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

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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,

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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.

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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.

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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.

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