the main character’s personality development as …

THE MAIN CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

AS SEEN IN EDGAR ALLAN POE’S “THE BLACK CAT”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

DANIEL BRAMANTYO ADIYUDHO

Student Number: 134214043

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ii

THE MAIN CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

AS SEEN IN EDGAR ALLAN POE’S “THE BLACK CAT”

TITLE PAGE

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

DANIEL BRAMANTYO ADIYUDHO

Student Number: 134214043

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019


A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

THE MAM{ CHARACTER'S PE'RSONALITY DEYELOPMENTAS SEEIT{ IN EDGAR ALLAN POE'S TTIHE BLACK CAT"

*rrr.or*r**fu^ro**.*rr)..oCo-Advisor

November 22,2019

ilt

#&b'^A,bl

\iS rt-

w&ber 22,2019


A Sarjana Saxtra Undergraduate Thesis

TIIE MA[tf CHARACTERNS PEHSONALITY DEYSLOPMENTAS SEEN IN EDGAR ALLAN FOE'S "THE BLACK CAT"

By

I}ANIEL BRAMANTYO AI}IYUDHOStudent Number: 13421 4043

Defendedbefore the Board of Examinerson December 13,2019

and Declared Acceptable

BOARI} OF EXAMINERS

Nnme

Chairperson

Secretary

Member I

Mernber 2

Member 3

Drs, Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.

Elisabeth Oseedta Pukan, S.S., M.A.

Harris Hermansyah Setiajid, M.Hum

Drs. Hinnawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.

Elisabeth Oseanita Pukan, S.S., M.A.

akarta, December 3 l, 20 19

aculty of Letters

IV

. Tatang Iskarna


oqpnt(pV o(luuururg lolue(I

GIOT,' Azreqtue oN tgela{Eoa

\ 'slseql apnpesrapm eqlJoxel

eql ul eperu sI ecueJeJoJ enp aleqt\ ldecxa uosred reqlo fue ,(q uqfFru ,(lsnolnerd

Ieuoleru ou surcluoc srserp epnpeltrepun srrp 'eEpolalou4 ,(tu Jo $eq eql o1

'lurll puu ',{tlsrelrtrn fuu 1u ssr8ep reqto [uugo pJBr\B erp JoJ pe$rpqns {lsnornerd

ue3q s?q qcHrrl lelrelBru ou surBluoc srserp apnpodropun sFIl lBrtl f,Jluec I

AIITYNISIUO TO IMII{IIVIS

:t

'i'a

,,!ifE

EkEffi_TFGlF

B


r'

tn

oqpn (1pY oflueuu.rg lelwc

'uulule(ueu 6ue1

6l0Z reqrue^oN 0Z luEEuel epe4

ugu1e,(6oa Ip lunqlq

'e.(u;eueqes ue8usp pnq e,(es rut ueele,(ued uerryueq

'srlnued ru8eqss

e,(es eueu ue>lunlruecueru delel ?tueles e,(es epedel !l[e,{o.r ue>llJeqruetu undneuru,(es uep urfr elurureu nped eduu1 sttuopele ueEurluedol {nlun UIBI €Ipeunelu lerrJelur rp efuuerysoplqndruau u€p 'sepqr4 uJeces llu>llsnql4slpustu 'u1ep

uelel8ued {ntuoq rrrelep ufuelolo8uotu outel elpetu >luueq ru?l?p uulqtle8ueu'uedtur,(uaur {ruun ryq sruJeq( B1uuBS s€}IsJeAIun ueelelsndro4 epedeluB>lrreqtuotu u,(es uunyuop ueEueq '(epe eI$ ue1n1:edrp EUu,( lulEuered ugeseq

e,IYJ XCYAfl flHI" SofOd NY'I.IY UYC(Itr NI Nf[S SYINUWAOTflAflO AII'IYNOSUfld S.TIIIJYUYTIS NIYIN flHI

:1npnftsq Euu,( e,(es qBIIull e(mneuue{C eteueg s€llsJollunueulelsnd.red epude>1 uolrJeqrueu u(es 'uenqelsEued nrup ue8uequra8ued turaq

wvnlznEroqprfr 1pV o,$ueurerg Ie1ueq

BI(srS?r{?IAi JOTUON

€(u3N

:BrrrJsqq Bl?uBS sslrsJe^ruo 3 \srsEr{sru E,(?s 'tut q?Iy\Bq 1p ueEu4 epuegeq Euel

SUAISC\TXY NV9NITNgdDT >IOJNO

H\TINIT VAU\DI ISYTIT{Od NVffNIflSUgd TI\TVIYANUUd UY{h[91


vii

MOTTO PAGE

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right

hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

Man proposes

God disposes

� ��

��'� ��

��'� ��

��!


viii

DEDICATION PAGE

Dedicated to:

My Father (†),

My Mother,

My Brother,

and

those who have supported and inspired me

Sorry to keep you waiting


ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank and praise Jesus Christ for His blessing,

grace, and love for me so I can finally finish my undergraduate thesis.

My gratitude goes to my thesis advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka,

M.Hum., for his guidance and advice for me in finishing this undergraduate thesis.

My gratitude is also addressed to my co-advisor, Elisabeth Oseanita Pukan, S.S.,

M.A., for giving me correction and suggestion to finish my undergraduate thesis. I

also give my appreciation toward all lecturers who have given my knowledge and

education. Last, I would like to thank my English Letters secretary staff (Mbak

Ninik) and all of library staff who have guided me during the process of my study.

My grandest gratitude goes to my beloved family who has become my

mental and financial support: my father (†), that always prays for me from

heaven; sorry to keep you waiting, Dad; my mother and my brother that always

support and encourage me to finish my study; my uncles and aunties; and also my

cousins who keep pushing me to finish my study.

My deeper gratitude goes to many people that helped me a lot during the

process of my study. Ababil’s group (Alfin, Obbie, Retty, Tiara) thank you for

always supporting me in my high and low, I feel so blessed to have you guys. My

classmates in English Letters thank you for the support. To all ’17-’19 library

student staff that I cannot mention one by one who keep asking me when I will

graduate. Last but not least, I would like to give my thanks to you who keeps

supporting me in the last minutes so I can finish it. God Bless You all!

-Daniel Bramantyo Adiyudho-


x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................ ii

APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. vi

MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................... vii

DEDICATION PAGE ........................................................................................ viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... x

ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... xii

ABSTRAK .......................................................................................................... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study .............................................................................. 1

B. Problem Formulation ................................................................................... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................ 5

D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................... 7

A. Review of Related Studies ........................................................................... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ......................................................................... 8

1. Theory of Character and Characterization ............................................... 8

2. Theory of Character Development ......................................................... 10

3. Theory of Personality Development ....................................................... 11

4. Theory of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome ............................................ 15

C. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................. 17

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 18

A. Object of the Study..................................................................................... 18

B. Approach of the Study ............................................................................... 19

C. Method of the Study ................................................................................... 19


xi

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 21

A. The Characteristics of the Main Character................................................. 21

1. The Main Character’s Characteristic when He was a Child................... 21

2. The Main Character’s Characteristic when He was an Adult ................ 25

B. The Reasons that Make the Main Character’s Personality Develop .......... 31

1. Physical Changes .................................................................................... 31

2. Changes in Person .................................................................................. 35

3. Changes in Self-Concept ........................................................................ 38

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 44

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 46


xii

ABSTRACT

ADIYUDHO, DANIEL BRAMANTYO. (2019). The Main Character’s

Personality Development as Seen in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat”.

Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma

University.

“The Black Cat” is opened with an unnamed character who tells about his

past before he is sentenced to death. During his childhood, the main character

does not have friends because he was bullied. Therefore, he played with his

animals which were given by his parents. Their friendship last for several years

until the main character turns into an adult. His personality which he kept from

childhood which is good traits suddenly turns into bad traits when he turns into an

adult. The main character undergoes personality development through maturation.

This study has two objectives. The first one is to analyze what

characteristic that the main character has. Then, the second one is to find what

reasons that make the main character’s personality develop.

In order to analyze the objectives above, library method is applied by the

writer to collect all data which is needed to conduct this study. Theory on

character and characterization and also theory of character development are

applied to help the writer answers the problem formulations. There are some

factors that affect someone’s personality development, which are: change in

physical, change in person, and change in self-concept. Psychological approach is

also used since this study focus on analyzing someone’s personality development.

The writer finds out that the main character is characterized as a lenient,

patient, and loving person when he was a child. He befriends with animals since

childhood and also he pet animals even after his marriage. He built friendship

with his black cat for several years. When he turns adult, he starts to consume

alcoholic drink. His personality is changed due to the alcoholic drink. He starts to

torture his animals, wife, and his black cat. His favorite animal avoids him due to

his action. He kills his favorite animal because he knows that animal does not

love him anymore. In the end, all of those experiences and actions that are done

by the main character make the main character’s personality become worse. He

experience a slow and qualitative change personality development.

Keywords: personality development, main character, The Black Cat


xiii

ABSTRAK

ADIYUDHO, DANIEL BRAMANTYO. (2019). The Main Character’s

Personality Development as Seen in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat”.

Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata

Dharma.

Cerita “The Black Cat” diawali dengan tokoh yang tidak bernama yang

menceritakan masa lalunya sebelum ia dihukum mati. Pada masa kecilnya, tokoh

utama tidak mempunyai teman karena dirundung. Karena itu, ia bermain bersama

hewan peliharaan yang diberi oleh orangtuanya. Persahabatan mereka berlangsung

sekian lama sampai tokoh utama beranjak dewasa. Kepribadian tokoh utama yang

dibawa sejak kecil yang bersifat baik tiba - tiba berubah menjadi buruk ketika ia

beranjak dewasa. Tokoh utama mengalami perkembangan kepribadian melalui

pendewasaan.

Penelitian ini mempunyai dua tujuan. Tujuan yang pertama untuk

menganalisis karakteristik tokoh utama. Tujuan yang kedua untuk mencari tahu

apa yang menyebabkan kepribadian tokoh utama berkembang.

Untuk menganalisis tujuan di atas, metode kepustakaan digunakan oleh

penulis untuk mengumpulkan data – data yang dibutuhkan untuk melakukan

penelitian ini. Teori karakter dan karakterisasi serta teori perkembang karakter

digunakan untuk membantu penulis menjawab rumusan masalah. Ada beberapa

factor yang menyebabkan kepribadian seseorang berkembang seperti: perubahan

fisik, perubahan pada orang, dan perubahan pada konsep diri. Pendekatan

psikologis juga digunakan karena penelitian ini fokus pada analisis perkembangan

kepribadian seseorang.

Penulis menemukan bahwa tokoh utama digambarkan sebagai orang yang

lemah lembut, sabar, dan penuh kasih sayang sejak ia kecil. Ia bersahabat dengan

hewan sejak masa kanak – kanak dan juga memelihara hewan setelah ia menikah.

Ia menjalin persahabatan dengan kucing hitam selama beberapa tahun. Ketika Ia

beranjak dewasa, ia mulai mengonsumsi alkohol. Alkohol merubah

kepribadiannya. Ia mulai menyiksa hewan, istri, dan kucing hitamnya. Hewan

kesayangannya mulai menjauhinya akibat perbuatannya. Ia membunuh hewan

kesayangannya karena patah hati mengetahui hewan kesayangannya tidak

mencintainya lagi. Pada akhirnya, semua pengalaman dan tindakan yang

dilakukan oleh karakter utama membuat kepribadian karakter utama menjadi lebih

buruk, mengalami perkembangan perubahan yang bersifat lambat dan kualitatif.

Kata Kunci: personality development, main character, The Black Cat


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Human definitely is a social creature. It means that human needs another

human in order to live in this world. Human needs another human in order to

communicate and interact with other human, also to fulfill human needs, to share

his/her opinions and ideas toward other human. Therefore, human makes a social

group which is a group that expects a person who belongs or wants to join the

group in order to fulfill his/her needs.

Hurlock in her book stated that no one is born social, unsocial, or

antisocial. The attitudes of a person toward the people and social activities

surround him/her are determined by his/her experiences in early life (Hurlock,

1974: 232). A person must have opportunities to learn how to behave in social

way. Therefore, if his/her attitudes toward other people and social experiences are

good, he/she will have benefits to learning opportunities in society. Pleasant social

experience especially in early life can help make sure the development of positive

social attitudes in society. Children in their early life experience especially in

school age sometimes get bad experiences such as being bullied and teased by

other children, and feeling inadequate. Therefore, the social attitudes and behavior

of a child are influenced by the children with whom he/she associates (Hurlock,

1974:233-234). In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat”,


2

the main character experienced a bad experience in his childhood which is

bullying. The main character gets bullied by his friends who are at the same age as

him. The main character gets bullied due to the main character’s personality

which is his tenderness of heart that makes his friends jealous and managed to

bully the main character. The main character later befriends with his pets at his

house. He spends most of his time playing with his animals. The action that is

done by the main character that befriends with animals instead of other human

beings in the neighborhood can be stated as abnormal behavior. The main

character at that age should be friend with his friends at his own age in order to

build his personality pattern.

The early life social activities develop personality pattern of the people

who experienced it. The personality pattern slowly changes after people become

adults. The personality which is developed from early life social activities slowly

changed into a new personality which is developed when a person turns into and

adult and join adult social activities. Therefore, adolescence is regarded as

“critical age” in personality development. The first reason that it is regarded as

“critical age” is because adolescence is the time that determined if the person will

be mature, socially conscious and resolute or if he/she will be immature,

dependent, frustrated, and unsure of him/her. The second reason is the personality

pattern is already well set (Hurlock, 1974: 124).

In life, human experiences something new and also different that might be

influenced by his/her surroundings. The development of many aspects in human

life can be also felt by human that experiences many things. The development can


3

be in personality or personal appearance. The fictional character in novel, which is

also a human being, also experiences many things that can cause development of

the character in the novel. The personality or the physical appearance of the

character in the novel is developed by time and events that the character

experienced in the story. Thus, it shows that character in the story can reflect the

life of human.

The researcher observed that the main character has some personality

development in his life. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat”, the main

character’s personality is exciting to be analyzed. In the beginning of the story,

the main character is tender and cares toward his pets. Since childhood, the main

character got bullied by his friends in his neighborhood due to his tenderness.

Therefore, he managed to befriend with his pets in his house. He really loves his

animals and spends most of his time with his animals. One night, the main

character drinks an alcohol in the bar and get drunk. When he comes back to his

house, he tortures his favorite animal, his black cat because the black cat bits him.

He becomes ill-tempered and cruel now. He easily gets mad and likes to torture

his animals. In that way, the main character’s personality change. Therefore, the

main character’s personality development can be analyzed for the researcher’s

object study.

“The Black Cat” is one of many works created by Edgar Allan Poe. This

story tells about the main character who is a man who lives without having friends

because he was bullied when he was a child. He married his wife at the early age

and pet many animals such as birds, fish, monkey, dog, rabbit, and the special


4

black cat name Pluto. One night, the main character returns to his house with

smell of alcohol surrounding his body. After being an alcoholic person, the main

character is not the same person who loves animals. He often uses bad language

and also hits his wife and the animals. From that moment, Pluto starts to avoid

him. The main character gets angry when he knows that the cat that he loves so

much starts to avoid him. Then he tortures the black cat that he loves most by

cutting out one of Pluto’s eyes. The main character does not only torture the black

cat, but also kills it by hanging its neck on the tree until it is dead. The main

character pets the one-eye black cat that looks like Pluto, the main character’s

previous black cat. This time, the black cat does not avoid the main character but

it follows the main character wherever he goes. The main character begins to hate

the black cat. He tries to kill this cat, but when he wants to kill it, his wife stops

him and his wife’s action make him very angry because that makes the black cat

run away from his sight and leaves the house. Then, he kills his wife instead of the

black cat. Later he feels very happy to know that the black cat is already gone

from his house. In the end of the story, the main character meets again with the

black cat inside the wall where he buries his wife after the main character confess

to the policemen about his deed.

B. Problem Formulation

This study focuses on analysis on the main character’s personality

development; therefore, this study is based on these questions:

1. What are the characteristics of the main character in the story?


5

2. What are the reasons that make the main character’s personality

develops?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to answer the problem formulation that is

mentioned above. This research study has two objectives. The first objective is to

analyze the characteristics of the main character in the story. Then, the second

objective is to analyze the reason that makes the main character’s personality

develops.

D. Definition of Terms

There are several terms that are used in this study. They are personality

and personality development. However, to avoid misunderstanding, the writer

needs to define all of the terms.

The first one is personality. Hurlock in her book defines that “personality

is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems

that determine his characteristic behavior and thought” (Hurlock, 1974: 7). In this

study, personality means the psychological system that every person has and it

determines his or her characteristic behavior and thought. Personality is also a

unique pattern of traits that characterize every individual (Butcher, Mineka and

Hooley, 2013: 622).

The second one is personality development. Personality development, as

stated in Hurlock’s book, is “a stage in growth of a constantly changing and


6

evoking process within an individual. It determines the person’s uniqueness in

speech, in reactions to people and things, in mannerism, in fantasy, and in any

other ways directed toward the specific goals to adjust to the environment

(Hurlock, 1974: 7). In brief, personality development means the changing of the

personality which can determine someone’s behavior in order to adapt to the

environment.


7

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

This undergraduate thesis is influenced by Veronika Deni Ambarwati’s

undergraduate thesis “A Comparative Study of the Narrator’s Psychological

Disorder in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart” (2006). In

her undergraduate thesis, she is concerned about the dynamic aspect of the main

character’s psychology in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale

Heart”. The main character in “The Black Cat” has a psychological disorder of

consuming alcohol badly which is called as Substance Related Disorder. By

consuming alcohol, the main character experiences hallucination and also has bad

temper toward his wife and his favorite cat, Pluto (Ambarwati, 2006: 33).

The main character also experienced Paranoid Disorder which happens

when the second black cat arrived at his house. The second black cat reminds the

main character about the first black cat that has been killed by the main character.

This paranoid happens when the main character experiences the fear and terror of

the black cat (Ambarwati, 2006: 38-39). In her review, Ambarwati highlights the

main character’s psychological disorder. Meanwhile, in this study, the writer’s

concern is about the reasons that make the main character’s personality develop.

Another influence comes from Alifa Karlina’s undergraduate thesis “The

Psychological Problems of Main Character in The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe”

(2007). In her undergraduate thesis, she is mainly concerned about the


8

psychological problems of the main character. She stated that the main character

suffered from abnormal behaviors which consist of psychoneurosis,

psychosis, and psychopathy (Karlina, 2007: 43).

Another related study is an analysis written by Maroš Buday entitled

Psychoanalyzing “The Black Cat”: The Journey from Emotional Transference to

Displays of Psychopathy. He is concerned about the main character’s psychology.

He stated that the main character’s defense mechanism was forced to acquire the

psychopathic traits. In this analysis, Buday stated that the defense mechanism of

the main character fight against the frustration and hostility which is being kept by

society (Buday, 2014: 14-15). Buday’s review explains about the main character’s

defense mechanism, while in this study the writer analyzed about the reason that

makes the main character’s personality develop.

The position of this study is to elaborate the main character’s personality

development. Therefore, those related studies are needed to give more perspective

about the main character of the story for future studies.

B. Review of Related Theories

In this part, the researcher discusses some theories that support the

analysis later. The theories discussed are theory of character and characterization,

character development, and personality development.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Character is one of the most important aspects in the story. It has a big role

that can make the story more interesting.


9

Characters are the person represented in a dramatic or narrative work who

are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral,

intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons

say and their distinctive ways of saying it, the dialogue and from what they

do the action (Abrams, 2012: 46).

Characters are divided into two types which are major character and minor

character. The major character takes an important part and is continuously

presented in the story. The major character has powerful domination in the story

from beginning to the end. The major character in the story relates toward other

characters who are the minor characters. While, the minor characters in the story

are shown only once or twice. The minor characters’ role in the story is to provide

and support the development of the major character (Henkle, 1977: 87-90).

M.J. Murphy’s “Understanding Unseens” (1972: 161-173) also describes

the method of characterization. There are nine methods of characterization which

described by Murphy:

a. Personal Description

The characters are described by their appearance and clothes (Murphy,

1972: 161).

b. Character as seen by another

The characters are described through the eyes of another and also opinion

of another. It is also described by comments from another character

(Murphy, 1972: 162).

c. Speech

The characters are described through what the character says (Murphy,

1972: 164).


10

d. Past life

The characters described from the person’s past life to give clues to events

that have helped to shape a person’s characteristic (Murphy, 1972: 166).

e. Conversation of others

The characters are described from the things that the other people say

about the character (Murphy, 1972: 167).

f. Reactions

The characters are described by how the characters react toward various

situation and events (Murphy, 1972: 168).

g. Direct comments

The characters are described by told by the author (Murphy, 1972: 170).

h. Thoughts

The characters are described by direct knowledge of what a person is

thinking about (Murphy, 1972: 171).

i. Mannerism

The characters are described through their mannerisms and habits

(Murphy, 1972: 173).

2. Theory of Character Development

Based on character development, character is differentiated into two which

are static character and dynamic character. “Static character is the type of

character that does not change from the beginning until the end of the story while

the type of character who can change in the story is called a dynamic character”


11

(Perrine, 2009: 164). The developing or dynamic character is opposite to the static

character. A dynamic character is more complex and many-sided. It displays

significant differences of behaviors in some events. Meanwhile, the static

character is the same sort of a person at the end of the story as at the beginning

(Perrine, 2009:165).

A change in the character meet three conditions: (1) it must be consistent

with the individual’s characterization as dramatized in the story; (2) it must be

sufficiently motivated by the circumstances in which the character is placed; and

(3) the story must offer sufficient time for the change to take place and still be

believable (Perrine, 2009: 165).

Action and incident spring out of character and, having occurred, they

change it, so that at the end of a novel character should have changed, have

developed (Forster, 2012: 171).

3. Theory of Personality Development

Literature and psychology cannot be separated according to Wellek and

Warren. Literature is a form of any written work, while psychology is a scientific

study of human behavior. Therefore, in literature the readers can study human’s

behavior through the character that exists in the story. Wellek and Warren stated

that psychology of literature is the psychological study of the writer as a type of

individual, or the study of the psychological types and laws presented within

works of literature, or finally, the effects of literature upon its reader (Wellek and

Warren, 1956: 81). The characters in the story must be accepted as a reliable


12

person (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 20), and then they can be analyzed through

the perspective of psychology.

Every person has his/her own personality. A person may have different

personality from other persons. Allport in Hurlock’s book defines personality as

the dynamic organization in the individual of every person that has psycho-

physical systems that determine his/her characteristic behavior and thought (1974:

7). It means that the characteristic of behavior and thought are determined by the

personality of a person.

Someone’s personality pattern is not inherited since birth. The personality

develops as a person experiences many things throughout his or her life. As

Hurlock states, the personality pattern is “the product of learning during the

course of prolonged social relationships with people both within and outside the

home” (1974: 19).

Hurlock, in her book, states that it is a common thing for a person who is

not satisfies with his or her personality. When a person dislikes one of the

personalities then he or she will try to change or improve the personality patterns.

According to Hurlock, changes in personality pattern were divided into three

major categories (1974: 120-122).

a. Better versus worse

This personality change depends on the situation or condition of

someone’s life. “Personality changes for the better or for the worse reflect the

kind of life adjustments the individual is making at the time” (Hurlock, 1974:

120). It means that if someone could adapt and adjust in life situation, he/she can


13

change the personality into the better one. Otherwise, the personality can also get

worse if he/she could not adapt or adjust in life situation.

b. Quantitative versus qualitative

In her book, Hurlock states that “in qualitative changes, an already-present

trait usually an undesirable one, is replaced by another trait, usually a desirable

one or vice versa” (1974: 121). A qualitative change would means that the

previous characteristic was eliminated and replaced with the new characteristic.

The new characteristic can be a good or bad characteristic, depends on the

previous characteristic. While in quantitative changes, characteristics already

present are reinforced, strengthened or weakened. Based on her explanation, it

means that the quantitative changes of someone’s personality can be strengthened

or weakened. However, the qualitative changes mean someone’s personality

changes very radically because of some factors. It means that the previous

characteristic is replaced with new characteristics.

c. Slow versus rapid

According to Hurlock, personality changes are slow and gradual. “It

happens because every change involves the breaking of a previously learned habit

and the learning of a new habit to replace it” (1974: 122). It means that it takes

time for someone to change or develop his/her personality. The personality

changes cannot take place over night.

Furthermore, there are several conditions which are responsible for

personality change in someone. Hurlock states that changes in personality do not

happen of their own agreement, usually the changes are the result of multiple


14

revisions in the thoughts and feelings related to the person’s concept of self.

According to Hurlock, the conditions which are responsible for personality

changing are: physical changes, changes in environment, changes in significant

people, changes in social pressures, changes in roles, strong motivation, changes

in the self-concept and use of psychotherapy (1974: 124-130). However, there are

only some conditions which are related in this study.

First, physical changes. Personality of someone can develop through the

physical changes. Those physical changes may come from maturation and decline

or from illness, disturbances, injuries, and other condition unrelated to the normal

changes in body structure (Hurlock, 1974: 124). When young person enters

puberty, the young person must accept and revise his/her physical self-concept

and must adjust to his/her new physical features. The physical changes enable

young person to estimate the concept of his/her ideal self. As the concept of self-

changes, it is reflected in changes of characteristic pattern of behavior. When the

person has to revise his/her self-concept and accepted that he/she is

“handicapped” is the reason that his/her personality changes (Hurlock, 1974: 125).

Second, changes in significant people. Personality of someone can develop

as the result of the change in the concept of significant people in his or her life.

The significant people can be the family, friends, lover, spouse, employer, and

children. As Hurlock explains, “when the significant people in an individual’s life

change, and when someone tries to adapt the pattern of his/her behavior, attitudes,

beliefs, values and aspirations to theirs, changes in someone’s personality pattern

are inevitable” (Hurlock, 1974: 126). From time to time, there is a change in the


15

concept of significant people to a person. If there is a gap or a big difference

between the individual and the significant people, the individual will be motivated

to develop his or her personality to narrow the gap.

Third, changes in the self-concept. Hurlock defines that, “the self-concept

is the core of the personality pattern” (Hurlock, 1974: 128). It means that when

there is a change in the self-concept of someone’s personality it may also cause

the change in his/her personality pattern. However, changes in self-concept are

difficult as people grow older, and usually the changes occur slowly.

Based on Hurlock’s explanation above, there are three conditions that may

influence someone’s personality pattern. The personality can change without any

professional help because people can do it by themselves or by the significant

people.

There are some conditions which are related to this study. They are

physical changes, changes in significant people, and changes in self-concept.

Those conditions are used because it can be applied in this study. The three of the

conditions that the writer used affect the main character’s personality

development.

4. Theory of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

In addition toward the previous theories, the writer provides additional

theory which is alcohol disorder theories from many sources in order to support

the personality development. As in this study, the personality development is also

affected by the effect of the alcohol. Therefore, the writer provides it.


16

The terms alcohol or alcoholic have been used by various groups in the

past. Now, the World Health Organization no longer recommends the term

alcoholism. The term alcoholism is changed into alcohol dependence syndrome.

Thus, the alcohol dependence syndrome term itself has a meaning which is “a

state, psychic and usually also physical, resulting from taking alcohol,

characterized by behavioral and other responses that always include a compulsion

to take alcohol on a continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its psychic

effects, and sometimes to avoid the discomfort of its absence; tolerance may or

may not be present” (Butcher, Mineka and Hooley, 2013: 369).

In McKim and Stephanie’s book, it is stated that not only physical harm

that caused by the alcohol, the alcohol also responsible for changes in behavior

that caused untold social, financial, and psychological toward the drinker and the

others. The accidents that caused by the drinker while drunk or hangover are not

only driving in drunk condition, but also there are so many accidents in industry

and at home such as crimes committed under the influence of the alcohol, damage

done toward families and social relationships. All of those effects are difficult to

quantify and some may be not the direct result of the alcohol, but it must be

included in the harmful effects of the alcohol (2013: 153).

Many researchers report that alcohol causes a biphasic effect based on

time and dose. At low doses and while blood levels are rising, alcohol has a

stimulant effect, and people describe elation and euphoria; but at high doses and

when the blood levels are falling, subjects report primarily feelings of sedation,

anger, and depression (McKim and Stephanie,2013: 143).


17

C. Theoretical Framework

First, the writer needs to find out the main character’s characteristics. The

writer uses the theory of character and characterization in order to identify the

main character’s characteristics. Then, the writer uses the theory of character

development and also personality development by Elizabeth Hurlock. In this

study, the writer wants to show what reasons that make the main character’s

personality develop.


18

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is “The Black Cat”, a horror fiction short story

written by Edgar Allan Poe. This is a horror story which is also paired with Edgar

Allan Poe’s another short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart”. Both stories have the same

story which is about murder. It was first published in August 19, 1843, in the

edition of “The Saturday Evening Post”. “The Black Cat” is included in Tales of

Edgar Allan Poe which is published by Random House Inc. in New York in 1944.

“The Black Cat” consists of 10 pages.

The main character in this story is a man who has a tragic childhood

because when he was a child, he was bullied by his friends in the neighborhood.

His tenderness makes his friends bully him and also make fun of him due to his

personality. Therefore, he does not have many friends in his childhood. Even

though he does not have friends, he still has animals as his friends. He really loves

animals. He spends most of his time with his animals and it makes him really

happy.

The main character married a woman who also liked animals like him. His

life was changed after he and his wife managed to pet a black cat. They called the

black cat Pluto. There were many unfortunate event that came to his family started

with his personality changed after he consumed an evil drink called alcohol and

he started to torture his animals and his wife. One night, he was bitten by Pluto


19

and this moment makes him killed Pluto. After that moment, his house was

burned. The memory of Pluto still haunted him even though he pet a black cat that

looks like Pluto. Feeling trauma of Pluto, he started to kill this animal in order to

release him from the suffering. He tried to kill the black cat, but the one he killed

was his wife. At the end of the story, he confessed his actions to the policemen.

B. Approach of the Study

The approach that is used in this research is psychological approach.

Psychological approach was used in this study because the main character

experienced a personality development in this story. “The psychological approach

is an approach that applied principles of the modern psychology to characters or

situation within a literary work or to the person who wrote the work” (Leary,

1976: 57). This approach is suitable for this study because the story tells about the

main character that experiences a personality development. The main character’s

personality development becomes the focus of the study.

C. Method of the Study

The method that is used in this study is mostly library research method

because in this study, the researcher only analyzes the data from the books, other

sources, and also internet without gathering field data. The primary source is the

short story itself which is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat”. The secondary

sources are taken from books, articles, and also internet sources that can be used

to support and also analyze this study.


20

There were several steps to analyze this research. The first step began with

thorough reading and understanding the main story. The second step was deciding

the topic for this study which was the reasons that makes the main character’s

personality develops. The third step was collecting the supporting information

such as theories and also comments about this study from many sources.

The theory of character and characterization was used to answer problem

formulation number one which was the characteristic of the main character. While

theory of personality development was used to answer problem formulation

number two which was the reasons that make the main character’s personality

develop. The last step was summing up the analysis and drawing a conclusion.


21

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter is divided into two sections. In the first section, the writer

discusses about the characteristic of the main character that is described in the

short story. The writer analyzes the main character’s characteristic when he was a

child and when turns to an adult. After knowing that the characteristic of the main

character, the writer continues analyzing the reasons that makes the main

character’s personality develops as revealed in the story.

A. The Characteristics of the Main Character

“The Black Cat” story uses I as the first person point of view. I itself

represent that the main character is the author of the story. In order to analyze the

main character’s personality development, the theory of character by Abrams and

the theory of characterization stated by Murphy are used to reveal the way of the

author characterizes the main character.

1. The Main Character’s Characteristic when He was a Child

The main character in this story is a man who is an unnamed character.

The story uses I as the first person point of view. The main character lives with

his wife that he married in his early life and his animals. When he was a child, he

was bullied by his friends in his neighborhood. Due to that moment, he managed

to befriend with his animals.


22

a. Lenient

In the beginning of the story, the main character is characterized as a

lenient man who has social humanity disposition. Due to his lenient characteristic,

the main character got bullied by his friends in his neighborhood. That moment

made him have no desire to make friends with them or do social activities outside.

Every day, he played with his animals which were given by his parent instead of

playing with his friends in his neighborhood. It can be seen from the description

of his daily activity.

From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my

disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make

me the jest of my companions. I was especially fond of animals, and was

indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spent

most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing

them (Poe, 1944: 550).

The quotation above shows the main character’s activity during his

childhood. He only plays with his animals instead of his friends in his

neighborhood. He spends most of his time daily in order to take care of his

animals such as feeding and caring his animals. Because he got bullied by his

friends in his neighborhood before, he does not have any intention to play with his

friends in his neighborhood. Therefore, the main character chooses to play with

his animals instead of his friends. By playing with his animals, the main character

will not be bullied when he plays with his animals.

“This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood,

I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure (Poe, 1944: 550). The

main character feels that spends most of his time is his pleasure. Based on


23

Murphy theory, the characteristic of the main character can be seen from the way

the author describe a person’s mannerisms and habit (Murphy, 1972: 173). From

the statement above, the writer can make a statement that the main character’s

characteristic is a lenient man using Murphy’s theory.

b. Patient

Besides the main character is characterized as a lenient man, the author

also characterizes him as a person who was patient. It can be seen from his

reaction when he is bullied, the main character do not do anything to defend

himself toward his bully who are his friends in his neighborhood who bully him

due to his tenderness. The main character rather plays with his animals which are

given by his parents.






them (Poe, 1944: 550).

The quotation above shows the main character’s reaction toward bullying

that is done by his friends in his neighborhood is calm. He does not care whether

he is bullied by his friends in his neighborhood. He patiently takes care of his

animals every day. He spends most of his time to playing, feeding, and caring

with his animals. By playing, feeding, and caring with his animals makes him so

happy. His love toward his animals makes him a patient man because to take care

of those animals everyday such as feeding and cleaning their waste is not an easy

job to do and it needs a patient to take care of them. Based on Murphy theory, the


24

characteristic of the main character can be seen from the way the author describe a

person’s reaction (Murphy, 1972: 168). From the statement above, the writer can

make a statement that the main character’s characteristic is a patient man using

Murphy’s theory.

c. Loving

Besides the main character is characterized as a lenient and patient, the

author also characterizes him as loving person. The main character loves the

animals more than everything. Due to his incapability to make friend with his

human friends in his neighborhood, the main character spends most of his time to

play with his animals. The action that is done by the main character makes the

main character loves his animals more than anything

To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog,

I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of

the gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and

self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who

has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer

fidelity of mere Man (Poe, 1944: 550-551).

The quotation above shows the main character’s feeling toward his

animals can be seen. The main character falls in love with his animals rather than

his friends in his neighborhood because the main character feels there is

something unselfish and self-sacrificing love from his animals that moves the

main character’s heart. The main character thinks that this unselfish and self-

sacrificing love feeling could only felt by someone who has paltry friendship with

his friends. Based on Murphy theory, the characteristic of the main character can

be seen from the way the author describes a person’s thought (Murphy, 1972:


25

168). From the statement above, the writer can make a statement that the main

character’s characteristic is a loving man using Murphy’s theory.

The analysis above shows that the main character’s personality when the

main character was a child. When the main character was a child, the main

character’s personality is lenient, patient, and loving person. The main character

has a tenderness of heart which makes him bullied by his friends in his

neighborhood. Therefore, the main character spends most of his time to play with

his animals in his home rather than to play with his friends in his neighborhood.

He patiently feeding and caring his animals every day. The action that is done by

the main character everyday makes the main character loves his animals more

than anything. Therefore, the main character is characterized as a person who is

lenient, patient, and loving.

2. The Main Character’s Characteristic when He was an Adult

In this part, the writer discusses the changing of the main character’s

personality. The main character’s personality develops as he grows old into an

adult. Murphy’s theory is used to help the writer in order to analyze the changing

personality of the main character.

a. Ill-tempered

In the middle of the story, the main character is characterized as an ill-

tempered person who easily gets angry toward something. The main character

turns into an ill-tempered person when he turns to an adult. In this story it is

symbolized by his habit of drinking an evil drink called alcohol that makes him


26

turns into an ill-tempered person. The main character starts to hit his wife and also

tortures his animals, including Pluto, the animal that he loves very much. It can be

seen from the description of his action that the main character has done after he

comes back from the bar on one night.

One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts

about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence. I seized him;

when, in his fright at my violence, he inflicted a slight wound upon my

hand with his teeth. The fury of a demon instantly possessed me. I knew

myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from

my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled

every fibre of my frame. I took from my waistcoat-pocket a penknife,

opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of

its eyes from the socket! I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the

damnable atrocity (Poe, 1944: 552).

From the quotation above, the main character comes back to his home

after the main character drinks an evil drink called alcohol in the bar at one night.

Pluto, the black cat, ignores the main character’s arrival. Then, the main character

picks Pluto up furiously. Pluto feels scared because the main character picks Pluto

up suddenly. Pluto later bits his master. The action that is done by Pluto makes the

main character broken hearted. The main character realizes that Pluto does not

love the main character anymore because the main character is drinking. Knowing

that Pluto does not love the main character anymore, the main character gets

angry. The main character later grabs a penknife inside his coat while the main

character’s other hand grabs Pluto. The main character cuts out of one of Pluto’s

eyes using that penknife.

The main character who returns from the bar in the effect of alcohol sees

that the black cat starts to avoid him. The main character who is in the effect of


27

high dose alcohol sees that the black cat avoidance toward him as a rejection

because he comes back in drunk condition. It is supported by McKim and

Stephanie’s theory that a person who is in high dose effect of alcohol feels easy to

angry toward something (2013: 143).

In the meantime the cat slowly recovered. The socket of the lost eye

presented, it is true, a frightful appearance, but he no longer appeared to

suffer any pain. He went about the house as usual, but, as might be

expected, fled in extreme terror at my approach. I had so much of my old

heart left, as to be at first grieved by this evident dislike on the part of a

creature which had once so loved me. But this feeling soon gave place to

irritation. And then came, as if to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the

spirit of PERVERSENESS (Poe, 1944: 553).

After that moment, the relation between the main character and Pluto

becomes distant. Pluto who likes to follow the main character everywhere the

main character goes, now starts to avoid the main character wherever the main

character wants to get closer to Pluto. This moment, makes the main character

heartbroken. He is sad to know that the animal that he loves the most is avoiding

him now. He manages to kill Pluto because the main character thinks that Pluto

does not love the main character anymore.

One day she accompanied me, upon some household errand, into the cellar

of the old building which our poverty compelled us to inhabit. The cat

followed me down the steep stairs, and, nearly throwing me headlong,

exasperated me to madness. Uplifting an axe, and forgetting, in my wrath,

the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand, I aimed a blow at

the animal, which, of course, would have proved instantly fatal had it

descended as I wished. But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife.

Goaded by the interference into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew

my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon

the spot without a groan (Poe, 1944: 558).


28

One day, when the main character accompanies his wife to go to the

basement, the main character gets shocked by Pluto because Pluto almost throws

him down from the stairs. The main character gets angry and suddenly grabs an

axe to kill Pluto that almost makes the main character suffered. The main

character gets angrier whenever he sees his wife defended Pluto. Instead of killing

Pluto, the main character blows an axe toward his wife’s head because his wife

holds the main character’s hand to defend Pluto, the black cat. The main character

later buries his wife’s body inside a wall in the basement.

From the quotations above, the main character’s personality as an ill-

tempered person can be seen. The main character gets angry easily due to easy

problem that makes his heartbroken and then do something cruel toward Pluto and

even toward his wife. Based on Murphy theory, the characteristic of the main

character can be seen from the way the author describes a person’s reaction

(Murphy, 1972: 168). From the statement above, the writer can make a statement

that the main character’s characteristic is an ill-tempered person using Murphy’s

theory.

b. Cruel

Besides characterized as an ill-tempered person, the main character is also

characterized as a cruel person. It can be seen from his action that he has done

toward his animals especially Pluto, the black cat. He does not only torture the

animals, but also kills the animal that he loves the most, Pluto.






29







From the quotation above, the main character who is still being affected by

the alcohol effect sees that Pluto move away when he arrives at home. This

moment makes the main character angry. The main character later picks Pluto up

and suddenly the main character gets a bite by Pluto. This makes the main

character angrier. The main character grabs Pluto and picks his penknife inside

his coat to take of one of Pluto’s eyes using that penknife.

One morning, in cold blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to

the limb of a tree;—hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and

with the bitterest remorse at my heart;—hung it because I knew that it had

loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence;—hung

it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin—a deadly sin

that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it—if such a thing

were possible—even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most

Merciful and Most Terrible God (Poe, 1944: 553).

On one morning, the main character does more terrible action toward

Pluto. The main character does not only tortures Pluto by take out one of Pluto’s

eyes, but also this time he kills Pluto by hanging Pluto’s neck toward a tree

around his house. He kills this filthy animal because the main character thinks that

Pluto does not love the main character anymore.

This hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire

deliberation, to the task of concealing the body. I knew that I could not

remove it from the house, either by day or by night, without the risk of

being observed by the neighbors. Many projects entered my mind. At one

period I thought of cutting the corpse into minute fragments, and

destroying them by fire. At another, I resolved to dig a grave for it in the


30

floor of the cellar. Again, I deliberated about casting it in the well in the

yard—about packing it in a box, as if merchandise, with the usual

arrangements, and so getting a porter to take it from the house. Finally I hit

upon what I considered a far better expedient than either of these. I

determined to wall it up in the cellar, as the monks of the Middle Ages are

recorded to have walled up their victims (Poe, 1944: 559).

After the main character kills his wife, the main character manages to hide

his wife body from his neighborhood. The main character thinks about to

dismember his wife body into smaller parts and later burn it. The main character

also thinks to dig a hole inside the basement to bury his wife body there.

Throwing his wife body toward a well in his field or put his wife body into a box

so it will look like a product box from factory so the courier can pick it from the

main character’s house. Finally, the main character has an idea to hide his wife

body inside the basement wall.

From the quotations above, the main character’s personality as a cruel

person can be seen. The main character not only has done something even crueler

than tortured his animals especially Pluto, but also he kills Pluto and his wife. The

method that the main character is done to torture Pluto can be considered as cruel

action because the main character done it by take out one of Pluto’s eyes. The

main character also murder Pluto by unusual way which is hanging Pluto’s neck

on a tree. Last, the main character’s way to hide his wife body inside the basement

wall was unusual way yet also considered as cruel. Based on Murphy theory, the

characteristic of the main character can be seen from the way the author describes

a person’s reaction (Murphy, 1972: 168). From the statement above, the writer


31

can make a statement that the main character’s characteristic is a cruel person

using Murphy’s theory.

B. The Reasons that Make the Main Character’s Personality Develop

In the previous section, the main character’s characteristics have been

revealed using M.J Murphy’s theory which is characterization theory. The main

character’s personality develops after the main character turns into an adult. The

main character’s personalities when he was a child were lenient, patient, and

loving person develops into cruel and ill-tempered when he was an adult.

In this section, Hurlock’s theory is applied in order to find the reasons that

make the main character’s personality develop. In Hurlock’s book entitled

Personality Development, it is mentioned that someone’s personality do not occur

by their own accord, but there are several conditions that responsible for

personality change (1974: 124). The conditions are physical changes, changes in

environment, significant people, changes in social pressures, changes in roles,

strong motivation, changes in self-concept and the use of psychotherapy ( 1974:

124-130). Those Hurlock theories are not applied at all, but only the most

contributed to the main character’s personality developments which are: physical

changes, changes in people, and changes in self-concept.

1. Physical Changes

The first reason that makes the main character’s personality develops is

physical changes. It can be seen through the story that the main character who was


32

a child in the beginning of the story turns into an adult in the middle until the end.

In the beginning of the story the main character was described as a good person

when he was a child.






them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my

manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure (Poe,

1944: 550).

From the quotation above, it can be seen that the main character is

characterized as a good person. He has good traits which are docility and

humanity. Due to his tenderness heart, the main character gets bullied by his

neighborhood friends. Knowing that the main character has no friends, the main

character’s parents give him pet so the main character can plays with the animals

instead of human being friends. The main character spends most of his time

playing with the animals. The main character feels happy when he spends most of

his time to feeding and caressing with the animals. The main character thinks that

this kind of habit is one of his sources pleasure.

This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood, I

derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure. To those who

have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly

be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the

gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and self-

sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has

had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of

mere Man (Poe, 1994: 551).

From the quotation above, it can be seen that the main character’s habit

until he grows toward young adult. From that experience that he has done from a


33

child until young adult, makes the main character feels about love that comes

from his animals. He feels that there is something in the unselfish and self-

sacrificing love from the animals that is touch his heart who has made a friendship

with the animals. Hence, it can be summed up that the main character has a

lenient, patient, and loving characteristic when he was a child. It can be seen from

the way the main character treats his animals every day.

I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not

uncongenial with my own. Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she

lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind. We had

birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat. Pluto --

this was the cat's name -- was my favorite pet and playmate. I alone fed

him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It was even

with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the

streets. Our friendship lasted, in this manner, for several years, during

which my general temperament and character -- through the

instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance -- had (I blush to confess it)

experienced a radical alteration for the worse (Poe, 1944: 551-552).

The main character later early marries with his wife. He is so happy to

know that his wife shares the same interests with him. They manages to pet

animals such as birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat.

The last mentioned is the main character’s favorite pet. The cat’s name is Pluto.

The main character feeds Pluto alone. That moment makes the main character and

Pluto becomes a best friend. Pluto always follows his master wherever he goes.

The main character marries his wife because they share the same

background and have same interests. Those two factors included in Hurlock

theory about factors that affecting the adjustment of the partners. According to

Hurlock, the more background that shares between the husband and wife, the

easier it is to adjust between them (Hurlock, 1980: 292).


34

I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the

feelings of others. I suffered myself to use intemperate language to my

wife. At length, I even offered her personal violence. My pets, of course,

were made to feel the change in my disposition. I not only neglected, but

ill-used them. For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to

restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the

rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when by accident, or through

affection, they came in my way. But my disease grew upon me -- for what

disease is like Alcohol! -- and at length even Pluto, who was now

becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish -- even Pluto began to

experience the effects of my ill temper.

After the main character marries his wife, his characteristic suddenly

changes as he grows up. At first the main character starts to give intemperate

language to his wife. Not only give his wife intemperate language, the main

character also gives her personal violence. He also starts to hit his animals. At first

he does not hit Pluto because he loves Pluto so much. Later he also hits Pluto.

Personality of someone can be developing through the physical changes.

Those physical changes may come from maturation and decline or from illness,

disturbances, injuries, and other condition unrelated to the normal changes in

body structure (Hurlock, 1974: 124). In this study, the physical changes come

from the maturation of the main character. The maturation of the main character is

shown when he started to consume alcohol drink. In the beginning the main

character was a lenient, patient, and loving person when he was a child. After the

marriage, the main character’s characteristic suddenly changes. At this time the

main character starts to change his interest.

The main character starts his interest toward an alcohol drink that

symbolizes as he turns into an adult. He does not want to play with his animals

again because he is an adult now. Near middle age, generally many people feel


35

that their strength and endurance are no longer what they were. Therefore, they

shift to interests that do not really need strength and endurance (Hurlock, 1980:

254). The alcohol which is consumed by the main character affects the

psychological of the main character. It is stated that one of the accident that

caused by the drinker while drunk or hangover is damage done toward families

and social relationships (McKim and Stephanie, 2013: 153). Due to his new

interest toward alcohol, the main character starts to hit his wife and tortures his

animals, even Pluto, his favorite animals.

2. Changes in Person

Personality of someone can develop as the result of the change in the

concept of significant people in his or her life. The significant people can be the

family, friends, lover, spouse, employer, and children. As Hurlock explains,

“when the significant people in an individual’s life change, and when someone

tries to adapt the pattern of his/her behavior, attitudes, beliefs, values and

aspirations to theirs, changes in someone’s personality pattern are inevitable”

(Hurlock, 1974: 126). In this story, the significant person in the main character’s

life is not a ‘person’ itself, but it is symbolized as a cat. The black cat’s

significance toward the main character’s personality development is shown

through the main character and the black cat involvement in the story. Since

childhood the main character spend of his most time with his animals. After the

early marriage with his wife, the main character starts to befriend with the black

cat named Pluto. Pluto—this was the cat’s name—was my favorite pet and

playmate. I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It


36

was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the

streets (Poe, 1944: 551). Their friendship last for several years, before the main

character’s characteristic changed as he grows up. The main character starts to hit

and tortures animals, even Pluto, his favorite animal.







every fibre of my frame. I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife,



damnable atrocity (Poe, 1944: 552)

One day, when the main character returns after drinking alcohol in the bar,

Pluto, the black cat that the main character loves most, starts to avoid his master

presence. The main character’s new hobby that consuming alcohol drink makes

the black cat avoids him. The main character feels that the black cat does not love

him anymore due to his new hobby that is alcohol drinker, so the black cat starts

to avoid him. It is stated that alcohol also responsible for changes in psychological

toward the drinker (McKim and Stephanie, 2013: 153). That moment makes the

main character angrier and picks Pluto up furiously. Pluto feels scared due to his

master furiously grab and bits him. The main character gets angrier and picks up

pen-knife and cuts one of Pluto’s eyes out.







irritation (Poe, 1944: 553).


37

The black cat slowly recovered. The black cat does not feel pain anymore

even though one of his eyes is cut out by the main character. The black cat starts

to walk around the house as usual. When the black cat sees his master presence,

the black cat starts to avoid him. This makes the main character heartbroken

because he feels rejected by his favorite animal. The black cat does not love the

main character anymore and it makes the main character annoyed.

One morning, in cool blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to

the limb of a tree; -- hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and

with the bitterest remorse at my heart; -- hung it because I knew that it had

loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence; -- hung

it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin -- a deadly sin

that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it -- if such a thing

were possible -- even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most

Merciful and Most Terrible God (Poe, 1944: 553).

On one morning, the main character shows his cruelty again toward Pluto.

This time he wraps a rope toward Pluto’s neck and then the main character hangs

Pluto to a tree. He just killed the animal that he loves the most.

I approached it, and touched it with my hand. It was a black cat—a very

large one—fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every

respect but one. Pluto had not a white hair upon any portion of his body;

but this cat had a large, although indefinite splotch of white, covering

nearly the whole region of the breast. Upon my touching him, he

immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared

delighted with my notice. This, then, was the very creature of which I was

in search. I at once offered to purchase it of the landlord; but this person

made no claim to it—knew nothing of it—had never seen it before. I

continued my caresses, and, when I prepared to go home, the animal

evinced a disposition to accompany me. I permitted it to do so;

occasionally stooping and patting it as I proceeded. When it reached the

house it domesticated itself at once, and became immediately a great

favorite with my wife (Poe, 1944: 555).


38

One night, when the main character goes to bar, he finds out the black

creature. It is a black cat that looked like Pluto, the previous black cat. The black

cat obeys the main character’s command. The main character manages to bring

him home. His wife falls in love with this animal when the main character brings

it home.

For my own part, I soon found a dislike to it arising within me. This was

just the reverse of what I had anticipated; but—I know not how or why it

was—its evident fondness for myself rather disgusted and annoyed me. By

slow degrees, these feelings of disgust and annoyance rose into the

bitterness of hatred. I avoided the creature; a certain sense of shame, and

the remembrance of my former deed of cruelty, preventing me from

physically abusing it. I did not, for some weeks, strike, or otherwise

violently ill use it; but gradually—very gradually—I came to look upon it

with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as

from the breath of a pestilence (Poe, 1944: 555).

If the main character’s wife loves the black cat, the main character does

not feel the same with his wife. The main character’s loves at the first sight

toward the black cat suddenly become hate. He starts to avoid the black cat

because the second black cat reminds him of the previous black cat named Pluto

that has been killed by the main character. The main character realizes that the

black cat looks like Pluto because it has one eye only. Due to its lack of the eyes

makes the main character’s wife love the black cat so much and it makes the main

character feels disgusting.

3. Changes in Self-Concept

Hurlock defines that, “the self-concept is the core of the personality

pattern” (Hurlock, 1974: 128). It means that when there is a change in the self-

concept of someone’s personality it may also cause the change in his/her


39

personality pattern. However, changes in self-concept are difficult as people grow

older, and usually the changes occur slowly.











The first change in the main character’s self-concept appears when the

main character returns from a bar with alcohol smell around him. The black cat

starts to avoid the main character. The main character thinks that the black cat

avoids him because he is a different person now since he consumes an alcohol.

Hence, it makes the main character angry. He furiously grabs the black cat. The

black cat bits him and it makes the main character angrier. He takes out pen-knife

from his pocket and cuts out one of Pluto’s eyes.







irritation (Poe, 1944: 553).

After the black cat recovers from his injury, the black cat starts to avoid

the main character because the black cat scared toward the main character. The

main character thinks that the black cat does not love him anymore due to last

accident. Of course, it makes the main character heartbroken to know that the

animal that he loves the most starts to avoid him.


40

On the night of the day on which this most cruel deed was done, I was

aroused from sleep by the cry of fire. The curtains of my bed were in

flames. The whole house was blazing. It was with great difficulty that my

wife, a servant, and myself, made our escape from the conflagration. The

destruction was complete. My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up,

and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair. I approached and saw, as

if graven in bas-relief upon the white surface, the figure of a gigantic cat.

The impression was given with an accuracy truly marvelous. There was a

rope about the animal’s neck. When I first beheld this apparition—for I

could scarcely regard it as less—my wonder and my terror were extreme.

But at length reflection came to my aid. The cat, I remembered, had been

hung in a garden adjacent to the house (Poe, 1944: 554).

The second change in the main character’s self-concept appears after the

main character’s house is burned. After the main character kills the black cat by

hang the black cat on a tree, the main character’s house is burned in the night after

that moment. The house is completely burned. The next day the main character

finds out that there is a surface with the figure of gigantic cat with rope around its

neck. The main character thinks that the black cat is the one that makes his house

burned. He thinks that the black cat makes his house burned as a revenge for what

the main character has done toward the black cat. The main character feels the

terror that has been done by the black cat.

With my aversion to this cat, however, its partiality for myself seemed to

increase. It followed my footsteps with a pertinacity which it would be

difficult to make the reader comprehend. Whenever I sat, it would crouch

beneath my chair, or spring upon my knees, covering me with its

loathsome caresses. If I arose to walk it would get between my feet and

thus nearly throw me down, or, fastening its long and sharp claws in my

dress, clamber, in this manner, to my breast. At such times, although I

longed to destroy it with a blow, I was yet withheld from so doing, partly

by a memory of my former crime, but chiefly—let me confess it at once—

by absolute dread of the beast. It was now the representation of an object

that I shudder to name—and for this, above all, I loathed, and dreaded, and

would have rid myself of the monster had I dared—it was now, I say, the

image of a hideous—of a ghastly thing—of the GALLOWS!— oh,

mournful and terrible engine of Horror and of Crime—of Agony and of

Death ! And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere


41

Humanity. And a brute beast—whose fellow I had contemptuously

destroyed—a brute beast to work out for me—for me, a man fashioned in

the image of the High God (Poe, 1944: 558)

The third change in the main character’s self-concept is when the main

character pets the second black cat. The main character brings home a black cat

that looks like Pluto, the previous black cat, which has the same color and also

one eye. The second black cat is loved by his wife. His wife loves toward the

black cat makes the main character feels disgusting. The main character feels fear

toward the black cat because the main character feels haunted by the present of

the black cat that reminds him of Pluto. The black cat follows everywhere the

main character go. The main character’s fear toward the black cat increases after

the main character knows that in the black cat’s body there are white furs that

draw a gallows, which is one kind of punishment. The main character thinks that

the second black cat will give him a punishment toward him.

One day she accompanied me, upon some household errand, into the cellar

of the old building which our poverty compelled us to inhabit. The cat

followed me down the steep stairs, and, nearly throwing me headlong,

exasperated me to madness. Uplifting an axe, and forgetting, in my wrath,

the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand, I aimed a blow at

the animal which, of course, would have proved instantly fatal had it

descended as I wished. But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife.

Goaded, by the interference, into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew

my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon

the spot, without a groan (Poe, 1944:558).

The forth change in the main character’s self-concept is when the main

character’s wife accompanies the main character into the cellar. The black cat

follows them down and almost makes the main character fall from the stairs

which can make the main character killed. The main character thinks that the

black cat wants to kill him by knocking the main character down from the stairs.


42

The main character angry and grabs an axe. As he wants to strike the axe toward

the black cat, his wife holds his hand to defend the black cat. This makes the main

character angrier to know that his wife chooses to defend the black cat that almost

kills him. He blows an axe toward his wife head instead of the black cat. Later the

main character buries his wife body inside the wall in the cellar.

Everything that the main character has done, it is all because the presence

of the black cat. The black cat develops the main character’s personality. With the

change of the main character physical changes that caused by maturation and the

black cat significant change makes the main character’s self-concept changed into

love toward hate and the hatred motivates him to kill the black cat. Therefore, the

black cat becomes the significant person in the main character’s life who affects

him to develop his personality.

From those conditions, it can be summed up that the main character’s

personality changes to be worse. Hurlock explains that someone can develop

his/her personality if he/she can adjust the situation of life. “Personality changes

for better or worse reflect the kind of life adjustment the individual is making at

the time (Hurlock, 1974: 120). In this case, the main character’s personality

develops from lenient, patient, loving when he was childhood to be ill-tempered

and cruel when he turns to an adult.

The main character’s personality development can be categorized as

qualitative changes. Qualitative changes mean that the characteristic in someone’s

personality is replaced with a new characteristic (Hurlock, 1974:121). Therefore,

it can be stated that the main character undergo a qualitative changes.


43

The main character’s personality development also can be categorized as a

slow change. The main character experiences a slow changes personality

development because the main character takes years in order to change his

personality. As Hurlock explains that it takes time for someone to change or

develop his/her personality so it can’t take place over night (Hurlock, 1974:122).


44

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

In this chapter, the writer concludes the result of the analysis that has been

analyzed in the previous chapter. The writer analyzes the main character’s

characteristic and also analyzes the reasons that make the main character’s

personality develop.

The main character in this story is considered as a lenient, patient and

loving person when he was a child. He was bullied when he was child. Therefore,

he managed to play with his animals which were given by his parents instead of

playing with his neighborhood friends. His daily routine was playing, feeding, and

caressing the animals. He married early with his wife. The main character was so

happy that his wife shared the same traits with him. They managed to pet some

animals such as birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat.

The latest animal that is mentioned is the main character’s favorite pet. It has

black fur and its name is Pluto. The friendship between the main character and

Pluto, the black cat, last for several years.

The main character’s personality changes when the main character turns

into an adult. It is considered as personality changes through maturation. He now

becomes ill-tempered and cruel. When the main character returns home after

drinking from the bar in the night, the black cat avoids the return of the main

character. The main character suddenly picks the black cat up and suddenly the

black cat bits the main character. This makes the main character self-concept


45

change. The main character thinks that the black cat does not love him anymore.

The main character then cut out one of the black cat’s eyes. Not only torture the

black cat, the main character also kills the black cat by hang on a tree. The main

character does this because the main character is broken heart to know that the

black cat that he loves most starts to avoid his presence. It makes him motivates to

kill this creature.

The main character’s self-concept also thinks that the black cat haunts him

and will give him bad luck after he finds out a cat relief with ropes around its neck

at his after burned house. The main character’s feeling toward the black cat still

the same even though he pet the second black cat that looks like Pluto. He feels

disturbed and disgusted with the presence of the black cat. The main character

feels scare to know that in the second black cat body there is white fur which form

a gallows that the main character thinks it will bring a punishment toward him.

The main character kills his wife after his wife defended the black cat that almost

make the main character falls from the stairs when the main character accompany

his wife to the cellar. The main character feels happy to know that the black cat

run away after the main character hides his wife corpse in the cellar.

Through all the main character involvement, especially with the black cat

in the story, it can be summed up that the main character’s personality becomes

worse. The main character’s personality development is considered as qualitative

and slow changes.


46

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage

Learning, 2012.

Ambarwati, Veronika Deni. “A Comparative Study of the Narrator’s

Psychological Disorder in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat and The Tell-

Tale Heart”. Undergradute Thesis. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma

University, 2006.

Arp., Thomas R., Greg Johnson and Laurence Perrine. Perrine's Literature:

Structure, Sound, and Sense. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning,

2009.

Buday, Maroš. "Psychoanalyzing “The Black Cat”: The Journey from Emotional

Transference to Displays of Psychopathy." English Matters (2014): 11-15.

Butcher, James Neal, Susan Mineka and Jill M. Hooley. Abnormal Psychology

Sixteenth Edition. Boston: Pearson Education, 2013.

Forster, Edward Morgan. Aspects of the Novel. Florida: Harcourt, Inc., 2012.

Henkle, Roger B. Reading the Novel: An Introduction to the Techniques of

Interpreting Fiction. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1977

Hurlock, Elizabeth B. Personality Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.Inc,

1974.

Hurlock, Elizabeth B. Developmental Psychology: A Life-Span Approach. New

York: McGraw-Hill.Inc, 1980.

Karlina, Alifa. “The Psychological Problems of Main Character in The Black Cat

by Edgar Allan Poe”. Undergraduate Thesis. Jakarta: Syarif Hidayatullah

State Islamic University, 2007.

Leary, Lewis Gaston. American Literature: A Study and Research Guide. New

York: Cosmo Publications, 1976.

McKim, William A., and Stephanie D. Hancock. Drugs and Behavior: an

Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology. Boston: Pearson, 2013.

Murphy, Murtagh John. Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English

Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George

Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1972.

Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Random House, Inc.,

1944.


47

Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods, Jr. Reading and Writing About

Literature. New York: Random House, Inc., 1971.

Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. Theory of Literature 3rd Edition. New York:

Harcount, Brace & World, Inc, 1965.


the main character’s personality development as …

Documents