ABSTRACT
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA. COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD BEGINNING. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning is a novel by Lemony Snicket. The novel is published by Harper Collins Publisher in 1999. It is Lemony Snicket’s first children book that he wrote. The novel tells about Count Olaf’s efforts in getting Baudelaire’s fortune. Baudelaire’s parents are perished in a terrible fire in their house when the Baudelaire children play in the beach. Since that event, Baudelaire children are adopted by distance relative, Count Olaf.
The aim of this undergraduate thesis is to answer the problem formulation that has been stated in chapter one. The problems are how is Count Olaf described in the novel and what are Count Olaf’s failures.
Psychological approach is applied to analyze this undergraduate thesis. The psychological approach is used to aim the writer to analyze the characteristics of Count Olaf. After knowing the characteristics of Count Olaf, the writer analyzes his failures in the novel.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer analyzes Count Olaf’s characteristics. Count Olaf cannot control his emotion, he is always angry when something goes wrong. This condition shows that Count Olaf is bad-tempered. Once, he slapped Klaus in his face. When he cannot control his anger, he is rude. Count Olaf also demands the Baudelaire children to do many chores. Before he goes out to rehearse with his theater troupe, he leaves the children with some chores and demands the children to do them. The writer found the characteristics of Count Olaf are bad-tempered, rude, and demanding.
ABSTRAK
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA. COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD BEGINNING. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning adalah sebuah novel karya Lemony Snicket. Novel ini diterbitkan oleh Harper Collins Publisher pada tahun 1999. Ini adalah buku anak anak pertama yang dia tulis. Novel ini menceritakan tentang usaha usaha Count Olaf dalam mendapatkan kekayaan Baudelaire. Orang tua Baudelaire tewas dalam sebuah kebakaran yang dashyat di rumah mereka ketika anak-anak Baudelaire bermain di pantai. Sejak kejadian itu, anak-anak Baudelaire diadopsi oleh kerabt jauh, Count Olaf.
Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menjawab perumusan masalah yang telah dinyatakan di bab satu. Permasalahannya adalah bagaimana Count Olaf di diskripsikan di dalam novel dan apa kegagalan Count Olaf.
Pendekatan psikologi digunakan untuk menganalisa skripsi ini. Pendekatan psikologi di gunakan untuk membantu penulis untuk menganalisa karakteristik dari Count Olaf. Setelah mengetahui karakteristik dari Count Olaf, penulis menganalisa kegagalannya di dalam novel.
Di dalam skripsi ini, penulis menganalisa karakteristik Count Olaf. Count Olaf tidak bisa mengendalikan emosinya, dia selalu marah jika sesuatu berjalan dengan tidak benar. Kondisi ini menunjukkan bahwa Count Olaf adalah pemarah. Suatu waktu, dia menampar Klaus di wajahnya. Ketika dia tidak bisa mengendalikan kemarahannya, dia kasar. Count Olaf juga menuntut anak-anak Baudelaire untuk melakukan pekerjaan rumah yang banyak. Sebelum dia pergi keluar untuk berlatih dengan rombongan teaternya, dia meninggalkan anak-anak dengan beberapa pekerjaan rumah dan menuntut anak-anak untuk melakukannya. Penulis menemukan karakteristik dari Count Olaf adalah pemarah, kasar, dan penuntut.
i
COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD
BEGINNING
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA
Student Number: 084214099
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD
BEGINNING
By
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA
Student Number: 084214099
Approved by
Dewi Widyastuti S. Pd., M. Hum. October 16, 2013. Advisor
iii
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD
BEGINNING
By
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA
Student Number: 084214099
Defended before the Board of Examiners on October 28, 2013
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name Signature
Chairman : Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M. A ____________
Secretary : Sri Mulyani, Ph.D.
Member 1. : Sri Mulyani, Ph.D.
Member 2. : Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum.
Member 3 : Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani S. S., M. Hum.
Yogyakarta, October 31, 2013 Faculty of Letters Sanata Dharma University
Dean
iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertandatangan bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Niko Neka Prasetya
Nomor Mahasiswa : 084214099
Demi perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD BEGINNING
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam benuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya ke internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa meminta ijin dari saya maupun
memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai
penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 31 Oktober 2013
Yang menyatakan
v
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that the thesis I wrote does not contain the works or part of the
works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and bibliography, as a
scientific paper should
Yogyakarta, October 16, 2013
The Writer
vi
At The Center of Your Being
You Have the Answer:
You Know Who You Are and
You Know What You Want
vii
Dedicated
To
The Almighty God, Jesus Christ
The Name Above All Names,
To
My Beloved Parents
Nely Soekarno and Nur Prawestie
To
My Beloved Sister
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all I would like to thank to Jesus Christ for His love, care, and
blessing. I dedicated this thesis to my beloved parents, Nely Soekarno and Nur
Prawestie, and my lovely sister, Anita Maria, who have supported and prayed for
me during my study in this university.
I also would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dewi
Widyastuti S. Pd., M. Hum. for all the guidance, attention, patience, support, and
suggestion from the beginning to the end of the thesis writing. I would like to
express my gratitude to my co-advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, M. Hum. for all
the guidance, support, and suggestion during the thesis writing. I also send my
deepest gratitude to my academic advisor, Linda Valentina Budiman S. S., M.
Hum. for all the guidance, attention, and support during my study in this
university. I also send my gratitude to all my lecturers and the administrative staff
in English Letters Department, Sanata Dharma University.
I also would like to thank all of my best friends Ade Daniel Patty, Topan
Putra, Harum Ajeng Kinasih, Feronika and all my classmates in A, B, C, and D. I
also would like to express my gratitude to my brothers, Simon, Dimas Dhyara,
Bagas Sularso Adi, and Sadana Maharja, “Long Live Brotherhood”. I also would
like to thank my business friends IG Nugroho, Arya Surya, and the entire member
of TKP Jogja. I thank for the happiness and sadness that we share together. I
never forgot you all.
The last gratitude goes for those whose names cannot be mentioned here, I
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGE ... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ... iii
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... iv
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v
3. The Relation between Literature and Psychology ... 14
C. Theoretical Framework ... 16
1. Count Olaf’s Failure in Approaching Baudelaire Children .. 32
2. Count Olaf’s Failure to be Patient ... 35
3. Count Olaf’s Failure to Steal Baudelaire’s Fortune ... 37
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 40
x
xi
ABSTRACT
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA. COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD BEGINNING. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning is a novel by Lemony Snicket. The novel is published by Harper Collins Publisher in 1999. It is Lemony Snicket’s first children book that he wrote. The novel tells about Count Olaf’s efforts in getting Baudelaire’s fortune. Baudelaire’s parents are perished in a terrible fire in their house when the Baudelaire children play in the beach. Since that event, Baudelaire children are adopted by distance relative, Count Olaf.
The aim of this undergraduate thesis is to answer the problem formulation that has been stated in chapter one. The problems are how is Count Olaf described in the novel and what are Count Olaf’s failures.
Psychological approach is applied to analyze this undergraduate thesis. The psychological approach is used to aim the writer to analyze the characteristics of Count Olaf. After knowing the characteristics of Count Olaf, the writer analyzes his failures in the novel.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer analyzes Count Olaf’s characteristics. Count Olaf cannot control his emotion, he is always angry when something goes wrong. This condition shows that Count Olaf is bad-tempered. Once, he slapped Klaus in his face. When he cannot control his anger, he is rude. Count Olaf also demands the Baudelaire children to do many chores. Before he goes out to rehearse with his theater troupe, he leaves the children with some chores and demands the children to do them. The writer found the characteristics of Count Olaf are bad-tempered, rude, and demanding.
xii
ABSTRAK
NIKO NEKA PRASETYA. COUNT OLAF’S FAILURES SEEN IN LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: THE BAD BEGINNING. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning adalah sebuah novel karya Lemony Snicket. Novel ini diterbitkan oleh Harper Collins Publisher pada tahun 1999. Ini adalah buku anak anak pertama yang dia tulis. Novel ini menceritakan tentang usaha usaha Count Olaf dalam mendapatkan kekayaan Baudelaire. Orang tua Baudelaire tewas dalam sebuah kebakaran yang dashyat di rumah mereka ketika anak-anak Baudelaire bermain di pantai. Sejak kejadian itu, anak-anak Baudelaire diadopsi oleh kerabt jauh, Count Olaf.
Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menjawab perumusan masalah yang telah dinyatakan di bab satu. Permasalahannya adalah bagaimana Count Olaf di diskripsikan di dalam novel dan apa kegagalan Count Olaf.
Pendekatan psikologi digunakan untuk menganalisa skripsi ini. Pendekatan psikologi di gunakan untuk membantu penulis untuk menganalisa karakteristik dari Count Olaf. Setelah mengetahui karakteristik dari Count Olaf, penulis menganalisa kegagalannya di dalam novel.
Di dalam skripsi ini, penulis menganalisa karakteristik Count Olaf. Count Olaf tidak bisa mengendalikan emosinya, dia selalu marah jika sesuatu berjalan dengan tidak benar. Kondisi ini menunjukkan bahwa Count Olaf adalah pemarah. Suatu waktu, dia menampar Klaus di wajahnya. Ketika dia tidak bisa mengendalikan kemarahannya, dia kasar. Count Olaf juga menuntut anak-anak Baudelaire untuk melakukan pekerjaan rumah yang banyak. Sebelum dia pergi keluar untuk berlatih dengan rombongan teaternya, dia meninggalkan anak-anak dengan beberapa pekerjaan rumah dan menuntut anak-anak untuk melakukannya. Penulis menemukan karakteristik dari Count Olaf adalah pemarah, kasar, dan penuntut.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature is a creative writing which contains imagination and figurative
languages. It is not designed for direct or practical communication (Wellek and
Warren, 1956: 3). Literature is different from any other writing. In reading and
understanding a literary work, someone must do an exploration and contemplation
toward the contents, while it is different in reading an ordinary writing. Those
things are needed in order to get the ideas of the author.
Literature has two functions, as a work of art and a science. The difference
is based on the way they are treated. As a work of art, literature is a work or
activity done by an artist like a novelist, and a playwright. As a science, literature
is discussed by one or who is scholar in literature world (Wellek and Warren,
1956: 15).
As a literary work, a novel is different from the other literary genres, such
as poetry and drama. The novel may amuse the readers or even shock the readers
by its story. Moreover, the readers may have their imagination in interpreting
what they read.
A novel has some elements which cannot be separated. There are intrinsic
elements, such as characters, setting, plot, theme, symbols, and so on. Through
these elements, there will be problems in the novel. One important aspect in the
so on. The theme is the central topic of the study. In this undergraduate thesis, the
writer picks failure as the theme of his study.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer uses the novel by Lemony
Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. In this novel, the
writer tries to discuss the failure of Count Olaf.
According to Collins, Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus, failure means
someone or something that is unsuccessful (Gilmour et al, 2003: 334). In other
words, it may be lack of success. A person can fail in achieving something in his
or her life; for example, someone who fails to pass examination, marriage, gets a
job or effort in gaining something. These examples of failures are some examples
of human aspect of life.
There are some psychological aspects or factors, which cause people to
fail in their lives. Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone said in their book, Success
Through A Positive Mental Attitude, which one of the primary causes of failure is
the negative mental attitude, which is shown in the negative characteristics (Hill,
1960: 28).
In writing this undergraduate thesis, the writer focuses on the Count Olaf’s
failure in the story. The writer tries to point out the character’s characteristics and
point out his failures. This novel begins with the killing of Baudelaire’s parents.
Then, all the fortune, inheritance, falls to Violet Baudelaire, as the oldest child.
The problem begins when the Baudelaire children is sent to Count Olaf, as their
legal guardian. Count Olaf, as the legal guardian instead tries to steal Baudelaire’s
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket is
a novel that can be read by children and adult. Children novel is a good novel for
children; however, adults may read the children novel also. Peter’s Hunt in
Literature for Children: Contemporary Criticism stated that
Children’s literature, like any literature, bears examining from the viewpoint of adults reader. Even its child-directed projects reflect adult writer’s intentions and satisfy adult readers’ notion about children’s taste and need, as well as fulfilling the needs of the adults’ societies to which the children belong (Hunt 1992: 80)
The novel A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by
Lemony Snicket is a children novel, but, it is not only for children, adults may
read this novel. The children novel sometimes has unique story that arouse adults
want to read the novel. Moreover, this children literature is created by an adult,
means that the novel contains idea from the author, which he is an adult. Children
literature is a good book for children because the story is suitable for their age.
Adults may like children novel because it can arouse their old moment when they
were children.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer wants to describe the
characteristics of Count Olaf and also point out Count Olaf’s failures in the story.
The first point, the writer will identify the characteristics of Count Olaf by
looking at his dialogues and acts in the novel. Then, the writer analyzes his
B. Problem Formulation
According to the topic of the study, there are two main questions that the
writer wants to analyze in this study. The questions are as follows.
1. How is Count Olaf described in the story?
2. What are Count Olaf’s Failures?
C. Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to reveal the failures of Count Olaf in the novel by
looking at his characteristics. The writer has made two problem formulations. The
objective can be found by answering the two questions in the problem
formulation.
The first, the writer will find out the characteristics of the antagonist
character, Count Olaf, by looking at his characterizations in the novel. Then, the
second objective is to find out some failures which Count Olaf did on the novel
and analyze it.
D. Definition of Terms
There are some terms which the writer uses in this undergraduate thesis.
To avoid ambiguities and misunderstanding in meaning, the writer tries to give
some definitions of those terms. The writer has two terms to explain, there are the
1. Character
The word “character” means “the person presented in a dramatic or
narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral,
dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the
dialogue- and what they do –the action” (Abrams, 1993: 23). From the preceding
quotation, character has the meaning of a person who acts in the novel and has the
quality of moral, dispositional and emotional which he or she does in his or her
acts and dialogues. Character related to someone’s personality which is reflected
through his or her behavior.
2. Failure
The second definition is the definition of failure by Horace B English and
Ava Champney English in their book A Comprehensive Dictionary Psychology
and Psychoanalytic Terms. He stated that “failure” is defined “as a person who
does not attain the major goals for which he is striving” (1970: 202). From the
preceding quotation, failure has the meaning of an effort which a person does in
the purpose to gain something, but he or she fails. The person has done the best
thing he or she has to attain their goal, but even so, they can fail for what they are
6
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Lemony Snicket a.k.a Daniel Handler is a writer who has three identities.
He has published two novels for adults, The Basic Eight and Watch Your Mouth
(http://www.iblist.com) (2 October 2012). He has also published eleven of the
planned thirteen books in a series for children called A Series of Unfortunate
Events under the name of Lemony Snicket.
This is the first time for Lemony Snicket in writing children novel, a novel
which begins and ends in bad conditions or events, a novel which is very different
from other children books which always have happy ending, but not for this
novel. The writer used the first novel by Lemony Snicket’s A Series of
Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. There is a view and opinion about the
novel A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Christian Perring in
his website,
This story acknowledges the existence of terrible events and does not pretend that everything always turns out for the best in the end; that is both refreshing, and might even make this book good for the moral education of children. Children who have themselves suffered the loss of parents might especially find some comfort in the story of the Baudelaire children. Adults whose imaginations have not become completely shriveled should
also take great pleasure in this book.
(http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net) (10 October 2012).
In this statement, Perring showed that life is not always end in happiness.
Life is not like a story which has happy ending. It is a good book for readers
book has a fresh idea in its story while some other books have almost the same
idea, which is happy in the end. Peering showed that children who have the real
condition like Baudelaire children will feel comfort because someone who has the
same story of Baudelaire children will understand how it feels the suffering of
losing their parents.
There is also an opinion about the novel by Natasha Godeliva in her
undergraduate thesis entitled ‘The Message As Revealed by The Characters’
Series of Tragedy in Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad
Beginning”. She stated that
In conclusion, the children’s struggle to reach their will to be free from Count Olaf’s control reveals some moral values. Although the children are innocent and they are not deserved to experience a series of tragedy, they still struggle to face and solve their problems. The struggle they show reveal some moral values to the reader that misfortune may also befall to anyone else in sudden and even though the situation is very hard to compete, it is better to try to solve it rather than run away and surrender from that problem (Godeliva, 2011: 62).
In her analysis, Godeliva showed some moral values. There are two
messages that Godeliva tries to reveal in her analysis. The first messages she
revealed is that misfortune may happen to anyone, even to good people. Everyone
in this world may suffer from misfortune like Baudelaire children no matter how
kind or bad they are. The second message is that someone should not surrender
before they are trying. This message shows that someone needs to struggle to face
their problem. There are some people who run away or surrender on their problem
because they do not know what to do. The way the children overcome with their
that we cannot have everything we want. We need to face and struggle with our
condition or problem.
This is an opinion on A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning
by Barbara Smith Chalou. She stated that
In some respects, these literary characters suffer all the abuses and neglect of the Stuwwelpeter’s character, but the differences are evident. Charlie Bucket, Harry Potter, and the Baudelaire orphans suffer abuse and neglect from truly evil villains and these outside forces are eventually punished from their misdeeds. Justice prevails. Punishing the evil force offers the young reader a satisfying closure that is congruent with Lawrence’s theory of moral development in children. Children in pre-conventional stage of their moral behavior believe that evil behavior is the result of obedience or of avoidance of the evil implicit in disobedience (google.book.com/ Struwwelpeter: Humor Or Horror?: 160 Years Later) (10 October 2013).
In the preceding quotation, Chalou states that the children, the characters
in the story, are suffering all the abuses and negligence, but in the end, the justice
will prevail. In this quotation, Chalou states that justice prevails. The readers are
being taught some moral lessons about good and bad behavior. The readers will
understand which one is good to do and which one must be avoided to do.
There is also review from Ana Mardoll in her website about the novel by
Lemony Snicket A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. She wrote,
However, the story is engaging and well-told and it's impossible to not be drawn into the drama of the Baudelaire orphans as they struggle to survive in the wake of their parents' deaths. The children are wonderfully characterized, and it is such a breath of fresh air to have Violet as an active female character who invents things and scales towers; and brother Klaus is a delightful support character as the brainy bookworm who digs through libraries for answers to help the children out of peril. And, of course, Sunny the biter adds a great deal to the story with her loosely translated shrieks and baby gurgles (http://www.anamardoll.com) (10 October 2012).
In her review, Mardoll explained about the struggling of Baudelaire
heavy chores. Mardoll also showed the wonderful characteristics of Baudelaire
children. In her review, Mardoll tried to show the impressive Baudelaire
children’s characteristics struggling in Count Olaf’s house. Mardoll shows how
Baudelaire children can move on after the death of their parents and how
Baudelaire children can struggle in Count Olaf’s house.
In this study, the writer focuses on the different viewpoint, which is the
failure of Count Olaf in the story. In the novel, Violet Baudelaire, as the oldest
child of the Baudelaire’s family, always get bad treatments from Count Olaf as
her guardian because she was the heir of the Baudelaire’s fortune. Count Olaf
always tries to capture Baudelaire’s fortune in many ways. The writer tries to look
at Count Olaf’s view point and reveals his characteristics. Also, the writer tries to
reveal Count Olaf’s failures in this novel.
B. Review of Related Theories
There are some theories which the writer used to reveal the problem
formulation. The first theory is theory of character. This theory conducted the
writer in defining the characteristic of Count Olaf. Then, the writer uses the
theory of failure to show some failures which Count Olaf did in the novel.
1. Theory of Character
In this study, the writer uses the theory of character by M. H Abrams’.
Abrams said that a character could be judged by his or her dialogues. The
conversation in the story shows the reader how the character is. The other point to
comprehend the character is looking at his or her actions. From these two points,
the reader will understand the characteristics of the character presented in the
novel.
There are also two types of character, namely the flat and the round
character. The flat character is the character that possesses only one conspicuous
trait. A round character is a character that described in detail, through his or her
thoughts, feeling and perceptions toward something (Forster, 2000: 61). The flat
character stays the same from the beginning until the end of the story, but round
character is a dynamic character which is more fully developed and described.
Holman and Harmon in A Handbook of Literature stated that
characterization is the creation of imaginary person so that they exist for the
reader as if the people in the real life (Holman and Harmon, 1986: 81). While in
order to understand the characteristics of a character, M.J. Murphy in his book
Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel
for Overseas Students stated nine important points that are needed to understand
(1972: 161-173). They are:
a. Personal Description is the way the author draws the character’s appearance
and clothes. The character can be fat, thin, handsome, or bad looking. From
the description, the readers are given image of how the character looks like
(1972: 161).
b. Character as Seen by Another is the way the author describe a character
through other characters’ viewpoint and opinions, instead of describing a
character directly. This helps the readers understand the character deeper
(1972: 162).
c. Speech is the way the author gives the readers an insight into the character of
one person in the book through what the person says. Whenever the character
speaks, including conversation with another or giving opinion, the character
itself is giving the readers some clues to its characteristics or personalities
(1972: 164).
d. Past Life is the way the author guides the readers to figure out the character,
by learning something about the person’s past life. This usually stated by the
direct comment by the author, the person’s thought, his or her conversation, or
through the medium of another person (1972: 166).
e. Conversation of Others is a person’s character which is seen through the
conversation of other people or through the things that they say about him or
her. People talk about other people and things they say often give a clue to the
character of the person spoken about (1972: 167).
f. Reaction is a clue given by the author to a person’s character by letting the
reader knows how that person reacts to various situations and events. A
character’s reactions show his or her personality in facing problems or
situations (1972: 168).
g. Direct Comment is the way the author describes or comments on a person’s
h. Thought is the way the author gives the readers direct knowledge of what a
person is thinking. Therefore, an author is able expressed his or her thoughts
to do what his or her reader cannot do in real life (1972: 171).
i. Mannerism is the way the author describes a person’s mannerism, habits, or
idiosyncrasies that may also tell the reader something about his or her
character (1972: 173).
The nine elements of the theory of characters and characteristics by M. J.
Murphy will not be used all. There are only several elements that are needed to
analyze the character in the story because there are only some elements of the
character that are explained using the theory of characters and characteristics.
2. Theories on Failure
Failure is a conditional term to define and cannot be judged in one way or
another, but there are some ways to judge the definition of failure. The proper
way to determine if someone fails doing something or not is only the person who
undergoes it. Human beings are weak creature, sometimes they fall in failure.
People are not always able to achieve what they expect, not all their desires can be
fulfilled though they have tried hard to achieve them.
Kassarjian in his psychological report Success, Failure, and Personality
says that
concept, fewer adjustive attitudes; greater complains of physical and mental illness symptoms and less socially desirable personality traits than found in individuals who score as successful on both criteria (p. 567).
In his study, kassarjian stated that success and failure are results of a
process. He said that there are two ways to measure someone was success or fail,
by their achievment in societal and individual perception. Personal traits have a
big impact to someone who is success or fail. Failure is related to negative traits.
According to Kassarjian, failure is related to self concept. He stated that
someone who fails has low self concept. In the contrary, success person has good
self concept. Kassarjian explains that success or failure is related to human
characteristics. Kassarjian stated that failure related to a poorer self concept,
fewer adjustive atitudes, greater complains of physical and mental illness
symptoms and less socially desireable personality traits.
Failure means the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended
objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. In other words, it means
lack of success. A person can fail in achieving something in his or her life, for
example he or she fails to pass the exam, fails in marriage, and fails in their
efforts, etc. These are the examples of human aspect of life. Aspects of life can be
divided into three, they are intellectual, social, and psychological (Franken,
1982:350). The writer tries to discuss the psychological aspects that might lead
the character to failure.
There are some psychological aspects of factors, which cause people to
fail in their lives. Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone say in their book, Success
mental attitude, which is shown in the negative characteristics, such as suspicion,
pessimism, jealousy, greed, discouragement, close-mindedness, selfishness and
bad common sense (1960: 13). It means that the negative mental attitude could
bring failure in someone’s life if it dominates or obsessed his or her life.
Failure is usually followed by negative result. Failure can lead someone to
have the feeling of shame, incompetence, guilt, resignation, aggression, or
surprise, depending on how the person account for his or her failure (Franken,
1982: 354-360). The worst effect of failure may cause a deep frustration that
might lead a person to insanity or even suicide or self murder (Franken, 1982:
362).
3. The Relation Between Literature and Psychology
Literature and Psychology are two broad disciplines. Applied to literature,
psychological principles help us explore what the writer’s write, the characters
act, and what the reader’s interpretation. Literature provides us with the
expression and psychology provides us with the possibility of interpretation of the
meaning of the signs and symbols we find in the text, of explaining how and why
human beings think, feel, react, and interact.
According to Dastmard, Razmjoo, and Salehi in their journal The
Relationship Between Psychology and Literature,
The relation between psychology and literature is a bilateral relation. The psychology of the unconscious can be called literature, and is a dune mining approach to its foreign opinion, very familiar to literature and literary critics (Dastmard et al, 2012: 9423).
In the preceding quotation, Dastmard et al try to explain that there is
relation between psychology and literature. Literature provides a work which
made by psychology of unconscious. Psychology has a role to develop the
writer’s idea. Psychology helps the writer in building a work of art.
There is opinion about the relation between psychology and literature
comes from Moghaddam in his article Performance Capacity and Performance
Style Looking Back and Moving Forward in Psychology.
The relationship between psychology and literature can usefully be conceptualized in three broad categories. At the lowest level of abstraction is ‘psychology in literature’: literature as a source of psychological data, literature as a source of insights for psychology. The second level of abstraction involves literature as an independent variable, literature as a dependent variable, and literature as understood through psychology. At the third and highest level of abstraction are: psychology as nomothetic and literature as idiographic; psychology as culture-free and literature as culture-bound; psychology as concerned with actual worlds and literature with possible worlds; and, finally, psychology is literature (Moghaddam, 2006: 840).
Moghaddam made three categories that psychology has relation with
literature. The point of the above quotation is that psychology has a role in
understanding the literature data. Psychology and literature has complementary
relation and they stay in different side, in other words, they have their own role.
Psychology relates to reality world which happen, while literature relates to
possible world. Literature is data source for psychology to analyze.
There is another opinion from Motlagh in his study Psychology and
Literature.
the author. Second, it can provide some references to the author‘s life. Biography of the author, his letters and other documents can show the author‘s personality. Third, it can help to interpret the true meaning of a given text. Forth, it creates a sensual impression on the reader (Motlagh, 2010: 9).
In the preceding quotation, Mothlag explained about the usefulness of
psychology in literature area. There are four points that psychology has role in
literature. Psychology helps literature in building a creative work; work of art
needs creativity from the creator, psychology has role in developing the creator’s
idea. In understanding the meaning of work of art, the creator’s psychology has a
role to analyze the art. Psychology develops imagination in the readers’ mind.
C. Theoretical Framework
There are some theories used in this study. The usage of these theories is
to answer the problem formulation. There are three theories that are used to
analyze this undergraduate thesis. They are the theory of character, the theory of
failure, and the relation between literature and psychology.
The first theory is the theory of character, since in this study it is used to
analyze the characteristics of Count Olaf. The theory of character is used to
analyze, to identify, and to understand what behavior that Count Olaf has. The
writer uses the theory character by M. H. Abrams because it helps the writer in
defining the character’s characteristics by looking at his dialogues and acts. The
writer also used the theory of character by M. J. Murphy to analyze the
characteristics of Count Olaf. There are nine points which M. J. Murphy stated in
English Novel for Overseas Students, but the writer may be used some of the
important points which has correlation with the characteristic of Count Olaf.
After knowing his characteristics, the writer tries to point out his failures
in the novel. In this part, the theory of failure is needed to explain the failure of
Count Olaf. The writer used the theory of failure by Kasarjian, beside that; the
writer also uses the theory of failure by Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone. In their
book, there are the characteristics of failure which will be used to analyze the
failure in the novel.
Finally, the writer tries to know the failures of Count Olaf in stealing
Baudelaire’s fortune. The writer assumes that Count Olaf’s characteristics lead
him to his failure. The writer also gives some proof that there is a relation
between literature and psychology. This theory is needed to know that psychology
18
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is the novel by Lemony Snicket’s A Series of
Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning which is published by Harper Collins
Publisher in the year of 1999. It consists of 162 pages. It is his first children’s
book that he wrote. This book is the first book of planned thirteen series.
In addition to its strong reviews, A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad
Beginning won multiple literary awards, there are the Colorado Children's Book
Award, the Nevada Young Readers Award, 3 IRA or CBC Children Choice
Award, Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice, Quill Book Award and Nene Award
(http://www.kidsbookseries.com) (10 October 2012). This novel has sold more
than 60 million copies and translated into 41 languages. This book was filmed and
played on the theater on 2004 by Nickelodeon Movies as the producer, starring
Jim Carey as the villain actor, Count Olaf (http://movies.nytimes.com) (6
November 2012). This book is different from other children books, because the
common children book usually has happy ending, but not for this book which is
the reverse.
This book told about the three young Baudelaire children who lost their
parents in terrible fire in their house. Then, their parents’ executor, Mr. Poe, sent
Baudelaire children to stay with a family member name Count Olaf who treated
three Baudelaire children have a big fortune, especially for Violet, who is the
heiress of Baudelaire’s fortune. Then, Count Olaf made a plan to take over
Baudelaire’s fortune.
Count Olaf tries some efforts to get Baudelaire’s fortune. One of his plans,
Count Olaf puts Violet in his tricky play, which is to play in his fake play
performance named The Marvelous Marriage, in order to marry Violet legally and
take over her fortune. But, the plan fails because Violet signed the document with
the wrong hand. Mr. Poe, Justice Strauss, and the audience knew Count Olaf’s
bad plan which is to take over Baudelaire’s fortune. Then, Mr. Poe gave order to
arrest Count Olaf; unfortunately, one of Count Olaf’s theater troupes turned off
the light. In the darkness, Count Olaf escaped from the theater before the police
came.
B. Approach of the Study
The aim of this study is to reveal Count Olaf’s failures in the novel. To
help analyzing this problem, the writer used psychological approach since
psychological interpretation can afford many profound clues toward solving a
work’s thematic and symbolic mysteries, but it can seldom account for the
beautiful symmetry of a well-wrought poem or of a fictional masterpiece (Guerin,
2011: 201).
Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature stated that
the psychological approach is the approach which provides the analysis of human
psychological approach, the writer can analyze the character’s psychological
aspects.
There is a view of psychological approach by Guerin in A Handbook to
Critical Approaches to Literature. He states that
Psychological approach outlines a psychological theory in order to help readers enhancing their understanding and appreciation of literature. Psychological interpretation and criticism give some ideas that may lead the readers to a profound understanding of the themes and sometimes symbols of literary works (Guerin, 1999: 125).
In the preceding quotation, psychological approach makes the framework
of psychological theory which will help the writer in understanding the text or
literary work; also it helps the writer in providing ideas on the theme and the
symbol.
The writer uses psychological approach because he studies the
psychological side of the character. The writer thinks that the reason of Count
Olaf’s failure in stealing Baudelaire’s fortune is because his psychological
condition which was affected by his characteristics.
C. Method of the Study
In composing this undergraduate thesis, the writer used library research
method to collect the valid data resources. To support this study, the writer used
two kinds of resources as the requirement of the study. There were primary source
and the secondary sources. The primary source is the novel itself, A Series of
sources were taken from some books, e-books, internet, and PDF that can be used
as references to the novel and to support the undergraduate thesis as well.
In analyzing the novel, first, the writer read the novel A Series of
Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning for several times to have the
understanding of the story itself and to found the focus of this study, which was
Count Olaf’s failure in stealing Baudelaire’s fortune. Then the writer needed to
analyze the character and his characterization.
Then, the writer collected the data from many sources to support his work.
The sources were acquired from the library. The writer could acquire some books
of theory, dictionary, other’s thesis, and essays. The writer also acquired the data
from the internet. These data would help and support the analysis of the
undergraduate thesis.
The next step, the writer tried to explain the theories, the study, and
approach of the study. These steps would help the writer in answering the
problem formulation which composed in the chapter one. The last step was
22
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter consists of two subchapters based on the problem formulation
of this study. The first subchapter explains about the characteristic of the main
character, Count Olaf, which is described in the story. This subchapter explains
the characteristics of Count Olaf by looking at his dialogues and his action in the
novel. The writer also uses some of the nine points from M. J. Murphy to identify
the characteristics of Count Olaf. The next subchapter, the writer tries to figure
out Count Olaf’s failures in the story which is assisted by the theory of failure by
Napoleon Hill, Kassarjian and Franken. Then, the writer tries to relate Count
Olaf’s characteristics with his failures.
A. The Characteristics of Count Olaf
Count Olaf is described as a character who tries to steal Baudelaire’s
fortune. The story begins when the Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny,
lost their parents because they are perished in terrible fire in their house. Mr. Poe,
as their family executor, gets will from their parents whom the Baudelaire
children must be adopted by Count Olaf as the distant relative which the children
never met before.
Foster (1999: 61) describes two types of character, the flat and round
characters. As the round character, Count Olaf is more fully developed and
novel to analyze the characteristics of Count Olaf. The theory of character by M.
J. Murphy in his book Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry
and the English Novel for Overseas Students (1972, 161 - 173) also used based on
personal description, character as seen by another, speech, reaction, direct
comment and mannerism.
In the novel, Count Olaf is described as a “very tall and very thin, dressed
in gray suit that had many dark stains on it” (p. 22). From the description in the
novel, Count Olaf looks slipshod because his appearance that so dirty with many
dark stains in his suit. His appearance also looks slobbery, “his face was
unshaven, and rather than two eyebrows, like most human being have, he had just
one long one” (p.22). Count Olaf’s appearance is not fresh because he does not
shave his beard. His appearance shows that he cannot be responsible and take care
of himself. Count Olaf’s appearance supports his description in the novel that he
is bad-tempered. “His eyes were very, very shiny, which made him look both
hungry and angry” (p.22). Count Olaf’s bright eyes make him looks angry.
Someone who has an irritable and unpleasant disposition is a bad-tempered.
Count Olaf physical appearance shows that he is has less personality. Count Olaf
is described as bad-tempered, demanding, and rude. These points will be
elaborated as follows.
1. Bad-Tempered
In the novel, Count Olaf is described as a bad-tempered person. This
Mr. Poe’s eyes widened in surprise, and his coughs echoed in the dark room before he spoke. “The Baudelaire fortune,” he said sternly, “will not be used for such matter. In fact, it will not be used at all, until Violet is of age.” Count Olaf turned to Mr. Poe with a glint in his eye like an angry dog (p. 23)
In the preceding quotation, Count Olaf is angry because he cannot use the
Baudelaire’s fortune to fulfill his needs. In the dialogue, Count Olaf wants the
Baudelaire fortune can solve his problem with the households, but when Mr. Poe
said that the fortune cannot be used at all, it makes Count Olaf angry. The writer
applies the theory from Murphy, reaction and mannerism, since Count Olaf is
angry because of his reaction to Mr. Poe statement which Baudelaire’s fortune
will not be used at all and the changing of his manner when he glints to Mr. Poe
like an angry dog. His bad-tempered is shown in the statement below.
Count Olaf was neither interesting nor kind; he was demanding, short tempered, and bad smelling (p. 29).
His personal description shows that Count Olaf is bad-tempered. He is
described not only bad-tempered, but also demanding. Baudelaire children think
that Count Olaf is not a good person. From the very first meeting with Count
Olaf, the children have a bad feeling about Count Olaf. Count Olaf’s appearance
and look show that he is not a good person. The theory by Murphy, direct
comment, shows his characteristics that Count Olaf is bad-tempered.
“What?” Count Olaf asked. “No roast beef?” “You didn’t tell us you wanted roast beef,” Klaus said. Count Olaf slid toward the children so that he looked even taller than he was. His eyes grew even brighter, and his one eyebrow raised in anger (p. 46).
From the preceding quotation, Count Olaf is temperamental. His reaction
Baudelaire children in making roast beef makes him angry. His manner identifies
the changing of his temper. The writer applies the point of mannerism by Murphy
to identify his characteristics.
“Build the set? Heavens, no,” Count Olaf said. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be working backstage.” “But I’d like to,” Violet said. Count Olaf one eyebrow raised slightly, and the Baudelaire orphans recognized this sign of his anger (p. 76).
In the preceding quotation, Count Olaf invites Violet, Klaus and Sunny in
his play performance; he actually has a secret purpose, which is stealing
Baudelaire’s fortune. In the preceding quotation, the Baudelaire children do not
know why Count Olaf invites them to his play performance. Violet refuses to join
in his play performance because she does not want to ruin Count Olaf’s play.
Count Olaf almost grows in anger again because Violet refuses him. The writer
uses the point of mannerism by Murphy to identify his characteristics.
Count Olaf becomes angry because someone tries to reject his will or his
expectation is different. It makes him a bad-tempered. This quotation shows that
he is bad-tempered.
“It’s the end of Act Two! Why aren’t the orphans in their costumes?” he hissed to the two white-faced women. Then, as the audience broke into applause, his angry expression turned to one of joy, and he walked back onstage (p. 135).
Count Olaf is angry because the Baudelaire children have not dress yet
when the play performance is in progress. He is angry because something does
not work properly. The white-faced women actually take care of the children, but
white-faced women show that he is bad-tempered. The point of speech by Murphy and
the point of act by Abrams are used to analyze his characteristics.
He waved and blew kissed to the audience as the curtain came down again, an then his face once again filled with anger (p. 135).
Count Olaf is a good actor but he can not hold his temper. His anger
comes out anytime even in his play. In his play performance, Count Olaf is trying
to act as well as the character in the script by Al-Funcoot, but in reality; he can
not because his anger is always dominate. His reaction and act show that he is
bad-tempered. The theory by Murphy and Abrams is used to analyze his
characteristics.
“I did not sign the document in my own hand, as the law states,” Violet said. “What do you mean? We all saw you!” Count Olaf’s eyebrow was beginning to rise in anger (p. 150).
Count Olaf is angry when he knows that Violet has defeated his plan
again. His gesture in raising his eyebrow is a sign of anger. Somebody who is in
angry, they usually change their face expression. When Count Olaf is angry, he
raises the eyebrow. The point of mannerism by Murphy is used to show that
Count Olaf is bad-tempered.
2. Demanding
In the novel, Count Olaf is described as bad-tempered. Beside that, he is
also described as demanding. Some of the quotations below stated that Count Olaf
always wants to fulfill what he wants. They show that Count Olaf is demanding.
The instruction he left for them were usually difficult chores, such as repainting the back porch or repainting the windows, and instead of a signature Count Olaf would draw an eye at the bottom of the note (p. 30).
In adopting Baudelaire children, Count Olaf gives difficult chores to them.
Count Olaf demands the children to do what he wrote in his notes. In adopting the
Baudelaire children, it is fine to give children work to do, but it should be
appropriate. Count Olaf said that it is to discipline the children, but it looks like
torturing the children. The author’s direct comment to Count Olaf shows that he is
demanding. The writer uses the point direct comment by M. J Murphy.
One morning his note read, “My theater troupe will be coming for dinner before tonight’s performance. Have dinner ready for all ten of them by the time they arrive at seven o’clock. Buy the food, prepare it, set the table, serve dinner, clean up afterwards, and stay out of our way.” Below that there was the usual eye, and underneath the note was a small sum of money for the groceries (p. 30).
Giving so many difficult chores to the children is a burden. Count Olaf
demands that the children do the entire chores. Instead, he only gives the children
a small amount of money to buy the needs to prepare the dinner. He wants the
children to cook, serve, and clean the dishes. They require great physical and
mental effort to accomplish. The direct comment from the author shows that
Count Olaf is demanding. Than, there is statement from the other character,
Violet, which has a purpose that Count Olaf is demanding. The writer uses the
theory by Murphy, direct comment and character as seen by another, to analyze
this quotation.
“Count Olaf gives us a lot of responsibility,” Violet said (p. 37).
The writer uses the point by Murphy which is character as seen by another
more than usual. Giving the children a lot of tasks, it is demanding. Count Olaf
always gives notes to the children. The note usually asks the Baudelaire children
to do some difficult chores. When it does not get what Count Olaf wants, he is
angry and sometimes be rude.
“In agreeing to adopt you,” he said,” I have become your father, and as your father, I am not someone to be trifled with. I demand that you serve roast beef to myself and my guests” (p. 46).
From Count Olaf’s speech in the preceding quotation, Count Olaf does not
want to be blamed. As the legal guardian of Baudelaire children, Baudelaire
children must obey what he wants even sometimes his demands are too much. In
the preceding quotation, Count Olaf has an alibi that he pretends to be like
Baudelaire’s parent. In fact, he has a secret purpose to steal Baudelaire’s fortune.
The writer uses the theory by Murphy which is speech, to analyze Count Olaf’s
characteristics.
3. Rude
Rude is about our bad behavior to someone. Count Olaf is described as
rude. In the novel, the writer finds some proofs which shows that Count Olaf is
rude. His attitude towards Baudelaire children shows his rudeness. There is a
quotation which shows Count Olaf’s rudeness.
His anger grows in sudden and he picks Sunny up in the air. Count Olaf is
angry because Baudelaire children reject his demand to fix his house. Count Olaf
in sudden movement picks Sunny up. Klaus tries to help Sunny, but then Count
Olaf’s theater troupe comes and Count Olaf puts Sunny down. Count Olaf’s
manner shows his rudeness toward Sunny. In analyzing this quotation, the writer
uses the point of mannerism by Murphy.
Count Olaf’s face grew very red. For a moment he said nothing. Then, in one sudden movement, he reached down and struck Klaus across the face (p. 53).
In the preceding quotation, Count Olaf strikes Klaus in his face. From his
reaction, his anger makes him rude. Count Olaf is bad-tempered and his temper
grows then become rude. In disciplining the Baudelaire children, Count Olaf does
not need to be rude. In this novel, it is Count Olaf’s characteristics. He is rude and
it is shown in this quotation. The point of reaction by Murphy is used to analyze
this quotation.
“Oh no,” Klaus said in a small, scared voice, and Violet looked again. It was a birdcage, dangling from the tower window like a flag in the wind, but inside the birdcage she could see a small and frightened Sunny (p. 105).
Sunny is kidnapped by one of Count Olaf’s theater troupe. Count Olaf is
very rude in this time. He cages and hangs Sunny in the tower. Sunny is just a
baby, it is very rude to treat a baby like that. Besides it is rude, it is very
dangerous. Sunny is caged and hanged in the high tower. If something goes
wrong, Count Olaf will call his theater troupe to cut lost the rope which hangs
Sunny in the cage. Of course with the condition like this, Violet and Klaus cannot
writer uses the point conversation of others so that the writer states that Count
Olaf is described as someone who is rude.
If anything goes wrong during tonight’s performance, your sister will be dropped to her death (p. 132).
In the preceding quotation, the word anything is italic. It emphasizes that
if there is anything wrong in the play, Count Olaf will drop Sunny down. Count
Olaf is very angry with the Baudelaire children because they always reveal and
defeat his plan. His speech shows that Count Olaf is rude; he dares to drop Sunny
down if his plan is defeated again. In analyzing this quotation, the writer uses the
point of speech by Murphy.
In this subchapter, the writer has shown the characteristics of Count Olaf
which is assisted by the theory of M. J. Murphy. The writer found that Count Olaf
has the characteristic of bad-tempered since he is always angry. When something
goes wrong or run not in the right way, Count Olaf is angry. The second
characteristic is demanding. Count Olaf demands the children to do anything
which he instructs. Count Olaf always gives the children difficult chores to do.
Before leaving his house to go out, he never forgets to leave a note which contains
many difficult chores. The last, Count Olaf is rude. How Count Olaf treats
Baudelaire children in his house is rude. When Count Olaf goes out to rehearse
with his theater troupe, he always leaves a note which contains of many difficult
chores. The children must do them all. If the children make a mistake, Count Olaf
is angry. Then, when he cannot control his anger, he is rude. These characteristics
B. Count Olaf’s Failures
In this subchapter, the writer will show Count Olaf’s failures in the novel.
There are some failures which Count Olaf did in the novel. Actually, Count Olaf
fails in three cases. Count Olaf fails in approaching Baudelaire children, then
Count Olaf fails to be patient, and the last is Count Olaf fails to steal Baudelaire’s
fortune. Failure has a relation to personality. Kassarjian states in his report that
failure is caused by the individual who has poorer self concept, fewer adjustive
attitudes, greater complains of physical and mental illness symptoms and less
socially desirable personality traits.
Something that can make someone fails is because of their selves. In his
report, Kassarjian stated that success or failure is results wholly of personal
qualities: that he who fails has only himself to blame, for the corollary to the
concept of the self-made man is the self-unmade man (1963: 567). Studies
indicated that failure or a large discrepancy between level of aspiration and level
of achievement is related to negative or non-adjustive personality variables. The
experience of success or a low discrepancy between aspiration and achievement is
related to desirable and socially important traits such as adjustment, self
confidence, realism, cooperation, and friendliness (1963: 567).
In this novel, Count Olaf is the character who fails in stealing Baudelaire’s
fortune. Looking at Kassarjian’s report, it is the reverse of the experience of
success that relate to undesirable and unsociably unimportant traits which is not
adjustment, not confidence, not realism, uncooperative and unfriendly. Napoleon
mental attitude which is shown in the negative characteristics. Below, the writer
will explain Count Olaf’s failures which are assisted by the theory of Kassarjian
in his report ‘Success, Failure, and Personality’ and Napoleon Hill and Clement
Stone in their book Success Trough A Positive Mental Attitude.
1. Count Olaf’s Failure in Approaching Baudelaire Children
Count Olaf has no good relation with the children. To get the Baudelaire’s
fortune, Count Olaf should be kind to the children. He must be patient, kind, and
nice or he cannot approach the children to take over their fortune. These
quotations below will show that Count Olaf has bad approach to the children.
Most of the day he spent out of the house, or up in the high tower, where the children were forbidden to go (p. 30).
The preceding quotation shows that Count Olaf almost never meets the
children. Count Olaf spends his days in the tower or out of the house. Count Olaf
fails in approaching the children because he has no good social relation. He
forbids the children to go to his room in the tower. If the children try to go to the
tower, Count Olaf will be angry. This condition makes Count Olaf does not know
the children very well. According to Kasarjian, Count Olaf is unfriendly.
I hate it here, Violet! I hate this house! I hate our room! I hate having to do all these chores, and I hate Count Olaf! “I hate it too,” Violet said, and Klaus looked at his older sister with relief (p. 32).
The above quotation shows another example Count Olaf has no good
relation with Baudelaire children. Violet and Klaus hate to be with Count Olaf.
Count Olaf does not make them comfortable in his house. The children hate
on how to steal Baudelaire’s fortune without thinking about how to approach the
children first. Count Olaf does not make a good relationship to Baudelaire
children. According to Kassarjian, Count Olaf is unfriendly.
“Goodness,” Justice Strauss said. “Cooking dinner for an entire theater troupe seems like a lot to ask of children.”
“Count Olaf gives us a lot of responsibility,” Violet said. What she wanted to say was, “Count Olaf is an evil man,” but she was well mannered (p. 37).
From the preceding quotation, Count Olaf fails to approach the children.
The impact from the preceding quotation is that Count Olaf will be harder to
persuade the children to use their fortune to fix his house because Count Olaf does
not make the children happy instead he gives them burdens. The Baudelaire
children must do all of the chores left by Count Olaf. Count Olaf has poor self
concept. He is uncooperative. He does not try to prepare the dinner together
beside he orders the children to do. He has bad characteristics which make him
like evil man.
“Then we could buy a castle and live in it, with armed guards patrolling the outside to keep out Count Olaf and his troupe” (p. 59).
The children think to have a castle because they hate Count Olaf. Violet
and Klaus think that they can have a castle with armed guards to protect them
from Count Olaf. Count Olaf always gives them a lot of burdens. From the
preceding quotation, this proofs that Count Olaf fails to approach the children
because Count Olaf is not adjustment and unfriendly. It makes the children do not
know well about Count Olaf.
