Conflicts And Psychological Aspects Of American Singer In The Novel The Selection
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ISSN: 2302-920X
Jurnal Humanis, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Unud
Vol 17.2 Nopember 2016: 103 - 109
Conflicts And Psychological Aspects Of American Singer In The Novel The Selection
Ida Ayu Ika Sarita Dewi1*, I Nyoman Udayana2, Ni Wayan Sukarini3 123English Department Faculty Of Arts, Udayana University 1[[email protected]] 2[[email protected]]
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*Corresponding Author
Abstrak
Studi yang berjudul Conflicts and Psychological Aspects of America Singer in The Novel The Selection. Studi ini difokuskan pada analisa konflik yang terjadi pada karakter America Singer, dan melalui konflik tersebut dapat terlihat aspek psikologi dari karakter tersebut.
Studi ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dan metode deskripsi. Data yang digunakan dalam studi ini berupa novel The Selection dari Kiera Cass. Teori yang digunakan untuk menganalisa data adalah teori dari Karl S. Bernhardt (1953) dalam buku Pratical Psychology, serta teori dari Gail and Myers (1992) dalam buku The Dynamic Of Human Communication.
Temuan dari studi ini menyatakan bahwa melalui konflik yang terjadi, kita bisa melihat psikologi dari karakter Amerca Singer bahwa dia adalah orang yang tertutup.
Keyword: Tokoh Utama, Konflik, Psikologi
Novel is one of literary works which belong to fiction. Novel is a medium that describes what is in the mind of the author and expresses imagination and deep human feelings pouring through several elements such as character and plot. Character is the most important part in a novel because it has a function to introduce various characteristics to the reader to make the story interesting.
Novel The Selection was chosen as the topic because it has lots of characters.
This study focuses on the analysis of the character America Singer because she is the
center of the novel. And the plot made by arrangement of conflict of America Singer as the main character problems.
Based on the background above, the problems of the study can be formulated as follows:
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a. What types of conflict happen in character of America Singer?
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b. How does the author describe the character of America Singer in term psychological aspect?
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a. To describe the character America Singer.
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b. To analyze internal and external conflicts in the character America Singer.
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c. To analyze the character America Singer in terms of psychological aspect.
The primary data in this undergraduate paper was the novel from Kiera Cass entitled The Selection that was released on April 24, 2012 through Harper Collins Publishers. The method and technique used in collecting data was the documentation method. The analysis of this study applied the theory of psychology proposed by Karl S. Bernhardt (1953), theory of conflict proposed by Gail and Myers (1992) and the supporting theory proposed by Deetz & Stevenson (1986).
This part deals with the result and the discussion of the data.
America Singer is a young lady who lives in the country called Illeà. This country uses caste system society through the job. America Singer is the fifth; the number of her caste is for a musician. America life changes because of the competition in the country called The Selection. The selection is where the prince (Prince Maxon) of the country is looking for a wife and the girls of this country will be selected for a crown and become a lady of the country but for America Singer the competition is a ridiculous thing and she has already had a boyfriend named Aspen. But, she should do it for her family, because they need compensation.
In this story America has two conflicts; they are:
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a. Internal Conflict
This story tells that America does not want to go to the selection but she is supposed to because her family needs the compensation from the Royal family. The source of her conflict is Incompatible Roles. Her families always want her to join the selection but she does not know what she really wants. It can seen from this quotation below:
But there were things – important things – in this world that I loved. And that piece of paper seemed like a brick wall keeping me away from what I wanted. Maybe what I wanted was stupid. Maybe it wasn’t even something I could have. But still, it was mine. (Page.5)
America has an important thing that she really wants, she wants to get married to a man that she loves, and the selection makes it a getaway from what she really wants. The type of this conflict is personal conflict with her own mind that the things that she wants are impossible to achieve.
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b. External Conflict
This story tells about America Singer having a boyfriend before she is chosen to the selection in the palace. Aspen is the Sixth (social status). The conflict between America and her boyfriend is interpersonal conflict. They have argument about joining the selection, the conflict occurs when Aspen asks America about the selection. It can be seen from the quotation below:
“Are you going to enter the Selection”
“No! Of course not! I don’t want anyone think I’d even consider marrying some stranger. I love you.”
“You want to be a Six? Always hungry? Always worried?” he asked.
“Aspen, we’ll make it. We’re smart. We’ll be fine.” I willed it to be true
“You know that’s not how it’ll be, Mer. I’d still have to support my family; I’m not the abandoning type. And when we had kids. And we’ll just be careful about it. Who says we have to have more than two? You know that’s not something we can control!” (Page.19)
From the quotation above, Aspen does not want America to live in misery with him. He just wants her to get a proper life. The conflict causes different opinion about the future life.
Psychology of America Singer includes the human motivation; they are:
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a. Appetite
America has appetite to marry her boyfriend Aspen, it can be seen from the
quotation below:
“Do what?”
“Enter the Selection. I think you should do it. All I want is for you to enter. I just want you to try. And if you go, then you go. And if you don’t, then at least I won’t have to beat myself up for holding you back.”
“Are you out of your mind? But I don’t love him, Aspen. I don’t even like him. I don’t even know him.”
“No one knows him. That’s the thing, though, maybe you would like him.
“Aspen, stop. I love you.” (Pages. 19-21)
From the quotation above, America really wants to be with Aspen. She does not care about the caste and she even rejects the competition only to be with him. Not only that, she also convinces Aspen so they could be fine when they are together.
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b. Want
America wants to survive while in the palace until the selection ends. Because, her family wants her to become the winner and has compensation. This can be seen in the quotation below:
“If you would be willing to let me stay, even for a while, I’d be willing to make a trade,”
“A trade?”
“Yes. Let me stay, and I’ll help you. I’ll be your friend.”
“I’ve met nearly every woman in this room, and I can’t think of you one who would make a better friend. I’d be glad to have you stay.” (Page.130)
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c. Emotion
America is sad because she is leaving her home to do something ridiculous thing ‘The Selection’. When she at the first time meet with the prince, she gets angry about this ridiculous competition, it can be seen from the quotation below:
“Excuse me, dear, are you going to keep crying?”
“Don’t call me that! I am no more dear to you than the thirty-four other strangers you have here in your cage.” (Page.114)
From the quotation above, America does not like that Maxon calls her “dear”, because she does not respect this competition. It is a foolish thing to her life.
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d. Feeling and attitude
America is feeling nervous in front of people, it occurs during the photo shoot when all the contestants turn to take pictures with the prince. In the conversation below
the prince is trying to keep her calm so that photo shoot keep going well. The situation can be seen from the conversation below:
“I don’t like everyone looking at me.”
“Just look at me like you can’t stand me. See, it’s not so bad.”
“I guess.” (Page.215)
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e. Social motive
In this story, prince Maxon gives America motivation that we must be professional when doing something; no matter when we feel sad or bad, we must calm. The situation can be seen from the quotation below:
I knew we were supposed to get back to the pictures, but Maxon didn’t seem nearly so interested in it all now.
“Are you all right?”
“Just all those people.”
“Maybe we should stop.”
“One thing you must master in this profession is the ability to appear calm when you feel anything but. Please smile, America. Please don’t say anything. It’s imperative you’re discreet.”
“Of course." (Page.217)
According to the data analysis above, it can be concluded
In this novel the author describes that America Singer as the protagonist and the narrator itself.
Based on this novel, within the conflict the America Singer psychological aspect can be noticed. America Singer can keep secret on something that happens in her life and she resolves her problem itself without asking for opinions to everyone, the type of her temperament is phlegmatic person. She has a good heart and she wants to make other people around her happy. But she has felt doubtful to place her heart to a man. She thinks she feels better with.
From this analysis, we can assume that a character cannot only be analyzed from one aspect, because the characterization has three dimensions: physiological, psychological and sociological aspects.
Message: Do not be high expecting of something, if it might not be possible to happen.
Bernhardt, S. Karl. 1953. Practical Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Inc.
Cass, Kiera. 2012. New York Time Bestseller: The Selection. New York: Harper Collins Publisher.
Deetz, Stanley. A and Sheryl. L. Stevenson. 1986. Managing Interpersonal Communication. New York: Chapter & Row Publisher.
Myers, Gail E. And Michele F. Myers. 1992. The Dynamic Of Human
Communication:A Laboratory Approach. Singapore: McGrow Hill, Inc.
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