CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study Literature
is one of such ways to express the creativity in developing the view of
civilization. By literature someone can change the way of people’s thinking
that will colorize the world. There would be always some messages, point of
view, and ideas that try to be explored by literature. No matter what it is, where
it is and when it is. We have known that literature is a part of human life that
reflects the reality in what are happened in each aspect of life. (Wilbur 1962:
123) stated that literature can not create in vacuum; it is the work not simply
for person, but of an author fixed in time and space, answering to a community
of which he is an important, because articulate part. Simply mean that
literature can not stand by itself, there are so many factors influence the
existence of literature.
The work of literature is called
an autonomous and independent. But when we talk about the influence of the
literature to the society or it’s opposite, we have to relate this aspect to
the society and reality.
Literature has been seen as a
special kind of writing which, it was argued, could civilize not just the lower
classes but also the aristocrats and the middle classes. Literature for
everyone who wants to know more or maybe just to express their feeling,
experience, even the event that has happened in their life.
An introduction to Literature
defines literature is (to quote Robert Frost) a “performance in words.” It has
in it an element of entertaining display, and surely we expect literature to be in some sense
entertaining, or, to put it in slightly different terms, to afford pleasure.
That literature is an adult game, a short of make-believe, is suggested in some
of words we apply to pieces of literature-“fiction,” “story,” “tale,” “play.”
(Barnet, Berman, and Burto, 1963: 1) The writer analyzes one of piece in
literature, it is fiction.
In some fictions, such as an
adventure story, an author draws his imagination by presenting imaginary events
which may possibly occur in certain aspects of life, as stated by Hollowel: “a
part of the board field of fiction, adventure stories deal with imagery event
that are generally outside the realm of a child’s experience, but through
certain aspects of life, they appear entirely plausible and possible
(1966:318).” Hence, the experience, the life he has ever got and has ever imagined,
either good or bad thing.
There are so many approaches that
can be analyzing literary work. The approach that is used in this research is
sociological approach. The writer thinking that sociological approach is
appropriate approach to use in this thesis. Depend on the subject or matter,
sociological approach is very compatible to be discussed.
The definition of sociology
itself is a systematic method of observing understanding human interaction.
Sociology is a kind of people-watching. It is a science of human society based
on the careful, systematic observation of people.
A systematic method enable us to
study and understand patterns of behavior, the things people do and the various
ways they relate to each other (Currant, 1977: 1 ) According to Wilbur S.
Scott, sociological approach is an approach that is used to understand the
social milieu and the extent to which in manner in which the artist responds to it (Wilbur, 1962:
123). Sociological approach can be applied to analyze the social phenomena
which are expressed by the society in this novel.
Meanwhile literature is reflected
of life since the materials of literary creation are obtained from the
experience of life. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer¶s Stoneis more about the
relationship among the characters based on the social values articulated in the
novel.
The sociology of the participants
in the humor act is an extremely important factor emphasized in various aspects
by a number of researchers. It seems to be generally recognized that the scope
and degree of mutual understanding in humor varies directly with the degree to
which the participants share their social background (Raskin: 1963: 16). Victor
off concurs energetically in (1953, 14), (Raskin: 1963:17): “…One never laughs
alone – laughter is always the laughter of a particular social group and it is
impossible to associate oneself with it if one does not share the group’s
norms, feelings and ideas – in short, if one is not part of it.” Another
sociological aspect of humor was emphasized by Bergson. For him (1899, 187), “
laughter is, above all, a corrective. Being intended to humiliate, it must take
a painful impression on the person against whom it is directed. Victor also
speaks about “….the social function of humor, that is the social effect which laughter,
to the extent that it can become itself the social factors. Is likely to produce”
(1953, 145). On the other hand, the society determines the circumstances under
which laughter is recommended, tolerated, or forbidden, as well as its
duration, intensity, etc (Raskin: 1963:17).
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer¶s Stone is about
the adventures of the main character, as a little wizard, namely Harry Potter.
Essentially, witchcraft as described by Rowling in her popular novel is about
our being able to control people or thing by what we say or the ritual we do.
This is presented in Harry Potter’s book Witchcraft is also about the way using
various means to foretell the future. Meanwhile, Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer¶s Stone is not only an adventuring story, but also humorous story.
Humor becomes the way Rowling uses to make her popular novel more exiting and
amusing. That is why, the researcher wants to analyze this novel using the term
of humor.
No wonder that the main powers of
the novel are wit and humor. Fraser states that Rowling adds comedy, danger and
extraordinary special effects to add the excitement (2001: 67). The quotation
gives us explanation that humor is the one of prime elements in J. K. Rowling’s
Harry Potter and Sorcerer¶s Stone. It has appealed the emotion of the readers
in order to understand how the story appears in humorous characteristics.
There are many arguments about
the aspect of humor. The term humor is closely related to psychological term.
The Psychological and Social Issues defines humor is incongruity which in its
broadest sense includes any juxtaposition n of ideas or situation of ideas or
situations which is surprising, unexpected, illogical, absurd, disjointed or out
of context (Cohcrance, 1991: 3). As stated by Hallowell, humor can be provided
in some ways such as the use of exaggeration, surprise, mistaken identity,
incongruity, and funny sounding words (1966:18).
Unconsciously, humor can protect the negative
information in social relationship. Humor is a social instrument that provides
an effective way to reduce psychological distress, communicate a range of
feelings and ideas, and enhance relationships; also, humor protects social
relationships when communicating negative information. (Baldwin, 2007).
Susan Langer, in the chapter
titled, "The Comic Rhythm," from her book, Feeling and Form,
discusses the differences between comedy, humor, and laughter extensively.
(Langer, pp. 338-341) She points out that laughter is physical, and can occur
when one is tickled. Humor is simply "one of the causes of laughter".
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