CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION - Negative changes of human character in William Golding's Lord of the Flies - Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Repository
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
CTTAPTERT
INTRODUCTION
This chapterpresentsthe backgroundof the study,statementsof problems,
objectiveof the study,sco;r and limitation,significanceof the study,definition
of key terms,and organizationof the thesis.
1.1 Backgroundof the Study
The studentsof the English Departmentbegin to leam literature in the
fourth semester in rntroduction to Literature class. In this class, they are
intoduced to someliterary worts suchas poemsand short storiesand are guided
to analyzethern In ths next s€mester,they are introduced to some plays and
novels ln drama and prose classes.Basing on her experiencein joining these
classes,the writer choos€sliterary study as the subject matter of her thesis for
threereasons.
Fint, she finds that literature is an interestingsubjectto be studied.It has
Iasting value becauseof its beautyand imagination.Frye (1985;236)srates,
*Literature is
works of the imagination,chiefly po€ty, prosefiction, and drama
wtrich expressthe cultural identity of people in a certain time and involves
aestheticquality." when readingliterary texts, the rvriter feels as if she were in a
rvorld createdby the texts through her imagination.Kennedy{1991:XXX:IX)
states,"Literatureinvolvesthe students'imaginationand feelingsso that they feel
asthoughthey becomethe part ofthe literary texts that they read."
second the writer enjoys reading literary texts vdretherthey are plays,
short stories, novel, or poems. In shor! she can find the pleasure for they
entedainher. Accordingto Bamet (1963:l), " Literaturehas in it an elernentof
entertainingor to afford pleasure."To get the pleasure,it is not enoughby using
imaginationonly but also competence.with a good competence,the readerswill
comprehendihe texts easily.Moreover,if it is addedrvith a good imagination,the
readerswill surelyenjoy readingthem.charters(19g3:3)states,"If you bring an
alert intelligenceand a lively imaginationto the reading , they are a pleasureto
read."
Third, the rvriter can broadenher knowledgeand improve her personality.
Robert (197|1:.2)states, 'Literature helps us grow both personally and
intellectually, it
provides an objective base for our knowledge and
understanding."By readingliterary texB, tbe uriter finds somevalueswhich are
goodto be done practically in her daily life. It is often about moraliry, the values
ofgood and bad. So, besidesthe pleasure,there is alwaysa good lessonthat can
be obtained from the texts. Kennedy (1991) believes that literature serves
pisasureand illumination
In this study, the writer choosesa novel to analyze. Thc reason of
choosinga novel is becauseit tells her story, long story, and entertainsher at the
sarnetime. Little (1966:97) says,"The novel is the tongestform of fiction, in
which we may find the most extraordinarywide rangeof writing.- Besides,the
writer can get good lessonsas she finds the massageembedded.According to
DiYanni(2000:l),"Storiesprqrvide
us with morethanthe immediateinterestof
narrative--of somcthinghappening-and morethan the pleasuresof imagination:
they enlargeour undentandingof curselvesand deepenour appreciationof life.,'
By readinga novel,the writer could get information that helps her to understand
herselfand others more deeply.tn readinga novel, she is offered the pleasant
exercise of letting her imagination cnter into a fictional situation charters
(1983:3)stateg*Being acquisitiveas well as inquisitive creatures,we can emerge
from our encounterwith literature with more thanjus entertainment.we gather
informationthar help us understandourselvesand others.',
J The writer chooseswilliam Golding becauseof his views. Gokring's
views reflect his undsstandingof the world in which he uas living and develop
out of his experienceand cultural background-Golding's experiencesin world
war tr motivateshim to write 'Lord of the Flies'. As quotedby Lass(1966:355)
Goldingsays,'I beganto seewhat peoplerverecapableof doing. where did the
SecondWorld War comefrom ? Was it madeby sometting inhumanand aiien-or was it madeby chapswith eycsand legsand hearts?-.Throughtheserhetorical
questiorx,the authorinvites peopleto think why the civilized peoptebehaveas if
they were rmcivilized-Earnshawclassifiestnrd of the Flies into the novel that
voices 'The Da* Gods'- In this novel *human mture is stripped of its gtossof
civilization to showthe heartof darknessbeneath(200O:59).',
Th€ u.riter chooceswilliam Golding's lnrd of the Flies becauseof its
simple story and iB contentof the darknessof humanheart as statedin the last
chapterof the novel. Lord of the Flies is a parable.symbolism plays an important
partto the deralopmentof the story(seeappendix4). The authortries to expiess
his understandingabout humanberngby representingother objects and figurer
Blamires (1991:423) states, "The symbolism, the atmosphereof intense.
claustrophobiceerinessand the unrealityof children's isolationin a decaying
urbanareatogethergive this concisetale the qnahfiesof fantasyand fable.', The
themeof Lord of the Flies, accordingto Golding as quotedby lass is "an attemp
to trace the defectsof societyba,;k to the defectsof human nature.The moral is
that the shapeof a society must dependon the ethical nature and not on any
political system however apparently logical or respectable(1966:354)," The
authorlets the readersreflect their defectsby presentingthe defectsofthe boysin
the story.
The novel's story is about the life of some schoolboys in an island
someu{rerein the Pacific osean. In an 'ur*nown' war, someBritish schoolboys
are evacuated-on the way of the evacrntion,their airplane crashesinto the s€a,
andthey are scatteredabouton an island rlrey find out that the pilot hasdied and
the island does not show any smokeof village$ it is uninhabited.without adult
gurdanceand spervision, $ey must fend for themselves-with their immaturity,
they tryto surviveagainstthe conflicts.
As a parable,ths novel doesnot leave only a story but also a spiritual
point for the rea&n to be leamt. Through the novel, the author expressedhis
view aborr humanbeingsin the world he was living by representingthe boys in
his imaginaryworld. The novel lets peoplethink wtry the fear is strongerthan the
reason,why ttrc boys lose their innocent;after all, why the civilized boys become
uncivilized.The authorprovesthat thc beastneverexistson the island.In this
case,the boys are only drirrenby their ovm imaginationto be fearful of the beast
and finally of others.Becauseof the fear of somethingunknow4 they begin to
useall efforts to maksthem feel safer.They becometo haveth€ heartto kill their
own fellows and the most importantthing is totally forgottenThroughthe story,the novel's authorwantsto point out that hurnanbeings
are not born innocently;instead,they havethe capacityto do wil. To understand
this view, ttre charactersand seffing in the novel should not be understoodas a
real characterand sihration.Instea4 they are only symbolsto expressthe author,s
view. In this case,&e authordoesnot attqnpt to cr€atea particular situation; the
settingis mechanicallycreatedto makethe Sory up.
After understandingthe conte'ntof ttre novel, the writer sees that the
charactersarc deterioratinginsteadofgrowing, In this study, she is eagerto find
out the.neg'ativechanacterchangesundergoneby tk refi4ees on a certain islard
in the novel: Moreover, she also wants to find out some reasun that motivate
them to undergo the changes.To see the boys changesand their reasonsto
experiencechanges,she usescausalrelationshipthroughoutthe analysis-In this
case,the charactsrsand settingare not consideredsymbolicbut real.
The rvriter beliwes that everybodymust experiencechangesarongthe life
spn. Peopleface challengesthroughwhich they experienceprocess.The process
changesthe characters;good people may become bad ard bad peopte may
becomegood.h tlre novel the charactersdeveloptheir positive qualities into the
negativeoncs.Throughthe analysis,the writer wantsto s
INTRODUCTION
CTTAPTERT
INTRODUCTION
This chapterpresentsthe backgroundof the study,statementsof problems,
objectiveof the study,sco;r and limitation,significanceof the study,definition
of key terms,and organizationof the thesis.
1.1 Backgroundof the Study
The studentsof the English Departmentbegin to leam literature in the
fourth semester in rntroduction to Literature class. In this class, they are
intoduced to someliterary worts suchas poemsand short storiesand are guided
to analyzethern In ths next s€mester,they are introduced to some plays and
novels ln drama and prose classes.Basing on her experiencein joining these
classes,the writer choos€sliterary study as the subject matter of her thesis for
threereasons.
Fint, she finds that literature is an interestingsubjectto be studied.It has
Iasting value becauseof its beautyand imagination.Frye (1985;236)srates,
*Literature is
works of the imagination,chiefly po€ty, prosefiction, and drama
wtrich expressthe cultural identity of people in a certain time and involves
aestheticquality." when readingliterary texts, the rvriter feels as if she were in a
rvorld createdby the texts through her imagination.Kennedy{1991:XXX:IX)
states,"Literatureinvolvesthe students'imaginationand feelingsso that they feel
asthoughthey becomethe part ofthe literary texts that they read."
second the writer enjoys reading literary texts vdretherthey are plays,
short stories, novel, or poems. In shor! she can find the pleasure for they
entedainher. Accordingto Bamet (1963:l), " Literaturehas in it an elernentof
entertainingor to afford pleasure."To get the pleasure,it is not enoughby using
imaginationonly but also competence.with a good competence,the readerswill
comprehendihe texts easily.Moreover,if it is addedrvith a good imagination,the
readerswill surelyenjoy readingthem.charters(19g3:3)states,"If you bring an
alert intelligenceand a lively imaginationto the reading , they are a pleasureto
read."
Third, the rvriter can broadenher knowledgeand improve her personality.
Robert (197|1:.2)states, 'Literature helps us grow both personally and
intellectually, it
provides an objective base for our knowledge and
understanding."By readingliterary texB, tbe uriter finds somevalueswhich are
goodto be done practically in her daily life. It is often about moraliry, the values
ofgood and bad. So, besidesthe pleasure,there is alwaysa good lessonthat can
be obtained from the texts. Kennedy (1991) believes that literature serves
pisasureand illumination
In this study, the writer choosesa novel to analyze. Thc reason of
choosinga novel is becauseit tells her story, long story, and entertainsher at the
sarnetime. Little (1966:97) says,"The novel is the tongestform of fiction, in
which we may find the most extraordinarywide rangeof writing.- Besides,the
writer can get good lessonsas she finds the massageembedded.According to
DiYanni(2000:l),"Storiesprqrvide
us with morethanthe immediateinterestof
narrative--of somcthinghappening-and morethan the pleasuresof imagination:
they enlargeour undentandingof curselvesand deepenour appreciationof life.,'
By readinga novel,the writer could get information that helps her to understand
herselfand others more deeply.tn readinga novel, she is offered the pleasant
exercise of letting her imagination cnter into a fictional situation charters
(1983:3)stateg*Being acquisitiveas well as inquisitive creatures,we can emerge
from our encounterwith literature with more thanjus entertainment.we gather
informationthar help us understandourselvesand others.',
J The writer chooseswilliam Golding becauseof his views. Gokring's
views reflect his undsstandingof the world in which he uas living and develop
out of his experienceand cultural background-Golding's experiencesin world
war tr motivateshim to write 'Lord of the Flies'. As quotedby Lass(1966:355)
Goldingsays,'I beganto seewhat peoplerverecapableof doing. where did the
SecondWorld War comefrom ? Was it madeby sometting inhumanand aiien-or was it madeby chapswith eycsand legsand hearts?-.Throughtheserhetorical
questiorx,the authorinvites peopleto think why the civilized peoptebehaveas if
they were rmcivilized-Earnshawclassifiestnrd of the Flies into the novel that
voices 'The Da* Gods'- In this novel *human mture is stripped of its gtossof
civilization to showthe heartof darknessbeneath(200O:59).',
Th€ u.riter chooceswilliam Golding's lnrd of the Flies becauseof its
simple story and iB contentof the darknessof humanheart as statedin the last
chapterof the novel. Lord of the Flies is a parable.symbolism plays an important
partto the deralopmentof the story(seeappendix4). The authortries to expiess
his understandingabout humanberngby representingother objects and figurer
Blamires (1991:423) states, "The symbolism, the atmosphereof intense.
claustrophobiceerinessand the unrealityof children's isolationin a decaying
urbanareatogethergive this concisetale the qnahfiesof fantasyand fable.', The
themeof Lord of the Flies, accordingto Golding as quotedby lass is "an attemp
to trace the defectsof societyba,;k to the defectsof human nature.The moral is
that the shapeof a society must dependon the ethical nature and not on any
political system however apparently logical or respectable(1966:354)," The
authorlets the readersreflect their defectsby presentingthe defectsofthe boysin
the story.
The novel's story is about the life of some schoolboys in an island
someu{rerein the Pacific osean. In an 'ur*nown' war, someBritish schoolboys
are evacuated-on the way of the evacrntion,their airplane crashesinto the s€a,
andthey are scatteredabouton an island rlrey find out that the pilot hasdied and
the island does not show any smokeof village$ it is uninhabited.without adult
gurdanceand spervision, $ey must fend for themselves-with their immaturity,
they tryto surviveagainstthe conflicts.
As a parable,ths novel doesnot leave only a story but also a spiritual
point for the rea&n to be leamt. Through the novel, the author expressedhis
view aborr humanbeingsin the world he was living by representingthe boys in
his imaginaryworld. The novel lets peoplethink wtry the fear is strongerthan the
reason,why ttrc boys lose their innocent;after all, why the civilized boys become
uncivilized.The authorprovesthat thc beastneverexistson the island.In this
case,the boys are only drirrenby their ovm imaginationto be fearful of the beast
and finally of others.Becauseof the fear of somethingunknow4 they begin to
useall efforts to maksthem feel safer.They becometo haveth€ heartto kill their
own fellows and the most importantthing is totally forgottenThroughthe story,the novel's authorwantsto point out that hurnanbeings
are not born innocently;instead,they havethe capacityto do wil. To understand
this view, ttre charactersand seffing in the novel should not be understoodas a
real characterand sihration.Instea4 they are only symbolsto expressthe author,s
view. In this case,&e authordoesnot attqnpt to cr€atea particular situation; the
settingis mechanicallycreatedto makethe Sory up.
After understandingthe conte'ntof ttre novel, the writer sees that the
charactersarc deterioratinginsteadofgrowing, In this study, she is eagerto find
out the.neg'ativechanacterchangesundergoneby tk refi4ees on a certain islard
in the novel: Moreover, she also wants to find out some reasun that motivate
them to undergo the changes.To see the boys changesand their reasonsto
experiencechanges,she usescausalrelationshipthroughoutthe analysis-In this
case,the charactsrsand settingare not consideredsymbolicbut real.
The rvriter beliwes that everybodymust experiencechangesarongthe life
spn. Peopleface challengesthroughwhich they experienceprocess.The process
changesthe characters;good people may become bad ard bad peopte may
becomegood.h tlre novel the charactersdeveloptheir positive qualities into the
negativeoncs.Throughthe analysis,the writer wantsto s