Comparative Analysis of Two Stories

Fairy tales are imaginative stories that are often used as a means of entertainment for children.
Fairy tales have several types including fables, legends, myths, sages, jokes, etc. The themes used also
vary according to the type of fairy tale used. Usually, fairy tales are rarely known by their authors and
are hereditary. Every fairy tale must have an implicit or explicit moral message. Many fairy tales have
the same story but with different versions, for example, the stories of Lutung Kasarung and Beauty and
The Beast.

The main characters in these two stories have similar characters. The main character in the
Lutung Kasarung story is a monkey who is a prince who was expelled from the kingdom and cursed by
the gods because of his disgraceful actions named Lutung Kasarung. But he was kind and never gave
up on helping Purbasari beat Purbararang in choosing a royal successor. In addition, there is also
Purbasari's character, the youngest daughter of the king who has good and noble behavior. He wants to
be friends with anyone and is liked by many people and animals. He is very patient in facing trials.
Meanwhile, the main character in Beauty and the Beast is a prince who is cursed by a witch to become
a monster. She must find true love before the last rose petal falls. He managed to make Belle fall in
love with his kindness. Meanwhile, Belle is a brave girl who cares more about other people than
herself. She is a girl who loves her father very much.

In the story, there must be various conflicts. These two stories have different conflicts. The
story of Lutung Kasarung has a conflict regarding Purbararang who did not accept the king's decision
and tried to seize the royal throne from Purbasari in a cunning way. However, with Purbasari's kindness
and efforts, assisted by Lutung Kasarung, they managed to become people the King trusted to lead the
kingdom. Meanwhile, in the story Beauty and The Beast, the conflict is a prince who is cursed by a
witch to become a monster who must find true love before the last rose petal falls. He meets a girl
named Belle who wants to save her father who is locked up. Finally, Bella fell in love with the monster
because she saw her kindness in saving Belle from the wolf's attack.

Besides conflict, setting and plot are also very important in a story. These two stories have
different backgrounds but the same plot. The story of Lutung Kasarung has a place setting in the
nuances of a regional kingdom. The setting where the forest is also used is when Purbasari was
expelled from the kingdom. In this story, there is no mention of the incident. Whereas in the story
Beauty and The Beast, this story is set in a castle setting with many servants in it. Besides that, the
background of this story also takes place in the forest when the scene meets the wolf. The time setting
in this story uses nighttime, making this story tense. Both of these stories have a plot with a flash-
forward plot technique or a storyline to the future and end in a happy ending.

Every fairy tale must have a moral message to be used as a lesson. Both of these stories have
different moral messages. From the story of Lutung Kasarung, the message that can be taken is not to
be a person who is greedy and cunning, to be someone who can accept decisions gracefully, and to be a
good person so that he is surrounded by good people. From the story Beauty and The Beast, the
message that can be taken is that beauty comes from the heart and doesn't judge people only from the
outside.

Although these two stories have similar characters, each has a different conflict. Both stories are
very good and interesting. In addition, these two stories have a moral message that can be used as a
lesson. Readers of Lutung Kasarung and Beauty and The Beast are ageless and can be read by anyone.

Analysis of "Kasarung Lutung"

A. Character

1. Lutung Kasarung / Guruminda: A monkey who is a prince who was expelled from the kingdom and
cursed by the gods because of his despicable actions. But he was kind and never gave up on helping
Purbasari defeat Purbararang.

2. Purbasari: The youngest daughter of the king who has good and noble behavior. He wants to be
friends with anyone and is liked by many people and animals. He is very patient in facing trials.

3. Purbararang: The eldest daughter of the king who has bad behavior. He was very evil and used many
ways to defeat Purbasari.

4. The King: An old king has a wise mind but is easily influenced by his cunning daughter. In making
decisions he is very firm.

5. Indrajaya: Purbararang's fiancé who is as cunning as Purbararang.

B. Diagram Of Plots

1. Expositions
In ancient times, there was a kingdom in West Java. The king and queen had 7 daughters, and 5 of
them were married except for the eldest and youngest daughter.

As he got older, the king often felt uneasy because he had to appoint a successor immediately. The king
could easily appoint his eldest daughter, Purbararang, but he hesitated because his eldest daughter had a
bad temper. It is different with the youngest daughter, Purbasari, who is loved by everyone.

2. Rising

Finally, the king chose Purbasari to replace him in leading the kingdom. Knowing this, Purbararang
was furious because he had been waiting for a long time to become the leader of the kingdom, along
with his fiancé named Indrajaya. They also devised an evil plan to expel Purbasari from the kingdom.
They put poison in Purbasari's food, which caused Purbasari's whole body to be covered in rashes and
itching. Consumed by Purbararang's incitement, the king finally sent Purbasari to be exiled to the
forest. Patiently, Purbasari accepted the sentence and lived in a hut made by a path in the forest.

3. Climax

Purbasari's return to the kingdom was happily welcomed by everyone, except Purbararang. To prevent
the king from once again appointing Purbasari as the leader, Purbararang persuaded his father to hold a
contest to determine who is entitled to occupy the royal throne.

4. Falling

The king ignored Purbararang's protests and immediately announced that Purbsari and Guruminda
would replace him as royal rulers.

5. Resolution

Everyone rejoiced at this good news!

C. Settings

a. Place :

- Forest

Evidence: Patiently, Purbasari accepted the sentence and lived in a hut made by one of the governors in
the forest.
- Kingdom

Evidence: Purbasari's return to the kingdom was happily welcomed by everyone, except Purbararang.

Analysis of "Beauty and The Beast"

A. Character

1. Monster: A prince who was cursed by a witch to become a monster. Angry figure. But behind his
grumpy figure, he has a good heart.

2. Belle: A brave beautiful girl who is kind-hearted by prioritizing the safety of others over herself.

3. Maurice: Belle's father who is an inventor.

4. Gaston: A boring man. Likes to look down on others and act as he pleases.

B. Diagram Of Plots

1. Exposition

Once upon a time, a wizard turned a handsome prince into a hideous monster.

The witch left a rose that was enchanted. If the prince doesn't find true love before the last rose petal
falls, then the prince will remain a monster forever.

2. Rising

On the way to the fair, Maurice gets lost in the woods. A pack of wolves leads him to the gates of a
castle in the forest.

Unsure of what he would find inside, Maurice entered the castle grounds cautiously.

Maurice could never imagine the terrible monsters he faced.

Thinking Maurice had come to hunt him, the monster was furious. Without mercy, he locked the
unwanted visitor in prison.

When her father's horse returns home alone, Belle looks for her father and finds him caged.
Belle begged the monster to free her father.

"Just take me," Belle offered.

The monster agreed, and he asked Belle to stay in the castle forever!

3. Climax

Because of his love, the monster let Belle go home to meet her father.

When Gaston heard Belle talking about the monster, Gaston became jealous and stormed the fort.

Gaston stabbed the monster and then accidentally knocked the monster off the roof.

4. Falling

Belle pulled the monster to safety. "Please don't leave me," she sobbed. "I love you."

As belle spoke, the last rose petal fell. Then a shower of sparks filled the air. The monster began to
change… …become a handsome prince!

5. Resolution

The magical items are filled with joy when they too turn back into humans and see their prince and
Belle in love.

C. Settings

a. The place

- Castle

Evidence: On his way to the fair, Maurice got lost in the woods. A pack of wolves leads him to the
gates of a castle in the forest.

- Forest

Evidence: Belle escaped from the castle on horseback but she was attacked by a wolf that had been
chasing her father (In the forest).

b. Time
Night

Evidence: On her first night, Belle meets the castle maid.

Reference :

Mukti, Swasti.Lutung Kasarung, (online),

(https://www.primateeducationnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Swasti-Mukti-
ProFauna-Indonesia-Story-Indonesian.pdf, accessed December 11, 2022)

Dongeng Cerita Rakyat.Dongeng Beauty and the Beast Indonesia (Cerita Princess Disney Belle),
(online), (https://dongengceritarakyat.com/dongeng-beauty-and-the-beast-indonesia-cerita-
princess-belle/, accessed December 11, 2022)