A study on the theme of Jane Austen's novel : Pride and Prejudice

In studying and analyzing a literary work, students do not merely \nenlarge their vocabulary and grammar. There are many advantages they \nmay gain from studying literature. For example, literature can bring \npleasure in their lives so that they may not feel bored because of the \nmonotonous days. Their experience also broadens and deepens for \nliterature communicates important experience. Literature adds their \nknowledge and outlook on both life and world as well. In order to study \nliterature successfully, students must be able to find out the theme of a \nliterary work for to understand a literary work means to be able to state \nthe theme (Perrine, 1970: 106). In discovering the theme, there is no certain \nmethod. Theme can be found by considering several aspects, like \nconsidering title and characters. Based on these reasons, the writer \nconducts the study on Jane Austen's novels Pride and Prejudice with the \nfollowing questions : (1) what is the theme of this novel ? (2) is the title \nrelated to the theme ? and (3) which characters represent the theme ? \nHere, the writer chooses Jane Austen's novel to be analyzed with the \nconsideration that Jane Austen is regarded as the first and well-known \nwoman writer in English literature (Kooistra and Schutt, 1948:250) and a \nhighest rank artist (Gray, 1966:324) who lived in the Romantic period in \neighteenth century. Her outstanding novel is Pride and Prejudice. Her \nnovels are amusing although she takes simple plots and commonplace \ncharacters into her novels. It is because she is able to make her readers \nacquainted with the situation where the actions happen, and is able to \npresent her characters in an interesting and lifelike way that her readers \nfeel as if they lived among them. \nThis thesis concerns with finding the theme in Pride and Prejudice. It \nis not easy to find the theme of the literary work. The writer uses the \nintrinsic approach which concerns with the elements existing inside the \nliterary work itself, and the literary analysis which not only divides the \nliterary work into its parts, like theme, characters, plot and setting, but \nalso finds the meaning of its parts and its contribution to the whole. To \nfind the theme, first the writer analyzes the characters, plot and setting, for \ntheme is developed through those elements. After stating the theme, the \nwriter continues to discuss whether the title is related to the theme or not, \nand at last she discusses which characters represent the theme in Pride and Prejudice. \nThis study uses a qualitative research in which the writer herself \nfunctions as the instrument. As the source of data, the writer includes Jane \nAusten's Pride and Prejudice. She also uses some references which are related to the discussion on the theme in Pride and Prejudice, and \ncontributes her ideas and opinions that can be subjective in the analysis . \nAfter analyzing Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the writer finds \nthree results. First, the theme of this novel is pride and prejudice as \nhuman's faults can be defeated by better understanding, openness, respect \nand appreciation of a couple. Second, the writer finds that the title of Pride \nand Prejudice is related to its theme. At last, she decides that Fitzwilliam \nDarcy and Elizabeth Bennet as the main characters in Pride and Prejudice \nrepresent the theme. In other words, Fitzwilliam Darcy represents pride \nwhile Elizabeth Bennet represents prejudice. \nThe basic elements supporting the finding on theme are characters, \nplot and setting. Besides those three elements, style which includes diction, \nimagery and syntax, and point of view can be used in finding the theme. \nTherefore, it is suggested that in analyzing the theme of a novel, style and \npoint of view be included in the analysis of the theme to complement the \nfore-mentioned three elements by any students who are interested in \nconducting a similar study. The other kind of approach, extrinsic approach, \nmakes the analysis of the theme better if it is included; therefore, it is \nsuggested that the extrinsic approach be used to complete the intrinsic \napproach in analyzing the theme.