An Analysis of Characters Trait’s and Setting as Reflected in The Novel The Selection by Kiera Cass

Abstract

A Character is part of the intrinsic element in literary work. Character in literature is an inner trait that influences all thoughts, behavior, manners that belong to humans or other living creatures. The traits are basically formed through a setting that is fairly long learning process, which is the formation or forging of the environment and also the people around them.This research the writer chose a novel to analyze the character in structuralism of literature on intrinsic element analysis the title of the novel isThe Selectionby Kiera Cass. In the story of the novel the writer can see that there is a fair choice of princess in Illea kingdom, princess who will be married with a prince, a son of king through selection from various castes. The analysis is emphasized on Characterstraits and settings observation that has related to each other where the setting influenced the characters trait development in the novel. Moreover, the characters as the object analysis had closely related to the theme of the novel. One of the major character as the object of the study was America Singer. The characterization of the character was much influenced by the setting where she was around such as where she livedand out of her caste naighborhood. Then this study aimed to analyze the characters in relation to setting in the novel The Selection The theory of the research was purposed by Robert (1664).He recommences that in analyzing the characters trait and setting is one the objects of structuralism analysis.Which characters is a verbal representation of a human being presented to us by authors through the depiction, though action, speech, description and commentary. Author portrays characters that are worth caring about rooting for and loving, although there are also characters you may dislike, laugh at or even hate.And setting is nature, manufacture, political, culture, and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own. Setting is ever aspect of characters and all of the character has, that can build one character whether it is tangible or intangible and take influence in the characters personality. While characters formed by settings. Setting has a close connection with all intrinsic elements that exist in literary works. Where setting can affect the character traits, such as environment in which the character live will greatly affect the figure of the character itself. This research is qualitative research in getting with descriptive method from the text about characterization and setting is causes of the trait or action can happen and also the effect of the traits by themself. The objects of this study are to know the characters traits and describe what the setting influence the characters traits of the selection. Data analysis techniques are close reading technique; underline the word by word or takes the form of writing, discussion or silent observation, related to structuralism of character traits and setting theory, and analyzed the data with the way; (a) Action by the characters in the novel (b) what the character say and though (c) how the author explain the characters (d) how the opinion the other character. After collect the data the writer can get the information clearly about traits or action of the characters and setting in the novel. Based on the data analysis, it was found that the trait of the characters in the selection has been influenced by the setting of the novel. The characters areAmerica Singer that has traits talented, attractive, polite, and humble the traits while related with settings of her caste, family and her maids. AshleyBrouillettethe character that has traits elegant, and unsociable while related with setting her caste, education and the members in selected, then Marlee Times has friendly and worried, formed by setting caste and member in selected. The last character is Celeste Newsome has trait arrogant and cunning person that formed by her caste and the member in selected. In conclusion of this study is that to be a princess must have criteria which are reflected in the character traits possessed by America Singer. The environment of the setting is very influential in shaping the characters trait of the people.
Key words: characters, setting, structuralism, reflected in the novel