An analysis of main Character's Personality in Grisham's the Bleachers

ABSTRACT

Personality is one of the concepts that are familiar to everyone but it is difficult to define. Personality is defined as a pattern of enduring, distinctive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize the way an individual adapts to the world (Santrock: 477).

This study is aimed at analyzing the main characters personality based on Maslow's personality theory. It is theory about human basic needs, there are: physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, the esteem needs and self actualization needs.

It is a descriptive research because the writer describes certain condition, nature of phenomena of an object of a study. In this study the writer is the key research instrument in analyzing the data. The data are taken from the novel. The statements of the problems are: (1) what are the main characters personality of The Bleachers and (2) How is the personality aspects of the main characters expressed in The Bleachers. To answer those two statements of the problems the theory of personality is really needed.

The other is chapter three in which the writer explains about the research method or in another word, it is the way the writer conducts her study of the novel. It begins from how the data are collected, observed and systematically arranged. The writer analyzes the novel based on literary criticism which uses psychological approach. Literary psychology is a study of literature which is considers a work as psychological activity (Suwardi, 2003; 96).

The following step is chapter four, in which the results of the discussion are presented. In here, the characteristic of the main characters personality of the novel is exposed and then known.

The last chapter is chapter five which contains the conclusion of the result of the discussion about the personality of the main character. There are a number of innate needs that active the behavior of the main character of the novel. However the esteem needs is dominant in Neely Crenshaw. He is very scared of people reaction when he can not play football anymore. On one side he wants to be strong and confidence with his physical condition after he got accident. Finally, the writer may pray that this will be very useful point to conduct the following research.