CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
The present chapter deals with background of
the study, problems of the study,
objectives of the study, scope and limitation, significance of the study, research method, and definition of the key
terms.
1.1 Background of the Study Andre Lefevere states in Pengantar Teori
Sastrathat the literature is inspirable
from human being’s life since it describes the events which happen in a society (Taum, 1997:15). Literature is
identical with life because it can be seen that literature is a true picture or
reflection of human’s life. It describes what and how human life is and usually it reflects the
events which happen in the society.
William J. Long in his book
English Literature(1919: 8-9) states that since literature is the expression of life in
words of truth and beauty; the written record
of man’s spirit of his thoughts, emotions, and aspirations; and the history of human soul, it becomes one of the
mostimportant and delightful subjects that can occupy the human mind.
Furthermore, literature is a vast
treasury from which can obtain the materials
we require for the building up of our intellectual and moral knowledge.
It supplies us with standards of
comparison in all matters that are concerning with the art of living. We learn there in what
countless men of wisdom and genius have made
of life. Their writings provide uswith both an enlargement of experience and an interpretation of life. In this
respect literature helps us in the business of living much as history does (Williams, 1951:
3-4).
Literature is inspirable from
life since it describes the events which can happen in the society. Whatever human being
has experienced in their life describes
the reality of life. Literature isidentical with life; it moreover deals with feelings, ideas, experiences, passions, and
imaginations. Literature helps us to understand
human sentiments, human interests, and human problems.
The reason for learning
literature is that it includes emotion, imagination, feeling, and creativity as well as knowledge.
It is not like other subjects which involve
only knowledge. Above all, literature might be very interesting for some students who have high sensitivity and
imagination because they will enjoy the beauty
of literature.
Literature consists of two
genres; they are non-imaginative literature and imaginative literature (Jakob & Saini,
1991: 16-19). Non-imaginative literature covers literary works which are based on fact
or reality that really happens in human
life. The genres of non-imaginative literature are anessay, a critic, a biography, an autobiography, a history, a
memoir, a daily record an a letter.
Imaginative literature includes
literary works in which factual element is not so important because its purpose is not to
givefactual information to the reader but provide a new sense about reality. The genres
of imaginative literature are poetry prose
and drama.
Prose is a literary genre which
uses more denotative language rather than connotative one. H.B Jassin says that prose is
pronouncing with mind which is different
from poem which is pronouncing feeling (in Suroto, 1989). The forms of prose are novel, novelette, and short story.
The term”novel” is derived from Latin word
novellasor noviesmeaning new. “Novel” it is also taken from Italian language, novellameaning little new thing.
Novel is the modern version of long narrative
which depends on the characters.
The researcher has decided to
choose a novel as the object of the study because it concerns with life. By reading the
novel, she not only gets the enjoyment
but also increases her knowledge and experience about human problems.
The researcher is interested in
analyzing one of the popular novels, David Copperfieldby Charles Dickens. David Copperfieldis
Dickens eight novels, which was
published in monthly parts by Brand Bury and Evans on May 1849-November 1850
and illustrated by Phiz (Paul Davis, 1999: 105). Besides, David Copperfieldis partly autobiographical of the
writer himself which was one of the greatest
novelists in Victorian period, and this novel is often considered to be his finest novel as Dickens said himself that it
was his favorite of his own novels. In the
preface of David Copperfieldedition, Charles Dickens states that: Of all my books, I like this the best. It will
be easily believed that I am a fond
parent to every chills of my fancy, and that no one can ever love that family as dearly as I love
them. But, like many fond parents. I
have in my heart of hearts a favorite child. And his name is David Copperfield(David
Copperfield, 1994).
Perhaps Dickens was especially
fond of David Copperfieldbecause David’s
story is often very close to the history of his own life of Charles Dickens from his childhood and early sorrow until his
success as a writer, we can also gain the
benefits from the characters involved such as Mr.Murdstone, Mr.Micawber, Mrs.Steerforh, Martha Endell, Mr. Creakle,
Doctor strong and many others which are
very unique as a reflection of English society in nineteenth century.
David Copperfieldby Charles
Dickens is an interesting novel. The main character of this novel is David. He was an
orphan. His father died six months before
he was born. He lived with his mother, Clara and his nurse, Peggoty. And after that his mother remarried with
Mr.Murdstone. Having got a new father he faced some problems especially concerning with
his study. Mr.Murdstone and his sister
were always angry with him when he could not answer properly some questions about his lesson. David as the
result was sent to school at Salem House.
Few months later his mother died,
so he did not continue his study again. He could not afford to pay the school fee. Thenhe
was sent to work by his step father Mr.Murdstone
to do his business. David lodged at Mr.Micawber’s house.
Unfortunately, Mr.Micawber could
not afford to pay his debt, so he and his family had to move to other town. David did not have
friend anymore, so he ran away to his
aunt Miss.Betsey in order to escape from his loneliness. His aunt was very happy. She treated him as if he were her own
child, and sent him to school of Dr.Strong
at Canterbury. Having graduated from this school, he went back to his aunt, Miss.Betsey. A few years later he
married with Dora Spenlow. She was a daughter
of David’s friend. One day David’s aunt had lost all of her money, as a result she could not support him any longer.
To overcome his financial problem, he
worked as a secretary of Dr.Strong, his former headmaster. In his free time he also learnt shorthand in order to be a
reporter. Getting enough capability began to write. Unfortunately his wife was sick and at
last she died. Infact, David was not so
much desperate of it although he loved his wife. He tried well to keep standing.
He kept writing and at lasthe
became a great writer. Finally, he remarried to Agnes Wickfield and had a happy life.
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