David Pelzer’s survival as an abused child in the Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer

ABSTRACT

Literature is the mirror of reality. It portrays the real aspect of human being physically and psychologically. Both literature and psychology have the similarity in the object of the study. Both of them are study about human being. But the differences between them are, in psychology study about the human being as the real of god creation (real life/fact) but in literature psychology studies human being in human creation (fictive). Furthermore, to analyze a literary work can be done using psychological approach. Such in this analysis, the researcher is using psychological approach by apply the Carl Gustav Jung’s theory. The researcher deals the analysis with psychological condition of the main character in the novel.

In The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer is known that it is psychological novel. Which story focuses is in the character attitudes and behaviors condition, mainly the psychological condition of the characters. Therefore the objective of this research are, firstly to know how the main character’s psychological personality condition while he was abused and discriminated. Secondly, to know the factors that are supported David’s survival. Both first and second objective focus on main character’s psychological personality problem.

This research uses a descriptive analysis method to analyze the object of the study. The researcher is classifying the data into the categories trough evidences then describes it and continuo to analyze it. This method is quite suitable be applied in this research. Because, the researcher wants to explain vividly about the analysis using describes the data.

After doing analysis, the researcher finds that the main character in The Lost Boy has many aspects personalities of common personality. Those are (1) public personality, (2) animal instinct, (3) masculine behavior and (4) self behavior. From each aspects there are the indications. But, not all indications of the aspect is found on the main character’s personality. Then the results of the analysis is not every aspect of personality occurs on David Pelzer. But most aspect are dominated on him. The most dominant aspect occurs on David is self behavior. With indication is motivation to get better. The other finding by the researcher is about the supporting factors that motive the main character being survival in his abused life. The factors are coming from five aspects. These are family, social, psychological condition, education and religion aspect. The most influences factors is family aspect. This is the great motivation on David’s survival.