CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This section includes background of the study,
statement of the problems, objectives of the study, significance of the study,
scope and limitation, definition of the key terms, and research method which
covers research design, data sources, data collection, and data analysis. Each
of the items is discussed in detail as follows.
1.1 Background of the Study Literature
is the product of human thought. Since several centuries ago, it had been put
as the symbol of intellect. “Literature is language in which the various
elements and components of the text are brought into a complex relation.”
(Culler, 1997: 29). Through literary works, people may acquire amusements that
will lead them to a keen perception of beauty and increase their sensitivity
upon artistic works in general. Literary works can communicate thought,
feeling, and attitude towards life. “A literary work can be used like anything
else, from ink blots to feelings, simply as a device for imaginative stimulation,
a way to find out what we are thinking or feeling or who we are.” (Clummings and Simmons, 1986: 1).
Novel is one of literary genres
that present complicated problems in detail. Peck and Coyle (1984: 103) state
that novels are long work with great amount of detail on every page. It needs
to be taken into account before people 1 can reach any sort of judgment. The effect of
this detail is that people come to recognize the complex reality of a character
or an event in the story. The novel can also contribute to a deeper
understanding of the central themes, complicated characters, and its readers’
view of the world. So that, novelists create a certain character trait and
personality as part of human psychology. It aims at making a certain image that
will be related to the whole works. The highlight of characters in a novel is
really important to be understood to reach a comprehensive understanding,
because, “learning literature is the same way as to overcome our problems”
(Wellek and Warren, 1989: 23). As a fictional work, literature is considered
having its internal characters apart from the author, audience, and the real
world. Literature is drawn from the imagination rather than history or fact.
Related to the consideration that
literature is an imaginative world, Abrams (1981: 61) said that literature as a
work of fiction is absence from historical truth.
Literature has its ‘own imaginary
world’ rather than the ‘true historic’ one.
Here, the writer chooses Robinson
Crusoe, a novel written by Daniel Defoe which presents a character of Crusoe as
a man who shipwrecked and subsequent life marooned alone. Robinson Crusoe was
published in the classical period and thought to be one of the first English
novels. It is considered one of the interesting novels which show the struggle
of a person alone in a dessert island. The psychological condition of Crusoe is
portrayed in the whole novel, from the beginning until the end of the story.
Crusoe also becomes the only main character of the story. The
writer focuses her analysis on the psychological condition of the main character
of this novel, Robinson Crusoe, because Crusoe has unique personality.
It is apparent when he decides to
go to the sea and live in a dessert island, within strange community that is
dangerous for him rather than to be a lawyer as what his father wants to. The
strength of the main character’s personality is highlighted perfectly in this
novel so that it becomes an interesting adventure novel in which the main
character, Crusoe, becomes the center of the story.
In analyzing the main character’s
personality, the writer uses Karen Horney’s theory of neurosis. It includes
neurotic need for affection, power, exploitation, and self-sufficiency. This
theory offers a different way from the preceding, in which neurosis, as an
attempt to make life bearable, gives new path of ‘interpersonal control and
coping’. It is in accordance with the opinion of Wellek and Warren (1989: 93)
that in the present day almost every author starts to leave Freudianism and
stops making psychoanalysis. Today, there are many psychologists who reform
Freud’s theory such as Horney, Fromn, and Kardiner.
They believe that Freud’s theory
about madness and normal were originated from Wina in th century. Thus, it must be corrected.
“Horney eventually broke from the standard Freudian orthodoxy…” (Corsini,
1994:78). The writer, then, sees that there is a close relationship between
Robinson Crusoe’s personality and the theory of neurosis by Karen Horney. It is
appropriate to view Robinson Crusoe’s personality based on Karen Horney’s
theory of neurosis.
The writer takes previous studies
that are related to this novel. The study conducted by Edward Mann (2002)
entitled “A character analysis of Robinson
Crusoe from the book Robinson
Crusoe by Daniel Defoe” discusses about how the main character grows in the
story. By understanding this progression, the writer argues that people may
take a good look at what Robinson Crusoe learns from his journey.
There are also some studies on
the novel Robinson Crusoe. John R.
Moore (2002) in his analysis of
Robinson Crusoe’s faith in God as revealed in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe
found that Crusoe’s perception of God is discovered in his adventure. It
examines the roles of his faith in God to his life.
While Maratun Nafiah (2003)
focused her study on the elements and types of setting in the Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel Defoe. Furthermore, Mohammad Irham (2006) analyzed Daniel Defoe’s
part of life reflected in Robinson Crusoe. He elaborated the biographical typology of Daniel Defoe’s
Robinson Crusoe.The result of his analysis is that there are many experiences
of Robinson Crusoe reflected in Defoe’s part of life.
Unlike the above previous
studies, this analysis is intended to apply the psychological approach to
obtain the main character’s psychological condition in order to understand the
literary work deeply through its main character.
Considering the former reasons,
the writer is interested in conducting a study entitled “A Psychological
Analysis on the Main Character of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (Viewed from
Karen Horney’s Theory)” which is aimed at describing the personality of the
main character of this novel, Robinson Crusoe, viewed from Karen Horney’s
theory of neurosis.
1.2 Statement of the Problems This study is
intended to find out the answers of the following problems which are related to
the main character’s psychological condition: 1. What personality does the main character of
Robinson Crusoe have? 2. How is the main
character’s personality viewed from Karen Horney’s theory? 1.3 Objectives of
the Study From the above question stated, this study is aimed at: 1. describing the main character’s personality.
2. describing the main character’s personality
viewed from Karen Horney’s theory.
1.4 Significance of the Study The
findings of this study are expected to be very theoretically and practically
useful. Theoretically, this study can be used as a reference for literary studies,
especially which have relations with the analyzed work. Practically, it will be
useful in providing information about personality of the main character in Robinson
Crusoe.
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