The Characterizations in the Rich Man and the Poor Man a Parable for
Thanksgiving by
M. Stanley Bubien
Lecturer:
Edy Thoyib,
By:
Dewi Musfirotul Azizah (10320012)
C-Class
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LETTERS DEPARTMENT
HUMANITIES
AND CULTURE FACULTY
MAULANA
MALIK IBRAHIM STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, MALANG
2011
The Characterizations in the Rich Man and the Poor Man a Parable for
Thanksgiving by
M. Stanley Bubien
TABLE OF
CONTENT
TITLE PAGE...................................................................................................... i
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the choosing the Subject................................................ 1
1.2 Objective and Scope of the Study.......................................................... 1
1.3 Statement of the Problem..................................................................... 2
1.4 Theoretical Approach............................................................................ 2
CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
2.1 Character ............................................................................................ 4
2.2 Characterization .................................................................................. 7
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………..………………….. 9
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of
Choosing the Topics
Literature is imaginative or creative
writing, especially of recognized artistic value; literature must be an
analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity (Rebecca
West). Much has been written about literature, Jonee Jr. (1969: 1), for
instance, points out that literature includes all written material divided into
two different groups. Literature of knowledge functions in teaching and
learning process, as scientific articles, dictionaries, directories, school
textbooks, history books, etc. Another group is literature of power functioning
in movement as short stories, novels, poems, plays, magazines, etc. Short story
is one of literary works which has both intrinsic and extrinsic unsure. This
paper focuses on intrinsic unsure, particularly on character and
characterization. Due to the explanation above, the writer conducts an analysis
on The Rich Man and the Poor Man a Parable for Thanksgiving by M. Stanley Bubien.
M.
Stanley Bubien works as both a writer and software engineer. He edits and
writes very short fiction for the online publication Story Bytes, and has also completed a young adult novel entitled Desert Wind. In his free time, he's an avid cyclist,
surfer and family man, enjoying life by the grace of Christ.
1.2. Objective and Scope of the Study
The primary objective of this
analysis is to reveals the character and characterization in the short story titled
The Rich Man and the Poor Man a Parable for Thanksgiving. The objectives of
this study are to dig out the more information about character and characterization
through literary work of M. Stanley Bubien.
1.3. Statement of Problem
Based on the previous background of
the choosing the topic, the statement of problem can be formulated as follows:
1. What category do the characters
belong to?
2. What is the characterization used
in characterizing the characters?
1.4. Theoretical Approach
Character
According to Abrams, the meaning of
character are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are
interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and distortional
qualities that are expressed in what the say -the dialogue- and what they do
-the action- (1981: 2). Therefore, characters are important element in a story.
Types of character are divided into
five types (Nurgiyantoro, 2005) as follows:
a) Main and Supporting Character
Based on the characters' role,
character is divided into two; main and supporting character. Main character is
the character that has a big role in developing a story, whereas supporting
character is a character that supports the main character to develop the story.
b) Protagonist and Antagonist
Character
Based on characters presentation
function, character is divided into two; protagonist and antagonist.
Protagonist is a character we adore or hero, whereas antagonist is the
character having a conflict against the protagonist.
c) Flat and Round Character
Based on the characters'
characteristic, character is divided into two; round and flat character. This
character is also called as simple and complex character. Flat character has
only a certain characteristic, whereas round character has several formulated
characteristic, yet they might have various characteristics.
d) Static and Dynamic Character
Based on the development of
characterization, character is divided into two; static and dynamic character.
Static character is a character that essentially has no change and development
towards the events happened in a story. On the other hand, dynamic character
has change and development towards the events happened in a story.
Characterization
Characterisation or characterization
is the art of creating characters for a narrative, including the process of conveying
information about them. It may be employed in dramatic works of art or everyday
conversation. Characters may be presented by means of description, through
their actions, speech, or thoughts. There are three methods in characterizing
characters; direct, indirect, and mixing method.
a) Direct Characterization
The author directly tells the audience what the personality
of the character is (IRA, 2004)
b) Indirect Characterization
The author shows things that reveal the personality of a
character.
c) Mixing Characterization
The author uses both direct and indirect method of
characterization.
CHAPTER
II
DISCUSSION
2.1 Character
a. Main and Supporting Character
The Rich Man and the Poor Man a Parable for Thanksgiving is
the story about two men that is the rich man and the poor man. Both are
described as the main and supporting character.
“There once was a very rich man. He
was so rich, he could have owned many cars, but instead he chose to drive a
Ford. He was so rich, he could have owned many computers, but instead he chose
an Apple Macintosh. He was so rich, he could have owned many homes---even some
in Beverly Hills---but instead he chose to live in East LA.”
“Lost in
the tune, he came suddenly upon a homeless bum lying in the midst of the
sidewalk. The bum wore a tattered sweater and ripped pants. He had shoes, but
they didn't even match. And oh! The smell! I can't even describe that to you
here because it would ruin your Thanksgiving dinner.”
b.
Protagonist and Antagonist Character
In
the end of the story Bubien explained the protagonist character was the poor
man and the rich man is antagonist.
One day in
particular, his doorbell rang, and there stood a finely dressed gentleman in a
three piece suit. Uh oh, the man thought. Jehovah's Witness. But
before he could do anything, his guest spoke.
"You're
the rich man, aren't you?" his guest asked.
"What
can I do for you?" the man responded automatically, so accustomed to being
asked for things.
"It
is not what you can do for me," answered his guest. "But what you
have already done."
"What
have I done for you?" the man asked in surprise.
"You've
given me a second chance at life. Why, with your generous gift, I was able to
invest the money and pull myself out of my poverty. I no longer wallow in the
grime and gutters, but I walk along crowded sidewalks with my head held high. I
have you to thank for that."
Suddenly,
the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum who'd been lying in the
street. The man replied, "What I gave you, you did not ask for. I gave it
simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would have given it to anyone
in your position."
"All
the more reason to come and thank you," his guest said.
"But
I am rich," replied the man. "I have many gifts to give. I don't
expect anything in return."
"Good,"
his guest said with a nod. "Because I don't have anything to offer in
return---whatever I have, you gave to me. All I wanted to do was come and thank
you."
c.
Flat and Round Character
In
this story the rich man is having a round character, because in the end of the
story he changed his character for the arrogant person to be a kind person. Event
though, the poor man is having a flat character because he has a kind character
from the beginning of the story until the end of the story.
"You're
the rich man, aren't you?" his guest asked.
"What
can I do for you?" the man responded automatically, so accustomed to being
asked for things.
"It
is not what you can do for me," answered his guest. "But what you
have already done."
"What
have I done for you?" the man asked in surprise.
"You've
given me a second chance at life. Why, with your generous gift, I was able to
invest the money and pull myself out of my poverty. I no longer wallow in the
grime and gutters, but I walk along crowded sidewalks with my head held high. I
have you to thank for that."
Suddenly,
the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum who'd been lying in the
street. The man replied, "What I gave you, you did not ask for. I gave it
simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would have given it to anyone
in your position."
"All
the more reason to come and thank you," his guest said.
"But
I am rich," replied the man. "I have many gifts to give. I don't
expect anything in return."
"Good,"
his guest said with a nod. "Because I don't have anything to offer in
return---whatever I have, you gave to me. All I wanted to do was come and thank
you."
The man
stared as his guest reached out and took him into an embrace. It was the same gesture
the man had so often offered to those at his door, yet this was the first time
someone had offered it back.
Tears
filled the man's eyes as his guest, a lowly bum off the street, held him in the
most satisfying embrace he had ever received.
d. Static
and Dynamic Character
In this story the
rich man is having a static character, because the reach man has not change, he
stills become a rich man until the end of the story. Event though, the poor man
is having a dynamic character because in the beginning of the story he as a
poor man and in the end of the story he become a success person.
"You're
the rich man, aren't you?" his guest asked.
"What
can I do for you?" the man responded automatically, so accustomed to being
asked for things.
"It
is not what you can do for me," answered his guest. "But what you
have already done."
"What
have I done for you?" the man asked in surprise.
"You've
given me a second chance at life. Why, with your generous gift, I was able to
invest the money and pull myself out of my poverty. I no longer wallow in the
grime and gutters, but I walk along crowded sidewalks with my head held high. I
have you to thank for that."
Suddenly,
the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum who'd been lying in the
street. The man replied, "What I gave you, you did not ask for. I gave it
simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would have given it to anyone
in your position."
"All
the more reason to come and thank you," his guest said.
"But
I am rich," replied the man. "I have many gifts to give. I don't
expect anything in return."
"Good,"
his guest said with a nod. "Because I don't have anything to offer in
return---whatever I have, you gave to me. All I wanted to do was come and thank
you."
The man
stared as his guest reached out and took him into an embrace. It was the same gesture
the man had so often offered to those at his door, yet this was the first time
someone had offered it back.
Tears
filled the man's eyes as his guest, a lowly bum off the street, held him in the
most satisfying embrace he had ever received.
2.2 Characterization
Based
on the story, Bubien uses mixing method to describe the characterizations of
the character in the story.
a)
The Rich man
1.
a rich person
“There
once was a very rich man. He was so rich, he could have owned many cars, but
instead he chose to drive a Ford. He was so rich, he could have owned many
computers, but instead he chose an Apple Macintosh. He was so rich, he could
have owned many homes---even some in Beverly Hills---but instead he chose to
live in East LA.”
2.
an arrogant person
“Because this man was rich, many people in his neighborhood
knew him. And also because the man was rich, many people from outside of his
neighborhood knew him too. Often, his doorbell would ring, and there on his
threshold would stand someone who had come to ask for a donation.
Sometimes when the bell rang, it was a neighbor who had
fallen into misfortune. The man would smile, embrace his neighbor, and place a
generous sum into their hand.
Sometimes when the bell rang, it was a charity representing
the starving children of Tijuana. The man would again smile, embrace the
charity worker, and write a generous check.”
b)
The Poor Man
1.
a poor person
“Lost in the tune, he came suddenly upon a homeless bum
lying in the midst of the sidewalk. The bum wore a tattered sweater and ripped
pants. He had shoes, but they didn't even match. And oh! The smell! I can't
even describe that to you here because it would ruin your Thanksgiving dinner.”
2.
A smart person
The bum grabbed the money and made a beeline for the nearest
7/11. Like all bums, this one's first thought was to go blow the money on
vodka. What a bum!
But, before he entered the store, he remembered the
compassion of the man's touch. This inspired him, and the bum decided then and
there to turn his life around. The bum promptly bummed two dimes off an old
lady (pay phones don't take hundreds). "Well." the lady replied.
"You ain't gonna spend this on alcohol?" The bum shook his head and
stuck the money into the slot of the nearest telephone.
His broker answered and the bum said, "Hundred dollars.
Invest it all in that company with the nerdy looking CEO. Microsoft!"
3.
A kind person.
"You've given me a second chance at life. Why, with
your generous gift, I was able to invest the money and pull myself out of my
poverty. I no longer wallow in the grime and gutters, but I walk along crowded
sidewalks with my head held high. I have you to thank for that."
Suddenly, the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum
who'd been lying in the street. The man replied, "What I gave you, you did
not ask for. I gave it simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would
have given it to anyone in your position."
"All the more reason to come and thank you," his
guest said.
"But I am rich," replied the man. "I have
many gifts to give. I don't expect anything in return."
"Good," his guest said with a nod. "Because I
don't have anything to offer in return---whatever I have, you gave to me. All I
wanted to do was come and thank you."
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION
According to the analysis above, the
short story on The Rich
Man and the Poor Man a Parable for Thanksgiving by M. Stanley Bubien the writer
conclude that the characterization in the story using a complete theory. In this story Bubien shows the real story in
life that you can find it in the daily life.
In the beginning of the story tells
about the wealth that can buy anything. A rich person can do everything as what
they want to do. In the middle of the
story Bubien tells about the poor man which needing the help from the rich man.
The rich man helped him with giving him much money, but the rich man never
thinks what happened in the future. The poor man is very smart, he doesn’t use
the money to buy an alcohol, but he invests the money to the one of companies. Since
that, his live changes, he becomes a success person. He also comes to the rich
man who ever helped him to say thanks.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
www.freedictionary.com.
Jonee, Jr.,
Edward H. (1968). Outlines of Literature, Short Stories, Novels, and Poems. New
York: The Macmilan Company.
Abrams, M.H.
(1985). A Glossary of Literary Terms. Orlando: HarcrurtbBrace College
Publishers.
Nurgiyantoro,
Burhan. (2005). Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gajahmada University Press.
IRA. (2004).
Defining Characterization.
The Rich Man and the Poor Man
a Parable for Thanksgiving
There
once was a very rich man. He was so rich, he could have owned many cars, but
instead he chose to drive a Ford. He was so rich, he could have owned many
computers, but instead he chose an Apple Macintosh. He was so rich, he could
have owned many homes---even some in Beverly Hills---but instead he chose to
live in East LA.
Because
this man was rich, many people in his neighborhood knew him. And also because
the man was rich, many people from outside of his neighborhood knew him too.
Often, his doorbell would ring, and there on his threshold would stand someone
who had come to ask for a donation.
Sometimes
when the bell rang, it was a neighbor who had fallen into misfortune. The man
would smile, embrace his neighbor, and place a generous sum into their hand.
Sometimes
when the bell rang, it was a charity representing the starving children of
Tijuana. The man would again smile, embrace the charity worker, and write a
generous check.
Sometimes
when the bell rang, it was a Jehovah's Witness. Were he like many of us, the
man's first instinct would have been to promptly kick them in the butt and
shove them back out onto the street. But instead, he once more smiled and
embraced the Jehovah's Witness as any other guest upon his threshold.
One
evening, when his doorbell was particularly quiet, this man decided to take a
stroll. He headed off, idling along wherever the road wound; amongst the quaint
homes of his neighborhood, past the threadbare trees lining the park, along
walls painted with an array of colorful graffiti tags (remember, this was East
LA).
Every
once in a while, a car passed, thumping out the latest rage in rap hit, and he
soon found himself whistling one of these catchy tunes to himself.
Lost
in the tune, he came suddenly upon a homeless bum lying in the midst of the
sidewalk. The bum wore a tattered sweater and ripped pants. He had shoes, but
they didn't even match. And oh! The smell! I can't even describe that to you
here because it would ruin your Thanksgiving dinner.
Well,
this unfortunate soul lying on the street saw the man and knew him. Certainly,
the bum said to himself. This is the rich man who lives on the lane. Surely
he can help me, for he has money at his disposal. But instead of reaching
out his hand, the bum was overcome by a sudden bout of shame and hid his face.
The
man stood over this tattered figure. He reached down and touched the bum's
cheek, but the bum shrank away from him even further. The man's eyes clouded
slightly and he cracked a weak smile. Forgetting the tune he once whistled, the
man slowly turned and walked back to his home.
Upon
hearing the man retreat beyond the corner, the bum opened his eyes and sat up.
There at his feet lay a crisp $100.00 dollar bill.
The
bum grabbed the money and made a beeline for the nearest 7/11. Like all bums,
this one's first thought was to go blow the money on vodka. What a bum!
But,
before he entered the store, he remembered the compassion of the man's touch.
This inspired him, and the bum decided then and there to turn his life around.
The bum promptly bummed two dimes off an old lady (pay phones don't take
hundreds). "Well." the lady replied. "You ain't gonna spend this
on alcohol?" The bum shook his head and stuck the money into the slot of
the nearest telephone.
His
broker answered and the bum said, "Hundred dollars. Invest it all in that
company with the nerdy looking CEO. Microsoft!"
Since
this was, as it turns out, the late-1980s, it took only a short while before
the stock skyrocketed. Yes, good can come of evil after all---especially when
you're working the stock market---and the bum found himself very well off
indeed.
Back
in East LA the years passed slowly. The generous man kept to life much as
usual---taking evening strolls, whistling rap tunes, answering his door.
One
day in particular, his doorbell rang, and there stood a finely dressed
gentleman in a three piece suit. Uh oh, the man thought. Jehovah's
Witness. But before he could do anything, his guest spoke.
"You're
the rich man, aren't you?" his guest asked.
"What
can I do for you?" the man responded automatically, so accustomed to being
asked for things.
"It
is not what you can do for me," answered his guest. "But what you
have already done."
"What
have I done for you?" the man asked in surprise.
"You've
given me a second chance at life. Why, with your generous gift, I was able to
invest the money and pull myself out of my poverty. I no longer wallow in the
grime and gutters, but I walk along crowded sidewalks with my head held high. I
have you to thank for that."
Suddenly,
the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum who'd been lying in the
street. The man replied, "What I gave you, you did not ask for. I gave it
simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would have given it to anyone
in your position."
"All
the more reason to come and thank you," his guest said.
"But
I am rich," replied the man. "I have many gifts to give. I don't
expect anything in return."
"Good,"
his guest said with a nod. "Because I don't have anything to offer in
return---whatever I have, you gave to me. All I wanted to do was come and thank
you."
The
man stared as his guest reached out and took him into an embrace. It was the
same gesture the man had so often offered to those at his door, yet this was
the first time someone had offered it back.
Tears
filled the man's eyes as his guest, a lowly bum off the street, held him in the
most satisfying embrace he had ever received.
