary background stated above, the writer is really interested with the novel and wants to intend analyze more deeply about the freedom of choice that is represented by character of Lena Duchannes in Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

1.2 Statement of Problem

This study will be conducted to answer the problems formulated in the following questions as follows;

1. How is Lena Duchannes in the novel characterized?

2. Why does Lena Duchannes do something different from Caster’s tradition?

3. How does Lena Duchannes show her existence against Caster’s tradition

depicted in the novel?

1.3 Objective of Study

Reffering to the previous problems statements, the objective of the study are formulated as follows;

1. To describe the characterization of Lena Duchannes.

2. To explain the motive that leads Lena Duchannes does something

different from Caster’s tradition.

3. To explore Lena Duchannes way to show her existence depicted in the

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1.4 Scope and Limitation

In order to prevent non-relevant problems, the study will be limited to the novel Beautiful Creatures. The study then focuses on Lena’s decision and her existence to do something different from Caster’s tradition in general. To answer statement of the problem stated above, Lena Duchannes’ choice though her life becomes the most important point to analyze. However, some other characters that Lena interacts with will be also the object for analysis but the study will be limited to Lena Duchannes’ family. The scope of this study is upon Lena Duchannes’ existence and her decision to choose something different from Caster’s tradition.

1.5Significance of the Study

This study is significant to be conducted due to both theoretical and practical function. Theoretically, the writer hopes that the research will enriches the readers’ development of knowledge in the literary theory that is related the study of existentialism. Therefore, the readers are expected to comprehend more about it, especially for those who are having interest in the study of freedom of choice throughout literature.

Practically, this study hopefully can give useful contribution for the readers in understanding the content of Beautiful Creatures novel, mainly concerning with critical analysis using theory related to freedom of choice for the approach. The writer hopes that this research can be a helpful reference for other researchers who are interested in conducting further research. Moreover,

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through the thesis the writer hopes it can give a lesson for the reader especially teenager so they can be wiser when take a choice, because every choice has consequence and responsibility.

1.6 Method of the Study

This research is library based. Therefore, the writer makes good use of some books including the novel itself as the primary source, articles, journals, and online resources. In presenting the analysis, the writer mainly uses

descriptive-analytical method. The research follows the following step:

1. The writer read the novel to get the complete on the whole story.

2. The writer select and collect the data in form of narration and conversation from the novel related to the problem.

3. The writer then classificate the data dealing with the statement problem.

4. Last, the writer analyze the collected data with theory and approach

which relates with the story.

1.7Definition of the Key Terms

Caster : Technically human but they have ability to use magic.

However, their essences as supernatural creatures make them higher and more enlightened than normal human.

(thecasterchronicles.wikia.com/wiki/Caster)

Mortal : Another name of normal human who doesn’t have the power.

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Choice : Picking or deciding between two or more possibilities

(Oxford Dictionaries).

Freedom : The need for independence and spontaneity. It is also the need

to have choices and to feel in control of making those choices (Oxford Dictionaries).

Tradition : A belief, principle, or ways of acting that people in a

particular society or group have continued to follow for a long time, or all of these beliefs, etc. (Cambridge English

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CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Framework

This part is centered to on discussing some theories which are going to be used as a guide of conducting this research. The writer uses two theories as literary devices. Firstly, the research uses New Criticism to present definition of character and characterization to analyze about the

characterization, especially Lena as one of main character in this novel. Secondly, in accordance with the problem the writer uses Existentialism theory. Instead of using other branch theories of Existentialism, this study employs Existentialism theory by Jean Paul Sartre and focuses on Lena’s decision.

2.1.1 New Criticism

According to Tyson New Criticism is the main tool in an analysis to reveal the true meaning of a text based on the text itself (136). It means that

New Criticism does not need the author’s background and intention or the

reader response to get the meaning of the text. Because it based on the text itself, New Criticism’s main focus is the formal elements that depicted in the text which will work together to build the organic unity text (136).

New Criticism asserts that text of literary works is a complete system or structure. As complete structure of literary work, text of literary

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work is constructed by element points that have correlation each other to make a meaning. In the other words, a New Critic attempts to the study of the

“formal elements” of the text, such as characterization, setting of time and place, point of view, plot, images, metaphors and symbols to interpret the text which all the evidence provided by the language of the text itself (Tyson 137). Bresseler also stated in his book that New Criticism does not even need to find extra textual information outside of the text, the text itself contains all

necessary information to discover the meaning (55). Therefore based on the New Criticism, the writer chooses character and characterization to analyze the novel.

2.1.1.1 Character

In a literary work, a character is depicted trough both narrative and dialogue. Characters can be flat, minor characters or round and major.

Character in fiction can have many roles and purposes, all of them dictated by the writer’s intent and style (Hoffman 36). Tomlinson states that people like to read literary work because of character emerging in there. In the literary work such as drama, short story and novel, character is an important element which will always be present to build a story in the literary work because it includes one of the elements forming literary works. Characters are another element of fictional vital to the enjoyment of the story (29).

Talking about characters in a fictional story, characters are the people who appear and experience life stories in fictional work, it can be simply said

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that characters are people who are included in the story. Character is a brief descriptive sketch of a personage who typifies some definite quality (Holman 74). Just like us in the real world, characters act, speak, think, also face some problems, and so on. Besides, they can be characterized as good, bad, kind, generous and any other types of human quality. In accordance to Holman, Baldick states that character is a personage in a narrative or dramatic work and it is also a kind of prose sketch briefly describing some recognizable type of person (37).

According to Abrams, character is a person in a dramatic or narrative work which naturally processes moral dispositional qualities that are

expressed through the dialogue and action (20). It means that character in the story has relevancy with reader response; actually the reader will gives interpretation about the character in the story by themselves. Interpreting character’s moral qualities can be performed through analyzing the characters’ speaking, doing, and thinking. By exploring the characters, readers can get some moral lessons implemented in real life since the character exactly possesses a strategic position to deliver messages, values, and all things that the author wants to give to the readers (Nurgiantoro 167).

In fiction, characters are divided into some types. Based on its

significance role in developing a story, characters are separated into major and minor character. Major or main character refers to character which appears in almost all or totally in the whole story. He or she is character which is mostly told and always relates with other characters. Meanwhile, minor character is

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character which appears only in some part of the whole story and he or she is told less than major character. Minor character may exist just when they are having correlation with the major character (Nurgiantoro 176).

Altenbern and Lewis, in A Handbook for the Study of Fiction,

presented another division on character. It hangs on its function that characters are two, protagonist and antagonist character. Protagonist can be plainly said as a hero, a character which presents ideal norms and perfect values based on us. Therefore, readers often identify protagonists as part of who they are, give sympathy and antipathy, and also emotionally connect their own selves with character. Antagonist, in opposite with protagonist, is character that causes conflicts. Antagonist commonly called as a villain that usually against a hero. In some cases, an antagonist may exist within the protagonist that causes inner conflict or a moral conflict inside the story (59).

By knowing about character widely, it helps to make easy to analyze Lena Duchannes. This study focuses on main character named Lena

Duchannes. It will help to get more knowledge about Lena Duchannes, so we can know about her character in this story.

2.1.1.2 Characterization

Character is one of the most important elements in a text. There are no other formal elements such as plot, setting, even the theme can work

without character. Then, character usually followed by characterization. Richard Gill stated that character is generally known as a person in literary

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work while characterization is the way in which a character is created. In this case, character is only the figure of a person that created by the author and characterization completed it with physical description, attitude, and even how they think and act in the text. So, to make the differences between character and characterization is by calling the character as the product while

characterization as the method (127).

Characterization refers to the way an author develops the fictional people who populate a novel. Characterization is how an author helps us to get to know all of the character in a book. An author might develop a character through dialogue and action. Commonly, in characterizing the characters, there are two ways that an author usually used. Those are direct and indirect characterization. Using direct manner means that the author describes directly about the character. The author attributes the qualities of characters in direct description. Meanwhile, in indirect manner of characterization the author does not merely tell the characters by showing them to the readers through how the character looks, what the character does, what the character says, what the character thinks, and how the characters affect other characters (Baldick 37). From these five things, the reader can understand and get a clear description of the character’s personality.

Furthermore, another distinction of characterization drawn by Abrams and Harpham in A Glossary of Literature, they saidthat there is a broad distinction which is frequently made between alternative methods for

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differ so far from direct and indirect way that in showing which is also called the dramatic method, the author simply presents the characters talking and acting, and leaves it entirely up to the reader to infer the motives and dispositions that lie behind they say and do. The author may show not only external speech and action, but also a character’s inner thoughts, feelings, and responsiveness to events; for a highly developed mode of such inner showing. In telling, the author intervenes authoritatively in order to describe, and often to evaluate, the motives and dispositional qualities of the characters (43-44). Telling methods is a method of characterization in which the author declares directly what and how the is like; beautiful, smart, greedy, ambitious, and so forth.

Holman also states that there are three fundamental methods of characterization in fiction: (1) the explicit presentation by the author of the character through direct exposition, either in an introductory block or more often piecemeal throughout the work, illustrated by action; (2) the presentation of the character in action, with little or no explicit comment by author, in the expectation that the reader will be able to deduce the attributes of the actor from the action; and (3) the representation from within a character, without comment on the character by the author, of the impact of the action and emotions upon the character’s inner self, with the expectation that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character (76).

So character and characterization cannot be separated each other. Also, characters become an important point to analyze in this study. The writer tries

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to reveal Lena Duchannes’s decision to resist against her family tradition and her want to become a Light Caster, the doing and the thought of characters involved.

2.1.2 Existentialism

Existentialism believed as a lived philosophy that must be understood and explored through how one lives their life rather than a system that must be studied from books, it is not unexpected that much existentialist thought can be found in literary form such as novels and plays, and not just in the

traditional philosophical work. Indeed, some of the most important examples of existentialist writing are literary rather than purely philosophical (Cline 7). Stanley Cavell quoted in Endaswara states that philosophy and literature are influential mutually that is the most dominant influence between philosophy and literature can be found messages and contents in works (12). It means that literature and philosophy are two knowledges which have close each other. Thus literature can express a variety of ideas about life through the view of character or theme work itself.

The term existentialism refers to a literary movement of the mid-twentieth century which focuses on human being including individual existence and individual freedom based on consciousness to their self.

Existentialists believe that a particular individual is not the way he is because God made him that way, or because he is part of a great human community with common characteristics. He is the way he is because that’s how he is. He is an individual; he is unique and independent. His destiny is his own, his

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choices are his own to make, and he should make the choices that are right for him (Lannone 207). In addition, Lannone said that existentialism can be said to emphasize the question “who am I?” instead of the questions “what am I?” or “what is it to be human?” (207)

Existentialism is a philosophical movement that analyses the concept of human existence in the world taking into accounts the subjective states of human, freedom and choice. The main problem is what the differences between human and things are, and the basic different between human and thing is human realize its existence in the world and always ask about the meaning of existence while thing does not. So, that is only human who is able to show its existence and thing will has a meaning because of human’s

existence itself (Anhari 150).

Thomas Flynn also states that existentialism is a philosophy concerned with finding self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and

personal responsibility. The belief is that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their

experiences, beliefs, and outlook. And personal choices become unique without the necessity of an objective form of truth. An existentialist believes that a person should be forced to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions (34).

There are many figures who poured thought of existentialism in their works and their thought can be found in the literature. One of the most well-known among the figures of Existentialism is Jean Paul Sartre.

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2.1.2.1 Theory of Existentialism by Sartre

Existentialistic ideas came out of a time in society when there was a deep sense of despair following the Great Depression and World War II. An existentialist could either be a religious moralist, agnostic relativist, or an amoral atheist, are credited for their works and writings about existentialism. Sartre is noted for bringing the most international attention to existentialism in the 20th century (Anderson 19).

Sartre claimed that a central proposition of Existentialism is that “existence precedes essence” which means that the most important

consideration for individuals is that they are individual that independently acting and responsible (Baird & Kaufmann 54). In other words, man exists or

born before he can beanything, before he can become anything; therefore, his

existence precedes his essence. His state of existence precedes his state of becoming. An individual is responsible for making himself into an essence, of lifting himself beyond the level of mere existence. This is where choice and

action come in (Copleston 23).Thus, human beings, through their own

consciousness, create their own values and determine a meaning to their life.

Sartre expresses his ideas about existentialism through his book Existentialism and Humanism. Sartre describes some concept about Existentialism that are; Liberté (Freedom), Responsibilité (responsibility), Angoisse (anguish), and Subjectivité (subjectivity), Engagement (Putranto 2). Below the explanation of used:

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2.1.2.1.1 Freedom

According to Sartre, human first of all exist, encounter himself, rushes up in the world and defines himself afterwards. A person can choose to act in different way, and to be a good person instead a cruel person. It is also clear that since humans can choose to be either cruel or good, they are, in the fact, neither of these things essentially. The being-for-itself uses despair to embrace freedom and take meaningful action in full acceptance of whatever

consequences may arise as a result. Besides, people must take responsibility for their behavior, it realize that they are responsible not just for themselves, but for all humanity (Baird & Kaufmann 17-18).

People cannot justify the other actions by appeal to anything outside theirselves, and people have no excuses for anything the others do. People are "thrown" into the world as free beings, and insofar as this is a bad thing, they can say that they are "condemned to be free." Whereas earlier philosophers of both the classical and modern eras maintain that passions are human reason and must be subdued if we are to be happy, Sartre considered passions to be a cognitive response to one's environment. They are an attempt to transform the world magically into being the way we would wish it to be (Mattey 23).

2.1.2.1.2 Responsibility

Sartre also mentions that freedom is related with responsibility, both of them are inseparable each other. The freedom – the responsibility - that what everyone wants and a fight is not a pleasant thing. Conversely, freedom often

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wreaks a new problem. Human is free to make everything from environment, but human is not free utterly to do everything that human wants toward the environment (Howard 456).

Peter Cave also states that a common argument in the philosophical literature is that the essence of responsibility is to be found in what it means to be a human agent and to have free will. But there is disagreement amongst philosophers about what freedom means, about whether human beings are free in the relevant sense, and about the relevance of freedom to responsibility. Nevertheless, the responsibility practices have developed, and thrive,

independently of ‘the truth’ about human freedom (34).

2.1.2.1.3 Anguish

Walter Kaufmannstates that decisions are not without stress and consequences. Existentialism believes that individuals are entirely free and must take personal responsibility for themselves although with this

responsibility comes angst, a profound anguish or dread (169).

Sartre defines anguish as the emotion that people feel once they realize that they are responsible not just for themselves, but for all humanity. Anguish leads people to realize that their actions guide humanity and allows them to make judgments about others based on their attitude towards freedom (Mattey 28).

Anguish Existentialism is often criticized because of its emphasis on extreme moods. A primary example is the mood of anguish, which Sartre

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practically identifies with being human. The source of anguish lies in the claim that in choosing for ourselves, we choose for all of humanity. The resulting deep responsibility is what makes us anguished, and to deny that this is the case is to lie universally, that is, to lie about a matter that has

consequences for all of humanity. Anguish bubbles to the surface when we face choices that have to be made without adequate information. One has to act, but one has no proof that the action is right (Kauffman 176).

2.1.2.1.4 Subjectivité (subjectivity)

Quoted in G. J. Mattey book, Sartre considered the subjectivity of the point for what a human is as a key thesis of existentialism. The starting-point is subjective because humans make themselves what they are. Most

philosophers consider subjectivity to be a bad thing, particularly when it comes to the motivation for action. The subjectivity of the basis of action is thought to preclude objectivity and universality (34).

Sartre responds by claiming that subjectivity is a dignity of human being, not something that degrades people. One reason is that subjectivity is, in his view, uniquely possessed by humans. It sets us up above the rest of being, which is a brute, inert, in-itself. Moreover, it is precisely because of people subjectivity that they are responsible for their own actions(67).

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2.1.2.1.5 Engagement

Someone who takes responsibility must be committed or engaged. People

have a responsibility for their actions. By acting, people create a certain essence for society "by choosing for oneself, man chooses for all men" because any action which one takes affects the rest of humanity. From the moment when people make a choice, he is committed. One must not renege on one's responsibility, nor must one place the responsibility for one's actions onto the shoulders of someone else. Man should not regret what he has done. An act is an act (Cave 78).

Commitment Man must not be indifferent to his surroundings. He must take a stand, make choices, commit himself to his beliefs, and create meaning, goal, or purpose through action. As with a man shooting a gun in the air or directly at a target, it's better to have a target, a message. In a literary work the readers should feel the responsibilities; the author should incite the readers to action, infuse an energy into them. Sartre is interested in a "historical public" he addresses himself to the public of his times. Ideally, an author should write for a universal audience, but this is possible only in a classless society

(Theodore 46).

2.2 Literary Review

In order to enlarge the knowledge about this study, the writer uses some review studies having relation with the topic about Lena’s Decision in Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl in some aspects.

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Firstly, Agus Choerul Jami (2015) is student of Sultan Agung Islamic

University (UNISSULA) and his thesis is Defense Mechanism Of Lena

Duchannes As Reflected in Kami Garcia And Margaret Sthol’s Novel

Beautiful Creatures. In his thesis, he analyzes about defense mechanism of Lena Duchannes. The thesis aims to analyze the anxiety and defense mechanism of Lena Duchannes though the novel. The result of his thesis analysis found several things. Firstly, Lena Duchannes experiencing three types of anxiety; moral anxiety, neurotic anxiety and real anxiety. Secondly, in the case of eliminating her anxiety, Lena Duchannes uses several defense mechanisms.

Secondly, Shabrina Cintysa P. (2015) is student of Gadjah Mada

University and her thesis Comparative Study On Popular Literature: A

Reader Response Critic On Stephenie Meyer Apostrophe S Twilight And Kami Garcia And Margaret Stohl Beautiful Creatures. In her discussion of the graduating paper is limited on the analysis of the comparison of the elements in Twilight and Beautiful Creatures which are related to readers’ interest when they read those novels. Her thesis uses a reader response theory as the important tool in pragmatic approach proposed by Tompkins is applied in the research. Besides, the writer tries to reveal from both of the novel which one more interesting for the readers.

Based on the review studies above, the writer knows that the research has similarities with the other review studies about same novel Beautiful Creatures, written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The differences

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between this thesis and review studies above is the theory which is used to analyze this novel. In this thesis the writer uses Existentialism theory by Jean Paul Sartre to analyze existence of Lena Duchannes as main character

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CHAPTER III ANALYSYS

In this chapter, the study presents an analysis of Lena’s character as one of main characters in this novel using New Criticism and Existentialism. The writer answers some problems obviously in this study. First is examining on Lena character to profound knowledge about the character of Lena clearly. Second is revealing the motive that leads Lena Duchannes do something different with Caster’s tradition. Third is revealing the ways of Lena Duchannes choose do something different with Caster’s tradition depicted in the novel.

3.1 Lena’s Character and Characterization

Character and characterization are the important elements in fiction. At the beginning of the story, Lena’s character is described as a girl who is very

unconcerned with the people around her, it can be seen in the story. Since the first time in school, Lena has become the talk of people in her school. Lena is not ashamed to drive her uncle's hearse to school and wears a different outfit from most of her girls in her school.Lena's family is not accepted by the Gatlin people

and everything Lena does seem to be a strange thing for them, but Lena doesn’t

care and stay school as usual.

Before the bell even rang the next day, Lena Duchannes was all everyone at Jackson could talk about. Somehow between storms and power outages, Loretta Snow and Eugenie Asher, Savanna’s and Emily’s mother, had managed to get supper on the table and call just about everyone in town to let them know that crazy Macon Revenwood’s ―relation‖ was driving around Gatlin in his hearse, which they were sure

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he used to transport dead bodies in when no one was watching. From there it just got wilder.

…… She was a freak because she wasn’t from Gatlin, because she wasn’t scrambling to make it into cheer squad, because she hadn’t given him a second look, or even a first.

―So she’s automatically a freak, why? Because she doesn’t have on the uniform, blond hair and a short skirt?‖

―Because she is a Ravenwood‖

But she just kept walking, her necklace jingling around her neck. (Garcia & Stohl 17)

Lena is portrayed as a confidence character and be herself. Although every day Lena becomes a subject of conversation about both her appearance and her family but Lena seems to do not care about it. Although she is different, she does not intend to change herself. Whatever happens she remains to be herself as she is, as Ethan thought about Lena:

I’d learned my lesson. There was no telling Lena Duchannes where she could or couldn’t sit. No matter what you thought about the Ravenwoods, you had to give her that. I slide into the seat next to her, smack in the middle of No Man’s land. Like I had all week. Only this time she was talking to me, and somehow that made everything different. No bad-different, just terrifying. (Garcia & Stohl 26)

Then, Lena becomes close with Ethan. Lena tells Ethan that she wants to change, she still cannot, because Lena is different from Ethan and other general people. Even though Lena looks unconcerned and strong girl in outside, in fact Lena has the worries and desires to be like an ordinary girl in general.

―But you’re not scared of everyone. You act the way you want and say whatever you want. Everyone else around here is scared to be themselves.‖ Lena picked at the black polish on her index finger. ―Sometimes I wish I could act like everyone else, but I can’t change who I am. I’ve tried. But I never wear the right clothes or say the right thing, and sometimes always goes wrong. I just wish I could be myself and still have friends who noticed whether I’m in school or not.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 32)

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Lena then tells Ethan that her family is not like ordinary people, Lena's

family are Casters. The people of Lena’s family and Lena was born as Caters,

they have powers. They can do things that regular people can’t do. The Casters all have powers, they gifted, just like some families are smart, and other are rich, beautiful, or athletic.

Though, what Lena fears is not because she and her family are Casters. But any caster at the age of 16 will be Claimed to be a Light Caster or a Dark Caster. Lena worries because her family cannot choose themselves will be a Light Caster or a Dark Caster, Lena fears that she will be Claimed to be a Dark Caster.

―In my family, when you turn sixteen, you’re Claimed. Your fate is chosen for you, and you become Light, like Aunt Del and Reece, or you become Dark, like Ridley. Dark or Light, Black or White. There’s no gray in my family. We can’t choose, and we can’t undo it once we’re Claimed‖ ―What do you mean’ you can’t choose?‖

―We can’t decide if we want to be Light or Dark, good or evil, like Mortals and other Casters can. In my family, there’s no free will. It’s decide for us, on our sixteen birthday.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 76)

Lena can pretend to be strong in front of others who bully her, but Lena can’t cover her fear of her Claims. Lena is always pessimistic that she will become a Dark Caster. When Lena is alone, she always worries about her fate. Lena even always counts the days she Claimed. Lena always thinks about what if she's Claimed to be a Dark Caster.

―Were your parents gifted?‖

―I don’t know. Gramma’s never say anything. I told you, it’s like they never existed. Which just make me think, you know.‖

―What?‖

―Maybe they were Dark, and I’m going to go Dark, too.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 77)

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At first Lena is pessimistic that she will be Claimed as a Dark Caster, but Ethan always supports Lena and convinces Lena that Lena's fate is decided by Lena herself.

―All that destiny garbage. Nobody can decide what happens to you. Nobody but you‖ (Garcia & Stohl 77)

In the effort to find a way to make Lena Claimed to be a Light Caster, Lena and Ethan meet up with Marian, Ethan's mum's friend. Marian helps and guides Lena and Ethan to find the solution. Marian also suspects that Lena will not necessarily be a dark Caster. Marian comforts Lena if she does not have to be too scared, because it has not happened yet.

Marian opened her eyes, which were bigger than I’d ever seen them. ―You are not Claimed, Lena. You’re neither good nor bad. This is just it feels like to be fifteen and a half, in the Duchannes family. I’ve known a lot of Caster in my day and a whole lot of Duchannes, both Dark or Light.‖ ―You are not going Dark. You’re as melodramatic as Macon. Now calm down.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 99)

After meeting with Ethan and Marian, Lena who is initially pessimistic that her fate is determined then became optimistic and has the hope of choosing her own destiny path and what she will become. Lena starts to think clearly and starts think about how she will not be able to be claimed as a Dark Caster.

―Still, Lena seemed almost hopeful. For the first time, it was as if she actually believed there might be a way to prevent what she had considered the inevitable. Marian couldn’t give us any answer, but she anchored us in the absence of the two people we relied on most, who hadn’t gone

anywhere, but seemed far away just the same. I didn’t say anything to Lena, but without Amma I was lost. And without Macon, I knew Lena couldn’t even find her way to lost.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 100)

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From the analysis above, it can be concluded that Lena is a developing character. At the beginning Lena is portrayed as a character who does not care about others around her, although she often gets unpleasant treatment from her friends but it does not prevent Lena from going to school. Although she looks strong in the outside and able to face her friends, but in fact Lena has her own fear, that is when she Claimed at 16 years old. Lena is always pessimistic that she has no choice and will be claimed as a Dark Caster. But with the support of the people around her, Lena begins to rise and tries to find a way to decide her own life choices.

3.2 The Motive that Leads Lena Duchannes Does Something Different from Caster’s Tradition

In the first problem, it has explained about Lena’s character and

characterization. Then, the writer wants to describe about the motive that leads

Lena Duchannes does something different from Caster’s tradition. Those motives

are very influential which affect Lena to take decisions against Caster’s Tradition. 3.2.1 Lena Wants to Feel Like an Ordinary Girl

There are a lot of children who can’t enjoy their social life because they are limited by their family so they can’t get their existence, Like Lena whose her life is limited by her uncle. Lena is a migrant girl, since before entering the school Lena has become the talk of people in school because she is the nephew of Macon Ravenwood. Macon himself is someone who is not accepted in Gatlin, Macon is

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never seen out of his house so there is a variety of gossip about Macon and his family.

Macon Melchizedek Ravenwood was the town shit-in. let’s just say, I

remember enough of To Kill A Mockingbird to know Old Man Ravenwood

mad Boo Radley look like a social butterfly. He lived in a run-down old house, on Gatlin’s oldest and most infamous plantation, and I didn’t think anyone in town had seen since before I was born, maybe longer.

―Are you serious?‖ asked Link.

―Totally, Carlton Eaton told my mom yesterday when he brought by our mail.‖

Savanna nodded. ―My mama heard the same thing. She moved in with Old Man Ravenwood a couple days ago, from Virginia, or Maryland, I don’t remember.‖

They all kept talking about her, her clothes and her hair and her uncle and what a freak she probably was. That’s the thing I hate most about Gatlin. The way everyone had something to say about everything you said or did or, in this case, wore. (Garcia & Stohl 13)

Since the beginning of her new school entrance, Lena has no friends. Because besides she is the nephew of Macon Ravenwood, Lena's appearance is also considered to be strange by the people at her school. Lena even goes to school by driving her uncle's hearse. Lena has always been treated unpleasantly by the people at her school, but not with Ethan. Ethan feels Lena is a special girl, it is makes Ethan always tries to be friends with Lena.

Lena and Ethan then become friends and get closer. Ethan is very

impressed by Lena because Lena never cares about her friends at her school. Then Ethan knows the fact that Lena and her family are not ordinary people, they are Caster. Although at first Lena hesitates to tell Ethan because Lena is afraid that Ethan will leave her, because Lena wants to be like a normal girl who has friends.

―My family is different from other families. Trust me, you can’t handle it.‖

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―You’re incredibly, absolutely, extremely, supremely, unbelievably different.‖ I touch her arm, with just my fingertips, and immediately I felt the warmth of electricity. ―I know because of deep down, I think I am, too. So tell me. Please, different how?‖

―I don’t want to tell you. Because this could be my last chance to be a normal girl, even if it is Gatlin. Because you’re my only friend here. Because if I tell you, you won’t believe me. Or worse, you will. (Garcia & Stohl 57)

Lena then tells Ethan that her family is not used to get out and interact with people. Lena's family limited them from outsider and social life. But Lena always wants a freedom. Therefore since her childhood Lena trying to get out of

his family’s zone. When Lena was child, she and her cousin Ridley always want

to free and live life like other ordinary girls, eventually they try to get into regular school. But because they do not come out and interact with people for long time, Lena and Ridley even look strange to their friends.

―Ridley and I were like a sister. We slept in the same room and we were home-schooled together. When we moved to Virginia, we convinced my gramma to let us to go to a regular school. We wanted to make friends, be normal. The only time we ever spoke to Mortals was when Gramma took us on one of her outings to the museums, the opera, or lunch at Olde Pink House.‖

―So what happened when you went to school?‖

―It was a disaster. Our clothes were wrong, we didn’t have a TV, we turned in all our homework. We were total losers.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 76) But for Lena's uncle, Macon Ravenwood, he does not like if Lena interacts with people in the town. Macon thinks that going to school and interacting with people in the town is a waste of time. When parents try to get their children to go to school, Macon is even happier if Lena stays home and does not get along with ordinary people.

―With my uncle, the infamous Macon Ravenwood, who thinks school is a waste of time and the good citizens of Gatlin are to be avoided at all costs? He’ll be thrilled.‖

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―Then why do you even go?‖

―I guess I thought it would be different here. Maybe I could make some friends, join the newspaper or something. I didn’t know.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 50)

Macon also assumes that the Caster is better than the people at Gatlin, on the whole better than ordinary people in general. Because Caster is a special creature, they have special powers that no ordinary person has. Macon assumes that their race is better than Mortal. Although Caster and Mortal live side by side, but Caster greatly limits interacting with Mortalthat's the reason Macon never get out of his house and meet the people in Gatlin all the time.

Lena smiled awkwardly, ―Don’t be a snob, uncle M. it’s not their fault you never speak to any of them.‖

―And it’s not my fault that I have a penchant for good breeding, reasonable intelligence, and passable personal hygiene, not necessarily in that order.‖

―So why don’t you just move?‖

―Don’t be absurd. Ravenwood is my home, not Gatlin.‖ He spat out the word like it was toxic. ―When I was pass on from the binds of life, I will have to find someone to care for Ravenwood in my place, since I have no children. It’s always been my great and terrible purpose, to keep

Ravenwood alive. I like to think myself as the curator of a living museum.‖ ―Don’t be so dramatic, uncle M.‖

―Don’t be so diplomatic, Lena. Why you want to interact with those unenlightened townsfolk, I’ll never understand.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 53) Not only Macon, but Lena's cousin, Ridley also expresses his displeasure when Lena gets along with Mortal. Especially after Ridley finds out that Lena is being treated unworthily by the people in her school. Although when they were young, Ridley and Lena had tried to be a normal human being and want to have a friend with Mortal.

Ridley appeared at her side, with Link right beside her. She was furious, I could see that much. ―I don’t get it, Cuz I don’t see why you want to hang out with their kind. She spat the words out, sounding just like Emily. (Garcia & Stohl 152)

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From the explanation above, we can know the first motive why Lena does something different with Caster tradition. The Caster usually does not interact with Mortal Because the Caster thought they were better than the Mortals, but not with Lena. Lena always wants to free and live life like ordinary girl in general, like school and have friends. Lena is still trying to get out and go to school even though her family does not like it.

3.2.2 Lena Falls in Love with Mortal

Lena and Ethan have plenty of time to be together and then finally they end up falling in love with each other. Not just the Lena family who don’t like Lena interacts with Mortal, but Ethan family also disliked if Ethan keep in touch with the Ravenwoods.

Amma’s face softened, just a little, and she sat down across from me. ―Don’t think so. We all make our choices, and those choices have

consequences. I expect you’ll have some hell to pay for yours when you get to school. Maybe you’ll start listenin’ to me now. Stay away from that Lena Duchannes, and that house.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 46)

Lena and Ethan both get blatant rejection from their families. Macon always forbids Lena to interact too much with Mortal, especially until she has a special relationship with Mortal. While Ethan's own family, Amma, had always told Ethan to keep his distance from the Ravenwoods. But they both did not listen to their family and keep their freedom to maintain their relationship.

When Lena meets her cousin, Ridley, she says that their relationship is a doomed relationship. But she still did not understand what Ridley was saying.

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I felt Ridley’s body stiffen against my arm, which she was still wrapped around like a snake. ―You think you are so much better than me, Lena…is it? You don’t even know your real name. You don’t even realize this relationship of yours is doomed. Just wait until you’re Claimed and you find out how things really work.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 70)

Moreover, their families both show disagreement if they are together. Macon and Amma even meet to discuss if their nephew's relationship is

impossible to continue. When Macon and Amma met, both of them did not like their meeting, especially Amma very clearly show her displeasure with Macon and his family.

―I’ve quite an eventful evening myself, Ammarie, but this matter requires our immediate attention.‖ Macon took a few steps forward.

Amma recoiled and pointed a bony finger in his direction. ―You stay were you are. I don’t like bein’ out here with your kind on this sorta night. Don’t like it one bit. You keep to yourself, and I’ll keep to mine.‖

He stepped back casually, blowing smoke rings into the air. ―I was saying, certain developments require our immediate attention.‖ …..

―At your house…when was he at your house? I told him to stay clear a

Ravenwood.‖ Now she was noticeably agitated. Great, Amma would find

some way to make me pay for this later.

―Well, perhaps you might consider shortening his leash. Clearly, he isn’t very obedient. I warned you that this friendship would be dangerous, that it could develop into something more. A future between the two of them is an impossibility.‖ (Garcia & Stohl 80-81)

At first they just think that their parents are trying to separate them because of the usual thing,the parents usually do not like if the teenagers have a relationship, they also think maybe their family just did not like each other.

―That doesn’t make any sense. Why is he meeting Amma in the middle of the night to tell her we still have the locket? Why don’t they want us to have it? And more important, why don’t they want us to be together?‖

Lena’s hair started to whip around her face. She shot back, ―I don’t know. Parents are always trying to keep teenagers apart, it’s what they do. If you want to know why, maybe you should ask Amma. She’s the one

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60 interacting with Mortal or ordinary humans. But Lena wants to live life like a girl

in general like school and have friends. The second motive is Lena falls in love

with Ethan who is a Mortal. In her family tradition Caster should not have any

relationship with Mortal. Even Lena's great-grandmother who loved Mortal is

finally cursed.

The third motive is Lena’s family have no free will in their

Claiming day. Lena is told that Lena has no choice, the fate of her family is

determined when they were sixteen on the Claiming day. Lena is afraid that she

will be Claimed as a Dark Caster.

Finally, the third result is about existence that depicted by the character of

Lena Duchannes in the novel. In the story Lena’s existence shows five concept of

existentialism by Jean Paul Sartre that are; freedom, responsibility, anguish,

subjectivity, and engagement. Freedom of choice exposed by Lena when she still

chose to go to school and interact with Mortal instead of obeying her uncle and

Caster habits in general. However, every choice has a responsibility. Because

Lena is the strongest Caster in her family, Lena has a responsibility to protect her

family. Besides, Lena's choice also has consequences that must be borne out by

her choice, so it makes Lena feel confuse about her choice because every her

choice has impact for her family. Later, when Lena knows that Caster should not

have a relationship with Mortal, Lena still chooses to go ahead and does not give

up with her relationship with Ethan where Lena's decision is very much against

Caster’s

tradition. Last, on the day claimed, Caster usually chooses whether they

will be a Dark Caster or Caster Li

ght. Since the beginning, Lena won’t be a Dark

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Caster, so until the end Lena still chose to decide her own fate, by choosing to be

half Light and half Dark, which never happened to the previous Caster.

4.2 Suggestion

The writer hopes that this paper can help the readers who want to know

about the existence of main character, Lena Duchannes and her decision in

Beautiful Creatures novel. The writer hopes that the readers know and understand

the story of the novel. The writer would like to give suggestion that readers realize

the importance of reading the novel as the source of information, knowledge and

messages.

This paper also can be as guide the readers to the readers to analyze the

literary works especially novel. The writer hopes that the readers can analyze

Beautiful Creatures novel from other elements of literary works and another point

of view.

The last but not least, nobody is perfect. It is also applicable to this paper.

The writer realizes that this paper is still far from being perfect, therefore the

writer really welcome any constructive critics and suggestion toward this paper.

The writer hopes that this paper will be worthwhile for the readers.

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