plagiat merupakan tindakan tidak terpujiwriting this thesis is derived from the writer’s curiosity...

ATTICUS’ MOTIVATION IN DEFENDING TOM ROBINSON

IN LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

A Thesis

Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

PUTUT SRI SABDONO

Student Number: 001214154

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAMDEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATIONFACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITYYOGYAKARTA

2007

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJIPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

MOTTO

“The journey of one thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

-Chinese Proverb-

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt-

GOD answers our pray in three ways: First, He says…..Yes!

He gives us what we want Second, He says….NO!

He gives us the better one Third, he says….Wait!

He will give us in the right time -Anonymous-


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Above all, my supreme gratitude goes to my JC (Jesus Christ) for His

assistance and eternal love in giving me inspiration to finish my thesis. Without

Him I am hopeless.

My immense gratitude and tribute go to Dra. Wigati Y. Modouw,

M.Hum., as my major sponsor, for her patience, criticisms, and contributions in

assisting my thesis writing. My endless thanks go to Nugraha Krisdiyanta, S.Pd,

M.Hum. I thank him for criticizing my work.

I excessively will bestow my life for people I love to whom I share my

thoughts in completing my study. My next deepest gratitude goes to my beloved

father and mother who have looked after me. I thank for their prayer, love,

patience, understanding, trust, and everything they have given to me. Thanks also

to my beloved sister “Brigita”, my brother “Firdaus”, and my dearest niece

“Dita” for their support and spirit. You all are the best thing I have ever had.

A friend is someone who will do anything to cheer you up. I do not only

have a friend, but many friends beside me who always cheer my thesis writing

days with their encouragement, smiles and laughter. I especially bestow my

gratitude to Mr. Gondrong and his wife for their helpfulness and friendship,

Danang (99) for the sharing and inspiration, P. Widyawan (Benjo), Boen2,

Black, Yoyok, Gomar, Rosa, Mera, Adam and Zita, Teddy and Telly, Ika and

Yoseph, for their helpfulness and friendship for all the times, along with the other

PBI 00ers. The last but not the least, I present my truly thanks to all people, whose


vii

names cannot be mentioned, who have ever come in to my life. Thanks for all the

special moments we share and for the encouragement in the last minutes. You all

will be always noted in the history of my life.

May God bless them all!

The Writer


viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ............................................................................................... i

PAGE OF APPROVAL ............................................................................... ii

PAGE OF BOARD OF EXAMINERS.......................................................... iii

STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ............................................ iv

MOTTO ....................................................................................................... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................... vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................. viii

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................ xi

ABSTRAK .................................................................................................. xii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study ................................................ 1

1.2. Objectives of the Study ................................................... 5

1.3. Problem Formulation ..................................................... 5

1.4. Benefits of the Study ...................................................... 5

1.5. Definition of Terms ........................................................ 6

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………….. 7

2.1. Theory of Literature ....................................................... 7

2.1.1. Theory of Character and Characterization ............. 7

2.1.2. Psychological Approach ....................................... 11

2.2. Theory of Motivation ..................................................... 13


ix

2.3. Theoretical Framework .................................................. 20

2.4. Criticism ......................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY …………………………………………. 23

3.1. Subject Matter ................................................................ 23

3.2. Approach ....................................................................... 25

3.3. Procedure ....................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 27

4.1. The Characters of Atticus Finch ...................................... 27

4.1.1. Being Courageous ................................................ 28

4.1.2. Being Honest ........................................................ 29

4.1.3. Being Kind and Loving Father .............................. 30

4.1.4. Being Intelligent ................................................... 34

4.1.5. Being Democratic ................................................. 36

4.2. The Motivation of Atticus Finch in Defending Tom

Robinson ....................................................................... 37

4.2.1. Motivation toward His Children ........................... 39

4.2.1.1. To Teach his Children about Being Kind

and Sympathetic Person .............................. 39

4.2.1.2. To Teach his Children about Fair Attitudes

and Democracy.......................................... 41

4.2.1.3. To Teach his Children to Have Self-

Acceptance ................................................. 45


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4.2.1.4. To Teach his Children about Keeping

Promise and Bravery.................................. 47

4.2.2. Motivation toward Society .................................... 50

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ............................ 51

5.1. Conclusions .................................................................... 51

5.2. Suggestions ..................................................................... 52

5.2.1. Suggestions for the Future Researchers ................. 52

5.2.2. Suggestions for Teaching Writing Using

Literature .............................................................. 53

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................... 56

APPENDIX ............................................................................................... 58


xi

ABSTRACT

Sabdono, Putut Sri. (2007). Atticus’ Motivation In Defending Tom Robinson InLee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program.Department of Language and Arts Education. Faculty of Teachers Training andEducation. Sanata Dharma University.

This study discusses a novel entitled To Kill a Mocking Bird. The objective ofwriting this thesis is derived from the writer’s curiosity to find out the motivation ofAtticus, a white lawyer in defending Tom Robinson, a black defendant in a trial.There are two problems related to the topic of this thesis (1) How is Atticus Finch’scharacter revealed in the novel? (2)What are Atticus Finch’s motivations indefending Tom Robinson in the trial? In order to answer the problems, the writer uses the psychological approachbecause this study focuses on the main character’s motivation, which belongs to thepsychological aspect. Moreover, the approach involves the psychological theories,especially Maslow’s theory of motivation, which supports the analysis towards themain character, Atticus Finch. There are two sources used: primary and secondarysources. To Kill A Mockingbird, the novel, is the primary source in this study. Thesecondary sources are obtained from books on literature and psychology. From the application of the theory of characterization by Murphy (1971), thewriter can infer that Atticus Finch is a courageous man. He is also an honestgentleman. Atticus is also described as a kind and loving father to his children.Besides, he is also an intelligent man. His cleverness has saved his family from anytrouble. He is also a democratic person. He is able to treat his children the way hetreats other people. By applying Bootzin’s theory of motivation and Maslow’s theory ofhierarchy of needs, the writer can infer that Atticus’ motivation in defending TomRobinson are divided into two forms. The first is the motivation toward his children.Atticus motivations in defending Tom Robinson are to teach his children about life.He wants to teach them about being kind to other and being sympathetic to other. Healso wants to teach them about fair attitudes and democracy. He also trains them tohave self-acceptance. Atticus also gives example to his children to have faith on theirpromises and being courageous. Another motivation that motivates Atticus indefending Tom Robinson is that he wants to wake his society from a dream thatwhites are perfect and clean. He wants to tell them that whites are as bad as blackpeople. White are not saints. He wants to tell the ugly truth that whites are also assinful as blacks. From the analysis in chapter 4 the writer sees that the way Atticus defendingTom Robinson matches with characteristics of self-actualized person proposed byMaslow. Therefore, the writer concludes that the motivations in defending TomRobinson are parts of the way Atticus actualizes himself. Atticus has reached the toplevel of hierarchy needs.


xii

ABSTRAK

Sabdono, Putut Sri. (2007). Atticus’ Motivation In Defending Tom Robinson InLee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program.Department of Language and Arts Education. Faculty of Teachers Training andEducation. Sanata Dharma University.

Penelitian ini membahas sebuah novel berjudul To Kill a Mocking Bird. Tujuanpenulisan skripsi ini bermula dari keingintahuan penulis untuk mengetahui motivasiAtticus, seorang pengacara kulit putih, dalam membela Tom Robinson, seorang tahananberkulit hitam dalam sebuah persidangan. Ada dua masalah yang berhubungan dengantopic skripsi ini (1) Bagaimanakah karakter Atticus Finch diungkapkan dalam novel? (2)Apakah Motivasi Atticus Finch dalam membela Tom Robinson dalam persidangan? Untuk menjawab permasalahan itu, penulis menggunakan pendekatan psikologikarena penelitian ini terfokus pada motivasi karakter utama yang termasuk dalam aspekpsikologi. Terlebih lagi pendekatan tersebut menggunakan teori-teori psikologikhususnya teori motivasi oleh Maslow yang mendukung analisis terhadap karakterutama, Atticus Finch. Ada dua sumber yang digunakan, sumber utama dan sumbertambahan. Novel To Kill a Mockingbird, adalah sumber utama dalam penelitian ini.Sedangkan, sumber-sumber tambahan diperoleh dari buku-buku kesusastraan danpsikologi. Berdasarkan pengaplikasian teori pengkarakterisasian Murphy (1971), penulisberpendapat bahwa Atticus Finch adalah orang yang berani. Dia juga seorang yang jujur.Atticus juga digambarkan sebagai seorang ayah yang baik dan mencintai anak-anaknya.Dia juga seorang yang pandai. Kepandaiannya telah menyelamatkan keluarga dariberbagai masalah. Dia juga seorang yang demokratis. Dia mampu memperlakukan anak-anaknya seperti dia memperlakukan orang lain. Dengan mengaplikasikan teori motivasi dan teori hirarki kebutuhannya Maslow,penulis berpendapat bahwa motivasi Atticus dalam membela Tom Robinson dibagimenjadi dua. Pertama adalah motivasi dia terhadap anak-anaknya. Motivasi Atticusdalam membela Tom Robinson adalah untuk mengajari anak-anaknya tentangkehidupan. Dia ingin mengajari mereka tentang berbuat baik dan bersimpati kepadaorang lain. Dia juga ingin mengajari mereka tentang bersikap adil dan demokratis. Diajuga melatih mereka untuk memiliki sikap menerima diri sendiri. Atticus memberikancontoh kepada anak-anaknya untuk memiliki keyakinan dan berani. Motivasi lain yangmemotivasi Atticus dalam membela Tom Robinson adalah bahwa dia inginmenyadarkan lingkungannya dari sebuah mimpi bahwa orang-orang kulit putih adalahsempurna dan jujur. Dia ingin mengatakan kepada mereka bahwa orang kulit putih jugaseburuk orang kulit hitam. Orang kulit putih bukan orang suci. Dia ingin mengatakankebenaran yang menyakitkan bahwa orang-orang kulit putih sama berdosanya denganorang kulit hitam. Dari analisis bab 4, penulis melihat bahwa cara-cara Atticus dalam membelaTom Robinson sesuai dengan karakteristik orang-orang yang beraktualisasi yangdikemukakan oleh Maslow. Oleh sebab itu, penulis berkesimpulan bahwa motivasidalam membela Tom Robinson adalah bagian dari cara Atticus mengaktualisasikandirinya. Atticus telah mencapai puncak tertinggi dari piramida kebutuhan.


1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into some parts. They are background of the study,

problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of

terms.

1.1 Background of the Study

Human is a unique creature. He is incomparable with other creatures. Human

has mind that makes him able to find, to develop, and to control himself. He has the

freedom to determine himself and becomes an individual in a whole. It can be

indicated from various kinds of human behaviors and characters in life.

One of important elements of human behavior is motivation. According to

Petri (1981:3) “motivation is the insight forces of organism to act.” Further he

explains that behaviors are initiated and directed by the forces inside. The forces

influence the intensification of people behavior. The higher forces inside the more

intense a person will behave. In other word, motivation determines what behaviors

people choose to perform, how hard they do, and how persistent they are in the face of

difficulties. Further Petri (1981:4) says that motivation is the reason or the concept

that explains our behaviours.

Motivation is fascinating because people want to know why people behave the

way they do and understand the process that activates their behavior. By finding

motivation, people get inspirited to make a better change in their life, just like when


2

people join in the seminar of motivation. They get a model of successful people and

get clear description and understanding of how they can success in their life (business,

family, education, etc). The behavior changing energized by insight forces to achieve

goals in life is the main purpose of the seminar.

One’s behavior can also be portrayed in literary works, such as a novel. As

Kalish (1973: 8) says that literature holds the mirror up to man, therefore, literary

works are other copied versions of human reality in real life; they portray realities

of human life. One of literary works that portrays about human behavior is a novel

by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) is a novel about education. The most

important lessons are those of sympathy and understanding, and that of sympathetic.

This book has come to the writer as the most interesting book he has ever read.

The book contains not only human moral values that can be taken as our

advantages but also about absolute bravery and faith. Lee, in her novel, presents a

lawyer, Atticus, who fights for human rights and justice for all, even though he has to

face against his own society. One of his extraordinary actions is when he becomes a

nigger’s lawyer against white people. The case makes him labeled as “nigger-lover”

by his society. To have a picture about Atticus Finch, in the following paragraph, the

writer makes a review about him.

Atticus Finch is described as a fifty years old man. He is a single parent for

two children from his marriage, Jeremy Finch (eight years old) and Jean Louis Finch

(six years old). His wife has passed away of a sudden heart attack. Atticus is a lawyer

and also a state legislature member.


3

One day, there is a white man named Bob Ewell who reports to Sheriff Tate

that a nigger, named Tom Robinson, has raped his daughter. Based on the report, the

sheriff arrests Tom Robinson and puts him in jail. As the procedure, Tom has to face

trials in the courthouse before the judge and juries. Since there is no lawyer who wants

to be Tom’s lawyer, Judge Taylor, the judge who leads the trial, points Atticus as Tom

Robinson’s lawyer. Atticus accepts it and does his best to help Tom. However, his

decision to be Tom’s lawyer is disapproved by most white people in his society,

which are racist. They regard Atticus as a traitor because he believes a black man’s

words rather than a white man’s. His totality in defending Tom Robinson has put him

into several worst and dangerous situations. One of the dangerous situations is when

he goes to the county jail alone to stop a mob that comes to lynch Tom. The effects of

Atticus decision to defend Tom are also felt by his children. They become the object

of ridicule from their neighbors, such as Mrs. Dubose and their own sister, Cecil

Jacobs.

However, Atticus has predicted that such situation will come after him and his

children. Moreover, he knows that he is doing an impossible mission that is defending

a black man against a white man. He knows that he has less possibility and chance to

win the case because no matter how right the black man is, he will not win against the

white man. However, he keeps struggling to defend Tom Robinson.

During the trial Atticus shows his totality as Tom Robinson’s lawyer. He

successfully reveals great arguments and evidences to the juries and the all-trial

visitors that Tom Robinson is not guilty for the crime. On the other hand, he proves

that the main suspect should be Bob Ewell, Mayella’s own father. However, the juries


4

have their own opinion; nine of ten juries decide Tom guilty for the crime. Atticus

tries to appeal to the higher court but Tom has given up his hope. Tom tries to escape

from the jail by climbing over the fence and he is shot to death by the guards leaving

seventeen bullet holes in Tom’s body.

To Kill a Mockingbird is truly a great novel. The characters are well

developed, the story is exciting, and there are some great lessons that can be learned.

There are four reasons why the writer conducts study on the novel especially on

Atticus Finch. First, the writer finds Atticus Finch as a good model of a true-

gentleman. He is able to live with others without losing his identity. He has absolute

spirit, faith, firmness, and courage to fight for what he believes in and to survive

facing difficult situation, especially in his great struggle in defending Tom Robinson

and in handling the conflicts. He is a good reflection needed by our society at this

time, especially for parents, law upholders, and people who believe in justice,

equality, and humanity. Second, the novel is rich of life lessons and moral values,

such as notion of acceptance in all forms, bravery, and education. The third reason is

that the story in the novel does not make the readers bored. The use of six years old

girl as the narrator makes this novel easy to be followed and to be understood. The

innocence and straightforwardness of a child in facing situations gives the readers the

sense of humor, simplicity, and natural. The fourth reason, the novel is awarded

Pulitzer Price. It shows that this novel is included as one of best novels in the world,

and of course has great quality to be read. Based on background of the study above,

the writer is motivated to reveal Atticus’ character and his motivation to defend Tom

Robinson.


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1.2 Objectives of the Study

In this thesis, the writer has two objectives to be achieved. The first objective

is to describe the character of Atticus in the novel. The first objective is the basis for

the second objective that is to reveal Atticus’ motivation to defend Tom Robinson. By

accomplishing the objectives, the writer hopes to be able to explain Atticus’

motivations and his reasons in defending Tom Robinson.

1.3 Problem Formulation

In order to guide the analysis, the writer has formulated two problems in order

to focus the study, the problem formulations are as follow:

1. How is Atticus Finch’s character revealed in the novel?

2. What are Atticus Finch’s motivations in defending Tom Robinson in the

trial?

1.4. Benefits of the Study

There are some benefits in doing this study. The first benefit is for the writer

himself. By doing this study, hopefully, the writer is able to learn some moral values,

especially from the character of Atticus Finch. Hopefully, the writer is able to learn

more how to live with himself, how to accept other people as they are, how to respect

diversities, and to know what a real bravery is.

The second benefit is for the readers. This study helps the readers find a

model of a good person, good parents, and good law-upholder insight the character of

Atticus Finch. The readers also can reveal what are the factors behind Atticus’

controversial decision to defend Tom Robinson, a black people, against a white man


6

in the trial. More over, And hopefully, this study can encourage other researchers to

analyse another aspects in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

1.5. Definitions of Terms

There are some terms that need to be explained in order to avoid

misunderstanding. The first is motivation. Motivation can be said as the process of

behaving that is organized and that defines its end states (Bootzin et al., 1983:

367). Motivation leads people to behave in their manner to get some attainment.

Motivation in this study is described as the motive of the lawyer in defending his

client before the trial. This motivation is divided based on two components; they

are internal drive and external incentives. Internal drive is a force inside one’s

mind to do an action. External incentive is an outside power or objective that

makes one to do an action.

The second term is defending. Defending comes from the word defend

which means “to act, speak or write in support of somebody or something”

(Hornby, 1995: 304). This term is usually used in a courtroom by a lawyer in

defending his defendant.

The last term is mockingbird. Mockingbird is any of several species of New

World birds of the family Mimidae, especially Mimus polyglottos, a gray and white

bird of the southern and eastern United States, noted for the ability to mimic the

sounds of other birds. The common, or northern, mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

can imitate the songs of 20 or more species within 10 minutes

(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mockingbird)


CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of five major topics that are Theoretical Review, Review of

Related Theories, Theoretical Framework, Criticism and Sources.

2.1. Theoretical Review

In this part, I will discuss the literary theories that are the critical approach, theory

of conflict, the theory of character and characterization to guide my analysis toward the

novel.

2.1.1. Theory of Critical Approach

Guerin (1992:vii) states that the richness of great literature merits correspondingly

rich respond. He also says that such responds come best when the readers appreciate a

great work from many perspectives as it legitimately open itself to. To reveal the

appreciation of a literary work can use many perspectives. These perspectives enable us

to know how to read and to judge a literary work. These kinds of perspectives are what

later called critical approach.

According to Rohrberger (1971:3-16), It is important to understand critical

approach, which will be our guidance in analysing literary work. The understanding

includes the approach’s nature, function, and positive values. In her book, Rohrberger

categorizes five approaches, i.e. the formalist, biographical, sociocultural-historical,

mythopoeic, and psychological approach.


The perspective of the formalist approach is to see the literary object as a total

integrity of the literary piece. It only focuses on the work itself. The focus is on the

structure of the work, which will be related to each part of the work. This approach does

not examine the reference to the facts of the author’s life, the genre, the place of the

genre, the history, and social milieu related to the literary piece, but. Furthermore, this

approach analyses all parts of a literary work in order to get the deeper meaning of the

work.

In the biographical approach, the perspective focuses on the author, for instance,

the author’s idea, personality and life, which build his writing style, theme,

characterization and other literary elements. Rohrberger also suggests that knowing what

the author intends to tell about is considered important in his approach.

The sociocultural-historical approach relates the literary work with the reference

to the civilization or historical background that built it. This approach can investigate the

social milieu that is reflected in the work or the cultural background that produces it.

However, the historical side might not be significant for the work. It depends on the role

of historical side. If the historical side only occurs as a small part or setting it will be

insignificant. On the contrary, it will be significant if the historical aspect is dominant and

relevant with what the author wrote.

The perspective of mythopoeic approach emphasizes on the repetition of a certain

pattern in a certain literary work. The pattern, for instance, is the usual pattern that is

common to all people such as death and rebirth, fertility rites, withdrawal and return. The

author of certain literary work may describe them either conscious or unconscious. The


literary work, for example, will have various themes and patterns, which the author might

not be aware.

The psychological approach involves deeper analysis of the unconscious area of

the human mind. The analysis is based on Freud’s idea about symbolic words, thoughts

and action represented in the human mind. Furthermore, he believes that thoughts are the

analysis of human symbols. We can interpret the symbol beyond the mind itself.

2.1.2. Theory of Character and Characterization

One way to have a better understanding about the novel is through the character in

the novel. Through the character we can find the messages, values offered by the writer

or the theme of the novel. For that reason, it is important to know the kinds of characters

and how characters in the novel are characterized.

2.1.2.1 Character

According to Abrams (1981: 20), there are two kinds of characters. They are flat

and round characters. A flat character is not described in a complex way. A flat character

can be characterized by a single sentence or in other words described in a general way.

On the contrary, a round character is described in a more complex way, for example, it

sometimes has more than one characteristic and changes from one characteristic to

another characteristic.

Holman (1986: 83) uses different terms for kinds of characters, i.e., static and

dynamic characters. A static character changes rarely towards the action and experiences.

Rarely means it experiences a little bit change or not at all. A dynamic character changes

its characteristic or, for instance, its personality by actions or experiences, which


influence them to change. Sometimes, the author uses both dynamic and static to

characterize a character. For example, the author may use static characters for the

beginning of actions and use dynamic characters for the results of the action.

Klarer (1999: 17) uses different terms from Abrams and Holman, although he also

uses flat and round characters for the similar term. For flat characters, he uses typified

characters, which refer to specific characters whereas for round character, he uses

individualized characters, which refer to more complex characters with differentiated

characteristics.

2.1.2.2.Theory of Characterization

According to Murphy (1972: 161-173), there are nine ways to characterize a

certain character in the novel

1. Personal description

In this technique, the author, as one of the characters in the novel, describes the

character’s appearance directly. He describes the character’s face, skin, eye, and hair, in

detail. In describing the character, the author also uses adjectives, for example like

strong, heavy, and so on, which shows the character’s physical appearance.

2. Character as seen by another

In this technique, the author describes a certain character from the other

character’s eyes and opinions. He gives, for example, the impression of shape,

cleanliness, firmness, smoothness of a certain character.

3. Speech


In this way, the author gives clues through what a certain character says in the

novel. The author can describe the clues from the conversation with another, the

character’s opinion or when the character speaks.

4. Past life

In this method, the author describes a certain character’s past life directly. The

description can be given through the character’s thoughts, conversation or through the

medium of another person.

5. Conversation of Others

This technique uses conversation of other characters about a certain character.

The conversation often gives us a clue about whom it is being spoken.

6. Reactions

In this technique, the author describes a certain character’s reactions or response

to various situation and events.

7. Direct Comment

The author describes the character or gives comment towards the character

directly. In this technique, the author becomes the narrator of the novel to comment about

the character.

8. Thoughts

The author describes what a certain character thinks

9. Mannerisms

The author can give us clues from the character’s habit, mannerism or action,

which are repeated in the novel.


According to Abrams (1981: 21), there are two methods in characterizing

characters, i.e., “ showing” and “ telling”. In “showing”, the author describes characters’

action and dialogue but he or she does not include the characters’ motives of the action

and dialogue. Furthermore, the author lets the reader to guess behind the action and the

dialogue. In “telling”, the author describes not only the physical appearance but also the

motives and sometimes evaluates the characters. The author, for instance, also comments

what the character says and does.

Klarer (1999: 19-20) uses explanatory characterization for “ telling “ method and

dramatic characterization for “ showing “ method. In explanatory characterization, the

author becomes the narrator who describes the character’s action and dialogue including

the narrator’s comment and evaluation towards the character. The dramatic

characterization places the author as an obvious narrator. It means that the author

describes the character’s utterances and actions without giving any comment or

intervention.

2.1.2.3. Theory of Conflicts

According to Jafte (1968:2) conflict will always come in our daily life, whether it

is a conflict, which can be resolved and cannot be resolved or not resolved easily.

Conflicts have great effects on us; conflicts can change our basic values or our

conception of life. It will modify our characters, values, ideas, the concepts of life, and

the nature of right and wrong.

Conflict is one of the interesting parts in the story. Without the conflicts, the story

will bore its readers. According to Jafte (1968:2) conflict means that a story brings

together two opposing forces called a protagonist (one who struggles for) and an


antagonist (one who struggle against) and then resolves the resultant struggle between

these forces.

According to Stanton (1965:16) there are two conflicts, i.e. the internal conflict,

which happens between two desires within a character, and the external conflict, which

happens between characters or between a character and his or her environment. In his

further explanation he says that specific conflicts are in turn subordinate to the central

conflict, which may be internal, extenal, or both. A central conflict is always between

fundamental and contrasting qualities forces, such as honesty and hypocrisy, innocence

and experience, individuality, and the pressure. A story may contain more than one

conflicts force, but only the central conflict fully accounts for the events of the plot.

2.2. Review of Related Theories

2.2.1. Theory of Prejudice

According to Karen Huffman (1997:591) prejudice is a generally negative attitude

directed to toward specific people because of their membership in a specific group. For

example slaves are likely to be viewed by their master as lazy, irresponsible, and lack of

ambition.

Further, Huffman explained that the term prejudice is prejudgment of others based

on limited knowledge and limited contact. It biases people against others and limits their

ability to accurately process information. This opinion is supported by Kalish in his book

The Psychology of Human Behaviour. He (1973:353) said that many people are rigid in

their thinking. They seem to say “ Don’t bother me with the facts of new ideas. I know

what’s right,” they are referred to as people with closed minds; because they are not


willing consider new information. People that racially prejudiced are more difficult in

discharging old ways of thinking and trying new ways.

But prejudice, like all attitude, is actually composed of three separate elements:

(1) a cognitive components (or stereotype), consist of negative thoughts and beliefs, (2)

an affective components, consisting of emotion associated with objects of prejudice, and

(3) a behavioural component, consisting of predispositions to act in certain ways toward

members of the group (discrimination)

Richard A. Khalish (1973:351) stated that to have prejudice is to make

prejudgement or to make judgement or hold an attitude before all information is

available. Prejudiced people will have either favourable or unfavourable reaction toward

people, things, and idea. A person is prejudiced against other people may make his

thinking less effective. For example, a man who is prejudiced against a particular

newspaper may not believe something it published even though it is true.

Khalish in his further explanation said that prejudice is learned largely through

interaction with significant others and tend to fit it in with personality needs and the self-

concept. Prejudice then will be reinforced by approval from friends and the community,

by personal experiences, and by reduction of anxiety.

According to Huffman there are five most commonly sources of prejudice:

learning, cognitive process, individual personality needs, economic and political

competition, and displaced aggression. People learn prejudice through classical and

operant condition and social learning. For example, children hear their parents, friends,

and teachers expressing prejudice and they imitate them. People also learn their prejudice

through direct experience. They receive attention and sometimes approval for expressing


racist of sexiest remarks. And also, they may have single, negative experience with a

specific member of a group that then generalize and apply to all members of the group.

The second way people develop prejudice is through cognitive process.

According to this perspective, prejudice develops as a result of normal cognitive process

and the every day attempt to explain a complex social life. And this cognitive process is

divided in three categorisations. First, people create in-groups and out-groups. An in-

group is any category in which people see themselves as a member, while an out-group is

all others. In-group is seen as more attractive, as having more desirable personality

characteristics, and engaging in more socially accepted forms of behaviour.

The second cognitive process is this group has tendency to see more diversity

among members of one’s in-group and less among the out-group. This “ they-all-look-

alike-to me” tendency is termed the out-group homogeneity effect. This is a kind of

cognitive bias. It is dangerous because when members of minority groups are not

perceived as varied and complex individuals who have the same needs and feelings as the

dominant group, it is easier to perceived them as faceless objects and treat them in

discriminatory ways. And the third cognitive process is the tendency to blame the victim,

a type of attribution bias.

The third way people develops prejudice is out of an individual’s personality

needs. From this perspective, people with traits of rigidity, conventionality, and sadism

tend to do prejudice. To identify it researchers use F scale. People who scored high on the

F scale is known as the authoritarian personality.

The fourth way that is believed to develop prejudice is out of competition for

limited sources. It is maintained because it offers significant economic and political


advantages to the dominant group. In the United States lower class whites have been

more racist than the high-class whites. Whites in the lower class, however, are at risk to

unemployment because minorities compete with them for scare resources.

The fifth way prejudice is developed is displaced aggression. In this section

frustration become the trigger of prejudice. Frustration leads people to attack the source

of frustration. But when the source is bigger and capable of retailing, of when the cause

of the frustration is ambiguous, people often displaced aggression on an alternative, no

threatening target. The innocent victim of displaced aggression is known as scapegoat.

For example, during the great depression of the 1930’s, Hitler used Jews as scapegoats

that Germans could blame for their economic troubles.

2.3. Theoretical Framework

In doing this study, I combined some theories that I have reviewed previously in

order to guide in doing my analysis. Those theories are theory of character, theory of

characterization, theory of conflicts and theory of prejudice.

Since the focus of my thesis is analysing some characters in the novel, I will use

the theory of character and characterization. In doing character analysis I will adopt

theory of character from Klarer’s, Abrams’, and Holdman’s. This theory will help me to

understand about the characters that I will analyse. And, to understand the characters

deeply, I will use the theory of characterization from Murphy’s theory.

This thesis will also analyse the characters’ conflicts, so I used theory on

psychology, which focuses on the theory of prejudice. The theory I will use is taken from


Huffman’s and Khalish’s. It is because they give complete description about how

prejudice is developed in a society.

Those theories will guide me in finding the cause of Boo Radley’s and Tom

Robinson’s conflicts. Furthermore, I am suspicious that the conflicts are caused by the

outer conflicts, which seems to be influenced by prejudice.

2.4. Criticism

In this section I will discuss two criticisms. Both are taken from Internet.


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CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter is divided into three main parts namely subject matter, approach,

and procedures. In the subject matter, the writer discusses about the subject of the

study i.e. Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In the approach, the writer

mentions the approaches for analyzing the novel. While in the procedure the writer

discusses the steps in analyzing the novel.

3.1 Subject Matter

The main subject of this study was the novel of Nelle Harper Lee To Kill A

Mockingbird. The genre of this novel was social drama, southern drama. The tense

used in the novel is past tense. The setting of place and time of the novel was fictional

town of Maycomb, Alabama, Southern state of America in 1933-1935. The novel

consists of 31 chapters and divided into two parts. In overall the book consists of 287

pages.

J. B. Lippincott of Philadelphia published To Kill a Mockingbird for the first

time on July 11, 1960. In its first year publishing, this novel created one of the most

extraordinary records in publishing history. The novel was sold more than two and a

half million copies in that first year and went through 14 printings. It was chosen by

three American book clubs: Reader's Digest Condensed Books, the Literary Guild and

Book-of-the-Month Club. It was also chosen by the British Book Society and was

published in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden,

Finland and Czechoslovakia.


24

The novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Letters on May 1, 1961. On the

second anniversary of its publication, the novel had been on the bestseller lists for 100

weeks and had sold more than five million copies in 13 countries and it has been

translated into ten languages. Two years after its publication, the novel was adapted

for the cinema, and winning Oscars (Academy Awards) for the script and for best

actor in a leading role (Gregory Peck), who played Atticus.

The setting, characters, and a famous trial that occurred during Lee’s

childhood shape the story of To Kill a Mockingbird. Born in Monroeville, Alabama,

on April 28, 1926, Nelle Harper Lee is the youngest of three children of Amassa

Coleman Lee and Francis Cunningham Finch Lee. Her father, a former newspaper

editor and proprietor, was a lawyer who also served on the state legislature (1926-

1938). In 1931, when Harper Lee was five, nine young black men were accused of

raping two white women near Scottsboro, Alabama. This is one of famous and

controversial case ever happened in the American history. The defendants, who were

nearly hanged before being brought to court, ware not provided with the services of

lawyer until the first day of trial. Within a month all of the white jury found the first

man was found guilty and sentenced to death even though there was no strong evident

for the crime. This trial was ended in 1950, but the case was not settled until 1976

with the pardon of the last of the Scottsboro defendants.

Harper Lee portrays Scottsboro trial as Tom Robinson’s trial in the novel. It

can be seen by the similarities of the time, place, case, the defendants, and the

accusers. Both of the fictional and historical cases happened in Alabama in 1930’s.

Both of the defendants are black men, and both of the accusers are white women. In


25

those both cases, the accusation is rape.

Harper Lee explored some big themes in the novel such as discrimination and

prejudice, bravery, and justice in Southern state of America in 1930’s. She portrayed

how prejudice and discrimination behavior harmed and destroyed innocent people.

The Robinson’s case was the representation of innocent people who were harmed and

destroyed because of the society’s discrimination behavior. She symbolized the

actions of harming and destroying innocent people as killing a mockingbird.

Lee also presented a heroic character that dared to fight against the

discrimination and injustice action of the society and became the representation of

great sense of morality and justice. This heroic character was Atticus Finch. In her

novel, Lee presented Atticus as a good father and his children model in gaining life

lessons such as the notion of acceptance in all form, education, and what real courage

was. He was also an example of a good law apparatus.

3.2 Approach

In conducting this study, the writer used the psychological approach because

this study focused on the main character’s motivation, which belongs to the

psychological aspect. Moreover, the approach involves the psychological theories

such as the theory of motivation, which supports the analysis towards the main

character, Atticus Finch.

The psychological theory adapted was Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs.

Moreover, this study focuses on Atticus’ motivation in defending Tom Robinson.


26

3.3 Procedures

In doing this study the writer used two kinds of sources, i.e. primary source

and secondary sources. The primary source was the novel itself, To Kill A

Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee; the secondary sources were books about

literature and human psychology. As the method of study, the writer used library

research.

In order to analyze To Kill A Mockingbird there were some steps applied. First,

the writer started to read the novel many times in order to get the deep understanding.

Second, the writer decided what aspects would be analyzed in the novel. This needed

many times to read the novel again. From this step, the writer was interested in

analyzing the main character’s motivation. Third, the writer looked for the

psychological theories as well as literary theories used in analyzing the main

characters.

Fourth, since this thesis focused on the psychological aspects of a novel the

writer chose the psychological approach as the mean to analyze the novel To Kill a

Mockingbird. As references, the writer used psychological approach theories proposed

by Guerin, Wellek and Warren, and Bressler.

Fifth, those theories would be applied in order to find Atticus’ motivation. In

this step the writer tried to identify the aspects that motivated Atticus to defend Tom

Robinson in his trial. Moreover, the writer tried to relate some evidences found in the

novel in order to know what was behind his action.

The last step was drawing a conclusion. The conclusion contained the

statement of the findings in the analysis that is presented in this thesis.


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CHAPTER 4

ANALYSIS

This section is to analyze and answer the problems formulated in chapter one.

The first is concerning on Atticus’ characters. The second is about the motivation of

Atticus in defending Tom Robinson in the trial. The analysis focuses on the characters

of Atticus Finch. In doing so, the writer uses the theory of character and

characterization by Murphy (1972: 161-171). This theory consists of some ways to

identify character. By applying the theory, hopefully, the writer is able to find the

characters of Atticus Finch in detail.

The second problem deals with the character’s psychological aspect. The

writer uses theory of motivation by Abraham Maslow (Goble, 1971) to analyze the

aspects behind Atticus’ action.

4.1. The Characters of Atticus Finch

Taking a view from Murphy’s personal description theory (1972) given by the

author, Atticus Finch is a fifty years old man. He is a lawyer and used to be a state

legislature member. Atticus is a well-known and wealthy person in his county. His

ancestor, Simon Finch, is the owner of an industry in the county. His wife passed

away of a sudden heart attack, two years after his youngest daughter was born. From

his marriage, he has two children, Jeremy Finch (eight years old) and Jean Louis

Finch (six years old). Scout says, “He was much older than the parents of our school

contemporaries”(p. 93).


28

Physically, Atticus has a problem with his left eye. Therefore, he wears glasses

because it is nearly blind. Scout describes it as following quotation,

“… He wore glasses. He was nearly blind in his left eye, and said left eyeswere tribal curse of the Finches. Whenever he wanted to see something well,he turned his head and looked from his right eye.” (p. 94)

4.1.1. Being Courageous

Using Murphy’s theory of “conversation of other” and seen by other” Atticus

is identified as a courageous man. Atticus believes that real courage is “when you

know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no

matter what.” and he refuses the definition of courage that says “courage is a man with

a gun in his hand”(p. 116). Atticus, viewed through action theory from Murphy

(1972), demonstrates his “real-courage” several times throughout the novel. First of

all, Atticus shows his courage when he undertakes the task of defending Tom

Robinson. He knows that he will not win the case because it is impossible for the

Juries to trust a black man’s word rather than white man’s word. Furthermore, by

defending a black man against white man, Atticus goes against Maycomb, - a

generally prejudice and discrimination town. He knows that taking the case will make

him an object of scorn and ridicule, which no one would forgive him for believing in a

black man's word rather than a white man's. Nevertheless, he keeps struggling for

Tom, since no one else will. He explains this condition to his brother Jack.

“The only we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells’. The evidenceboils down to you-did-I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to takeTom Robinson’s word against the Ewells’.”“You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, jack, and I hope and pray Ican get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, withoutcatching Maycomb’s usual disease.” (p. 92)


29

In another occasion, Atticus shows his courage by refusing to carry gun when

he goes to the Jailhouse to protect Tom from a mob that want to lynch him. He tries to

shield Tom without concerning his own safety. Atticus also shows his courage by

refusing to carry gun after he gets threat from Bob Ewell who is going to kill him. His

great ability in using gun does not make him maintain his safety by carrying gun. It

can be seen in the quotation below.

“After all though,” I said, “he was the deadest shot in the county one time. Hecould - ”“You know he wouldn’t carry a gun, Scout. He ain’t even get one - ” said Jem.“You know he didn’t even have one down at the jail that night.”“This is different,” I said, “ we can ask him to borrow one.” We did, and hesaid, “nonsense.” (p. 220)

Scout also reveals Atticus’ courage by saying that Atticus is the most

courageous man she has ever met. Scout admits Atticus’ courage from the way Atticus

treats Mrs. Dubose. Even though Mrs. Dubose makes vicious comments and criticisms

of him and his children related to Tom ‘s case, Atticus still manages to treat her in the

kindest manner, complimenting her appearance and helping her into her chair. Atticus

has no hard feeling at all. He is completely calm and humble to the old woman who is

sick and also dying in her old age. It can be seen in the quotation below.

“I never heard Atticus says like a picture of what. He would tell her thecourthouse news, and would say hoped with all his heart she’d have a goodday tomorrow. He would return his head, swing me to his shoulders in hervery presence, and would go home in twilight. It was the times like these whenI thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was thebravest man who ever lived.” (p. 105)

4.1.2. Being Honest

Atticus, in his action, always shows an honest mind or attitude. It can be seen


30

from Scout and Miss Maudie’s dialogues about him. They know Atticus Finch is the

same man inside or outside the house.

“Atticus don’t ever do anything to Jem and me in the house that he don’t doin the yard,” I said, feeling it my duty to defend my parent.“Gracious child, I was raveling a thread, wasn’t even thinking about yourfather, but now I am I’ll say this: Atticus Finch is the same in the house as heis on the public streets.” (p. 50)

Honesty is one of Atticus’ life principles; he says “Best way to clear the air is

to have it all out in the open” (p. 276). This statement comes up as his opening

statement when he is arguing with Sheriff Tate related to Bob Ewell’s death. Bob is

found stabbed to death after he is attacking Jem and Scout on the way they are going

home after Halloween Party at their school. Because of the attack, Jem brakes on his

elbow and gets unconscious. According to the sheriff, Bob Ewell’s death is an

accident; He falls on his own knife. But, Atticus cannot accept the argument. He sees

that the sheriff just wants to protect Jem by covering the truth and it is in contradiction

with his principle. He wants the sheriff to reveal all the facts and to role the law

procedure even though it will make Jem endure the investigation.

“Jem and Scout know what happened. If they hear of me saying down townsomething different happened – Heck, I won’t have them any more. I can’tlive one way in town and another way in my home. (p. 276).

4.1.3. Being a Kind and Loving Father

From Murphy’s “conversation of others, “mannerism” and “speech”, it can be

inferred that Atticus is a kind and loving father. Atticus is a single parent. His wife

passed away of a sudden heart attack. As a single parent, Atticus is able to fulfill his

children’s need of affection. He makes enough time for his children. He treats his

children in good manner. It can be seen from Scout’s statement: “Jem and I found our


31

father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous

detachment.” (p. 10)

Atticus’ close relationship with his children can also be indicated from how his

children call him. He encourages his children to call him straightly using his

nickname, “Atticus”, so that they can interact on terms as equal as possible. He tries to

put himself equal to his children, as their friend. It makes them feel free to come after

him if they have problems, questions, or anything they do not understand. It can be

seen by applying Murphy’s theory of characterization (1972) in the some speeches by

Scout toward Atticus: “… Listen Atticus, I don’t have to go to school!” (p. 85) and

“Atticus, you must be wrong…” (p. 109)

As a father, Atticus always teaches his children positives moral values. He

instills in his children with three very specific values: education, bravery, and

acceptance. The importance of education for Atticus can be seen from his reading

activity of the today’s news with Scout, every night before bedtime. He instills Scout

with various kinds of knowledge. It can be seen from the Atticus mannerism given by

Scout below.

“I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separatedinto words, but I had started at them all evenings in my memory, listening tothe news of the day, Bills To Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of LorenzoDow – anything Atticus happened to be reading when I crawled in to his lapevery night.” (p. 22)

On her first day in the school, Scout has problem with her new teacher, Miss

Caroline. Scout is forbidden to read with Atticus anymore because her teacher thinks

that what Atticus has taught is wrong. The second problem, then, is when Scout tries

to explain the teacher that Walter Cunningham does not accept any gift that he cannot


32

pay back. These problems provoke Scout to stop going to School. When Scout tells

her willing not to go to School anymore because of the problems, Atticus asks Scout

to post herself in her teacher’s side in order to understand her way of thinking and

feeling. It can be seen from the speech below.

“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with allkind of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider lifefrom his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”(p. 34).

According to Atticus if Scout puts herself in her shoes she will see that it is “an honest

mistake on her part”. No one can expect her “to learn all Maycomb’s ways in one

day”, and cannot hold her responsibility when she knows no better. In this situation

Atticus instills Scout with the acceptance value.

Atticus teaches Jem about real-courage when he sends him to read for Mrs.

Dubose every day after school for a month. It is as his punishment because of

destroying her Camellia flowers. Jem is provoked to do it because she says that

Atticus “lawed for niggers and trash”. Unknowingly, Jem is helping the woman

overcome her morphine addiction. Atticus reveals his reason to send Jem reading for

the woman after she passed away, and lets them evaluate the situation for themselves.

It can be seen from Atticus’s action sending Jem to Mrs Dubose’s house.

“Son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read toher. I wanted you to see something about her. I wanted you to see what realcourage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in hishand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you beginanyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimesyou do.” (p. 116)

Atticus also becomes role models in his sense of bravery by refusing to carry a

gun to protect Tom Robinson from a mob and himself from Bob Ewell after he


33

threatens by guns. Atticus knows that bravery is more than the decision to carry a gun.

It can be seen in the conversation between Jem and Scout below.

“You know he wouldn’t carry a gun, Scout. He ain’t even get one - ” said Jem.“You know he didn’t even have one down at the jail that night.”“This is different,” I said, “ we can ask him to borrow one.” We did, and hesaid, “nonsense.” (p. 220)

Another fact, which shows that Atticus is a positive father figure, is his

democratic attitude in treating his children. When his children fuss, he gives the same

opportunity to his children to explain why they do so. Scout reveals the idea of

Atticus’ democratic attitude when she protests his uncle for not giving her chance to

explain why she fights with her cousin, Francis. Scout compares the way his uncle

treats her with his father:

“Well, in the first place you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you myside of it-you just lit right of me. When Jem an’ I fuss Atticus doesn’t ever justlisten to Jem’s side of it, he hears mine too …” (p. 90)

In raising his children, Atticus also treats them as an adult. He speaks in a clear

matter - of – fact way and answers his children question directly. It is including bad

language terms. It can be seen below.

“What’s rape?” I asked him that night.“He signed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force andwithout consent.” (p. 137)

Atticus has a reason why he lets his children especially Scout produce bad

languages. According to him it is one of children stage and it will disappear through

time. It can be seen from his statement when his brother, Jack, tells him that he does

not answer Scout’s question about “ a whore lady”. Moreover, Jack tells Scout about

Lord Melbourne. The Atticus’ speech below shows the proof.

“Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ shake.


34

But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot anevasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ‘em. No,” my fathermused, “you had the right answer this afternoon, but the wrong reason. Badlanguages is a stage all children to go through, and it dies with the time whenthey learn they’re not attracting attention with it.” (p. 92)

As a father, Atticus always acts firmly but never uses hand to remain them if

they start to cross the line and do a mistake. He prefers using persuasive approach

rather than the repressive one. He appreciates his children’s efforts to main him even

it is still far from his hope. It can be seen from his conversation with his brother, Jack,

about Scout. It can be seen in the following conversation between Atticus and Jack.

“Atticus, you’ve never laid a hand on her.”“I admit that. So far I’ve been able to get by with threats. Jack, she minds meas well as she can. Doesn’t scratch half the time, but she tries… she knows Iknow she tries. That’s what makes difference.” (p. 92)

4.1.4. Being Intelligent

From Murphy’s “conversation of others”, “speech”, and “reaction”, it can be

inferred that Atticus is intelligent. Atticus likes to read a lot and to spend his spare

time by reading. Scout describes that Atticus does not use his spare time like

“schoolmate’s father did. He never went hunting, he did not play poker or fish or

drink or smoke. He sat in the living room and read.” (p. 94)

Atticus reads various books written by various writers. He also likes listening

to today’s news in the radio. It has been his routine activity after dinner. His habit

shows that he likes to be well informed, as revealed by Scout bellow:

“But I had started at them all evenings in my memory, listening to the news ofthe day, Bills To Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of Lorenzo Dow –anything Atticus happened to be reading when I crawled in to his lap everynight.” (p. 22)


35

Atticus’ intelligence can also be seen when he has conversation with Walter

Cunningham, Scout’s classmate, about farming. Even though he is a lawyer he

understands about farming.

“Atticus greeted Walter and began a discussion about crops neither Jem and Icould follow…Atticus was expounding upon farm problems when Walterinterrupted …” (p. 28)

By his action in the Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus shows his intelligent in the

witnesses’ cross-examination process. Based on the sheriff’s description about

Mayella’s injuries, he shows to the juries and to all the trial visitors that she has been

injured using two hands and has been beaten up by a left-handed man. Thus, the man

should not be Tom Robinson because “His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter

than his right, and hung dead at his side… I could see that it was no use to him.” (p.

188). Atticus seems to have his own suspect. He suspects Mr. Ewell, Mayella’s own

father, as the man who has beaten her up. It is because Mr. Ewell is left handed. To

show this fact to all juries and the trial visitors, he cleverly tricks Mr. Ewell by asking

him writing his name on an envelope.

"Mr. Ewell wrote on the back of the envelope and looked up complacently tosee Judge Taylor looking at him as if he were some fragrant gardenia in fullbloom on the witness stand, to see Mr. Gilmer half-sitting, half standing at histable. The jury was watching him, one man leaning over with his hands overthe railing.'What's so intrestin'?' he asked.'You're left handed Mr. Ewell,' said Judge Taylor." (p. 180)

In his closing argument, once again, Atticus shows that he is a highly

accomplished man of great intelligence. He counters part Thomas Jefferson opinion

that “all men are created equal” (p. 207). He says that “all men are not created equal in

the sense some people would have us believe – some people are smarter than others…


36

some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of most men.” (p. 208). There is

only one human institution that makes “the stupid man the equal of Einstein” that is

the court.

4.1.5. Being Democratic

From the “speech’ and “conversation of other’ in the novel, I can be inferred t

hat Atticus is a democratic man. Atticus is a respected man and shows it by respecting

others. He respects all people regardless of race, social status, and creed, for example,

he forbids Scout in using the term “Nigger” to call black people even though it is a

common term that usually used by white people in their society in calling black

people. Atticus knows that the word “Nigger” is offensive to black people. He shows

the respect and common courtesy, which is very rare of a wealthy white male.

“Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.”“ ‘s what everybody at school says.”“From now on it’ll be everybody less one…” (p. 79)

Atticus also shows his respect toward people from his own race that has lower social

status than him. It is when he accepts Scout’s classmate, Walter Cunningham’s son, a

poor farmer, to have lunch with him. He treats Walter as he treats another guess in the

same status. Scout describes this situation as the following quotation,

“Atticus greeted Walter and began a discussion about crops neither Jem nor Icould follow…. he and Atticus talked together like two men, to thewonderment of Jem and me.” (p. 28)

From the quotation above, it also can be seen that Atticus really knows how to

associate with others. He really applies his principle that “You never really understand

a person until you consider life from his point of view…until you climb into his skin


37

and walk around in it” (p. 34). He makes a conversation using a topic that is familiar

to Walter, farming. It seems that he enjoys his conversation with Walter.

Atticus insists his principle that he respects and loves all people equally,

especially black people when Scout asks him whether he is a “Nigger lover”. It is

related to Atticus’ decision to defend Tom Robinson, a black people, in a trial. He

answers, “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody…” (p. 113). Atticus wants to

show to Scout that there is nothing wrong to love everybody equally, including black

people. Everyone has the same rights to be respected and loved.

In raising his children, Atticus also demonstrates his democratic character. He

puts his two children in equal position. He does not treat one more special than the

other. It can be seen from Scout’s statement when she protests his Uncle, Jack, for

being unfair in treating her after quarrelling with her cousin, Cecil Jacobs. His uncle

does not give opportunity to her to explain why she quarrels with her cousin and

blames her for it. She says to his uncle that Atticus always gives her or Jem the same

opportunity to explain what really happen when they are quarreling.

“Well, in the first place you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you myside of it-you just lit right of me. When Jem an’ I fuss Atticus doesn’t ever justlisten to Jem’s side of it, he hears mine too …” (p. 90)

4.2. The Motivation of Atticus Finch in Defending Tom Robinson

This analysis is divided into two parts. The first is the motivation toward his

children and the second is the motivation toward the society. According to Bootzin,

motivation is the intentions, desires, goals, and needs that determine human and

animal behavior (Bootzin et al., 1983: 366). People conduct an action with motive.

This motive leads them to behave in their manner to get some achievement. It would


38

be impossible to discover motivation unless behavior was organized (Bootzin et al.,

1983: 367).

As stated in the chapter 2, there are some drives or reasons or motives which

cause people to conduct an action. Maslow (Quoted Goble, 1971:38-42) says that

people conduct an action to fulfill their needs. He develops a five-level hierarchy of

needs that each need level must be generally satisfied before the person attempts to fill

those needs on the next level. Therefore, this analysis is also based on Maslow’s

hierarchy of needs theory.

Before the writer comes to the analysis, the writer needs to review about Tom

Robinson, Atticus’ client, a black man. Tom Robinson is a black man. His age is

twenty-five years old. He is married and has three children from his marriage with

Helen. He lives beyond the town dump. He works in Mr. Link Deas’ field. He has

worked there for eight years. Tom is a cripple-man. When he was a boy his left-hand

caught in a cotton gin, -Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s cotton gin. The gin “tore all the

muscles loose from his bones” (p. 188). The accident makes his left-hand twelve

inches shorter than his right one.

Tom Robinson is one of Calpurnia’s church members. According to Calpurnia

Tom’s family is “clean living folks”. Nevertheless, Tom had ever been in trouble with

the law before. He got a fight with another man who tried to cut him. He got thirty

days for disorderly conduct. One day, Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white girl.

Atticus tries hard to save him from death sentence. Next is the analysis of the Atticus

motivation in defending Tom Robinson.


39

4.2.1. Motivation toward his Children

4.2.1.1 To Teach his Children about Being Kind and Sympathetic Person

Atticus is a kind and loving person. He loves his family and also kind to his

surroundings. Atticus is kind to everybody including black people. He likes to help

other people. He feels enjoyment whenever he helps other. He finds the beauty of life

in helping people. Atticus also finds the beauty of life in his action of defending Tom

Robinson, a Negro, in his case. He feels that Tom Robinson is just an ordinary man

that needs his help. Atticus is having sympathy to Tom Robinson. Atticus kindness

and sympathy can be seen from his saying when he answered to Scout questions.

“Scout,” said Atticus, “nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t meananything—like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use itwhen they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves.It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want acommon, ugly term to label somebody.”

“you aren’t really a nigger-lover, then, are you?” “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody. . . I’m hard put, sometimes—

baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. Itjust shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you. So don’t let Mrs.Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own.” (p. 113).

From the quotation above, it is clear that Atticus has a deep sympathy to a Negro. He

also has no hard feeling when someone calls him a nigger-lover, a nasty term. He

considers the term as nothing. In fact he enjoys being a nigger-lover because his

action is in a right way. He enjoys saving people from a detention and that is what he

is doing as a lawyer, saving people. It is the effect of his trait as a kind and loving

father. His love to his children also affect other people so that he also loves and cares

black people

Atticus is a kind man. He is having high sympathy for humankind. Atticus, in

his life, realizes that every human is unique and every human is different from each


40

other. Once he has a client that cannot afford to pay the service, he let the man to pay

with whatever he has. Atticus does not rush this man to pay and say that the man does

not need to worry about the payment. This man, in turn, pays Atticus in unusual way.

He sends Atticus wood stock and also food stock.

Walter’s father was one of Atticus clients. After a dreary conversation in ourliving room one night about his entailment, before Mr. Cunningham left hesaid, “Mr. Finch, I don’t know when I’ll ever be able to pay you.”

“Let that be the last of your worries, Walter,” Atticus said. ...” I ask Atticus if Mr. Cunningham would ever pay us. “Not in money,” Atticus said, “but before the year’s out I’ll have been paid.

You watch.” We watched. One morning Jem and I found a load of stove wood in the back

yard. Later, a sack of hickory nuts appeared on the back steps. With Christmascame a crate of smilax and holly. That spring when we found a Crocker sackfull of turnips greens, Atticus said Mr. Cunningham had more than paid him(p. 25)

From the quotation we can see that Atticus is very sympathetic and kind to Mr.

Cunningham. He lets him pay the way he can pay him. So, Mr. Cunningham pays

Atticus with food stocks.

Another example of Atticus’ sympathetic action is whenever he tells Scout not

to fight anymore. He tells Scout that every human is a friend and therefore, we cannot

fight each other. This wise saying can be found in the following quotation.

“Come here, Scout,” said Atticus. I crawled into his lap and tucked my headunder his chin. He put his arms around me and rocked me gently. “It’sdifferent this time,” he said “This time we aren’t fighting the Yankees, we’refighting our friends. But remember this, no matter how bitter things get,they’re still our friends and this is still our home.” (p. 81)

Above explanations are matched with the ninth characteristic of self-actualized

person, that is, having sympathy for humankind. Sometimes, it is evidenced by sense

of mission in life that often involves solving problems of human condition.


41

4.2.1.2. To Teach his Children about Fair Attitudes and Democracy

Atticus, in this novel, has respect for all people regardless of race, creed, color,

or education. He also tends to be humble and eager to increase their knowledge. He is

very tolerant and respectful to anybody. Atticus never calls black people as nigger

because he knows that nigger is very rude to black people. Moreover, he also has

Calpurnia, a black cook. Atticus treats Calpurnia as his member of the family. He

respects Calpurnia because she takes care of his children with motherly love. He also

defends Calpurnia in front of his sister. He believes Calpurnia at his most. It can be

seen from his action in defending Calpurnia from Alexandra’s attack.

“I don’t see any harm in letting her go out there. Cal’d look after her there aswell as she does here.”

Atticus’s voice was even: “Alexandra, Calpurnia’s not leaving this house untilshe wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn’t have got along withouther all these years. She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simplyhave to accept things the way they are. Besides, sister, I don’t want youworking your head off for us—you’ve no reason to do that. We still need calas much as we ever did.”

“But Atticus—“ “Besides, I don’t think the children’ve suffered one bit from her having

brought them up. If anything, she’s been harder on them in some ways than amother would have been . . . she’s never let them get away with anything, shenever indulged them the way most colored nurses do. She tried to bring themup according to her lights, and Cal’s light are pretty good—and another thing,the children love her.” (p. 139)

From the quotation, Atticus treats Calpurnia with fair attitudes. He does not

differentiate between his family and Calpurnia, a black cook in fact, he is very

democratic and considers her as the member of the family. He respects her and

therefore he lets her bring up his children according to Calpurnia’s way and Atticus

sees it fine.

Atticus also shows his democracy by never differentiates the members of the


42

family, especially his children. Moreover, he also does not differentiate other people

outside his family. In fact, he has a constant attitude toward his family and his

community.

“Atticus don’t ever do anything to Jem and me in the house that he don’t do inthe yard,” I said, feeling it my duty to defend my parent.

“Gracious child, I was raveling a thread wasn’t even thinking about yourfather, but now that I am I’ll say this: Atticus Finch is the same in his house ashe is on the public streets. How’d you like some fresh pound cake to takehome?” (p. 50)

From the quotation above, the fact that Atticus is a democratic person is also

emphasized by Miss Maudi, a neighbor of Atticus’. In fact, he also permits his

children to know about an adult term. He lets them know it in order to broaden their

knowledge. Once, Scout asks him about the meaning of rape. Scout has asked about it

to Calpurnia, and Calpurnia is mad her about it. But when she asks her father about it,

her father answers it clearly and satisfactorily.

“What’s rape?” I asked him that night. Atticus looked around from behind his paper. He was in his chair by the

window. As we grew older, Jem and I thought it generous to allow Atticusthirty minutes to himself after supper.

He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force andwithout consent.

“Well if that’s all it is why did Calpurnia dry me up when I asked her what itwas?” (p. 137)

Atticus in this novel is told to have ability to detect a lie in other’s words or

action. His characteristic as an honest man is also one of supporting aspects in this

ability. Moreover, his job and experience as a lawyer sharpen this ability. He proves it

whenever he decides to defend Tom Robinson. Atticus does not have any specific

reason why he defends Tom Robinson in the trial. As he says, he only believes that

Tom Robinson is a clean man and honest. It means that he is having a fair judgment to


43

Tom Robinson. It can be seen from his speech to Scout about some ugly talks on

Atticus decision of defending Tom Robinson.

Atticus sighed. “I’m simply defending a Negro—his name’s Tom Robinson.He lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump. He’s a member ofCalpurnia’s church, and Cal knows his family well. She says they’re clean-living folks. Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand some things yet, butthere is been some high talks around town to the affect that I shouldn’t domuch about defending this man.

...You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me ifyou will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matterwhat anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting withyour head for a change . . . it’s good one, even if it does resist learning.” (p.80)

From the quotation above it is proven that Atticus is having a fair judgment to

Tom Robinson. He believes him as a clean-living person. His feeling about Tom

Robinson’s innocence is only based on Calpurnia’s words and also on what his heart

says. His decision in defending the Negro given him bad consequences. He will be

cursed and humiliated by his own community. However, Atticus can tolerate that. He

even asks his children, especially Scout to accept it all. He asks his children to keep

their dignity and not to fight because of the mocking on their father’s decision. It is

also the reflection of his trait as a democratic person. Above explanation matches

with one of characteristics of self-actualized person, that is, efficient perception of

reality and more comfortable with it. Another Atticus’ attitude that shows his self-

actualized characteristic is presented in the following paragraph.

Fair attitudes of Atticus Finch is also shown when he is questioning Mr. Ewell

in the trial. He can see clearly that Mr. Ewell is the one who beats Mayella Violet

Ewell, his daughter. Atticus tries to get the justice on the Tom Robinson’s side. He

tries to prove that Tom Robinson is innocent. Previously, Mr Ewell accused Tom


44

Robinson, Atticus’ client, of rapping and beating his daughter. It turns out, however,

that Atticus can prove the contrary. He can prove that Mr. Ewell himself who beats

Mayella. Atticus reveals Mr. Ewell’s lie in a smart way.

“Just describe her injuries, heck.” “well, she was beaten around the head. There was already bruises comin’ on

her arms, and it happened about thirty minutes before –‘ “Anyway, she was pretty bruised up when I got there, and she had a black eye

comin’.” “Which eye?” Mr. Tate said, “Oh yes, that’d make it her right. It was her right eye, Mr.

Finch. I remember now, she was bunged up on that side of her face. . . “ “It was her right eye, I said.” (p. 170-171)

It is said that Mayella has injuries in her right eye. Such kind of injury only can be

done by someone who is left-handed. It means that someone who is left-handed has

beaten her. Atticus can see Mr. Ewell’s lies clearly. Atticus can prove that it is not

Tom Robinson who beats Mayella but his father. Atticus gives evidence that Tom

Robinson’s left arm is crippled. It is twelve inches shorter than the left. Tom Robinson

has it in an accident when he was a boy. It can be seen from the following speech by

Atticus in front of the trial.

Atticus turned to the defendant. “Tom, stand up. Let Miss Mayella have agood long look at you. Is this the man, miss Mayella?”Tom Robinson’s powerful shoulders rippled under his thin shirt. He rose to hisfeet and stood with his right hand on the back of his chair. He looked oddly offbalance, but it was not from the way he was standing. His left arm was fullytwelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in asmall shriveled hand, and from as far as the balcony I could see that it was nouse to him (p. 188)

It is clear from the two quotations above that Atticus, since the beginning of the trial,

knows that Tom Robinson is innocent. It is not Tom Robinson who beats Mayella but

his father because Tom Robinson is crippled. He has no left arm, whereas the injuries

on the right eye of Mayella can only be done by a left-handed person, that is her


45

father. Those facts are also the reflection of his trait as an intelligent and democratic

person. No one who has no soul of a democratic and intelligent mind can do such a

great thing.

Because Atticus’ children is in the trial room and watch their father defending

Tom Robinson, unconsciously Atticus teaches his children about democracy and fair

judgment. The fair attitude will remain in his children’s mind and will drive them to

be a good children.

In general, above explanations also match with the first characteristic of self-

actualized person. Atticus has unusual ability to detect the fake and dishonesty in

people. He appears to judge people and events correctly and efficiently. He is able to

judge Tom Robinson not guilty, although other whites say that Tom Robinson is

guilty, only by seeing his way of life and also Calpurnia’s words. Later, his judgement

about Tom Robinson will be proved correct. Atticus also feels comfortable with

something that he has never faced before. Tom Robinson’s case is new to him. He has

to face community that wants to put Tom Robinson in jail for thing that he does not

do. He can tolerate and perceive the situation accurately.

4.2.1.3. To Teach his Children to Have Self-acceptance

In another part of the novel, it is told that Atticus, physically, has a problem

with his left eye. Therefore, he wears glasses because it is nearly blind. Scout

describes it as following personal description given by the author.

“… He wore glasses. He was nearly blind in his left eye, and said left eyeswere tribal curse of the Finches. Whenever he wanted to see something well,he turned his head and looked from his right eye.” (p. 94)


46

Atticus accepts this defect. He considers it as a normal thing that can happen to

human. Furthermore, he considers it as the family heritance. In fact, the defect cannot

stop him doing useful things. Atticus is the best shooter in Maycomb County. He can

shoot the mad dog from a distance with no burden at all. It seems that Atticus has no

problem with his eyes. It can be seen from Jem’s saying below.

Jem became vaguely articulate: “’d you see him, Scout? ‘d you see him juststandin’ there?...’n’ all of a sudden he just relaxed all over, an’ it looked likethat gun was a part of him . . . an’ he did it so quick, like . . . I hafta aim for tenminutes ‘fore I can hit somethin’ ““Forgot to tell you the other day that besides playing the Jew’s Harp, AtticusFinch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time.”The very idea, didn’t you know his nickname was Ol’ One-Shot when he wasa boy? Why, down at the Landing when he was coming up, if he shot fifteentimes and hit fourteen doves he’d complain about wasting ammunition.”(p.102)

From the conversation above, it is clear that Atticus can accept his defect and

it does not influence his sight at all. In fact, he can be the best shooter in Maycomb

County. For other people, maybe a shortcoming can bring a great influence on one’s

life. For Atticus, the defect has forced him to do the best. The acceptance of Atticus to

his shortcoming matches with the second characteristic of self-actualized person, that

is, having acceptance of self, others, and nature. Atticus can accept themselves and his

foible without guilt or anxiety. Atticus is not defensive about his shortcoming,

whereas, it does not prevent him from becoming the best shooter in Maycomb county.

With his attitude of accepting his own shortcomings, Atticus has taught his children to

accept themselves as what they are. He expect that his children will understand that

nobody is perfect.

Atticus also tries to teach his children how to accept and understand other

people and to have high tolerance to them. He says that humans cannot understand


47

each other before they are looking from the same point of view. Moreover, he

practices his trait as a democratic person and teaches it to his children. Atticus says it

in this way:

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along alot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person untilyou consider things from his point of view—““Sir?”“—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (p. 34)

By the quotation above, Atticus wants to say that people might see a same

thing in different from angle and perspective. It means that one’s perception of one

thing is different to the other, although they see the same object. The difference may

lead persons to an argument that might end in a discussion or even a fight. If people

can understand each other, there will be no war in this world. It also matches the

second characteristic that is acceptance of other. He can accept people as what they are.

4.2.1.4. To Teach his Children about Keeping Promise and Bravery

Atticus is very brave. It is seen in his action to keep Tom Robinson in

Maycomb jail while the sheriff and some other friends ask him to move Tom

Robinson to county jail. The sheriff wants to avoid trouble that might happen but

Atticus stays on his decision. He will face every trouble that might happen. It can be

seen from the conversation between him and the sheriff.

“. . . movin’ him to the county jail tomorrow,” Mr. Tate was saying, “I don’tlook for any trouble, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be any. . .”

“ Don’t be foolish, Heck,” Atticus said. “This is Maycomb.” “. . .said I was just uneasy.”

I caught Atticus coming in the door, and he said that they’d move TomRobinson to the Maycomb jail. He also said, more to himself than to me, thatif they’d kept him there in the first place there wouldn’t have been any fuss (p.147-148)


48

It is clear from the quotation above that the idea of keeping Tom Robinson in

Maycomb is Atticus’ idea. He argues that it would be better to keep Tom Robinson in

Maycomb so that he can guard him personally. The sheriff and some men are afraid

that if Tom Robinson stays in Maycomb jail, some people will lynch him. If a group

of men lynch him, Atticus and his friends, can do nothing about it. In fact, they will

keep him as a very important man. Atticus action shows us that he is very brave and

has his own thought. According to the law, Tom Robinson should be put in county

jail and guarded by county officers but Atticus has his own ethical code, that is to

keep Tom Robinson under his own surveillance. This fact also shows his trait as a

courageous person. He dares to fight against his enemy as long as he is in the right

side. This courage of Atticus has made his friends respect him.

Those speeches and action by Atticus are seen by his children from the

window. The children listen to what their father says and therefore, they can learn

from their father’s bravery. The decision to keep Tom Robinson under his own

surveillance is Atticus’ spontaneity. The spontaneity of Atticus also matches one

characteristic of self-actualized person, that is, having spontaneity. Atticus’ attitudes

show that he tends to be spontaneous in both his thought and action. He is also

extremely ethical but behaves according to his own code of ethic rather than society’s

code of ethics.

Atticus’ bravery is also shown when he has to face the consequences of his

decision to defend Tom Robinson. In his effort of defending Tom Robinson, Atticus

has an experience that changes his way of life. One situation that has changed his way

of life is the time when he decides to be a lawyer for Tom Robinson. Whenever he is a


49

lawyer, he should be able to defend his client, despite their race and skin color. Atticus

gets colored client. This client and his job as a lawyer have changed his way of life.

Before he has Tom Robinson as his client, he lives happily with his family. After

Judge John Taylor orders him to assist Tom Robinson, his life is change. His family is

mocked and cursed by his own community, the white community.

Atticus sighed. “I’m simply defending a Negro—his name’s Tom Robinson...” “... There’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do

much about defending this man.” “if you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then, why are you doin’ it?” “For a number of reasons, “ said Atticus. “The main one is, if I didn’t I

couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in thelegislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.”

“Because I could never ask you to mind me again. Scout, simply by the natureof the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affect himpersonally. This one’s mine, I guess...

...you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter whatanybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with yourhead for a change. . .it’s a good one, even if it does resist learning (p. 80)

It is clear from the conversation above that his children also get affected by his action

in defending Tom Robinson. This case almost ruins his family. He puts his family as

the enemy of the whole community. Luckily, things go on in the right track.

Unconsciously, Atticus also teaches his children about keeping promise. When Atticus

is accepted as a lawyer, he has to sworn to erect the justice. Now, he proves it by

defending Tom Robinson.

Above explanation match to one of the characteristics of self-actualized

person, that is having more peak experiences or oceanic feeling. According to Maslow

(Goble, 1971:38-42), peak experience is experience best described as mystic or

profound in nature. It seems to involve a momentary loss of self or transcendence of

self. The experience also generally leads to the conviction that something important


50

has happened that will have great effects on the future behavior of the individual.

4.2.2 Motivation toward Society

Atticus, in defending Tom Robinson, gives his society a new perception of

equality among human. People in Maycomb County usually think that whites are great

and respectable. They think that whites are saints that never do wrong. Atticus,

however, in the trial gives them a new perception that whites are not saint and are

same as black men. He says that whites are also as sinful as blacks. Atticus attacks the

whites’ dignity and pride of being clean person in the front of the trial. He tells the

ugly truth in the following quotation.

“Which gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin,a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this:some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to betrusted around women – black or white. But this is the truth that applies to thehuman race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in thiscourtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, andthere is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire (p.207)

From the quotation above, it is clear that Atticus wants to wake the citizen of

Maycomb country from a lullaby that makes them sleep over a pride that whites are

good, whites are perfect and whites are saints. Atticus wants to wake them up to

realize the ugly truth that whites are just the same as black people. Whites are as bad

as black people and whites are as sinful as black people.


51

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter includes two parts, namely conclusions and suggestions. The

conclusions examine the answers of the formulated problems based on the analysis.

The suggestions contain two sections. The first section is the suggestion to the future

researchers of literary works, especially those who concern with Harper Lee’s literary

works. The second section is the suggestion to use literary works, especially a novel,

in English teaching learning process

5.1 Conclusion

From the application of the theory of characterization by Murphy (1971) in the

analysis in chapter 4, the writer can infer that Atticus is a courageous man. He is also

an honest gentleman. Atticus is also described as a kind and loving father to his

children. Besides, he also a intelligent man. His cleverness has saved his family from

any trouble. He is also a democratic person. He is able to treat his children the way he

treats other people.

By applying Bootzin’s theory of motivation (1983) and Maslow’s theory of

hierarchy of needs (Quoted by Goble, 1971), the writer can draw a conclusion that

Atticus’ motivation in defending Tom Robinson are divided into two forms. The first

is the motivation toward his children. Atticus’ motivation in defending Tom Robinson

is to teach his children about life. He wants to teach them about being kind to others

and being sympathetic to other. He also wants to teach them about fair attitudes and


52

democracy. He also trains them to have self-acceptance. Atticus also gives example to

his children to have faith on their promises and being courageous. Another motivation

that motivates Atticus in defending Tom Robinson is that he wants to wake his society

from a dream that whites are perfect and clean. He wants to tell them that whites are

as bad as black people. White are not saints. He wants to tell the ugly truth that whites

are also as sinful as blacks.

The way Atticus defends Tom Robinson matches the characteristics of self-

actualized person proposed by Maslow’s theory of hierarchy needs (Quoted by Goble,

1971). Therefore, the writer assumes that the motivations in defending Tom Robinson

are parts of the way Atticus actualizes himself. Atticus has reached the top level of

hierarchy needs.

5.2 Suggestions

In this part, there are two points that will be discussed. The first point presents

the suggestions for the future researchers. The second point states the suggestions for

teaching learning activities by using literary works, especially a novel.

5.2.1. Suggestions for Future Researchers

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of Lee’s novels, which is very interesting. It

portrays life experiences of a family and also racialism in Maycomb County,

Alabama. The conflicts and incidents give the readers some messages about child

development, human relationship, and racialism. Therefore, after reading the novel,

the readers can get beneficial values from it.

As this study uses psychological approach to analyze the description of Atticus


53

character, future researchers can use another approach to analyze other aspects of the

novel. The story of the novel was inspired by the writer’s childhood in rural Alabama

where racism was still in the air. Thus, the writer suggests for the future researchers to

analyze the relation of the writer’s personal life to the story of the novel by using the

biographical approach.

Another interesting aspect in this novel is about Tom Robinson who is accused

of raping a white girl. Here, the future researchers can analyze aspect of racism at that

time using socio-cultural historical approach. Moreover, each of the characters has

their own qualities that represent their existence and function in the story. As well the

character of Atticus, the writer also finds another interesting character that might be

good to be analyzed that is, Scout and Jem. Their personality is interesting to be

analyzed.

5.2.2. Suggestions for Teaching Writing Using Literature

A literary work, a novel in this matter, does not only give pleasure and

enjoyment to its readers, but also the moral teaching which the novel has. Moreover, it

is also a source of knowledge. Therefore, teachers may use it as a material for his

teaching learning process. Although the text that is used and students’ responses will

be discussed in literary terms, the basic intention is to teach the language.

Implementing literature in teaching of English is quite necessary because the

students can enrich their vocabulary mastery and language skills: listening, speaking,

reading, and writing. Literary work, in this case a novel, offers potential benefits of a

high order for English as a second or foreign language. It can be used to reach the goal

in teaching English that is the language mastery.


54

Furthermore, literature provides a balance of the goals teachers should be

aware of. Teachers must not only help to develop individuals’ personal and

intellectual potentials, but also their capacity to be more responsible for their own

development.

Therefore, the writer suggests using this novel in the teaching of writing,

especially writing I for the first semester students of Sanata Dharma University.

Writing is the way of people to express their opinions, feelings, and points of view.

Writing needs more effort to produce meaning than to identify meaning through

listening or reading, because what can be told cannot be expressed easily and quickly

in writing. The students have to follow the conventions of the spelling and punctuation

that will make their compositions understandable for others.

In writing activity, the students are also exploring, observing, imagining, and

listing their experiences and knowledge. Then, they categorize, compare, analyze, and

compose their opinions and ideas into written form. Thus, it is a must for the students

to apply their imagination and literary abilities in interpreting the novel and pouring

them out on the paper. Some students find that writing task is a difficult and boring

activity. So, the purpose of this writing activity is to stimulate the students’ creativities

in giving opinions, in making suggestions, and in exploring ideas.

There are many ways to teach writing using this novel. Descriptive writing is a

way in which the students are to describe: a thing, a person, a place, an event, and a

concept, while in narrative writing the students are asked to write about series of

events according to the novel. Another way is argumentative writing in which the

students are to state their opinion or explanation about certain aspects in the novel.


55

Finally, in free writing the students can use their imagination to write about the

continuity of the stories in the novel. Those types of writing can be assigned to

university students in their writing class, especially for the students who are in the

English Department. Below are the procedures of teaching learning writing:

1. The teacher chooses the model of paragraphs from the novel.

2. The teacher explains in brief about the model of paragraph.

3. The teacher gives a brief explanation about the types of writing to the students.

4. The teacher asks the students to write a free writing about other versions of the

continuity of the trial, based on their creativities and imagination, in groups.


56

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M.H. 1981. A Glossary of Literary Terms. (3rd ED). New York. Holt,Rinehart and Winston Inc.

Allers, Rudolf. The Psychology of Character. London: Sheed and Ward, 1951

Bootzin, Richard R, Elisabeth F. Loftus, Robert B. Zajonc, Randoph Blake, JosephLo Piccolo, Charles J. Holaman, Sandra W. Scarr. 1983. Psychology TodayAn Introduction, 5th Edition. New York. Random House

Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice,Second Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1999.

E. van de Laar and N. Schoonderwoerd, Malmberg. 1958. An Approach to EnglishLiterature (2nd ed)

Forster, E.M. (1974). Aspect of The Novel and Related Writings. London: EdwardArnold, Ltd.

Goble, Frank G. 1971. The Third Force: The Psychology of Abraham Maslow.Boston: Kent Publishing Co.

Guerin, Wilfred L. (1999). A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. NewYork: Harper & Row Publishers.

Henkle, Roger B. (1977). Reading The Novel: An Introduction to The Techniques ofInterpreting Fiction. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers.

Holman, Hugh, and Harmon, William. 1986. A Handbook to Literature. New York.Basic Books, Inc. Harper Torch Books.

Hornby, AS. 1989. Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary. New York: OxfordUniversity Press.

Hurlock, Elizabeth. 1974. Child Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Kalish, Richard A. 1973. The Psychology of Human Behavior. 3rd Edition. SanFransisco: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.

Lee, Harper.1960. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York. JB Lippincott Company.


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Murphy, M.J. 1972. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry andthe English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen andUnwin, Ltd.

Rohberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods. 1971. Reading and Writing aboutLiterature. New York: London Prentice.

Stanton, Robert. (1965). An Introduction to Fiction. New York: Holt, Rinehart, andWinston Inc.

Warren, R.P. Understanding Fiction. 1980. New York: Cleanth Brooks

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Online Resources:

Book review by Dana Maitland, 2005(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mockingbird)

http://www.wikipedia.com


http://www.wikipedia.com

Appendix 1

Lesson Plan for Teaching Writing

(Expressing the creativity in a writing form freely)

Subject : Writing ILevel of the Students : 1st Semester of English Language Education

Study ProgramTime Allocation : 2 x 50’Material : To Kill a Mockingbird

Basic

Competencies

Writing

Identifying the components of a good paragraph

Achievement

Indicators

At the end of the lesson, the students are able to:

1. Identify the topic sentence in a paragraph

2. Identify the supporting sentences in a paragraph

3. Identify the closing sentence

4. Identify whether a paragraph is good or not

5. Make a good paragraph

Learning

Experiences

1. The students read the handouts

- In the classroom, the students make a group of five, and

try to identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences

and closing sentences from a paragraph on page 185.

- The students decide whether a paragraph is good or not

then make a new paragraph based on paragraph on page

185

- Each group presents their writing in front of the class.

Material The material is taken from the novel of Lee’s To Kill a

Mockingbird, page 185

Evaluation The students’ competence is evaluated from their written

exercises and performance.


Materials:

Slowly but surely I began to see the pattern of Atticus’s questions. Fromquestions that Mr. Gilmer did not deem sufficiently irrelevant or immaterial toobject to, Atticus was quietly building up before the jury a picture of the Ewells’home life. The jury learned the following things: their relief check was far fromenough to feed the family, and there was strong suspicion that Papa drank it upanyway. Ewell sometimes went of in the swamp for days and came home sick.The weather was seldom cold enough to require shoes, but when it was, you couldmake dandy ones from strips of old tires. The family hauled its water in bucketfrom a spring that ran out at one end of the dump—they kept the surrounding areaclear of trash—and it was everybody for himself as far as keeping clean went. Ifyou wanted to wash you hauled your own water; the younger children hadperpetual colds and suffered from chronic ground-itch. Once, there was a ladywho came around sometimes and asked Mayella why she didn’t stay in school.Mayella wrote down the answer. Her answer was with two members of the familyreading and writing, there was no need for the rest of them to learn—Papa neededthem at home. (p.185)


Appendix 2

Lesson Plan for Teaching Writing

(Expressing the creativity in a writing form freely)

Subject : Writing ILevel of the Students : 1st Semester of English Language Education

Study ProgramTime Allocation : 2 x 50’Material : To Kill a Mockingbird

Basic

Competencies

Writing

Re-write a story

Achievement

Indicators

At the end of the lesson, the students are able to:

1. Identify the theme of the story

2. understand the story

3. re-write the story based on the text given

Learning

Experiences

1. The students read the handouts

- In the classroom, the students try to identify the theme of

the story from the text given.

- The students try to understand the story

- re-write the story based on the text given

- submit their work

Material The material is taken from the novel of Lee’s To Kill a

Mockingbird, page 181-183

Evaluation The students’ competence is evaluated from their written

exercises and performance.

Materials: From page 181-183 To Kill A Mocking Bird (Appended in the nextpage)


Appendix 3

To Kill a Mocking Bird

This novel is about Scout Finch who lives with her brother, Jem, and theirwidowed father, Atticus, in the sleepy Alabama town of Maycomb. Maycomb issuffering through the Great Depression, but Atticus is a prominent lawyer and theFinch family is reasonably well off in comparison to the rest of society. Onesummer, Jem and Scout befriend a boy named Dill, who has come to live in theirneighborhood for the summer, and the trio acts out stories together. Eventually,Dill becomes fascinated with the spooky house on their street called the RadleyPlace. The house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur(nicknamed Boo), has lived there for years without venturing outside.

Scout goes to school for the first time that fall and detests it. She and Jemfind gifts apparently left for them in a knothole of a tree on the Radley property.Dill returns the following summer, and he, Scout, and Jem begin to act out thestory of Boo Radley. Atticus puts a stop to their antics, urging the children to tryto see life from another person’s perspective before making judgments. But, onDill’s last night in Maycomb for the summer, the three sneak onto the Radleyproperty, where Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem loses his pants in the ensuingescape. When he returns for them, he finds them mended and hung over the fence.The next winter, Jem and Scout find more presents in the tree, presumably left bythe mysterious Boo. Nathan Radley eventually plugs the knothole with cement.Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out in another neighbor’s house, and during thefire someone slips a blanket on Scout’s shoulders as she watches the blaze.Convinced that Boo did it, Jem tells Atticus about the mended pants and thepresents.

To the consternation of Maycomb’s racist white community, Atticusagrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused ofraping a white woman. Because of Atticus’s decision, Jem and Scout aresubjected to abuse from other children, even when they celebrate Christmas at thefamily compound on Finch’s Landing. Calpurnia, the Finches’ black cook, takesthem to the local black church, where the warm and close-knit community largelyembraces the children.

Atticus’s sister, Alexandra, comes to live with the Finches the nextsummer. Dill, who is supposed to live with his “new father” in another town, runsaway and comes to Maycomb. Tom Robinson’s trial begins, and when theaccused man is placed in the local jail, a mob gathers to lynch him. Atticus facesthe mob down the night before the trial. Jem and Scout, who have sneaked out ofthe house, soon join him. Scout recognizes one of the men, and her politequestioning about his son shames him into dispersing the mob.

At the trial itself, the children sit in the “colored balcony” with the town’sblack citizens. Atticus provides clear evidence that the accusers, Mayella Ewelland her father, Bob, are lying: in fact, Mayella propositioned Tom Robinson, wascaught by her father, and then accused Tom of rape to cover her shame and guilt.Atticus provides impressive evidence that the marks on Mayella’s face are from


wounds that her father inflicted; upon discovering her with Tom, he called her awhore and beat her. Yet, despite the significant evidence pointing to Tom’sinnocence, the all-white jury convicts him. The innocent Tom later tries to escapefrom prison and is shot to death. In the aftermath of the trial, Jem’s faith in justiceis badly shaken, and he lapses into despondency and doubt.Despite the verdict, Bob Ewell feels that Atticus and the judge have made a foolout of him, and he vows revenge. He menaces Tom Robinson’s widow, tries tobreak into the judge’s house, and finally attacks Jem and Scout as they walk homefrom a Halloween party. Boo Radley intervenes, however, saving the children andstabbing Ewell fatally during the struggle. Boo carries the wounded Jem back toAtticus’s house, where the sheriff, in order to protect Boo, insists that Ewelltripped over a tree root and fell on his own knife. After sitting with Scout for awhile, Boo disappears once more into the Radley house.

Later, Scout feels as though she can finally imagine what life is like forBoo. He has become a human being to her at last. With this realization, Scoutembraces her father’s advice to practice sympathy and understanding anddemonstrates that her experiences with hatred and prejudice will not sully herfaith in human goodness.


Appendix 4

The Picture of Mockingbird (www.netstate.com)


plagiat merupakan tindakan tidak terpujiwriting this thesis is derived from the writer’s curiosity...

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