CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Analysis
Literature for the readers can give a pleasure and knowledge. As Roberts
and Jacobs (1995: 1) state that literature refers to compositions that tell stories,
dramatize situations, express emotions, and analyze and advocate ideas. Roberts
and Jacobs (1995: 2) also state that literature may be classified into four categories
of genres 1) prose fiction, 2) poetry, 3) drama 4) nonfiction prose.
Novel is one of various literary works as a part of prose fiction. As a prose
fiction, novel offers various matters about human and humanity.
Novel sebagai sebuah karya fiksi menawarkan
sebuah dunia, dunia yang berisi model kehidupan yang
diidealkan,, dunia imajiner, yang dibangun melalui
berbagai unsur intrinsiknya seperti peristiwa, plot, tokoh
(dan penokohan), latar, sudut pandang, dan lain-lain
yang kesemuanya, tentu saja juga bersifat imajiner.
Nurgiyantoro (1995: 4)
Based on the statement, novel is created by the author who imitated the
real world which is combined with his/her imagination. By reading a novel,
people can get pleasure and also much understanding about human characters. As
a part of literature, a novel gives us knowledge which is rich in psychological
aspects as it can be seen through characters.
Character is one of important element in fiction, especially novel. It has an
important role to build up a story. Every character has its own characteristics that
Universitas Sumatera Utara
create a story and each of it is portrayed in different physical and psychological.
Based on the psychological side, literature can be studied and analyzed by using
the theory of psychology.
Psychology studies such a wide variety of human behaviors, experiences,
interactions and it also suggests ways to improve the quality of human life and
literature is covering human activities.
Tell Me Your Dreams is a novel written by Sidney Sheldon in 1998. Like
any other Sheldon’s previous novel, this novel tells an interesting mysterious story
with a woman as the main character. The main character of the novel is Ashley
who suffers from multiple personality because of the childhood trauma. Multiple
personality is a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities or
personalities (known as alter egos or alters), each with its own pattern of
perceiving and interacting with the environment. Then, Ashley is suspected as a
murder because of her multiple personality. In this thesis, the writer will also
analyze Ashley’s other individual identities namely Alette Peters and Toni
Prescott and how they are reflected in the novel.
In analyzing the novel, the writer finds that the novel seems to focus on
psychological matters as seen through the characteristic of the main character.
The reasons to choose this topic are; first, this topic is very interesting to
be analyzed both from literatures and psychology side because it is a rare matter
found in daily life but it is a fact that happened, especially in view of psychology.
Second, as far as the writer knows that the topic has never been analyzed before,
Universitas Sumatera Utara
especially, by students of English Department of Faculty of Letters, in University
of Sumatera Utara.
1.2 Problem of the Analysis
The analysis of this study based on the following problems:
1. Is multiple personality reflected in the novel?
2. Does Ashley change her individual identity into Alette Peters and
Tony Prescott?
3. What factor causes multiple personality to Ashley in the novel?
1.3 Objective of the Analysis
According to the statements of the problem, the objectives of this analysis
are:
1. To find the reflection of multiple personality is reflected in the novel.
2. To find the change of Ashley individual identity into Alette Peters and
Tony Prescott.
3. To find factor that causes multiple personality to Ashley in the novel.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1.4 Scope of the Analysis
In writing this thesis, the writer would like to concentrate on the main
character only namely Ashley Patterson who suffers from multiple personality in
the novel written by Sidney Sheldon Tell Me Your Dream and her other individual
identities namely Alette Peters and Tony Prescott.
1.5 Significance of the Analysis
a. Academically, this thesis is hoped to enrich the knowledge of students
of Faculty of Letters, especially English Department in the field of
literatures and psychology and as a contribution for those who need
references in doing a research.
b. Theoretically, this thesis can enrich the writer and other researchers’
knowledge about literature and psychology, especially multiple
personality.
1.6 The Reviews of Related Literature
In finishing this thesis, the writer uses other related literatures in finding
some data and information to support the analysis of the novel, they are:
1. Aminuddin in his book Apresiasi Karya Sastra.
This book describes the way how to understand the characters.
2. Benjamin B. Lahey, in his book Psychology: An Introduction.
The book provides some explanations about dissociative disorders,
especially multiple personality.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
3. Rene Wellek and Austin Warren in Theory of Literature (translated by
Melani Budianta into Indonesia language).
This book provides about the relation between literatures and
psychology.
4. Robert Edgar V and Henry E. Jacobs in An Introduction: To reading
and Writing.
This book describes about literature and types of literature (the genre).
5. Sidney Sheldon’s novel Tell Me Your Dreams.
This novel is as the main source for the writer in writing this thesis.
6. Walter Mischel in his book Introduction to Personality: Toward an
Integration.
This book provides the theory of personality.
7. Sint Lourence Saragi in her thesis An Analysis of the Main Characters
in Flora Rheta Schreiber’s Novel Sybil.
Her thesis has helped me in analyzing the main character which is
related to my thesis.
8. Wulan Dini Tanjung in her thesis A Study of Psychological Disorder
through the Selected Characters in Sidney Sheldon’s Novel the Naked
Face.
Her thesis has helped me to understand how to analyze the
psychological disorder through the character.
Universitas Sumatera Utara