Heroism behind Crime in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist: A Deconstruction study

ABSTRACT

The interpretation of text which is looked up from cultural aspect may be a little bit different from the basic concept that human-being accepted before. It is because each people may have capability to interpret the construction of the text. Deconstruction approach by Derrida says that texts might have many interpretations. As one of post-modern analysis, it will make us understand that everything could be in asymmetrical interpretation because the social phenomenon is not stable.

The researcher decided to conduct this study because of some reasons. By this research, the researcher wants to find out how the deconstruction study by Derrida works for literary works. By pointing the analysis to the peripheral or marginal character and its way beholding crime, this study is hoped to give the possibility for any aspect to be related into the text based on the theory. The character of Jack Dawkins is chosen to prove that actually the marginal character has also the important role to develop the story. Therefore the researcher conducts the research entitled Heroism behind Crime in Charles dickens’ Oliver Twist (A Deconstruction Study).

To reverse the text using deconstruction theory, this study looks to only one object. The researcher wants to apply the theory with the object of crime in the novel of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. People may see crime in bad aspect, but with deconstruction, crime is not merely the evil conduct. Crime can be seen that actually heroism aspect can be included in its interpretation. This study shows the result that actually crime from the side of Jack Dawkins, the marginal character, can be interpreted into heroism. It also has a result that finally in literary works not only the major character which has a capability to build the story, but also the marginal character has.

From this study, the researcher found that actually Jack Dawkins who has only limited role can be an important character. The result shows that Jack Dawkins is the character who finds himself as symbol of rebellion to the upper class’ repression. Another result says that Jack Dawkins as many people in general say that he is only marginal character, has actually a big role to build the story and make the story can be flown as what happened in the novel. In the side of Jack Dawkins, crime can be seen from the side of the goodness, it is not merely from the side of the wickedness. There are many interpretation can be handled in only one word. Therefore, for the next study, researcher hopes for the better analysis to improve the study of deconstruction.