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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
3.1. Object of the study
For the purpose of the study, I uses May Sinclair's novel entitled The Three Sisters, published by Virago press, London, reprinted edition, 1984. It consists of 66 chapters, 388 pages, with additional pages of a new introduction by Jean Radford.
The Three Sisters was first published in October, 1914, in Great Britain by The Macmillan. Co, barely two months after the outbreak of the First World War and shortly after May Sinclair's visit to an ambulance unit serving in Belgium. This novel, Sinclair's tenth, influenced by Sigmund Freud psychological theory, that marks the beginning of her interest in psychology and her attempt to explore unconscious motivation, particularly of middle class women in a repressive society at that time (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/wsinclair.htm).
3.2. Approach of the Study
In this study, I use psychoanalytic approach to analyze Gwenda Cataret's personality through her characteristics, specifically her inner self interaction – uncovering the conscious and unconscious influences over her mind that determines her way of life (behavior).
Psychoanalytic approach views works through the lens of psychology. It looks the psychological side of the character or the author of the novel. It aims to
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uncover the working of human mind, specifically the expression of the unconscious. In Literary Criticism: An Overview of Approaches prepared by Skylar Hamilton Burris, there are some possibilities in psychoanalytic approach. The two mostly used according to Burris are analyzing a text like a dream; it looking for symbolism and repressed meaning, the other one is developing a psychological analysis of a character. The second possibility is the one which suitable in the purpose of this study, analyzing Gwenda Cataret's characteristic views from psychological side.
One mostly used theory of psychoanalytic in studying a literature work is one which develops by Sigmund Freud. There are three ideas in the work of Sigmund Freud that are particularly useful in analyzing a text using psychological approach such as : the influence of the unconscious mind over the conscious, the expression of the unconscious mind through symbols that can be seen through a dream, and sexuality as basic energy in every human activities that motivating human behavior (http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpath/literit.html). This study develops a psychological analysis of a character. Using Sigmund Freud's theory of dynamic model of human psyche (conscious and unconscious), the study focuses on Gwenda Cataret's consciousness influenced by unconscious process as seen through her personality traits.
3.3. Method of the Study
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characterization of the main protagonist studied, Gwenda Cataret, that is finding out her personality traits through out the plot story. More specifically, Gwenda Cataret's relationship and interaction with her inner-self and other significant characters in the novel. From the characterization study, the result of the analysis became the main data for the second problem formulation to be answered, about the psychological aspect of the character. How does Gwenda Cataret's consciousness influenced by her unconscious part of mind, as the main aspect to be studied in this psychological case study thesis. However, both problem formulation are necessary to be developed into analysis process, for both elements support and complement the purpose of the study on psychological analysis of the character, Gwenda Cataret. The detail steps of the study will be discussed below.
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through dialog and characterization through action. In this indirect method, Gwenda's characteristics take from her dialog and her action through her interaction and relationship with her inner-self and other characters in the novel, that showing her quality traits. There is also Roberts and Jacobs’s theory of characterization through what other character said about Gwenda Cataret, it also reveals her characteristics by studying on what other characters comment about her.
