A portrayal of a seminarian`s decision in responding the call through the main characters in Paulo Coelho`s by The River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN
RESPONDING THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN
CHARACTERS IN PAULO COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Student Number: 064214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN
RESPONDING THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN
CHARACTERS IN PAULO COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Student Number: 064214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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Waiting is painful
Forgetting is painful
But, not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering
(Paulo Coelho)
Don’t allow your wounds to transform you
into someone you are not
(Paulo Coelho)
We are most alive
When we’re in love
(John Updike)
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I dedicate this undergraduate thesis to:
My Greatest Motivator, Jesus Christ
My beloved parents
My dearest brothers
My love
All my friends
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to thank Jesus Christ, the Greatest Motivator for me
until this day, for His blessings and helping me in solving my problems when I am
doing this thesis. He has blessed me all day and His blessing never stops for me.
Thank God for loving me unconditionally.
Secondly, I would like to thank to my parents, for their support, their
attention, their patience, and their never ending love for me. I would thank my
aunt and my cousins for their support, advice and their care when I was in a
difficult situation. I also would like to thank my whole family for their help and
support in finishing this undergraduate thesis.
Thirdly, I would like to thank my advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S.,
M.Hum., for her patience and her guidance when I was doing my thesis with so
many problems that I have so far. Thank so much for her advice during guiding
me when I was doing my thesis, Mrs. Putranti. My big gratitude also goes to my
co-advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum. who has given his time to read
and check on my undergraduate thesis. Of course I would like to say thank you so
much to all the secretary staff for all their help.
My special thank goes to my friends Gaby, Pipiet, Siska, Risca, Haryo,
Esther, April, Septi, Emma, and Choco for all their support in my study and also
in my personal life. And to all my friends that I cannot mention one by one
especially my friends in English Letters Department thank for their best support
for me. My deep gratitude goes to Father PM. Sunarkawihardjo, MSF for his
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
prayer and his endless support. The last but not least my big thank is for Mrs.
Fitriati’s family for allowing me to live in their house for several nights and also
for their support and prayer for me. And my last thank is for someone that has
brought back my happiness and raised my hope.
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 064214036
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN RESPONDING
THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN PAULO
COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mngelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikannya secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet
atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta izin dari saya
maupun memberi royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 11 Januari 2013
Yang menyatakan
(Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti)
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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declared that this thesis, A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s Decision in
Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo Coelho’s By the
River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept, which I have written, does not contain the
work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 10 Januari 2013
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .......................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ..............................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE ...................................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI ...................................................
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .....................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................
ABSTRAK ......................................................................................................
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
x
xii
xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................
A. Background of the Study .....................................................................
B. Problem Formulation ...........................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .......................................................................
D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................
1
1
5
5
6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ................................................
A. Review of Related Study .....................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ................................................................
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ...............................
2. Theory of Conflict ...................................................................
a. Internal Conflict ...........................................................
b. External Conflict .........................................................
C. Theoretical Framework .......................................................................
7
7
9
9
11
12
13
15
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................
A. Object of the Study .............................................................................
B. Approach of the Study.........................................................................
C. Method of the Study............................................................................
16
16
17
18
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS .........................................................................
A. The Author’s Description about the Main Characters .........................
1. Pilar ..........................................................................................
2. Pilar’s Childhood Friend .........................................................
B. The Conflicts of the Main Characters .................................................
1. Pilar’s Conflict .........................................................................
2. Pilar’s Childhood Friend’s Conflicts .......................................
C. Portrayal of A Seminarian’s Decision in Responding the Call
through the Conflicts between Pilar and Her Childhood Friend .........
20
20
20
33
37
37
42
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ....................................................................
47
x
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BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 52
APPENDIX .................................................................................................... 54
The Summary of By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept ................. 54
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ABSTRACT
MARIA THERESIA RIKA PRAMESTI. A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s
Decision in Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo
Coelho’s By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
This undergraduate thesis discusses Paulo Coelho’s novel entitled By the
River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. This novel is interesting to discuss because
this book presents the romantic love between a woman and a seminarian. And it
contains the conflicts that portray how a seminarian makes a decision in
responding the call.
There are three problems to be discussed in this study. The first is the
author’s description about the main characters. The second problem is about the
conflicts of the main characters. The third problem is portrayal a seminarian in
making a decision in responding the call through the conflicts between Pilar and
her childhood friend as the main characters in this novel.
The writer uses the library research to collect the data and to find the
theories and references for the study. The writer uses the formalistic approach to
be applied in this thesis. The writer thinks that the formalistic approach is
appropriate to the study because the writer focuses on the intrinsic elements of the
novel which are the characters and the conflicts that can be seen from the novel
itself without any additional information from outside the novel.
As the result of the study, the writer makes conclusion for this study.
Firstly, the main characters in this story are Pilar and her childhood friend. The
author described Pilar as a round character who is a weak person in the beginning
of the story and becomes a tough person. Pilar’s childhood friend is described as a
curious and hesitant person. He is a seminarian in this story. Secondly, the writer
explains about the conflicts of the main characters. Pilar has conflict with her
mind, and her childhood friend has conflict about his decision. Thirdly is about
potrayal of a seminarian in making a decision in responding the call through the
conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend. The conflicts between Pilar and
her childhood friend shows the potrayal of how a seminarian decides to respond
the call. In the end of the story, he makes a decision which is a good decision for
them.
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ABSTRAK
MARIA THERESIA RIKA PRAMESTI. A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s
Decision in Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo
Coelho’s By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra
Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.
Tesis ini membahas tentang sebuah novel karya Paulo Coelho yang
berjudul By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Novel tersebut sangat
menarik untuk diteliti karena novel ini mengisahkan tentang cerita cinta romantis
antara seorang wanita dengan seorang calon imam. Dan di dalam novel ini juga
menceritakan tentang konflik yang menggambarkan cara seorang calon imam
membuat sebuah keputusan dalam menanggapi panggilannya.
Terdapat tiga rumusan permasalahan yang akan dibahas dalam penelitian
ini. Rumusan masalah yang pertama adalah cara pengarang menggambarkan
tokoh-tokoh utama. Rumusan masalah yang kedua adalah konflik-konflik yang
dialami oleh tokoh-tokoh utama dalam cerita. Rumusan masalah yang ketiga
adalah penggambaran tentang seorang calon imam dalam mengambil keputusan
untuk menanggapi panggilannya melalui konflik antara Pilar dan teman masa
kecilnya sebagai tokoh-tokoh utama dalam novel ini.
Penulis menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka dalam mengumpulkan
data dan dalam mencari teori dan referensi yang sesuai dengan pembahasan
penelitian ini. Pendekatan formalistik digunakan oleh penulis sebagai pendekatan
dalam tesis ini karena dalam tesis ini penulis membahas tentang unsur intrinsik
dalam sebuah novel, dalam hal ini adalah penokohan dan konflik yang dapat
ditemukan dari novel itu sendiri tanpa adanya informasi tambahan yang berasal
dari luar novel itu sendiri.
Sebagai hasil dari penelitian, penulis merangkum kesimpulan dari
penelitian ini. Yang pertama, tokoh-tokoh utama dalam cerita ini adalah Pilar dan
teman masa kecilnya. Pengarang menggambarkan Pilar sebagai seseorang yang
lemah pada awal cerita and berubah menjadi seseorang yang tangguh. Teman
masa kecil Pilar digambarkan sebagai seseorang yang mempunyai rasa ingin tahu
dan seseorang yang ragu-ragu. Dia merupaka seorang calon imam. Yang kedua,
penulis menjelaskan tentang konflik-konflik yang terjadi pada tokoh-tokoh utama.
Pilar mempunyai konflik dengan pikirannya sendiri sedangkan teman masa
kecilnya mempunyai konflik tentang keputusan yang sudah dia ambil. Yang
ketiga mengenai gambaran seorang calon imam dalam mengambil keputusan saat
menanggapi panggilannya melalui konflik antara Pilar dan teman masa kecilnya.
Konflik di antara mereka menunjukkan penggambaran tentang cara seorang calon
imam dalam mengambil keputusan dan menanggapi panggilannya. Pada akhir
cerita, dia membuat keputusan yang baik untuk mereka.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.
Background of the Study
At the first time when the writer wants to find out the definition of literature,
the writer gets confused. There are some definition of literature from some
authors. They have their own point of view about literature but actually they have
the same idea.
Literature is group of fiction, poem, and plays. Most of literary works
describe the realities of life. They show sadness, happiness, love, death, murder,
affair, and many more. Sometimes they reflect what happen in life. “Literature is
related to the truths of human life. It may be based on situation that have occurred
and which may never occur.” (Robert & Jacobs, 1987: 2). Reading literature can
enrich our knowledge and experience about this world.
According to Robert and Jacobs, Literature has relation with human life. It
describe the truth life of human kind. Literature can be a description of the
situation that happens, has happened, will happened, or never happens. Sometimes
literature can be used as the criticism of the condition in a certain era.
Literature has three main genres. They are fiction, poetry, and drama. They
have their own specialty that makes people interested to read it. In this thesis, the
writer decides to analyze a novel instead of other literary works because novel is
more complete and detailed in describing the character, the problem, and the
situation in a plot.
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The topic of this study is still in the part of a plot. There are some aspects in
a plot that make a structure in a story. Roberts and Jacobs stated that there are five
elements in a structure of a plot. In their book entitled Fiction: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing (Second Edition), there are exposition, complication, crisis,
climax, and resolution. Roberts and Jacobs also stated about the importance of
conflict in a plot.
The most significant element, the essence, of plot is conflict. In conflict, the
human responses are brought out to their highest degree. In its most
elemental form, a conflict is the opposition of two people. They may fight,
argue, enlist help each other, and otherwise carry on their opposition.
Conflict may also exist between larger groups, although in imaginative
literature, conflicts between individuals are more identifiable and therefore
more interesting (Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: 99).
From the quotation above, Roberts and Jacobs stated that conflict is the
essence and the most important element in a plot. Beside conflict can happen
between two people, in a story conflict can happen between larger groups.
Although conflict can happen between larger groups, the conflicts between
individuals afre more interesting.
Conflict is also the main element in a structure of a plot in a story. Roberts
and Jacobs stated about the important role of conflict in a plot.
The reason that conflict is the major ingredient in a plot is that once two
forces are in opposition, there may be doubt about the outcome. The doubt,
if the reader becomes interested and engaged with the charactes, produces
curiosity and also tension (Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: 99).
According to that statement, conflict seems so important in a plot because the
conflicts between two opposite forces, individuals, or groups can build the interest
and the tension of the readers and also make the readers curious with the story.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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Indirectly, the exsistence of conflict can influence the readers’ emotion while they
read the story.
As stated by Perrine, “a novel represents the imitation on man’s day life and
manners in a natural way and offers an image of real life.” (Perrine, 1966: 76),
novel tells about people’s ordinary life which also has conflicts, feelings, and
problems. Novel also has many types according to the topic of the story. They are
romance, thriller, science fiction, and many more. Every novel has its own
uniqueness according to the authors’ way to express the idea. One of the good
authors who have written many good novels is Paulo Coelho.
Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author. He is one of the authors who write a lot
of great novels. Most of his novels become best-selling books so the writer
chooses one of his best-selling books to be analyzed. Among his famous novels,
the writer chooses By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept to analyze further.
His book, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, is first published in
1994. The writer chooses this book to be analyzed because it is very interesting
book and very interesting story. This book is about a sweet love story and how the
main character struggles from her fear.
Mostly this book tells about the conflict of the main character to find their
purpose of life. It is a love story about two childhood friends who were separated
for long time and now they meet again to gain their love. The writer finds lots of
wisdom in this novel. The wisdom tells about love, sacrifice, devotion to God, and
struggling in finding the right path in life.
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Related to the some explainations above, the writer chooses to analyze that
novel entitled By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. After the writer read the
whole story, the writer can see the conflict between Pilar and her childhood friend
that finally influence her childhood friend in making a decision about responding
the call as a seminarian. The writer is interesting about how the author describes
Pilar and her childhood friend in the whole story. This topic will be analyzed by
the writer. It is interesting to be analyzed.
In this story, Pilar is described as a person who is lack of confidence. She
has a traumatic love story in the past, but she is trying to be tough. The writer will
observe the description of the author about Pilar as one of the main characters in
the novel. The writer also wants to know what happens to Pilar after her
childhood friend left her and what happens when 11 years later destiny brings the
lovers together again.
In the beginning, Pilar is described as a weak person who has a traumatic
love story in the past. Then, she is trying to be tough. 11 years later when she
meets again with her childhood friend whom she is waiting for. The conflict
begins when Pilar starts to defend her opinion to meet her childhood friend in
Madrid. The conflict happens to her along her journey accompanying her
childhood friend has taught her to be tough. Then, through her journey with her
lover, she learns many things. Through the journey, Pilar also can change her
childhood friend’s decision. In the beginning it seems difficult for Pilar if she is
left again by her childhood friend and he will still be a seminarian. Finally, her
childhood friend leaves seminary and decides to live with Pilar.
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B.
Problem Formulation
The following questions will determine the direction of the writer’s
analysis:
1.
How does the author describe Pilar and her childhood friend?
2.
What are the conflicts of Pilar and her childhood friend?
3.
How do the conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend portray a
seminarian in making a decision in responding the call?
C.
Objectives of the Study
This study has three problem formulations, so it also has three objectives.
The first objective is to find out how the author describes the main characters in
the story, Paulo Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. In this story
the main characters are Pilar and her childhood friend. The second objective is to
find out the conflicts of the main characters in this story. The main characters in
this story, Pilar and her childhood friend, have internal and external conflict. The
third objective is to find out the potrayal of a seminarian in making a decision in
responding the call through the conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend.
This conflict will influence his decision in responding the call as a seminarian. It
can be a potrayal of a seminarian when he has to make a decision to respond the
call to be a priest.
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D.
Definition of Terms
There are two terms that are used in the title and the problem formulation.
They are: character and conflict.
1.
Character
Characters are most often used to refer a person in a story and characters are
usually presented through their action, dialect, and thoughts, as well as by
description. A character is also an “author’s representation of human being,
specifically, of those inner qualities that determine how an individual reacts
to various conditions attempts to shape her or his environment.”(Roberts,
1969:45)
2.
Conflict
“Conflict is a struggle which grows out of the interplay of two opposing
forces in a plot.” (Holman, 1960:118)
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A.
Review of Related Studies
Some people also write and discuss about character development of a
certain character from different novels and in different ways. In this study, the
writer will compare her study with other studies which have similar topic with the
writer. The writer chooses two thesis that have similar topic with the writer whis
is about conflict. The first one is the undergraduate thesis from Sri Saraswati
entitled The Influence of Conflicts Upon the Main Character Development in
Tennessee William The Roman Spring of Mrs.Stone. The Second one is the
undergraduate thesis from Heribertus Vendykurniawan Putra entitled The
Contribution of Conflicts toward Jamal Hicks’ Personality Development in
Walter Dean Myers’s Scorpions.
Sri Saraswati (2006) discussed about the influence of conflicts upon the
main character development in her thesis entitled The Influence of Conflicts Upon
the Main Character Development in Tennessee Williams’ The Roman Spring of
Mrs.Stone. In her study, she used a work of literature by Tennessee William
entitled The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. In her thesis, she discussed about the
main character development which is influenced by conflicts happened to her.
Her focus of study is almost the same with the writer’s study. She discussed
about the influence of conflicts. The differences are on the object of study and the
conflicts that are discussed. The writer explains about the conflicts that will
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influence a seminarian in making his decision in responding the call. But, Sri
Saraswati explained about the influence af the whole conflicts toward the
character development.
Sri Saraswati (2006) explained more about the conflicts happened to Mrs.
Stone. For the external conflict, she explained the conflict between Mrs. Stone
and her society, Mrs. Stone and her husband, and also Mrs. Stone and Paolo
(2006: 35). In her conclusion, she stated that the way Mrs. Stone solved her
conflict she had experienced affected her characteristics.
Heribertus Vendykurniawan Putra (2011) studied about contribution of
conflicts toward certain character’s personality development in Walter Dean
Myers’ Scorpions. The title of his thesis is The Contribution of Conflicts toward
Jamal Hicks’ Personality Development in Walter Dean Myers’s Scorpions. In his
study, he explained about the personality development as the result of the
conflicts. Heribertus focused on the main character, Jamal Hicks. He analyzed the
charactererization of Jamal Hicks and found out the internal and external conflicts
of Jamal Hicks. He also discussed about the role of conflicts in the development
of certain character’s characteristics or personality. He analyzed the role of
conflicts in a character’s personality development.
Although there is a similarity between his study and the writer’s study, but
they are different in the approach of the study, the object of the study, and the
focus of the study. Putra’s study focused on the personality development by using
psychological approach whether the writer focuses on the conflicts using
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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formalistic approach.
In his study Putra analyzed the internal conflicts and
external conflicts of the main character who is Jamal Hicks. In her study, the
writer analyzed the conflicts of two main characters who are Pilar and her
childhood friend.
Both Putra’s thesis and Saraswati’s thesis discussed about conflict.
Compared with the writer’s study, they discuss about the influence of conflict
toward character development and personality development. In her study, the
writer specifies the conflict that influences the decision of a seminarian in
responding the call. Although the writer also explain about Pilar’s character
development, it is not the main point of this study.
B.
Review of Related Theories
The writer applies some theories to explain and answer the problem
formulations. The theories are:
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization
Characters as one of the basic intrinsic elements of a work of literature
usually bring a message. Abrams in his book, A Glossary of Literary Terms says
that the characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and
emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do.
(Abrams, 1985: 23) “
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Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature state that
characters must be credible so that the readers must accept them as believable
people (1971: 20). Although the character is a fictional character, the
characteristic is usually based on the real person in the world. In other words, the
characters are the imitation of human being in reality.
Character can be round character and flat character. Flat character is built
around a single idea or quality and presented in outline and without much
individualizing details, and so can be fairly adequately described in a single
sentence or phrase. (Abrams, 1981: 21). While, round character is complex in
temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularly.
People have their own ways to describing the characteristics of a certain
character in the story. In their book entitled Literature for Composition: Essay,
Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain
tell about setting forth a character sketch and describing some person in the story
or novel. They also stated four distinct ways in describing a character in the novel.
They are:
a.
The Character’s Speech and Thought
The readers should consider the situation or the total context of the
statement. A person might change from a despairing person into a better one from
the development of the speeches. A despairing character might say depressing
things at first but happy things in the end. As a result, speeches should indicate the
reflection of the character’s feeling.
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b.
The Character’s Action
The readers will find that the actions may show signal weakness,
dishonesty, or even strong, and mature through the main character’s action.
c.
The Other Characters Who Say about Them
In stories, as in life, sometime people talk about other people. The opinion
from other characters will help the readers to understand the characteristics or the
personality of a certain character.
d.
The Other Characters’ Action
The readers can find the characteristics of certain character from the other
characters’ action which are in contrast to that character.
Those ways can be used to identify and to find out the characteristics of a certain
character.
2.
Theory of Conflict
There is always a conflict in a novel or story. The story will be meaningless
if there is no conflict in that story. A novel will feel like no story if there is no
conflict in it. It will be monotonous. Holman stated that “conflict is a struggle
which grows out of the interplay of two opposing forces in a plot” (Holman, 1960:
118). Conflict will make a story interesting and meaningful. A conflict in the story
can develop the readers’ imagination and curiosity to know what will happen in
the end of the story and also to read the story until the story end.
Holman states that “Conflict is the major part of all plots in literary works. It
is one of the important elements of plot since it is the backbone as a story, for it
provides the elements of interest and suspense.” (Holman, 1960: 118). Conflict
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
has an important role in a story. It is an important aspect in a story. Arp and
Johnson have their own opinion about conflict. They state their opinion in their
book entitled Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense (Tenth Edition). It
is stated that,
“Ordinarily, however, both the surface excitement required in commercial
fiction and the significant meaning found in literary fiction arise out of some
sort of conflict – a clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills.”(Arp and
Johnson, 2009: 104)
Arp and Johnson stated that a conflict is a dispute in actions, ideas, desires, or
will. They also explain about external conflict and internal conflict. They say that
a character can have conflict against other person or group of person, pysical
nature, society, or conflict against the environment. The conflict can be physical,
mental, emotional, or moral.
According to Perrine in her book entitled Story and Structure, she says that,
“the main character in the novel can be in conflict against man, against physical
nature, society or fate, and the conflict against his own nature such as physical,
mental, emotional, or moral” (Perrine, 1966: 59). From Perrine’s statement, the
writer decides that there are two kinds of conflict in a story. They are:
a.
Internal Conflict
Internal conflict is a conflict between a character and herself/himself to
reach her/his purpose or to decide what she/he wants to do. In true life, a person
will confront many problems while she/he is in process in reaching her/his goal
and she/he will have conflict with herself/himself. She/he will be in a complicated
situation and she/he has to choose the best way to reach her/his goal.
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Internal conflict in this novel can be seen when the main character, Pilar,
is in a difficult situation to choose whether she wants to take a risk or not. She
gets confused. She thinks that the love between her and her childhood friends is
not more than foolishness in their childhood but in her deepest heart she still loves
him. She also still feels uncertain with her childhood friend’s love to her. She is
afraid of being hurt if she thinks about it seriously.
b.
External Conflict
External conflict is a conflict of the characters against the external side of
themselves, such as conflict against nature and society including the conflict
among the characters. The meaning and the complexity of the external conflict
come from the internal conflict. But, the external conflict that gives pressure to a
character to make internal choices and changes.
There are several kinds of external conflicts. The first one is the conflict
between a character and the nature. She/he cannot win against nature because the
power of human being is limited. For example: a young man will go to a date but
he cannot go because there is a bad storm. There will be a conflict because in one
side he wants to come to the date and he does not want to make his lover
disappointed, but in the other side the storm blocks his way.
The second one is the struggle against another person, usually a conflict
between protagonist and antagonist. For example: a couple wants to have an
engagement, but one of their parents disagrees with their relationship, so there is a
conflict between the couple and the parent. The last kind of external conflict is the
conflict between a character and the society: for example: a man that used to be a
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14
drunk, but then he decides to change, to stop being a drunk, and has had a good
job, but then the society still thinks that he is always a drunk and never change.
Roberts and Jacobs stated about the role of conflict in a plot. Conflicts and
plot cannot be separated. Conflict is the essence and the important element of plot.
Roberts and Jacobs also show the position of conflict in a structure of a plot. In
their book entitled Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing (Second
Edition), Roberts and Jacobs stated five elements in the structure of a plot. They
are:
1.
Exposition
Exposition is the early description about the characters, the backgrounds,
and the materials in the work of literature. It is like the introduction of the
character and the situation of the story.
2.
Complication
Complication is the beginning conflict in a story. In this part the conflict
starts. It iis the onset of the major conflict in the story or the onset of the
plot. In this part, the antagonist and the protagonist shows their ideas and
values.
3.
Crisis
Crisis is the turning point in a story. It separates between what has happened
and what will happen after that. Crisis is an action to resolve the conflict. It
is usually can be a decision to finish the conflict.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
15
4.
Climax
Climax is the top of the action. It is the high tension of the conflict. It is the
top action of the conflict. In this part, an author sets all the rest of the action
firmly.
5.
Resolution, or Dénouement
Resolution is a set of actions that will take the story to the conclusion of the
whole story. In this part the conflict has met the decision and solution. That
will bring them into a conclusion of the whole story.
The writer also puts some theory about plot because discussing about conflict
cannot be seperated with discussing about plot. Conflict has an important role in a
structure of a plot. So, we cannot discuss about conflict of a story without seeing
the structure of a plot in that story.
C.
Theoretical Framework
The theories above are used to answer the problem formulation in this study.
The writer uses the first theory about Four Different Ways in Describing a
Character in the Novel to explain the characteristics of Pilar and her childhood
friend as the main characters in this. The second theory is about the Theory of
Conflict. This theory is used to indicate the conflict which is undergone by Pilar
and her childhood friend along their journey. They get internal conflict and
external conflict that will portray a seminarian’s decision in responding the call.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A.
Object of the Study
The object of the study is a novel entitled By the River Piedra I Sat Down
and Wept. The original title of the novel is Na margem de rio Piedra eu sentei e
chorei. The original version is in Portuguese language. It was first published in
Brazil in 1994. The novel was translated into English version by Alan R. Clarke in
1996. The novel consists of 180 pages and the chapter is in the form like a daily
diary. The author of this novel is Paulo Coelho. He is a famous author who writes
many great books. He wrote each story in a beautiful language. Sometimes he
puts some good words, poetic prose, and symbolism (Hassapi, 2005).
The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de
Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre
director and actor, lyricist and journalist. Coelho wrote song lyrics for many
famous performers in Brazilian music, such as Elis Regina and Rita Lee. Yet his
most well-known work has been done with Raul Seixas. Together they wrote such
successes as Eu nasci há dez mil anos atrás (I was born ten thousand years ago),
Gita and Al Capone, amongst other 60 songs. His fascination with the spiritual
quest dates back to his hippie days, when he travelled the world learning about
secret societies, oriental religions, etc.
The center of this novel is Pilar because this novel is like Pilar’s diary book.
Pilar is a student who focuses on a mundane career that will surely pay the bills
and maneuver her to safety after her childhood friend’s gone. In his eleven years
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17
gone, he keeps in contact with Pilar through letters and postcards. When Pilar is
utterly focused on her studies, her childhood friend asks her to meet at a seminar
near Barcelona. Pilar lives in Zaragoza. After that meeting, Pilar gets many
experiences and stories along her journey with her childhood friend. That
experiences and stories influence her thought and open the possibility of change in
her. In this story, Pilar has some conflict between her mind and her heart.
In the analysis, the writer will analyze about the importance of Pilar’s
conflicts toward her character development. In the story, Pilar has many conflicts
with her mind and her heart. And those conflict will change Pilar’s
characterization from weak into tough.
B.
Approach of the Study
To analyze the novel, the writer uses formalistic approach to analyze the
problem formulated above. The writer thinks that formalistic approach is
appropriate approach to analyze the problem formulation. Formalistic approach is
the way to analyze a work of literature by reading and viewing the work
intrinsically or the work itself without the extrinsic factor of it. Intrinsic factor
used by the writer is about the internal conflict of Pilar as the main character.
In analyzing a literary work using the formalistic approach, the writer only
focuses on the text or the literary work itself, in this study the writer chooses to
analyze a novel. As stated by Wilfred L. Guerin in his book entitled A Handbook
of Critical Approaches of Literature, when analyzing a literary work, we do not
need to know further about the other information about that literary work.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
18
We have read a poem. Unless we know from other contexts, we still do not
know the name of the author, the nationality, or the era of the composition.
We do not know who the speaker is, not even the sex of the speaker. We
do not know if the poem concerns a real-life situaton or a totally fictive
one. We do not know whether the author took some similar real-life
situation or incident that he or she then adapted and transmute into a
poem.we know only the poem itself..... (Guerin, 1999: 73)
Although Guerin chooses a poem as the example, it has represented for the other
literary works. A poem is one of the example. The main poin is when we analyze
a literary work using the formalistic approach, what we know is just the work
itself and the intrinsic elements of the literary work.
This approach is appropriate to analyze the topic of the study. In this
study, the writer wants to analyze the character development of Pilar as the main
character in Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat down and Wept. The writer will
analyze the characteristics development by observing the internal conflict of Pilar.
Pilar has conflict between her mind and her heart and the external conflict
between Pilar and the other character.
This approach can be used to analyze the intrinsic elements of literature. In
this study, the writer will use this approach to analyze the characteristics of Pilar
as the main character and also the conflict happens to Pilar in the story. This
approach is appropriate to be used to analyze the topic of the study which is still
related to the intrinsic elements of literature which are plot and characteristics.
C.
Method of the Study
The method used to analyze the novel in this study was library research. In
this method, the writer divided the source into two, primary and secondary. The
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
19
primary source in this study was the novel By the River Piedra, I Sat Sown and
Wept written by Paulo Coelho. The secondary sources were from some books, and
criticism which were needed and related to the analysis of the novel.
The books that are used by the writer are books that contain some theories
that can support the writer’s analysis. The writer needs some books which are
related to the topic of the study and also some books to explain the answer in the
analysis. To answer the questions in the problem formulation, the writer finds out
some proofs from the novel itself. The proofs are the statement from the character
herself, the statements from other characters, the narration from the author, and
also from the actions of the character which are described by the author.
The writer took several steps in writing this thesis. The first step, the writer
read the novel, Paulo Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, as the
primary source. The writer read the novel several times to get the understanding
of the story and the focus of the study. The second step, the writer found out the
problem formulation and the suitable approach to analyze the study. The third
step, the writer found some books of theories and criticism to support in analyzing
the study. The next step, the writer was trying to answer the problem formulation
and also applying the theories to answer the problem formulation. The last step,
the writer drew the conclusion from the analysis.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer analyzes the novel in order to answer the
problem formulation. The writer puts some quotations from the novel to give
proofs of the writer’s statements. This chapter is divided into three parts. In the
first part, the writer will discuss about the author’s description about Pilar. The
second part is about the author’s description about Pilar’s childhood friend. In this
novel is clear that Pilar has conflict with her childhood friend. The last part is
about the significance of that conflict toward her childhood friend’s decision in
responding the call to be a priest.
A.
The Author’s Description about the Main Characters
Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept has two main
characters. They are Pilar and her childhood friend. In this part, the writer will
explain about the author’s description about them.
1.
Pilar
Pilar is described as a dynamic character. Her character changes. In this
novel Pilar has a special childhood friend whose name is not stated in this story.
Her childhood friend left her eleven years ago. Since that time, Pilar became a
weak person. She describes as a person who is lack of confidence.
Pilar’s weakness is lack of confidence. It can be seen in some realizations.
Her lack of confidence makes her hesitate to make a decision. In the novel, we can
see from the beginning of the story. “But after I reread my letter, I tore it up. Who
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
21
was I to speak about freedom or commitment? Compared to him, I knew nothing
about such things.” (1996:3). Pilar is not confident with herself. She thinks that
she is nothing compared with her childhood friend. She thinks that her childhood
friend is more knowledgeable than her.
When she gets some letters from her childhood friend and sees that the
stamps of the letters come from some different places, she does not feel confident
to meet her childhood friend in his conference.
then the letters from my childhood friend began to arrive more frequentlyand I was envious of the stamps from so many different places. He seemed
to know everything; he had sprouted wings, and now he roamed the world.
Meanwhile, I was simply trying to put down roots.(1996:3)
Pilar compares her life and her childhood friend’s life. She is not confident after
she gets the letters from her childhood friend with different stamps from many
different places. She thinks that she is nothing compared with him.
In the beginning of the story, the author told about Pilar’s life. Nothing is
wrong with Pilar’s life until someday her childhood friend decided to go around
the world to study about the world. Pilar who has special feeling to him felt
disappointed about his decision. Although he has told Pilar about his leaving, Pilar
still felt disappointed. Then, she was regretful about her decision to love him.
After her childhood friend left her, Pilar seems lonely. She continued her
study in a university and tried to have a special relationship with other man. That
relationship ended along with her failure in getting the scholarship for her study.
Her disappointment became doubled. This situation makes Pilar afraid in making
a decision again. She is afraid that she will make a wrong decision again.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
22
Her childhood friend’s leaving influences Pilar’s life. She lost someone
who can direct her to her future. It shows that Pilar needs him. Then, Pilar makes
an imaginary figure, named the Other to replace the existence of her childhood
friend. This imaginary figure always directs Pilar in making a decision. She will
do what the Other says because she thinks that it is the better decision than she
makes her own decision that can be wrong again.
When Pilar makes decision to come to the conference and meet her
childhood friend, she is amazed because many people attend the conference. She
does not know that her childhood friend is so famous among the people. “I want
to go up to the people in the audience and ask them why they were there, but I
didn’t have the nerve.” (1996:5). She is willing to ask the people why they were
there, but she is not brave enough to do that. She is not confident because she
thinks that her childhood friend must be a famous person and she is the one who
does not know about it.
Finally, Pilar decides to come to the conference in Madrid. She accepts her
childhood friend’s invitation to come to the conference although the Other does
not agree with that. Her curiosity leads her to make this decision. She wants to
know his appearance and his changes so far. She is curious about what he will do
in the conference. For twelve years, she only got postcards and letters from him
which shows the places that he has been visited.
When he finishes his lecturer, many people come to him. The audiences
are trying to reach him and to be near to him. Pilar has no space to meet him with
so many people around him.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
23
After the lecture, members of the audience rushed up to him. I waited,
worried about what his first impression of me would be after so many years.
I felt like a child-insecure, tense because I knew none of his new friends,
and jealous that he was paying more attention to the others than to me.
(1996: 9)
Pilar is not confidence with herself. It also shows that she is lack of selfconfidence. She is afraid of her childhood friend’s first impression when they
meet. She also feels jealous when his childhood friend is paying attention more to
the others than to her. In other side, she is curious about his first impression after
they did not meet for twelve years.
In page 9 Pilar says “I could have” for many times in this part. It shows that
she is willing to do something but she is uncertain to do it. She is still not
confident with her childhood friend who is so broad-minded. This sentence shows
that Pilar is not sure with what she does. She could have left him and
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN
RESPONDING THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN
CHARACTERS IN PAULO COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Student Number: 064214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN
RESPONDING THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN
CHARACTERS IN PAULO COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Student Number: 064214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Waiting is painful
Forgetting is painful
But, not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering
(Paulo Coelho)
Don’t allow your wounds to transform you
into someone you are not
(Paulo Coelho)
We are most alive
When we’re in love
(John Updike)
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
I dedicate this undergraduate thesis to:
My Greatest Motivator, Jesus Christ
My beloved parents
My dearest brothers
My love
All my friends
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to thank Jesus Christ, the Greatest Motivator for me
until this day, for His blessings and helping me in solving my problems when I am
doing this thesis. He has blessed me all day and His blessing never stops for me.
Thank God for loving me unconditionally.
Secondly, I would like to thank to my parents, for their support, their
attention, their patience, and their never ending love for me. I would thank my
aunt and my cousins for their support, advice and their care when I was in a
difficult situation. I also would like to thank my whole family for their help and
support in finishing this undergraduate thesis.
Thirdly, I would like to thank my advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S.,
M.Hum., for her patience and her guidance when I was doing my thesis with so
many problems that I have so far. Thank so much for her advice during guiding
me when I was doing my thesis, Mrs. Putranti. My big gratitude also goes to my
co-advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum. who has given his time to read
and check on my undergraduate thesis. Of course I would like to say thank you so
much to all the secretary staff for all their help.
My special thank goes to my friends Gaby, Pipiet, Siska, Risca, Haryo,
Esther, April, Septi, Emma, and Choco for all their support in my study and also
in my personal life. And to all my friends that I cannot mention one by one
especially my friends in English Letters Department thank for their best support
for me. My deep gratitude goes to Father PM. Sunarkawihardjo, MSF for his
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
prayer and his endless support. The last but not least my big thank is for Mrs.
Fitriati’s family for allowing me to live in their house for several nights and also
for their support and prayer for me. And my last thank is for someone that has
brought back my happiness and raised my hope.
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 064214036
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
A PORTRAYAL OF A SEMINARIAN’S DECISION IN RESPONDING
THE CALL THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN PAULO
COELHO’S
BY THE RIVER PIEDRA, I SAT DOWN AND WEPT
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mngelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikannya secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet
atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta izin dari saya
maupun memberi royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 11 Januari 2013
Yang menyatakan
(Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti)
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declared that this thesis, A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s Decision in
Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo Coelho’s By the
River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept, which I have written, does not contain the
work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 10 Januari 2013
Maria Theresia Rika Pramesti
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .......................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ..............................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE ...................................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI ...................................................
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .....................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................
ABSTRAK ......................................................................................................
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
x
xii
xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................
A. Background of the Study .....................................................................
B. Problem Formulation ...........................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .......................................................................
D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................
1
1
5
5
6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ................................................
A. Review of Related Study .....................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ................................................................
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ...............................
2. Theory of Conflict ...................................................................
a. Internal Conflict ...........................................................
b. External Conflict .........................................................
C. Theoretical Framework .......................................................................
7
7
9
9
11
12
13
15
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................
A. Object of the Study .............................................................................
B. Approach of the Study.........................................................................
C. Method of the Study............................................................................
16
16
17
18
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS .........................................................................
A. The Author’s Description about the Main Characters .........................
1. Pilar ..........................................................................................
2. Pilar’s Childhood Friend .........................................................
B. The Conflicts of the Main Characters .................................................
1. Pilar’s Conflict .........................................................................
2. Pilar’s Childhood Friend’s Conflicts .......................................
C. Portrayal of A Seminarian’s Decision in Responding the Call
through the Conflicts between Pilar and Her Childhood Friend .........
20
20
20
33
37
37
42
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ....................................................................
47
x
44
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 52
APPENDIX .................................................................................................... 54
The Summary of By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept ................. 54
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
MARIA THERESIA RIKA PRAMESTI. A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s
Decision in Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo
Coelho’s By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
This undergraduate thesis discusses Paulo Coelho’s novel entitled By the
River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. This novel is interesting to discuss because
this book presents the romantic love between a woman and a seminarian. And it
contains the conflicts that portray how a seminarian makes a decision in
responding the call.
There are three problems to be discussed in this study. The first is the
author’s description about the main characters. The second problem is about the
conflicts of the main characters. The third problem is portrayal a seminarian in
making a decision in responding the call through the conflicts between Pilar and
her childhood friend as the main characters in this novel.
The writer uses the library research to collect the data and to find the
theories and references for the study. The writer uses the formalistic approach to
be applied in this thesis. The writer thinks that the formalistic approach is
appropriate to the study because the writer focuses on the intrinsic elements of the
novel which are the characters and the conflicts that can be seen from the novel
itself without any additional information from outside the novel.
As the result of the study, the writer makes conclusion for this study.
Firstly, the main characters in this story are Pilar and her childhood friend. The
author described Pilar as a round character who is a weak person in the beginning
of the story and becomes a tough person. Pilar’s childhood friend is described as a
curious and hesitant person. He is a seminarian in this story. Secondly, the writer
explains about the conflicts of the main characters. Pilar has conflict with her
mind, and her childhood friend has conflict about his decision. Thirdly is about
potrayal of a seminarian in making a decision in responding the call through the
conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend. The conflicts between Pilar and
her childhood friend shows the potrayal of how a seminarian decides to respond
the call. In the end of the story, he makes a decision which is a good decision for
them.
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ABSTRAK
MARIA THERESIA RIKA PRAMESTI. A Portrayal of A Seminarian’s
Decision in Responding the Call Through The Main Characters in Paulo
Coelho’s By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra
Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.
Tesis ini membahas tentang sebuah novel karya Paulo Coelho yang
berjudul By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Wept. Novel tersebut sangat
menarik untuk diteliti karena novel ini mengisahkan tentang cerita cinta romantis
antara seorang wanita dengan seorang calon imam. Dan di dalam novel ini juga
menceritakan tentang konflik yang menggambarkan cara seorang calon imam
membuat sebuah keputusan dalam menanggapi panggilannya.
Terdapat tiga rumusan permasalahan yang akan dibahas dalam penelitian
ini. Rumusan masalah yang pertama adalah cara pengarang menggambarkan
tokoh-tokoh utama. Rumusan masalah yang kedua adalah konflik-konflik yang
dialami oleh tokoh-tokoh utama dalam cerita. Rumusan masalah yang ketiga
adalah penggambaran tentang seorang calon imam dalam mengambil keputusan
untuk menanggapi panggilannya melalui konflik antara Pilar dan teman masa
kecilnya sebagai tokoh-tokoh utama dalam novel ini.
Penulis menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka dalam mengumpulkan
data dan dalam mencari teori dan referensi yang sesuai dengan pembahasan
penelitian ini. Pendekatan formalistik digunakan oleh penulis sebagai pendekatan
dalam tesis ini karena dalam tesis ini penulis membahas tentang unsur intrinsik
dalam sebuah novel, dalam hal ini adalah penokohan dan konflik yang dapat
ditemukan dari novel itu sendiri tanpa adanya informasi tambahan yang berasal
dari luar novel itu sendiri.
Sebagai hasil dari penelitian, penulis merangkum kesimpulan dari
penelitian ini. Yang pertama, tokoh-tokoh utama dalam cerita ini adalah Pilar dan
teman masa kecilnya. Pengarang menggambarkan Pilar sebagai seseorang yang
lemah pada awal cerita and berubah menjadi seseorang yang tangguh. Teman
masa kecil Pilar digambarkan sebagai seseorang yang mempunyai rasa ingin tahu
dan seseorang yang ragu-ragu. Dia merupaka seorang calon imam. Yang kedua,
penulis menjelaskan tentang konflik-konflik yang terjadi pada tokoh-tokoh utama.
Pilar mempunyai konflik dengan pikirannya sendiri sedangkan teman masa
kecilnya mempunyai konflik tentang keputusan yang sudah dia ambil. Yang
ketiga mengenai gambaran seorang calon imam dalam mengambil keputusan saat
menanggapi panggilannya melalui konflik antara Pilar dan teman masa kecilnya.
Konflik di antara mereka menunjukkan penggambaran tentang cara seorang calon
imam dalam mengambil keputusan dan menanggapi panggilannya. Pada akhir
cerita, dia membuat keputusan yang baik untuk mereka.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.
Background of the Study
At the first time when the writer wants to find out the definition of literature,
the writer gets confused. There are some definition of literature from some
authors. They have their own point of view about literature but actually they have
the same idea.
Literature is group of fiction, poem, and plays. Most of literary works
describe the realities of life. They show sadness, happiness, love, death, murder,
affair, and many more. Sometimes they reflect what happen in life. “Literature is
related to the truths of human life. It may be based on situation that have occurred
and which may never occur.” (Robert & Jacobs, 1987: 2). Reading literature can
enrich our knowledge and experience about this world.
According to Robert and Jacobs, Literature has relation with human life. It
describe the truth life of human kind. Literature can be a description of the
situation that happens, has happened, will happened, or never happens. Sometimes
literature can be used as the criticism of the condition in a certain era.
Literature has three main genres. They are fiction, poetry, and drama. They
have their own specialty that makes people interested to read it. In this thesis, the
writer decides to analyze a novel instead of other literary works because novel is
more complete and detailed in describing the character, the problem, and the
situation in a plot.
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The topic of this study is still in the part of a plot. There are some aspects in
a plot that make a structure in a story. Roberts and Jacobs stated that there are five
elements in a structure of a plot. In their book entitled Fiction: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing (Second Edition), there are exposition, complication, crisis,
climax, and resolution. Roberts and Jacobs also stated about the importance of
conflict in a plot.
The most significant element, the essence, of plot is conflict. In conflict, the
human responses are brought out to their highest degree. In its most
elemental form, a conflict is the opposition of two people. They may fight,
argue, enlist help each other, and otherwise carry on their opposition.
Conflict may also exist between larger groups, although in imaginative
literature, conflicts between individuals are more identifiable and therefore
more interesting (Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: 99).
From the quotation above, Roberts and Jacobs stated that conflict is the
essence and the most important element in a plot. Beside conflict can happen
between two people, in a story conflict can happen between larger groups.
Although conflict can happen between larger groups, the conflicts between
individuals afre more interesting.
Conflict is also the main element in a structure of a plot in a story. Roberts
and Jacobs stated about the important role of conflict in a plot.
The reason that conflict is the major ingredient in a plot is that once two
forces are in opposition, there may be doubt about the outcome. The doubt,
if the reader becomes interested and engaged with the charactes, produces
curiosity and also tension (Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: 99).
According to that statement, conflict seems so important in a plot because the
conflicts between two opposite forces, individuals, or groups can build the interest
and the tension of the readers and also make the readers curious with the story.
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Indirectly, the exsistence of conflict can influence the readers’ emotion while they
read the story.
As stated by Perrine, “a novel represents the imitation on man’s day life and
manners in a natural way and offers an image of real life.” (Perrine, 1966: 76),
novel tells about people’s ordinary life which also has conflicts, feelings, and
problems. Novel also has many types according to the topic of the story. They are
romance, thriller, science fiction, and many more. Every novel has its own
uniqueness according to the authors’ way to express the idea. One of the good
authors who have written many good novels is Paulo Coelho.
Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author. He is one of the authors who write a lot
of great novels. Most of his novels become best-selling books so the writer
chooses one of his best-selling books to be analyzed. Among his famous novels,
the writer chooses By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept to analyze further.
His book, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, is first published in
1994. The writer chooses this book to be analyzed because it is very interesting
book and very interesting story. This book is about a sweet love story and how the
main character struggles from her fear.
Mostly this book tells about the conflict of the main character to find their
purpose of life. It is a love story about two childhood friends who were separated
for long time and now they meet again to gain their love. The writer finds lots of
wisdom in this novel. The wisdom tells about love, sacrifice, devotion to God, and
struggling in finding the right path in life.
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Related to the some explainations above, the writer chooses to analyze that
novel entitled By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. After the writer read the
whole story, the writer can see the conflict between Pilar and her childhood friend
that finally influence her childhood friend in making a decision about responding
the call as a seminarian. The writer is interesting about how the author describes
Pilar and her childhood friend in the whole story. This topic will be analyzed by
the writer. It is interesting to be analyzed.
In this story, Pilar is described as a person who is lack of confidence. She
has a traumatic love story in the past, but she is trying to be tough. The writer will
observe the description of the author about Pilar as one of the main characters in
the novel. The writer also wants to know what happens to Pilar after her
childhood friend left her and what happens when 11 years later destiny brings the
lovers together again.
In the beginning, Pilar is described as a weak person who has a traumatic
love story in the past. Then, she is trying to be tough. 11 years later when she
meets again with her childhood friend whom she is waiting for. The conflict
begins when Pilar starts to defend her opinion to meet her childhood friend in
Madrid. The conflict happens to her along her journey accompanying her
childhood friend has taught her to be tough. Then, through her journey with her
lover, she learns many things. Through the journey, Pilar also can change her
childhood friend’s decision. In the beginning it seems difficult for Pilar if she is
left again by her childhood friend and he will still be a seminarian. Finally, her
childhood friend leaves seminary and decides to live with Pilar.
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B.
Problem Formulation
The following questions will determine the direction of the writer’s
analysis:
1.
How does the author describe Pilar and her childhood friend?
2.
What are the conflicts of Pilar and her childhood friend?
3.
How do the conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend portray a
seminarian in making a decision in responding the call?
C.
Objectives of the Study
This study has three problem formulations, so it also has three objectives.
The first objective is to find out how the author describes the main characters in
the story, Paulo Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. In this story
the main characters are Pilar and her childhood friend. The second objective is to
find out the conflicts of the main characters in this story. The main characters in
this story, Pilar and her childhood friend, have internal and external conflict. The
third objective is to find out the potrayal of a seminarian in making a decision in
responding the call through the conflicts between Pilar and her childhood friend.
This conflict will influence his decision in responding the call as a seminarian. It
can be a potrayal of a seminarian when he has to make a decision to respond the
call to be a priest.
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D.
Definition of Terms
There are two terms that are used in the title and the problem formulation.
They are: character and conflict.
1.
Character
Characters are most often used to refer a person in a story and characters are
usually presented through their action, dialect, and thoughts, as well as by
description. A character is also an “author’s representation of human being,
specifically, of those inner qualities that determine how an individual reacts
to various conditions attempts to shape her or his environment.”(Roberts,
1969:45)
2.
Conflict
“Conflict is a struggle which grows out of the interplay of two opposing
forces in a plot.” (Holman, 1960:118)
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A.
Review of Related Studies
Some people also write and discuss about character development of a
certain character from different novels and in different ways. In this study, the
writer will compare her study with other studies which have similar topic with the
writer. The writer chooses two thesis that have similar topic with the writer whis
is about conflict. The first one is the undergraduate thesis from Sri Saraswati
entitled The Influence of Conflicts Upon the Main Character Development in
Tennessee William The Roman Spring of Mrs.Stone. The Second one is the
undergraduate thesis from Heribertus Vendykurniawan Putra entitled The
Contribution of Conflicts toward Jamal Hicks’ Personality Development in
Walter Dean Myers’s Scorpions.
Sri Saraswati (2006) discussed about the influence of conflicts upon the
main character development in her thesis entitled The Influence of Conflicts Upon
the Main Character Development in Tennessee Williams’ The Roman Spring of
Mrs.Stone. In her study, she used a work of literature by Tennessee William
entitled The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. In her thesis, she discussed about the
main character development which is influenced by conflicts happened to her.
Her focus of study is almost the same with the writer’s study. She discussed
about the influence of conflicts. The differences are on the object of study and the
conflicts that are discussed. The writer explains about the conflicts that will
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influence a seminarian in making his decision in responding the call. But, Sri
Saraswati explained about the influence af the whole conflicts toward the
character development.
Sri Saraswati (2006) explained more about the conflicts happened to Mrs.
Stone. For the external conflict, she explained the conflict between Mrs. Stone
and her society, Mrs. Stone and her husband, and also Mrs. Stone and Paolo
(2006: 35). In her conclusion, she stated that the way Mrs. Stone solved her
conflict she had experienced affected her characteristics.
Heribertus Vendykurniawan Putra (2011) studied about contribution of
conflicts toward certain character’s personality development in Walter Dean
Myers’ Scorpions. The title of his thesis is The Contribution of Conflicts toward
Jamal Hicks’ Personality Development in Walter Dean Myers’s Scorpions. In his
study, he explained about the personality development as the result of the
conflicts. Heribertus focused on the main character, Jamal Hicks. He analyzed the
charactererization of Jamal Hicks and found out the internal and external conflicts
of Jamal Hicks. He also discussed about the role of conflicts in the development
of certain character’s characteristics or personality. He analyzed the role of
conflicts in a character’s personality development.
Although there is a similarity between his study and the writer’s study, but
they are different in the approach of the study, the object of the study, and the
focus of the study. Putra’s study focused on the personality development by using
psychological approach whether the writer focuses on the conflicts using
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formalistic approach.
In his study Putra analyzed the internal conflicts and
external conflicts of the main character who is Jamal Hicks. In her study, the
writer analyzed the conflicts of two main characters who are Pilar and her
childhood friend.
Both Putra’s thesis and Saraswati’s thesis discussed about conflict.
Compared with the writer’s study, they discuss about the influence of conflict
toward character development and personality development. In her study, the
writer specifies the conflict that influences the decision of a seminarian in
responding the call. Although the writer also explain about Pilar’s character
development, it is not the main point of this study.
B.
Review of Related Theories
The writer applies some theories to explain and answer the problem
formulations. The theories are:
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization
Characters as one of the basic intrinsic elements of a work of literature
usually bring a message. Abrams in his book, A Glossary of Literary Terms says
that the characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and
emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do.
(Abrams, 1985: 23) “
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Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature state that
characters must be credible so that the readers must accept them as believable
people (1971: 20). Although the character is a fictional character, the
characteristic is usually based on the real person in the world. In other words, the
characters are the imitation of human being in reality.
Character can be round character and flat character. Flat character is built
around a single idea or quality and presented in outline and without much
individualizing details, and so can be fairly adequately described in a single
sentence or phrase. (Abrams, 1981: 21). While, round character is complex in
temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularly.
People have their own ways to describing the characteristics of a certain
character in the story. In their book entitled Literature for Composition: Essay,
Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain
tell about setting forth a character sketch and describing some person in the story
or novel. They also stated four distinct ways in describing a character in the novel.
They are:
a.
The Character’s Speech and Thought
The readers should consider the situation or the total context of the
statement. A person might change from a despairing person into a better one from
the development of the speeches. A despairing character might say depressing
things at first but happy things in the end. As a result, speeches should indicate the
reflection of the character’s feeling.
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b.
The Character’s Action
The readers will find that the actions may show signal weakness,
dishonesty, or even strong, and mature through the main character’s action.
c.
The Other Characters Who Say about Them
In stories, as in life, sometime people talk about other people. The opinion
from other characters will help the readers to understand the characteristics or the
personality of a certain character.
d.
The Other Characters’ Action
The readers can find the characteristics of certain character from the other
characters’ action which are in contrast to that character.
Those ways can be used to identify and to find out the characteristics of a certain
character.
2.
Theory of Conflict
There is always a conflict in a novel or story. The story will be meaningless
if there is no conflict in that story. A novel will feel like no story if there is no
conflict in it. It will be monotonous. Holman stated that “conflict is a struggle
which grows out of the interplay of two opposing forces in a plot” (Holman, 1960:
118). Conflict will make a story interesting and meaningful. A conflict in the story
can develop the readers’ imagination and curiosity to know what will happen in
the end of the story and also to read the story until the story end.
Holman states that “Conflict is the major part of all plots in literary works. It
is one of the important elements of plot since it is the backbone as a story, for it
provides the elements of interest and suspense.” (Holman, 1960: 118). Conflict
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has an important role in a story. It is an important aspect in a story. Arp and
Johnson have their own opinion about conflict. They state their opinion in their
book entitled Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense (Tenth Edition). It
is stated that,
“Ordinarily, however, both the surface excitement required in commercial
fiction and the significant meaning found in literary fiction arise out of some
sort of conflict – a clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills.”(Arp and
Johnson, 2009: 104)
Arp and Johnson stated that a conflict is a dispute in actions, ideas, desires, or
will. They also explain about external conflict and internal conflict. They say that
a character can have conflict against other person or group of person, pysical
nature, society, or conflict against the environment. The conflict can be physical,
mental, emotional, or moral.
According to Perrine in her book entitled Story and Structure, she says that,
“the main character in the novel can be in conflict against man, against physical
nature, society or fate, and the conflict against his own nature such as physical,
mental, emotional, or moral” (Perrine, 1966: 59). From Perrine’s statement, the
writer decides that there are two kinds of conflict in a story. They are:
a.
Internal Conflict
Internal conflict is a conflict between a character and herself/himself to
reach her/his purpose or to decide what she/he wants to do. In true life, a person
will confront many problems while she/he is in process in reaching her/his goal
and she/he will have conflict with herself/himself. She/he will be in a complicated
situation and she/he has to choose the best way to reach her/his goal.
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Internal conflict in this novel can be seen when the main character, Pilar,
is in a difficult situation to choose whether she wants to take a risk or not. She
gets confused. She thinks that the love between her and her childhood friends is
not more than foolishness in their childhood but in her deepest heart she still loves
him. She also still feels uncertain with her childhood friend’s love to her. She is
afraid of being hurt if she thinks about it seriously.
b.
External Conflict
External conflict is a conflict of the characters against the external side of
themselves, such as conflict against nature and society including the conflict
among the characters. The meaning and the complexity of the external conflict
come from the internal conflict. But, the external conflict that gives pressure to a
character to make internal choices and changes.
There are several kinds of external conflicts. The first one is the conflict
between a character and the nature. She/he cannot win against nature because the
power of human being is limited. For example: a young man will go to a date but
he cannot go because there is a bad storm. There will be a conflict because in one
side he wants to come to the date and he does not want to make his lover
disappointed, but in the other side the storm blocks his way.
The second one is the struggle against another person, usually a conflict
between protagonist and antagonist. For example: a couple wants to have an
engagement, but one of their parents disagrees with their relationship, so there is a
conflict between the couple and the parent. The last kind of external conflict is the
conflict between a character and the society: for example: a man that used to be a
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drunk, but then he decides to change, to stop being a drunk, and has had a good
job, but then the society still thinks that he is always a drunk and never change.
Roberts and Jacobs stated about the role of conflict in a plot. Conflicts and
plot cannot be separated. Conflict is the essence and the important element of plot.
Roberts and Jacobs also show the position of conflict in a structure of a plot. In
their book entitled Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing (Second
Edition), Roberts and Jacobs stated five elements in the structure of a plot. They
are:
1.
Exposition
Exposition is the early description about the characters, the backgrounds,
and the materials in the work of literature. It is like the introduction of the
character and the situation of the story.
2.
Complication
Complication is the beginning conflict in a story. In this part the conflict
starts. It iis the onset of the major conflict in the story or the onset of the
plot. In this part, the antagonist and the protagonist shows their ideas and
values.
3.
Crisis
Crisis is the turning point in a story. It separates between what has happened
and what will happen after that. Crisis is an action to resolve the conflict. It
is usually can be a decision to finish the conflict.
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4.
Climax
Climax is the top of the action. It is the high tension of the conflict. It is the
top action of the conflict. In this part, an author sets all the rest of the action
firmly.
5.
Resolution, or Dénouement
Resolution is a set of actions that will take the story to the conclusion of the
whole story. In this part the conflict has met the decision and solution. That
will bring them into a conclusion of the whole story.
The writer also puts some theory about plot because discussing about conflict
cannot be seperated with discussing about plot. Conflict has an important role in a
structure of a plot. So, we cannot discuss about conflict of a story without seeing
the structure of a plot in that story.
C.
Theoretical Framework
The theories above are used to answer the problem formulation in this study.
The writer uses the first theory about Four Different Ways in Describing a
Character in the Novel to explain the characteristics of Pilar and her childhood
friend as the main characters in this. The second theory is about the Theory of
Conflict. This theory is used to indicate the conflict which is undergone by Pilar
and her childhood friend along their journey. They get internal conflict and
external conflict that will portray a seminarian’s decision in responding the call.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A.
Object of the Study
The object of the study is a novel entitled By the River Piedra I Sat Down
and Wept. The original title of the novel is Na margem de rio Piedra eu sentei e
chorei. The original version is in Portuguese language. It was first published in
Brazil in 1994. The novel was translated into English version by Alan R. Clarke in
1996. The novel consists of 180 pages and the chapter is in the form like a daily
diary. The author of this novel is Paulo Coelho. He is a famous author who writes
many great books. He wrote each story in a beautiful language. Sometimes he
puts some good words, poetic prose, and symbolism (Hassapi, 2005).
The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de
Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre
director and actor, lyricist and journalist. Coelho wrote song lyrics for many
famous performers in Brazilian music, such as Elis Regina and Rita Lee. Yet his
most well-known work has been done with Raul Seixas. Together they wrote such
successes as Eu nasci há dez mil anos atrás (I was born ten thousand years ago),
Gita and Al Capone, amongst other 60 songs. His fascination with the spiritual
quest dates back to his hippie days, when he travelled the world learning about
secret societies, oriental religions, etc.
The center of this novel is Pilar because this novel is like Pilar’s diary book.
Pilar is a student who focuses on a mundane career that will surely pay the bills
and maneuver her to safety after her childhood friend’s gone. In his eleven years
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gone, he keeps in contact with Pilar through letters and postcards. When Pilar is
utterly focused on her studies, her childhood friend asks her to meet at a seminar
near Barcelona. Pilar lives in Zaragoza. After that meeting, Pilar gets many
experiences and stories along her journey with her childhood friend. That
experiences and stories influence her thought and open the possibility of change in
her. In this story, Pilar has some conflict between her mind and her heart.
In the analysis, the writer will analyze about the importance of Pilar’s
conflicts toward her character development. In the story, Pilar has many conflicts
with her mind and her heart. And those conflict will change Pilar’s
characterization from weak into tough.
B.
Approach of the Study
To analyze the novel, the writer uses formalistic approach to analyze the
problem formulated above. The writer thinks that formalistic approach is
appropriate approach to analyze the problem formulation. Formalistic approach is
the way to analyze a work of literature by reading and viewing the work
intrinsically or the work itself without the extrinsic factor of it. Intrinsic factor
used by the writer is about the internal conflict of Pilar as the main character.
In analyzing a literary work using the formalistic approach, the writer only
focuses on the text or the literary work itself, in this study the writer chooses to
analyze a novel. As stated by Wilfred L. Guerin in his book entitled A Handbook
of Critical Approaches of Literature, when analyzing a literary work, we do not
need to know further about the other information about that literary work.
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We have read a poem. Unless we know from other contexts, we still do not
know the name of the author, the nationality, or the era of the composition.
We do not know who the speaker is, not even the sex of the speaker. We
do not know if the poem concerns a real-life situaton or a totally fictive
one. We do not know whether the author took some similar real-life
situation or incident that he or she then adapted and transmute into a
poem.we know only the poem itself..... (Guerin, 1999: 73)
Although Guerin chooses a poem as the example, it has represented for the other
literary works. A poem is one of the example. The main poin is when we analyze
a literary work using the formalistic approach, what we know is just the work
itself and the intrinsic elements of the literary work.
This approach is appropriate to analyze the topic of the study. In this
study, the writer wants to analyze the character development of Pilar as the main
character in Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat down and Wept. The writer will
analyze the characteristics development by observing the internal conflict of Pilar.
Pilar has conflict between her mind and her heart and the external conflict
between Pilar and the other character.
This approach can be used to analyze the intrinsic elements of literature. In
this study, the writer will use this approach to analyze the characteristics of Pilar
as the main character and also the conflict happens to Pilar in the story. This
approach is appropriate to be used to analyze the topic of the study which is still
related to the intrinsic elements of literature which are plot and characteristics.
C.
Method of the Study
The method used to analyze the novel in this study was library research. In
this method, the writer divided the source into two, primary and secondary. The
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19
primary source in this study was the novel By the River Piedra, I Sat Sown and
Wept written by Paulo Coelho. The secondary sources were from some books, and
criticism which were needed and related to the analysis of the novel.
The books that are used by the writer are books that contain some theories
that can support the writer’s analysis. The writer needs some books which are
related to the topic of the study and also some books to explain the answer in the
analysis. To answer the questions in the problem formulation, the writer finds out
some proofs from the novel itself. The proofs are the statement from the character
herself, the statements from other characters, the narration from the author, and
also from the actions of the character which are described by the author.
The writer took several steps in writing this thesis. The first step, the writer
read the novel, Paulo Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, as the
primary source. The writer read the novel several times to get the understanding
of the story and the focus of the study. The second step, the writer found out the
problem formulation and the suitable approach to analyze the study. The third
step, the writer found some books of theories and criticism to support in analyzing
the study. The next step, the writer was trying to answer the problem formulation
and also applying the theories to answer the problem formulation. The last step,
the writer drew the conclusion from the analysis.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer analyzes the novel in order to answer the
problem formulation. The writer puts some quotations from the novel to give
proofs of the writer’s statements. This chapter is divided into three parts. In the
first part, the writer will discuss about the author’s description about Pilar. The
second part is about the author’s description about Pilar’s childhood friend. In this
novel is clear that Pilar has conflict with her childhood friend. The last part is
about the significance of that conflict toward her childhood friend’s decision in
responding the call to be a priest.
A.
The Author’s Description about the Main Characters
Coelho’s By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept has two main
characters. They are Pilar and her childhood friend. In this part, the writer will
explain about the author’s description about them.
1.
Pilar
Pilar is described as a dynamic character. Her character changes. In this
novel Pilar has a special childhood friend whose name is not stated in this story.
Her childhood friend left her eleven years ago. Since that time, Pilar became a
weak person. She describes as a person who is lack of confidence.
Pilar’s weakness is lack of confidence. It can be seen in some realizations.
Her lack of confidence makes her hesitate to make a decision. In the novel, we can
see from the beginning of the story. “But after I reread my letter, I tore it up. Who
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was I to speak about freedom or commitment? Compared to him, I knew nothing
about such things.” (1996:3). Pilar is not confident with herself. She thinks that
she is nothing compared with her childhood friend. She thinks that her childhood
friend is more knowledgeable than her.
When she gets some letters from her childhood friend and sees that the
stamps of the letters come from some different places, she does not feel confident
to meet her childhood friend in his conference.
then the letters from my childhood friend began to arrive more frequentlyand I was envious of the stamps from so many different places. He seemed
to know everything; he had sprouted wings, and now he roamed the world.
Meanwhile, I was simply trying to put down roots.(1996:3)
Pilar compares her life and her childhood friend’s life. She is not confident after
she gets the letters from her childhood friend with different stamps from many
different places. She thinks that she is nothing compared with him.
In the beginning of the story, the author told about Pilar’s life. Nothing is
wrong with Pilar’s life until someday her childhood friend decided to go around
the world to study about the world. Pilar who has special feeling to him felt
disappointed about his decision. Although he has told Pilar about his leaving, Pilar
still felt disappointed. Then, she was regretful about her decision to love him.
After her childhood friend left her, Pilar seems lonely. She continued her
study in a university and tried to have a special relationship with other man. That
relationship ended along with her failure in getting the scholarship for her study.
Her disappointment became doubled. This situation makes Pilar afraid in making
a decision again. She is afraid that she will make a wrong decision again.
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Her childhood friend’s leaving influences Pilar’s life. She lost someone
who can direct her to her future. It shows that Pilar needs him. Then, Pilar makes
an imaginary figure, named the Other to replace the existence of her childhood
friend. This imaginary figure always directs Pilar in making a decision. She will
do what the Other says because she thinks that it is the better decision than she
makes her own decision that can be wrong again.
When Pilar makes decision to come to the conference and meet her
childhood friend, she is amazed because many people attend the conference. She
does not know that her childhood friend is so famous among the people. “I want
to go up to the people in the audience and ask them why they were there, but I
didn’t have the nerve.” (1996:5). She is willing to ask the people why they were
there, but she is not brave enough to do that. She is not confident because she
thinks that her childhood friend must be a famous person and she is the one who
does not know about it.
Finally, Pilar decides to come to the conference in Madrid. She accepts her
childhood friend’s invitation to come to the conference although the Other does
not agree with that. Her curiosity leads her to make this decision. She wants to
know his appearance and his changes so far. She is curious about what he will do
in the conference. For twelve years, she only got postcards and letters from him
which shows the places that he has been visited.
When he finishes his lecturer, many people come to him. The audiences
are trying to reach him and to be near to him. Pilar has no space to meet him with
so many people around him.
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After the lecture, members of the audience rushed up to him. I waited,
worried about what his first impression of me would be after so many years.
I felt like a child-insecure, tense because I knew none of his new friends,
and jealous that he was paying more attention to the others than to me.
(1996: 9)
Pilar is not confidence with herself. It also shows that she is lack of selfconfidence. She is afraid of her childhood friend’s first impression when they
meet. She also feels jealous when his childhood friend is paying attention more to
the others than to her. In other side, she is curious about his first impression after
they did not meet for twelve years.
In page 9 Pilar says “I could have” for many times in this part. It shows that
she is willing to do something but she is uncertain to do it. She is still not
confident with her childhood friend who is so broad-minded. This sentence shows
that Pilar is not sure with what she does. She could have left him and