We read stories
for pleasure; they entertain us. And we read them for profit; they enlighten
us.[1]
Short story is the most entertaining works from literature that liked for all
people. Stories draw us into their imaginative worlds and engage us with the
power of their invention.[2]
From that, some stories are provides the pleasures to all readers in the world.
Through the words, variable characters, fascinating story line, and inviting us
to another form of life through short story. When we read a story, there is one
thing that we have to know about, the elements of short story which is very
crucial things in short story.
The writer would like to analyze about the main characters and
characterization of “The Lady, or the
Tiger short story. This story is written by Frank S. Stockton.In
analyzing the main character and characterization,
I would like to use the theory from the Literature Approaches to Fiction,
Poetry and Drama book and Fiction: The
elements of the short story book. And to scope the problem, the
writer try to identify the problem by following question:
1.
How does the short
story depict the main character?
2.
What are the
characteristics of the main character?
II.
THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
A.
CHARACTER
In this paper of research, the writer will describe
about the character and the characterization. As readers, we often come to
care about fictional characters, sometimes identifying with them, sometimes
judging them. Indeed, if one reason we read stories is to find out what happens
(to see how the plot works out), an equally compelling reason is to follow the
fortunes of the characters.”[3]“As a literary term, however, a character is a person
created for a work of fiction.[4]”
Before we going further to the analysis,
the writer will explains about the theory that used to the research. Firstly, “Characters
in fiction can be conveniently classified as major and minor, static and
dynamic. A major character is an important figure at the center of the story’s
action or theme.”[5]
“The major character is sometimes called a protagonist whole conflict with an
antagonist may spark the story’s conflict. Supporting the major character is
one or more secondary or minor character whose function is partly to illuminate
the major character.”[6]
B.
CHARACTERIZATION
According
to DiYanni, characterization is the way which writer explains the
characteristic of every character inside.[7]
Character creation is the art of characterization-what the author does to bring
a character to life, to provide the reader with a sense of that character’s
personality, to make that character unique. Authors can characterize or develop
a character directly or indirectly.[8]
DiYanni says that the characters in every story can be classified as either
round flat, active or static, major or minor.[9]
“Remember, too, that in serious fiction the elements of plot and character are
so closely intertwined that it is often impossible to tell whether events
prompt a character’s behavior or whether a character’s nature influences the
events.[10]
III.
THE
ANALYSIS OF SHORT STORY
A.
CHARACTER
Based on the
background, problem and the focus of the study above, the writer would like to
represent about the analysis from The
Lady, or the tiger short story, it will be focus on the main character
analysis, and the characterization analysis. The writer thinks that necessary
to analyze both of elements, because it’s referred to final task of prose
requirements. First analysis is the main
character.
As we read, in
this story we found two characters. Because in this story tells about two
persons who dominated in some moments, they are semi- barbaric king and his
lovely daughter. At the beginning story actually we found the domination of the
king.
“In
the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, whose ideas, though
somewhat polished and sharpened by the progressiveness of distant Latin
neighbors, were still large, florid, and untrammeled, as became the half of him
which was barbaric. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an
authority so irresistible that, at this will, he turned his varied fancies into
facts.” (p.1)
From this
quotation we can find the purpose of the writer tells about the main
characteristic of the king. The writer tells that the king has a semi-barbaric
nature and an exuberant fancy. It means the king usually applies his fancies
into fact or into the big kingdom authority. And in the story declares the
king’s role as static because from the beginning is the same. It was evidence
that the king included as the minor character. In addition, he supports his
beloved daughter as the major character.
“The
semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and
with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. As is usual in such cases, she
was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity.”(p. 3)
This
quote explaining about the princes as the main character of this story. The
writer tells that the king’s daughter spent more time with her love “courtier”
until the end of the story. A man whom the princes love is to support the main
character. It means (courtier) as a minor character of the princes. In Lady or,
the Tiger? Also talking about romance
when princes loved him (courtier).
Among
his courtiers was a young man of that fineness of blood and lowness of station
common to the conventional heroes of romance who love royal maidens. This royal
maidens was will satisfied with her lover, for he was handsome and brave to a
degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom; and she loved him with an ardor that
had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong.”(p.3)
This evidence
tells us about the main character (princes) always occur as the great lover to
the handsome and brave to a degree unsurpassed in this kingdom. Her father had
introduced at the beginning of the story, that she was the main character who
bring her love till the end of the story.
B.
CHARACTERIZATION
As
the writer knows that the king’s daughter guessed as the main character because
she dominated in the whole story. Besides, we can find some characteristics
from the story, one of the characteristic are sincere.
“The
semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and
with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. As is usual in such cases, she
was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity.”(p. 3)
From the
evidence above, we know that she has some characteristics. She most florid fancies
like her father and powerful soul to be the holder authority in the kingdom.
She did everything sincerely to the biggest holder authority. It made her like
an apple of her beloved king, the king considered her as something different
from others, something special and extraordinary of his eyes. The king loved
her in truth.
She loved him with an ardor that had enough of
barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong.”(p.3)
This short
quotation explains us about the basic character of the princes. The evidence
tells us that the princess has a great love to the courtier who accused in the
king’s arena. It means she has tenacious heart for young man who loved her.
We also found in
the story one characteristic occurred when her lover accused on the king’s
arena, let’s we know from this quotation:
From
the moment that the decree had gone forth, that her lover should decide his
fate in the king’s arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this
event and the various subjects connected with it. (p.5)
From the
evidence above we know the king’s daughter or the princess was apprehensive
about her lover condition who accused. She afraid to lose her lover so she
thinks every time. She too cares to the courtier seriously.
Possessed
of more power, influence, and force character than any one who had ever before
been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done-she
had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. She knew in which of the two
rooms, that lay behind those doors, stood the cage of the tiger, with its open
front, and which waited the lady. (p.5)
And from the
evidence above we know the princess totally gives her soul to her lover who
accused in the king’s arena. She had possessed herself of the secret of the
door. And the next quotation will tell about how the princess knows the secret
behind the two doors.
Through
these thick doors, heavily curtained with skins on the inside, it was
impossible that any noise or suggestion should come from within to the person who
should approach to raise the latch of one of them; but gold, and the power of a
women’s will, had brought the secret to the princess. (p.5)
From this
quotation we know that the princess has a curious characteristic. She wanted to
know the secret of the doors, eventhought no body knows about it. But with her power
and will finally it had brought the secret to her.
[1] Robert DiYanni, Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry,
and Drama, (New York: McGraw. 2004). P.21
[2] Ibid, P.21
[4] Jane Bachman
Gordon, Karen Kuehner, Fiction: The elements of the short story, (New York:
Mc.Graw Hill. 1999). P.95.
[5] Robert DiYanni. Op.cit. P.54
[6] Ibid, P.54
[7] Ibid, P.55
[8] Jane Bachman
Gordon, Karen Kuehner, Fiction: The elements of the short story, (New York:
Mc.Graw Hill. 1999). P.95.
[9] Ibid, P.97
[10] Ibid, P.98
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