FAMELA
205026000541
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
THE FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES
THE STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For The Degree of Strata I (S1)
FAMELA
205026000541
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
THE FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES
THE STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
i
Michael Apted. Thesis. English Letters Department, Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta 2011.
The study in this thesis concerned with the characteristics William Wilberforce in the Amazing Grace movie. The method used in this paper is qualitative and the way of analysis used character analysis. The writer depicted the characteristics of William Wilberforce.
iv
knowledge and belief. It contains no material previously published on written by
another person non material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for
the award of any other institute of degree of diploma of university of other
institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in
the text.
Jakarta, July 2011
v
First of all, the writer would like to express gratitude and praise to Allah
SWT for His help, affection and generosity in completing the writer’s study in the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Peace and invocation are
focused consistently for the messenger of Allah SWT– the Prophet Muhammad, his family, his disciples, and his followers.
This research is presented to the English Department faculty of Adab and
Humanities, Syarief Hidayatullah Jakarta as the partial or requirement for the
degree of Strata I. Finishing this paper, the writer has got some helps and support
from some people in these following lines the writer would like to express his
thank to them who have helped and supported him.
The writer also would like to express his special appreciation to:
1. Dr. H. Abdul Wahid Hasyim, M.Ag, the Dean of Faculty of Letters and
Humanities, Syarief Hidayatullah State Islamic University.
2. Drs. Asep Saefuddin, M.Pd, the Chairman of the English Letters
Department, Faculty of Adab and Humanities and Elve Oktafiyani,
M.Hum, the Secretary of English Letter Department.
3. Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M.Pd, the writer advisor, fully thanks your advices and
guidance.
4. All lecturers in English Department who gave the writer knowledge of
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writer’s beloved brothers who always make her optimist to finish this paper. Love you all.
6. A special thank is rewarded to some of writer’s classmates in English
Letter Department, Deni, Didin, Bedi, Irfan, Erlina, Farida, Febri, Fitri,
Qaid, Daus, Andina, Suzanty cannot be mentioned one by one.
7. Some staff of the libraries who gives a permission to get the references to
completing research.
8. Besides, the warmest thank to all friends and colleagues in the writer’s workplace for their understanding and encouragement that the writer could
not mention in details.
Finally, the writer hopes her research can be useful for herself and for all
other student who do a similar study.
Jakarta, July 2011
vii
ABSTRACT ... i
APPROVEMENT ... ii
LEGALIZATION... iii
DECLARATION ... iv
ACKNOLEDGEMENT... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. Background of The Study ... 1
B. Focus of The Study ... 3
C. Research Question ... 3
D. The Objective of Research... 4
E. The Significance of The Research... 4
F. Research Methodology ... 4
1. Method of The Research ... 4
2. Data Analysis... 5
3. The Research Instrument... 5
4. The Unit Analysis ... 5
G. Place and Time of The Research... 5
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ... 6
A. Definition of Characters ...6
1. Movie Art ...8
2. The Art of Watching Movie ...9
B. Kinds of Characters ... 9
C. Characterization ... 16
viii
1. William Wilberforce’s Characteristic As The Main
Character ... 19
B. Analysis ... 23
1. A Weak Person... 23
2. Rich Man... 26
3. Generous Man ... 26
4. Good Debater, Good Public Speaker, and A Brave Man... 27
5. Principle Man ... 31
6. Hard Worker and Committed Man... 32
7. Good Singer ... 35
8. Struggle ... 35
C. The Main Character Described in theAmazing GraceMovie...37
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ... 39
A. Conclusion ... 39
B. Suggestion ... 40
1 A. Background of Study
Today, watching movie becomes one of the daily activities for some
people. People may have different purposes in watching movie, such as, for
refreshing, adding knowledge, studying foreign language, and understanding
foreign cultures. Affordable moreover, it is price for entertainment.
Movie visualizes a story or dialogue on the screen. A movie is produced
by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using
animation technique. The movie is a fictitious story, which is one writing-related
literature. Movie is a motion picture, and the motion called intermittent
movement.1 There are some basic elements of fiction including: plot, characters,
setting and theme of the story. There are many approaches to analyze the literature
one of them is analyzing character; it studies how to analyze characters in movie.
Character is one of important elements in the movie, because there will be no
movie if there is no character.
A character is often expressed through the actions provided for the reader
with clues about the personality of characters. Character is the term for the people
in fiction, the heroes and villains, allies, and enemies, love interest and comic
reliefs.2 In realistic fiction, a character is likely to be representative of a social
class, a race, and a procession: or he may be a recognizable psychological type,
1
http:// Penulisan Kritik. Blog spot.com/ 2007/ 07/ Apa–itu–film–mengapa–ingin–menulis. 2
analyzable in term of this or that “Complex” or “Syndrome”. Or he may be a
mixture of social and psychological qualities.3 Character can be divided into two,
namely the main characters (major character) and the supporting characters (a
minor character). The main character is a character appear in a story, while
supporting characters appear only occasionally in the story.
According to Henderson, Gloria Mason, Bill Day, and Sandra Stevenson
Waller:
"The major characters are round characters usually; that is, their personalities are well developed and believable, these characters frequently changes as the story progresses; if they do, they are also described as dynamic. Minor characters are often flat characters: we see only one aspect of their personalities, presumably because the author does not need to reveal about them more for the purposes of the story. Flat characters are usually static characters; that is, they do not change”4
A character is more difficult than understand a plot. “Character is much
more complex, variable, and ambiguous. Anyone can repeat what a person has
done in a story, but considerable skill may be needed to describe what a person
is.”5 Principal characters of fiction can arise from a number of events and how
these characters react to the events at hand. This thesis is going to have the
characters analysis of a movie “Amazing Grace” directed by MichaelApted. The movie is chosen, because its story has good moral messages and of course has
interesting story. The movie that was published on February 23rd, 2007 informs us
about the British antislavery pioneer historically. Slavery means a condition where
3
Robert Scholes,Elements of Fiction An Anthology, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981), p. 12.
4
Henderson, Gloria Mason, et al,.Literature and Our Selves A Thematic Introduction for Readers and Writers(New York: Longman, Inc, 2006), p.19.
5
someone cannot get his or her rights to decide his or her own life. It is very cruel
when one treats another person in disgrace way. It was 200 years ago, on February
23rd,1807, that the Slave Trade Act was passed with a vote of 283 to 16 in the
House of Commons of the British Parliament.
William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) had fought for 20 years to get a law
passed to abolish the slavery trade. For 20 years he arranged the abolition of the
slave trading in the country's century superpower. This film highlights the
important events during 25 years of struggle Wilberforce, from 1782 until 1807.
The climax of this film is William’s struggle forabolition the slavery in English,
and to know how many people gives support for him about the slave trade. Their
struggle signified that slavery abolition in British and all over the world.
The conflict encouraging director to assess more in each of the characters
in the movie Amazing Grace. The Amazing Grace movie was more than just a spectacle, but more to the picture that wants to show Michael Apted about the
social life.
B. Focus of The Study
The writer only focused on analyzing the main character in the movie of
“Amazing Grace”, and the writer concerned on the characteristic of the main
character in the movie. The types of the main character are discussed in this
thesis: flat character, round character, static character, dynamic character, and
protagonist.
C. Research Questions
Based on the background of the study, the writer formulated the following
1. What kinds of characteristic of the main character in the “Amazing Grace” movie?
2. How are the main character described in the“Amazing Grace”movie? D. The Objective of The Research
The objective of this research is to answer the question revealed in the
research question. Thus, the objective of this research is to know characteristic of
William Wilberforce in the Amazing Grace movie, and to know how William Wilberforce as the main character described in theAmazing Gracemovie.
E. The Significance of The Research
The writer hopes this research would be beneficial to readers in terms of it
is information and knowledge. It is also hoped that readers would understand the
film after having observed the result of the analysis of the main character and
characterization, as well as the main character image through analyze character of
theAmazing Gracemovie by Michael Apted. The writer hopes the analysis would motivate individuals interested in literature to do further analysis.
F. Research Methodology
This research methodology includes several important aspects of research,
such as methods, data analysis, and the unit of analysis.
1. Method of The Research
The method of the research that will be used by the writer is qualitative
method. The writer will analyze the movie by using character theory. First the
2. Data Analysis
The writer analyses the main character in the Amazing Grace movie by using the character theory. The writer would analyze the data by analyzing the
main character in Amazing Gracemovie. In this analysis, the writer explains the data such as the dialogues and picture of this movie.
3. The Research Instrument
The instrument of this research is the writer herself by watching movie and
analyzing the data collected to find out the connection and other aspects related to
the subject of research.
4. The Unit of Analysis
The unit of analysis in this research is the movie “Amazing Grace”
directed by Michael Apted and released on February 23rd, 2007.
F. Place and Time of The Research
This research is conducted in Jakarta, in the Faculty of Adab and
Humanities, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, the academic year 2010
6 Characters should be believable and consistent. Being believable means not that all characters be like people we have known but they believable in the context of the story. Consistently requires not that the characters remain exactly the same, but that any changes in character be sufficiently by what happens to them in a story.”6
From the definition above, it can be known that character belongs to
people in a story that is created to make story alive. Character has to be suitable
with the story situation that happens in it, and the character will be just changed if
there is something, which causes it.
In addition, Hall emphasizes the character as something imagined by
saying,“A character is an imagined person in story, whom we know from the
words we read on the page”.7In another word, character means a figure in a story
that is known and thought by readers.
Pickering and Hoeper state, “Character applies to any individual in a movie. For purposes of analysis, characters in fiction are customarily described by their relationship to plot, by degree of development they are given by author,
and by whether r not they undergo significant character change”8
6
Henderson, Gloria Mason, et al.,Literature and Our Selves a Thematic Introduction for Readers and Writers(New York: Longman, Inc, 2006), p. 9.
7
Hall, Donald, To Read Literature Fiction, Poetry, Dream. (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Wiston, 1981), p. 47.
8
From the explanation, it is known the character every person in movie;
they are related to the acquaintance of plot, the way of authors in revealing the
character, and whether there is any change of character during the story or not.
From definitions that have been mentioned above, it can be understood
that character are people that are created in the movie, novel, and other literary
works to inhabit the stories. They also have close relationship with plot, the way
of authors in revealing the character, and the characters’ change.
In character, there is a major character. Pickering and Hoeper said, “The
major or central character of the plot is the protagonist”.9 It means that major character is the protagonist. A supporting character can also developed like a
major character.
Perrine and Thomas state,
“Authors may present their characters either directly or indirectly. In direct presentation they tell us straight out, by exposition or analysis, what characters are like, or have someone else in the story tell us what they are like. Indirect presentation the author shows us the character in action; we infer what they are like from what they think or say or do.”10
From the explanation, it is known direct presentation means the viewers
know the character from another character, and from name or the appearance.
Indirect presentation means the author reveals the character by showing action.
Pickering and Hoeper state, “To describe the relative degree to which
fictional characters are developed by their creators, E. M. foster distinguished
9
Ibid. p. 24. 10
between what he calls flat or round characters”.11It can be known that characters
are divided into two types on the basis how the characters developed their real
characters, which are flat characters and round character. Pickering and Hoeper
also said,“Characters in fiction can also be distinguished on the basis of whether
they demonstrate the capacity to develop or change as the result of their
experiences. Dynamic characters exhibit this capacity; static do not”. 12 In
another word, characters can be divided based on whether there are any changes
that happen in the story.
There were another explanation about a character that supported to
understood about the movie.
1. Movie Art
Movies have served a number of purposes and assumed a number of roles
in the development of twentieth century culture. From the birth movie, movies
documented events, personalities, and places, providing not only invaluable
sources of information to scholars but a sense of how things looked and left. Also
from the first, movies have played tricks on our imagination.13
The following list is a small, partial sample of movies with art movie
qualities, compiled to give a general sense of what directors and movies are
considered to have art movie characteristics.
The movies in this list demonstrate one or more of the characteristics of art
movies: a serious, noncommercial, or independently made movie that is not aimed
11
Pickering, James H., and Jeffry D. Hoeper (1962),op. cit. p. 25. 12
Ibid. p. 26. 13
at a mass audience. The story in an art movie often has a secondary role to
character development and an exploration of ideas through lengthy sequences of
dialogue.
2. The Art of Watching movie
This introduction to movie appreciation uses contemporary and popular
American movies to help students develop critical skills in the analysis and
evaluation of movie. By suggesting what to look for and how to look for it, the
text challenges students to sharpen their powers of observation, establish habits of
perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of movie art that will further
enhance their enjoyment of watching movies.14
B. Kinds of Character
According to the book Introduction to Literature Written by Larry M.
Sutton, character can be divided into for types, they are; flat character, round character, static character, and dynamic character.15The fictional characters are sometimes referred to as flat and round. On the movie many stories present a
conflict between the protagonist (the stories central character) and the antagonist
(the opposing character of force): the conflict is revealed through the author use of
dialogue and narrative.
A flat character is usually more fully developed, while a static is usually at
the end of the story. As it has been mentioned above, the character’s types is flat character. (According to Henderson, et.al.) “Flat character: we see only one
aspect of their personalities, presumably because the author does not need to 14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Art of Watching_movie. 15
reveal more about them for the purpose of the story. Flat character is usually a
static character; that means they do not change”. 16 In another word, flat
characters are figures of the movie that have only one major personality. The
author does not reveal more about the flat character for the goal of the story, and
they are usually static character.
According to Hall state,
“The round or three-dimensional character in fiction seems more real and more whole than flat character, the character is abstracted into two dimensions. The round character is complex, the flat character simple; the round character can surprise us, remaining unpredictable but probable; the flat character remains predictable, summed up in few traits.”17
From the definition above, it can be understood that flat character is just
the opposites of round character. This character has two dimensional characters or
two dominant personalities. The character is simple and predictable. The viewer
or the reader can predict what will happen with this character during the story.
Simple means the character is not complicated and easy to be understood.
Perrine and Thomas state, “flat characters are characterized by one or
two traits; they can be summed in a sentence”. 18 It can be known that flat character has more than one personality. This character can also be understood
only in a single sentence because the character just has one or two personalities.
The viewer can be understood the characters easily and recognized them in
just one sentence; such us: she is a pretty women (from her good looking
appearance in the movie).
16
Henderson, Gloria Mason, et al (2006),op. cit. p. 9. 17
Hall, Donald Mason, et al (1981), op. cit. p. 48. 18
From all the explanations, flat character is a character that has one or two
dimensional – characters or two dominant personalities, it is easy to be remembered and to be known. It is usually a static character. The director does not
develop the flat character more for the goal of the story.
There are some types of characters. One of them is round character. A
round character is a greater achievement than a flat character; round characters
change, grow, and possess a credible personality. According to Perrine and
Thomas,“Round characters are complex and many sided; they might on essay for
full analysis”.19 This explanation means that round character is a figure who has
many character traits. It also needs further analysis to know her or his character.
Pickering and Hoeper state, “Round are just the opposite. They embody a
number of qualities and traits and are complex multidimensional characters of considerable intellectual and emotional depth who have capacity to grow and
change”. 20 In another word, round character according to his definition is the
opposite of flat character. This type of character has many characters and
complexities. It is not only about intelligence of the character, but also about the
character’s emotion that can undergo change during the story. This character is
able to make the reader or viewer pay attention to her or him.
The definitions above inform that round character is a character that has
multidimensional characters. This character is more complex because it has many
side characters than flat character. It also needs more analysis to reveal its
19
Ibid. p. 67. 20
character. The viewer who watches the movie will be more interested in this
character.
Pickering and Hoeper state, “Static characters leave the plot as they entered it, largely untouched by the events that have taken place. Although static
character tend to be minor ones, because he author’s principle focus is elsewhere,
this is not always the case”.21It’s recognized the static character is the character that experiences no changes from the beginning until the ending of the story.
This character does not undergo change because of the incident that
happens in the, who states the static character is “A term used to refer to a
stereotypical simplified character who falls to grow or change in personality or
behavior by the end of the work”.22 It means static character is a figure in a story
that has simple personality. This character tends not to change since the beginning
till the ending.
“In contrast, a static character does not undergo significant change. Whether round or flat, their personalities remain essentially stable throughout the course of the story. This is commonly done with secondary characters in order to let them serve as thematic or plot elements”.23 It means that static character is a character that does not change because of the plot of the story. It does not matter
round or flat as long as the character is same. It’s usually a supporting character. According to all definitions given previously by the experts, it can be
understood that static character that remains the same at the ends as at the
21
Ibid. p. 27. 22
Barnet, Sylvian, et al., Literature For Composition Essay, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (New York: Longman Inc, 2003), p. 222.
23
beginning. It’s untouched by the events that happen in a story. It usually belongs to supporting character. However, it is not always the supporting character.
Therefore, it means that this character is also important to the story. Static
character does not change throughout the work and the reader’s knowledge of that character does not grow.
As it has mentioned at the previous statement, characters are divided into
two types according to the change of the characters, one of them is dynamic whether the character is fundamentally the same at the end of the story as at the beginning.”24
From the mentioned definition, it can be recognized that dynamic
character is character that change during the story because of the plot. It is usually
a normal character, but not every round character is dynamic. The problem it the
character stays same at the beginning as the ending.
Perrine and Thomas state, “The developing (or dynamic) character undergoes a permanent change in some aspects of character, personality, or
Brikets, Sven P,Literature the Evolving Canon(Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon a Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc, 1993), p. 23.
25
character, in contrast, is one that does undergo an important change in the course
of the story”.26
From the definition, it is known that dynamic character is character that
undergoes. The changes can be in understanding, commitment, and outlook.
Pickering and Hoeper (1962 – 24), “The protagonist is usually easy
enough to identify: he or she is the essential character without whom there would
be not in the first place. It is the protagonist’s fate (the conflict or problem being
wrestled with) on which attention of the reader focused”. 27 In another word,
protagonist is the most essential character in a story because without this character
there will not be plot. The conflict that happens in a story is always related to the
protagonist.
The protagonist is conducted by Perrine and Arp (1988 – 42) also give
definition about protagonist, “The central character in the conflict, whether a sympathetic or an unsympathetic person, is referred to as the protagonist”.28
It
can be recognized that protagonist is the main character of the story. It does not
matter whether he or she is a good or bad person.
“Protagonist that is the name given to the central characters of your story
– the character that the story is about. As audience members, we can generally
only focus on one or two characters to lead us through a story”.29 From the
explanation, it is known that protagonist is the main character in a story. The
conflict in a story is about the protagonist.
26
Baker, Lyman A, Critical Concepts “Static” and Dynamic” Characterization. Accessed
onFebruary22,2010.http://www.kstate.edu/english/baker/english320/ccstatic_vs_dynamic_charact erization.ht
27
Pickering, James H., and Jeffry D. Hoeper (1962),loc. cit. 26
Perrine, Laurence, and Thomas R. Arp (1988),op. cit. p. 42. 29
From all the explanation above, it is known that protagonist is the main
character of the movie, the character who has the conflict of the story. The
protagonist must not more than two figures. It does not matter whether the
protagonist is a bad or a good person. The conflict is always related to him or her.
The protagonist is also the hero of the story. The protagonist of this movie is
William Wilberforce. He is a protagonist because he is the main character in the
movie. He has the conflict of the story because the movie talks about the
William’s struggle in passing the bill of the slaves trade abolition.
According to Pickering and Hoeper,“The major, central, character of the plot is the protagonist: his opponent, the character against whom the protagonist
struggles of the antagonist”. 30 It is known that protagonist is a character that fights with the protagonist. Analyzing this character is more difficult than
analyzing protagonist because this character can be a person, a thing, natural
environment, and also the social hostile.
Perrine and Thomas, state, “the forces arrayed him whether person, things, conversation of society, or traits of his own character, are the
antagonist”.31 It means that antagonist is not only person, but also the environment, things, and society. The most important thing is the character that
against protagonist.
“Antagonist –we generally think of the antagonist as being the villain but
really they are any force that keeps the protagonist from reaching their goal”.32It
can be recognized that antagonist is a figure that figure that disturbs the
30
Pickering, James H., and Jeffry D. Hoeper (1962),loc. cit. 31
Perrine, Laurence, and Thomas R. Arp (1988),loc. cit. 32
protagonist in reaching her or his goal. The antagonist can be more than one
person and can be not human.
All the definitions above that antagonist is a character that fights against
with the protagonist. It can be a human, natural environment, thing, and social
environment that fight with the protagonist efforts. A story can have multiple
antagonists. Examples for the antagonist character of the Amazing Grace movie
are: Duke of Clarence, Lord Tarleton, Lord Dundas, Members of the House who
agreed with the slaves trade, the Great Britain Society.
C. Characterization
Characterization is a way to identify a character. The characterization of
a character is definition of a character, which is described physically or seen from
attitudes and how he/she behave. It is also the main point to really know how a
character. Character is a person in literary work and characterization is the way in
which a character is created.
From those understanding, we can conclude that characterization is a
method used by the author in developing his story and character is the product of
the story. Those descriptions can be conclude that characterization is the process
by which a writer makes the character seems real to the reader or we also can say
the characterization is the method used by a writer to develop a character in his
story.
According to Lawrence Perrine, there are three principles that need to be
1. The characters are consistent in their behavior: they don’t behave one way on one occasion and a different way another unless there is clearly
sufficient reason for the change.
2. The character are clearly motivated in whatever they do, especially there’s
any change in their behavior, we must be able to understand the reason for
what they do, if not immediately, at least by the end of the story.
3. The characters are plausible or life like.33
Based on the three principles above, characterization will be easily
investigated. Characterization is the method an author uses to reveal or describe
character and their various personalities.
D. Characteristics
Characteristic describes or identifies qualities or traits, and often stresses
the typical nature of the qualities mentioned but is likely also indicated that they
distinguish the item described.34
Definition of characteristic is showing the character, or distinctive
qualities or traits, of a person or thing. Characteristic definitely is a feature or
quality that makes somebody or something recognizable, also distinguishing or
representative of a particular person or thing.35
Characteristic a distinguishing feature or quality, Generosity is his chief
characteristic. A feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably,
33
Perrine Lawrence,Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense, (London: Harcourt Bruce Jovanovic, 1984), 5th. p. 41.
34
Dramatica: A New Theory of Storyby Fourth Edition, Screenplay Systems Incorporated, 2001, online @ dramatica.com; Tenth Annivesary Edition, Write Brothers, Inc., 2004, ISBN 091897304X
35
a distinguishing trait. Trait is distinguishing characteristic or quality, especially of
one’s personal nature, while character is the group of features, traits and characteristic that from the individual nature of some person or thing. The
characteristic, a distinguishing trait, quality, or property, an element of character,
19 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH FINDING
A. Data Description
The presentation of the characters can be flat or round and static or
dynamic. Amazing Grace Movie talked about the British anti slavery pioneer. William Wilberforce was the most vocal parliament member who strove against
the slavery trade and war. Introduction of the characters of William Wilberforce
marks the beginning session of the story of this movie. At the time, it was in 1797.
The story jumped back to talk about Wilberforce’s struggle fifteen years earlier before 1797. He was 21 years old when he became a new member in the
House of Commons. He was the representative of Yorkshire. He decided to fight
against the slaves trade. He had some colleagues who supported him, they were;
William Pit, Thomas Clarkson, John Newton, Lord Charles Fox, Hannah Moore,
James Stephen, Ouladah Equiano, Henry Thornton, and Barbara Spooner.
1. William Wilberforce’sCharacteristic As The Main Character
NO Corpus Characteristic Minute
1. Barbara :“How long have you been talking laudanum? I recognize it presence.” Wilberforce :“My illness and my
crusade were born around the same time.”
Barbara :“What is your illness?” Wilberforce :“The doctors tell me, it’s
called colitis. They don’t ready understand it. But I do.”
2. Duke :“Brave in the house but at Wilberforce :“Just give him breakfast.” Richard :“Very good, sir.”
Generous Man 00:17:58
4. Wilberforce :“Some simple truth about this horrendous war need to be restated for the question that our military force is far to that of
Wilberforce :“Rather than able statesman. Surely it is time
Duke :“My honorable friend
person.”
Wilberforce :“I bow to my honorable friends superior knowledge and experience in all mattersregarding the pox.”
Fox :“My foreign secretary. My
honorable and my young friends should explain to the house the difference between appeasement and surrender.”
Wilberforce :“The difference between appeasement and surrender is merely a matter of time and perhaps 10.000 more young lives wasted for no reason.”
5. Wilberforce :“You talk about revolution as if it were a safe thing.”
Thomas : “It’s just a word.”
Wilberforce :“Everyday we change things, by degrees, education, factories.” Thomas :“By degrees, you sound
like Dundas! Gradually” Wilberforce :“An imperfect order’s
better than no order.” Thomas : “We must fight for a
perfect order.”
Wilberforce :“I’ve pledge an allegiance to the king.”
Thomas :“You know as well as I do the King is insane. He shakes hands with oak
trees and claims he can see radical than any of us. You see, you never doubt
Wilberforce :“I read James’ letter from Jamaica. When I fell asleep, it was as if I were living inside it.”
Henry :“Perhaps the laudanum the doctor gave you is
Wilberforce :“I was chosen for this and I failed some part of me
7 Wilberforce : “Do you remember Billy; at Cambridge I had a reputation as something of a singer?”
William Pit :“I do remember.”
Wilberforce : “So I thing I’m going to of slavery is not made any less important by the unrelated issue of war. In war or in peace, the buying and selling of human beings is equally abhorrent!” The others members (clamoring, and trying to stop him)
Wilberforce :“This is not a seditious statement!”
Struggle 01: 15: 43
B. Analysis
Character can be understood as the way character is presented in the
fictional story. Character is a life like creature in fictional story. William
Wilberforce was a member of parliaments. William Wilberforce is a major
character because the movie talked about his struggle. The director reveals
Wilberforce’s character by using direct and indirect ways, such as, by what other characters say about him, the actions, and also his appearance. Here the writer will
analyze the Wilberforce’s character of the main character, and the characterizatation of Wilberforce against the slave trade conflict in the movie of
Amazing Grace.
1. A Weak Person
The first character is that he was a weak person. At the time, Wilber got
party. Henry as Wilber’s cousin helped him by giving his medicine. Henry said that the medicine would make him sleep again.
Below are their dialogues:
Picture 1
Wilberforce :“What time is it?” Henry :“It’s your 3 am doze.”
Wilberforce :“so, cousin, you’re waking me up to give me medicine to helpme sleep.” (While getting up)
Henry :“Ah, now you’re taking on the medical profession, as well as everyone else. Did you sleep?” (With a worry face)
Wilberforce :“Sleep is more exhausting than being awake.”
Henry :“The laudanum will sharpen your dreams.”(While pouring the water for drinking medicine). (00:04:24)
The dialogue above showed that Henry care about Wilber condition. The
actions that show Henry’s character is when Henry brought the medicine and gave it to Wilber with a worried face.From the Picture, William Wilberforce looked so
fear and his uncle tried to give a medicine to William.
Marianne :“Wilber, Wilber is that you?”
Wilberforce : “Oh, it is half of me. My idiotic body is playing games withme again.” (They hug each other)
Henry : “I promise to make him well.” Marianne :“Eat something. Breakfast, perhaps.”
Wilberforce : “Not, too early, I’m on holiday. Isn’t that right cousin Henry?”
Marianne :“Don’t you talk to each other? Haven’t you told him he’s killing him self?”
Henry : “Now he’s with us, he’ll be fine.”
(00: 03: 13)
The dialogue happened, when Wilberforce and Henry arrived in Henry’s house. He talked to Marianne that his condition was bad again. It means that he
was often sick. The picture showed that Marianne was happy when she met
William. Marianne tried to hug when William said to Marriane.
The following scene in the living room informs the same thing about his
health condition:
Picture 3
Barbara : “How long have you been talking laudanum? I recognize it presence.”
Wilberforce : “My illness and my crusade were born around the same time.”
Barbara : “What is your illness?”
Wilberforce : “The doctors tell me, it’s called colitis. They don’t ready understand it. But I do.”
(00: 55: 46)
Based on this dialogue, gave the same information about Wilberforce’s health. The dialogue talked that he suffered colitis illness. Barbara tried to know
In the Picture, William Wilberforce’s face looked so sad, because his illness. William talked to Marriane about his illness, and Marianne tried to hear it.
2. A Rich Man
The second characters is that he was a rich man. It can bee seen from his
appearance. He wore the neat dresses. He used carriage when he went for long
distance where at those time only the rich posses carriage as those car of today.
He had a big fancy house and many servants. This dialogue is taken when William
and his friends were in the bar.
Picture 4
Duke : “Brave in the house but at the table a mouse.”
Tarleton : “Your Grace, you know these merchants’ boys are richer than we are.”
(00: 11: 54)
The dialogue above, informs that he was a rich man, it can be seen from
what Tarleton said about him. He said that Wilberforce was richer than him and
Duke of Clarence. From the picture, William Wilberforce played a card with one
of them from a Member of Parliaments.
3. Generous Man
The third, he was a generous man. This following scene in the garden
Picture 5
Richard : “Sorry, to interrupt, sir. There is a beggar at the kitchen door. I would turn him away, sir, but you insisted I always check.”
Wilberforce :“Just give him breakfast.” Richard : “Very good, sir.”
(00: 17: 58)
At the scene, Wilberforce asked Richard to give a breakfast to the beggar.
It shows that Wilberforce really cared to the poor. In the next picture, there was a
conversation between Wilber and Richard. Richard looked restless when he talked
to Wilber.
4. Good Debater, Good Public Speaker, and A Brave Man
The fourth, he was a good public speaker, a good debater, and a brave
man. Character of William Wilberforce could be seen from the way he talked
when he was in the House of Commons. He was the one among his friends who
was bravely giving his opinion in front of parliament members.
Below are their dialogues:
Wilberforce :“Some simple truth about this horrendous war need to be restated for the benefit of my honorable friends. Simple fact. We have three rebels on the anvil and hammer in our hands. There is no question that our military force is far to that of Americans. But we must distinguish between force and justice.”
Fox : “Where did this terrier spring from?” Tarleton : “I believe he’s a Yorkshire terrier, my lord.”
Wilberforce : “Rather than able statesman. Surely it is time for the fat experience in all mattersregarding the pox.”
Tarleton : “Why would we withdraw from American when half of the American is loyal to the crown?”
Wilberforce : “Less than one in four Americans are loyal. If he calls that half, I’d hate to be his wife and share half his bed.”
Fox : “My foreign secretary. My honorable and my young friends should explain to the house the difference between appeasement and surrender.”
Wilberforce : “The difference between appeasement and surrender is merely a matter of time and perhaps 10.000 more young lives wasted for no reason.”
(00: 09: 45)
The scene informs that at the time, there were not young members who
were brave to speak about the revolution in America. He said to the other member
that war would just bring suffering. He was not afraid to defeat the other debaters
who were more senior than him, such as, Duke of Clarence (The King’s son), Lord Tarleton, and Lord Charles Fox. The picture above showed a group of
Picture 7
Dundas : “Doesn’t he know what dangerous await anyone who talk sense in this place?”
William Pit : “Oh, I think he’s equal to the dangerous.”
(00: 10: 27)
The dialogue above, still informs that Wilberforce was a brave man.
William Pit statement means that Wilberforce was ready to face the consequences
from what he said. The picture above indicated that Dundas sat in front of William
pit and they looked serious.
The following dialogue in the garden informs Pit’s first opinion about the slavery:
Picture 8
William Pit : “The Principle of Christianity lead to action as well as meditation”
Wilberforce : “Allow me to meditation on it before I decide on any action”
William Pit : “Just think about this, Wilber. The slave trade has 3 00 MPs in its pocket. It would be just you against them. But you could do it. You would do it.”
The dialogue above shows that he asked Wilber to fight the slavery. He
said that in Christianity man must do well between action and meditation. The
dialogue took at the beginning of the story, and William Pit still encouraged his
best friend to against the slavery. Wilberforce very committed to abolish the
slaves trade, and he never changed his opinion about slavery trade. The picture
above, Wilberforce and William pit talked in the garden near with William’s house. They talked serious.
The scene in the House of Commons shows that he is the protagonist:
Picture 9
Wilberforce: “I’m speaking of the slaves trade. I now that many of my honorable friends in this house have interest in the Indies. Others have investment in plantations. Others are ship owners. And I believe them to be men of humanity. I believe you all to be men of humanity. If the wretchedness of any of the many hundreds of slaves stowed in their ship could be brought to view…” (The members Protested drown out Wilberforce.
(00: 45: 20)
In that dialogue, Wilberforce had a plan to destroy his own country. He
also told if there were no slavery, the French would replace English position in the
world, becoming the most super power country. He also said without the slavery
talked to all the Member of parliaments and they weren’t interest with William voice, more over most of the Member of Parliament instructed to desist.
5. Principle Man
The fifth, he was a principle man. Although he was the most radical man
among his friends in defeating the parliament members, he was still loyal to the
king. He was a radical man because he was the bravest member in showing his
opinion about the slaves trade in the House of Commons. His characters can be
known from the conversation between Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson in the
palace yard:
Picture 10
Wilberforce : “You talk about revolution as if it were a safe thing.” Thomas : “It’s just a word.”
Wilberforce : “Everyday we change things, by degrees, education, factories.”
Thomas : “By degrees, you sound like Dundas! Gradually” Wilberforce : “An imperfect order’s better than no order.” Thomas : “We must fight for a perfect order.”
Wilberforce : “I’ve pledge an allegiance to the king.”
The dialogue between Thomas and Wilberforce above, shows that he did
not want to do the revolution in England. He said that he wanted to abolish the
slaves trade by peace way. He was loyal to the King because he had pledge not to
crack the crown. From the Picture above, Wilberforce held a paper, and the other
person was bussy also.
6. Hard Worker and Committed Man
The sixth, he was had worker, and a committed man. William Wilberforce
was very energetic against the slave trade. He didn’t want to surrender to fight against the slavery. He was also like usual man who could feel fatigue of problem
sometimes. This scene below in the bedroom proves it.
Picture 11
Henry : “Wilberforce, are you alright? Sit up for me. Here drinks this (giving a glass of water). What happened?”
Wilberforce : “I read James’ letter from Jamaica. When I fell asleep, it was as if I were living inside it.”
Henry : “Perhaps the laudanum the doctor gave you is badly mixed.”
Wilberforce : “I know the effects of opium, Henry. This isn’t the medication.”
Henry : “What then?”
Wilberforce : “Iwas chosen for this and I failed some part of me does not accept the idea that I’ve given up.”
Henry : “I’ll dilute this.”
Wilberforce : “Can you dilute what I feel?”
William Wilberforce’s character can be recognized as a hard worker, very committed, and also like usual human by what he had done for passing the slavery
trade abolition bill. He sacrificed his life and health for the case. The picture
above showed william that woke up and looked restless and feared in his face. His
uncle tried persuit him to calm and gave a medicine.
This scene below is taken in the living room when Wilberforce talked to
Barbara about his contribution:
Picture 12
Wilberforce : “All that winter, we spread out across the country gathering evidence for parliament. Thomas road to Bristol, Liverpool, Plymouth, talking to man who had worked the slave ships, ships doctors who had treated them, slaves themselves who had been whipped and branded. Equiano published his account of his years as a slave. He had sold 50.000 copies in two months.”
(00: 54: 15) The dialogue above, informs that Equiano published his book that talked
about his life experience as a slave. The book could tell that the English slavery
was truly worst. Besides, the scene also informs that he was one of Wilber’s supporters. The statement informs that Thomas Clarkson went around the country
to ask the people to sign the petition. He had collected 390.000 signatures. He did
Wilberforce talked about the slavery trade. The picture above described the
conversation between William and Barbara, they was seriously talked each others
and listened also.
The following scene in the House of Commons still gives the same
information to the other of the Members of Parliament:
Picture 13
Wilberforce : “We have taken a petition calling for the abolition of the slave trade to all the great cities of this country. It has been signed by over 390.000 people. However, this petition is not yet complete. There is one more person who wishes to add his name.” Charles Fox signs the petition (All the members of parliament are surprised)
(00: 28: 26)
From the dialogue above, it can be known that Charles Fox encouraged
him in passing the bill of the slaves trade abolition. He supported Wilberforce by
signing the petition. From the statement, William Wilberforce can be recognized
as a hard worker, very committed, and also like usual human by what he had done
for passing the slavery trade abolition bill. From the picture above, William
Wilberforce was stand up and dispersed length of paper. The Member of
7. Good Singer
The last, he was a good singer. These scene in the bedroom, shows that he
had a good voice.
Picture 14
Wilberforce : “Do you rememberBilly; at Cambridge I had a reputation assomething of a singer?”
William Pit : “I do remember.”
Wilberforce : “So I thing I’m going to go and sing them a song.” (00: 15: 26)
Wilberforce reminded Pit that Wilber was once a singer at Cambridge.
William Pit also recognized that he had a nice voice. To understand the
involvement of the main character in the Amazing Grace movie, we could see
from his characteristic as follow. The Picture above describe about William Pit
that lie down because his illness, and Wilber as his best friend tried to amuse
William Pit by standing near from him. They enjoyed the situation of that
moment.
8. Struggle
Struggle means an effort to try hard to do something when it is difficult
when there are lots of problems. The protagonist of this movie is William
become more struggle in the hardest condition to have better. He is a protagonist
because he is the main character in the movie. He has the conflict of the story
because the movie talks about the William’s struggle in passing the bill of the slaves trade abolition. The scene below in the House of Commons shows that he is
a protagonist:
Picture 15
Wilberforce : “We must not prohibit all political discussion of political subject. The issue of slavery is not made any less important by the unrelated issue of war. In war or in peace, the buying and selling of human beings is equally abhorrent!”
The others members (clamoring, and trying to stop him) Wilberforce : “This is not a seditious statement!”
(01: 15: 43)
The dialogue above, shows that the struggle of Wilberforce in fighting the
slaves trade. At that time, there was a war between England and French. His
friend, William Pit didn’t encourage him in the debate. He just spoke alone, and the other members of parliament did not want to discuss about the slavery. The
scene shows clearly how he battles against the antagonist. The members of the
House who enforced about the slavery are also antagonist. They were obscuring
Wilberforce in passing the bill of the slavery trade abolition. From the picture
above, Wilber face looked hard to talk and too listened, because all people at that
Picture 16
Wilberforce : “I am speaking of ….the slaves trade.”
The members protesting drown out Wilberforce.
(00: 45: 11)
From the dialogue, the members showed that they fought against with
Wilberforce. They obscured the protagonist to reach his goal. The picture above,
Wilberforce stands up, and he talked to the Member of Parliaments and he gave
information that slavery trade was disadvantage all.
From all the statement, we found William Wilberforce’s character and
how the involvement of William Wilberforce against the slave trade conflict in the
movie ofAmazing Grace.
C. The Main Character Describedin the “Amazing Grace” Movie
In Amazing Gracemovie, there are some characters that to bring well the main topic in the story. The main character in this movie is william Wilberforce.
William Wilberforce is a major character, round character, and static character.
He was the vocal parliament member in british.
He was a handsome boy and loyal person. He had a handsome face, he
wore the neat dresses, and he never looked tidy. He got married with Barbara,and
he had a child with her. William Wilberforce was a hard worker, a sick man, and
good public speaker. He never gave up to fight slaves trade and enforced the
Wilberforce knew well about law more than the others, he struggled in
fighting the slaves trade. He was the man who had an idea how to defeat the
opponents. The director reveals Wilberforce’s characters by using direct and indirect ways, such as, by what other characters talked about him, the actions, and
also appearance. His character are believable and consistence.
William Wilberforce is the same at the beginning as that at the end. He
always committed to his decision in passing the bill of slavery abolition although
many people were opposing him. Even, in the middle of the story, his closet
companion. Wilberforce never changed his opinion about slaves trade. Until the
ending of the story, he committed to abolish the slaves trade. He talked that we
must not prohibit all political discussion of political subject. The issue of slavery
is not made any less important by the unrelated issues of war. In war or in peace,
the buying selling of human beings is equally abhorrent. it shows the struggle of
Wilberforce in fighting the slaves trade. From the explanation, its mean that
39 A. Conclusion
From all the discussion, there was information that can be concluded in the
previous chapter. The characters in this movie can involve in the conflict of the
story well, because the charcaters in the Amazing Grace movie supported to conflict in the movie.
The interesting of this movie is structural elements such as characters and
characterization, setting, plot, and theme. The major character in this movie is
William Wilberforce. William has a character that had a big conflict in the movie
that talked about his struggle to erased a slavery trade in British. The protagonist,
Wilberforce defended powerfully from the antagonists. The supporting character
in this movie also gave some essential contributions to help the protagonist in
fighting against the slavery, because the supporting character has a significant role
in this movie.
There are two reasons the writer interested in the story of Amazing Grace
movie: The first, because the movie talked legislative battle from the view of
William Wilberforce and other British abolitionists. He wants to persuade some
society to give support for him, to campaign the slave in 18 century in the British
in conference.
The second, because the movie spoke about a man who stands up for what
was that william struggle to abolition and to know how many people supported
him about this slave trade. The last
In “Amazing Grace”movie, the director reveals the main character using
direct and indirect ways. He revealed the characters by describing the physical
appearances of the main character, besides that, the director also reveals the
characters by what they say and act for example, Wilberforce gave his opinion
about the slave trades bravely.
The director reveals Wilber’s character by using indirect presentation,
which is shown by his action. Besides that, the director also revealed Wilber’s
character using direct way, Wilber was described as having a handsome face, and
wore the neat dresses. His character can be known from what another character
says about him. They some of them supported Wilber to fight against the slavery,
and the rest kept Wilber in reaching his goal.
B. Suggestion
This movie is good to be watched, because it has some good moral
messages, such as, friendship, optimistic, unbreakable working in reaching a
target, loyalty, and degree equality. Besides that, the film has educational value, it
can add the viewers knowledge about the anti slavery pioneer from the British
kingdom.
The advice for English learners who like movie is they should watch a
movie that has good moral messages, and an interesting story. The other
suggestion for everyone is one must not distinguish another by the race, religion,
41
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