HEROISM VALUES IN STEPHANIE MEYER S NOVEL TWILIGHT

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1 HEROISM VALUES IN STEPHANIE MEYER S NOVEL TWILIGHT Nurlaila Alhabsyi English Department Letters and Cultures Faculty Advisor I: Prof. Dr. Hj. Moon. H. Otoluwa, M. Hum Advisor II: Rosma Kadir, S.Pd, M.A Abstract The objective of this study was to describe the heroism values portrayed in Edward Cullen of Stephanie Meyer s Twilight. This research was using a qualitative descriptive method and library research. The data of this research, specifically, were taken from statements/thoughts and action of Edward Cullen. In addition, statements by other characters and description which illustrate the heroism values of Edward Cullen in Twilight were become as point analyzed. The result of this research shows that there were four components which referring to the heroism values portrayed in Edward Cullen of Twilight. It consists of moral greatness, ability or prowess, action in the face of opposition, and triumph in spiritual. These aspects emphasized to what Edward Cullen has done and given for others through his struggle and effort, especially for Bella Swan. In the other words, it can be said that goodness, struggle, and bravery became as the heroism values portrayed in Edward Cullen character. Key words: Heroism, Twilight, Moral, Ability, Action, Triumph in Spiritual. Basic Consideration Fiction is one part of imaginative literature. Altenbernd and Lewis (in Nurgiyantoro, 2005:2), says that fiction is author s imagination which enlighten the truth relations between people and their life. In this case, novel becomes as one of the examples of fiction. Novel has strong relation with the real life of human being through its story. From all of supporting elements in a novel, character has a specific excess than others. It has something unique which cannot find in other elements. In each story, character is the only one component that lives because it portrayed by author through figures of some people directly, though it is just imagination people actually. Each character portrayed in fiction story, such as novel, brings the moral messages or values of the real life. Heroism is one example of values which can find in imagined character. In the real life also can find people who carry out the heroic traits and actions.

2 Heroism itself closes to a figure of a hero. A hero is cannot be separated from his heroic actions which full of bravery and struggle. He is person who able to do exceptionally things and his existence is really helpful for people. A young adult novel Twilight is well depicting character of a hero that brings the heroism values. This novel has been written by Stephanie Meyer. The author whose has already written Twilight Saga in several series including, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. As the first saga, Stephanie Meyer s story begins from Twilight. In Twilight, Edward Cullen is portrayed as a hero who brings out the heroic traits and actions in his appearance. He is described as vampire who faces a hard choice after met a mortal girl namely Bella Swan. He has a great desire of Bella s blood that makes he is able to hurt and kill Bella easily. On the contrary, he realizes that he loves her. However, he is chosen to keep and save Bella, even from himself who has thirsted of her blood. It makes he becomes as a hero who is decisively different with his figure as a dangerous vampire. Through this novel, the researcher would like to analyze problem as follow: How are heroism values portrayed in Edward Cullen of Stephanie Meyer s Twilight? Theoretical Review Concept of Novel The term novel in Europe called as roman which obtained from term romance. The English name of novel gained from novella, it means a little new thing (Abrams, 1999: 190). Furthermore he states that the novel is distinguished from a greater variety of characters, greater complication of plot (or plots), ampler development of milieu and more sustained exploration of character. Character and Characterization In its performance, a character is described as a person who has capable to perform an action (Klarer, 2004: 14). Meanwhile, characterization is the creation and development of characters in a work (Madden, 2002: 130) Major Characters E.M Foster classifies characters into round and flat characters (Foster in Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: ). Then he explains that round characters are the main characters in fictional story. It consists of two different figures; protagonist and antagonist. Protagonist or

3 protagonists often called as hero or heroine because they have many truthful traits which fully build up by the author. Meanwhile antagonist is pointed up as the wicked character. Minor Characters According to E.M Foster, flat character is the figure of the minor character in a story. Minor characters are not the central point of the story. However, the existence of minor character is really help to build up the entirety story (Foster in Roberts and Jacobs, 1987: 121). The Ways of Character Disclosed in Fiction Specifically, Roberts and Jacobs (1987: ), give four dissimilar ways which used by authors to extend information about characters in fiction story. It consists of statements or thoughts of characters, action, statements by other characters, and description. These ways also are very useful used by the readers to get more information about fictional characters and their characteristics. Concept of Heroism In The Philosophical Foundations of Heroism, Bernstein (in Gramstad, 1999) extends four components referring to heroism values of a hero. Moral greatness is the first component that should take place in a figure of someone who called as hero. This is become as the basic of heroism values. It considers that hero is identified by his morality. Secondly, a heroic character should have the ability or prowess. This ability is showed to help people. Without any ability supported, a hero is nothing. He cannot do something useful for people easily. This is also can be the best way to distinguish the hero from others figure. Action in the face of opposition becomes as the third component that should appear in figure of a hero. The action here arises when he faces the antagonist figure. The last is triumph in spiritual. A hero reaches a spiritual grandeur, and even if he falls to achieve the victory. All of these components are more denote to a hero in fictional character. Methodology of Research Method This research uses qualitative descriptive method. In this case, the researcher describes the heroism values portrayed in Stephanie Meyer s novel, Twilight, which showed up by Edward Cullen character.

4 The Data and the Sources of Data The primary source of data is from Twilight. The data are taken from statements/thoughts and actions of Edward Cullen. Moreover, the researcher takes the data from statements by other characters and descriptions which illustrate the heroism values of Edward Cullen in the story of Twilight. The secondary source obtained from articles, books, and journals. Approach The researcher uses psychological approach. Technique of Data Collecting In doing this research, the researcher uses the library research. Therefore the data are collected based on documentation in the story of Twilight. The documentation itself consists of read the novel, identification, note-taking, and collecting data from other sources. Technique of Data Analyzing Technique of data analyzing divided into data reduction, data display, and data verification (Milles & Hubberman, 1994: 10-12). Research Findings and Discussion Research Findings By using Twilight novel, the researcher reveals some important data which refers to Edward Cullen s heroic traits and actions. All of these data, specifically, are taken from statements or thoughts and actions of Edward Cullen. Besides, there are statements by other characters and description. As states by Bernstein (in Gramstad, 1999), the heroism values of a character can be classified into four aspects; moral greatness, ability or prowess, action in the face of opposition, and triumph in spiritual. In research findings here, the researcher found all aspects of heroism in Edward Cullen character. There are eleven data refer to his moral greatness, four data of ability, two data of Edward s action, and one data of triumph in spiritual. Discussion

5 Heroism values are gained after someone willing to do something for help others in which he puts others behalf on his own needs. Moreover, a hero absolutely has own reason for his heroic traits and actions. In the story of Twilight, Edward Cullen; an immortal, becomes as hero for a reason and aim that is for keep his human girlfriend, Bella Swan. The portrayal of heroism values through his moral greatness, ability, action, and triumph in spiritual are more emphasized to what he has done and given for others by engaging his struggle or effort. It brings a fact that everything he did is very useful for person or people helped, especially for Bella. Conclusion and Suggestion Conclusion 1. Fictional characters are the reflection of the real characters in human life in which they are brings some similar traits and actions in their appearances. 2. Heroism is a moral concept developed in human life, and then applied to the literary works in which it more underscore to heroic traits and actions of someone who called as hero and it has strong relation with other people. For the researcher, therefore, heroism values analysis of fictional character can give a lesson about social values, especially about morality. In addition, this is resuscitating that each person is a hero for themselves as long as they still have struggle to facing lives. 3. There are many ways used by author to illustrate the heroism values of imagined character, especially in novel. Not only human in general is able to bring out that value, but also the mythological character could be, such as the figure of hero in Twilight which is depicted through the appearance of Edward Cullen. 4. Moral greatness, ability, action, and triumph in spiritual are four aspects that should have in a fictional heroic figure. These components can be said as the important basics of someone to be a hero. In Twilight, Edward Cullen is portrayed have all of these aspects. That makes he can be categorized as the real hero, although in the story of Twilight he is illustrated as an immortal. Suggestion 1. As devotee of literary works, we have to learn many things from it because it engaging with the real life of human being.

6 2. Moral values analysis of characters in literary works, both in written and oral forms, should estimate as important thing which able to forestall the moral decadence in this age. 3. After acquiring the moral values of characters in literary work, we should utilize it in our real life. References Abrams, M. (1999). A Glossary of Literary Terms: Seventh Edition. USA: Cornell University. Gramstad, T. (2002). Heroism: Rand's and Bernstein's, A Discussion of the Nature of Heroism Instigated by Andrew Bernstein's Article. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from Klarer, M. (2004). An Introduction to Literary Studies: Second Edition. New York: Routledge. Madden, F. (2002). Exploring Fiction: Writing and Thinking about Fiction. New York: Suny Westchester Community College. Miles, B. M. & Hubberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis. London: SAGE Publication. Nurgiyantoro, B. (2005). Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press. Roberts E. V & Jacobs H. E. (1987). Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. USA: Englewood Cliffs.