DONNA TARTT’S
THE LITTLE FRIEND
THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree of English Department Faculty of Letters and Humanities
State Islamic University of SunanAmpel Surabaya
By:
Sri Utami Reg. Number: A93212189
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERISTY OF SUNAN AMPEL
Character in Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend. Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Letters and Humanities. State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
Thesis Advisor: Itsna Syahadatud Dinurriyah, M.A.
This thesis attempts to analyze one of Donna Tartt’s novelsThe Little Friend. This novel narrates about the mystery of adventure of young girl who tries to unravel the mystery of the death of her brother Robin. This thesis focuses on analyzing character of Harriet Cleve Dufresness While doing an investigation of the death of Robin. An addition, this thesis aims to identify the motive of the offender how her brother Robin died in his home near the tree-dependent and trying to find the mystery of murder. Because of she was smart, before she was a year old. Though she’d been less than six months old when Robin died, Harriet said she could remember him. Harriet always nightmares it was always dark, Sometimes Harriet saw the door opening but she always woke up before she saw a face.
In the search for the killer of his brother she was trying to get help to the Helly to assist her in the investigation and discover the mysteries that has not saw who the killer is.Theory used for analyzing both problems of the study. The theory of new criticism is as the main theory used to analyze the three formulation problems. The theory of the new criticism is used because the characters in the story Dealing with this. The study also used theory of psychological approach and will be supporting theory for the analysis. This thesis places new criticism of literature as an umbrella of overall analysis.
Character in Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend. Skripsi. Sastra Inggris. Fakultas Adab dan Humaniora. Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
Pembimbing: Itsna Syahadatud Dinurriyah, M.A.
Skripsi ini mencoba untuk menganalisa salah satu novel Donna Tartt The Lttle Friend. Novel ini menceritakan tentang misteri petualangan seorang gadis yang berusaha untuk mengungkap misteri kematian kakanya Robin. Skripsi ini
difokuskan untuk menganalisa karaktet Harriet Cleve Dufresness saat melakukan penyelidikan matinya Robin. Di samping itu, skripsi ini bertujuan untuk
mengidentifikasi motif dari Harriet bagaimana kakaknya Robin mati tergantung dii pohon dekat rumahnya dan berusaha menemukan misteri pembunuhan
tersebut. Karena kecerdasannya, ketika dia belum saatu tahun, meskipun dia telah kurang dari enam bulan saat Robin meninggal. Dia bisa mengingat kejadian dari Robin. Harriet selalu mimpi buruk dalam kegelapan, kadang-kadang dia hampir melihat pembunuh kakaknya, tetapi dia selalu terbangun sebelum melihat wajah pembunuh tersebut.
Dalam mencari pembunuh kakaknya dia berusaha minta tolong kepada temannya Helly untuk membantu dia dalam penyelidikan dan menemukan misteri yang selama ini belum juga ketemu siapa pembunuhnya. Sebagaimana kebutuhan dalam analisanya, penelitian ini menggunakan teori new Criticism sebagai teori utama yang digunakan untuk menganalisa tiga rumusan masalah. Teori new criticism ini digunakan dikarenakan dalam karakter tersebut ada hubungannya dengan cerita. Penelitian ini juga menggunakan theory pendekatan psychological dan ambisi sebagai teori pembantu dalam analisis. Berkenaan dengan hal tersebut, skripsi ini menempatkan new criticism sebagai payung wacana dari keseluruhan analisa.
Inside Cover Page ... ii
Declaration Page ... iii
Approval Sheet Page ... iv
Examiner Sheet Page ... v
Motto ... vi
Dedication Page ... vii
Acknowledgement ... viii
Table of Contents ... ix
Abstract ... xi
Intisari ... xii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ... 1
1.1Background of The Study ... 1
1.2Statement of Problem ... 5
1.3Purpose of The Study ... 5
1.4Significance of The Study ... 6
1.5Scope and Limitation ... 6
1.6Method of The Study ... 7
1.7Definition of Key Terms ... 9
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ... 11
2.1Theoretical Framework ... 11
2.1.1 Theory New Criticism ... 11
2.1.2 Character ... 14
2.1.3 Characterization ... 18
2.1.4 Psychological Approach and Ambition...22
2.2Review of Related Studies ... 24
3.3 Harriet Tries to Find Out The Killing Mystery...35
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION... 62
WORKS CITED ... 64
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
Literature is the expression of beautiful thoughts, feeling, human
experience, and imagination in beautiful language to show the realism in the
real and unreal story (Glover 20). Every person has imaginative thought in
their minds and also can give inspiration about what they have known in
this world. They think about something real or unreal things in the world.
Moreover, they can share their imaginative thinking by getting inspiration in
the real life to know what happen in this world. It can give inspiration about
what that we have known in this world (Borges 18). Thus, literature can
express someone’s thoughts, feelings, and experience in life. It also can
revealsomeone’simpression about life.
Broadly, literary works consist of nonfiction and fiction works.
Nonfiction works are written form that relates to data and factual. It does
notrelate to the imagination of the author. It consists of announcement,
speech text, reports, journals, biography, scientific articles, etc. (Gutkind 8).
Fiction works relate to imagination, invention, something unreal, and it does
not happen because of real condition and unnecessary for searching the
events, settings, and characters are imaginative (Nurgiyantoro 3). Fiction
works consist of novel, short story, poem, drama, fairy tale, etc (9).It can be
defined that one of the literary work is novel.
Novel is one kind of a literary works. Novel is now applied to a great
variety of writings that have in common only the attribute of being extended
works of fiction written in prose (Abraham 190). Novel is narrative because
it does not need to find the real condition and unnecessary for searching the
truth. Another explanation states that novel is a fiction which has elements
such as plot, theme, character, setting, point of view (Burhan 10). The
statement describes that novel does not escaped from story about real life
and also the condition around the author.
Novel, as one of the literary genres, is different from short stories,
poems, and narratives in a number of key respects (Ellis 2). In formality
aspect, novel is longer than short stories. Novel tells a story freedly, more
expansive, more detail, and more complex than short story. The element of
novel is detail and more complex than short story, such as plot, theme,
setting, unity, and character (Nurgiyantoro 9-14). All novels are books, but
not all books are novels. Novel is a fictional prose narrative and having plot
that is extended by the characters, speech, and actions.
Novel is part of fiction, which represents a character about human
nature more than psychology. E.M. Forster speaks of the very limited
number of persons whose inner life and motifations we know, and sees it as
characters (Wellek and Warren 23). So, it can takesome case experienced
and also inspiration by the characters.
In a typical work of fiction, there are always many forces, both small
and large, that influence the ways in which characters meet a deal with their
problems (Roberts and Henry 55). It is often found in the story that
characters is a problem in plot and also can take the reader to know the
meaning of plot in literary work.
Character has significant rule. Characters live in a story, like a
human being. As we know that a characer is someone told in the story.
Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral,
intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say
and their distictive ways of saying it-the dialogue-and from what they do-the
action (Abrams 32-33). Like a human being that a character has own
characteristic.
A character is interesting to be discussed in the novel The Little
Friend by Donna Tartt. Tarrt wasborn on December 23, 1963 in
Greenwood, Mississippi. When Donna Tarrt was born, she was very small
in size and she was often getting sick throughout her childhood, suffering
from such tonsillitis. Because Tartt was often sick, she rarely went to
school, she spent many days home. When she was getting sick Tartt used
that time and tried to read and started writting daily journal, poetry and
The little Friend is set in the fictional community of Alexandria,
Mississippi, which is similar to the two communities in which the author
lived as a child, Greenwood and Grenada, Missisippi.
It tells about a mysterious adventure, centered on a young girl,
Harriet Cleve Dufresness. She is living in Mississippi in the early 1970s.
She lives with her sister Allison and her mother Charlotte. Because of she
was smart, before she was a year old. Though she’d been less than six
months old when Robin died, Harriet said she could remember him. Harriet
always nightmares it was always dark, Sometimes Harriet saw the door
opening but she always woke up before she saw a face.
One day, she felt worried about unexplained death of her brother,
Robin, who was found hanging from a tree in his parents’ yard in 1964 at
the age of nine.
Twelve years later Robin’s murder is still unsolved and his family
remains devastated. So it is that Robin’s sister, Harriet, tries to set out to
unmask his killer. Harriet decides to take on her friend, Hely, to help her
to find who killed her brother, Robin. Harriet decides one day that she
must find out what really happened to Robin and who is responsible for it.
She gets a clue when the housekeeper, Ida Rhew , she tells her that a boy
named Danny Ratliff had fought with Robin shortly before his death.
The Ratliffs are a notorious family in the area who are known for
stealing and dealing drugs. Harriet is convinced that Danny must be
than her, and begins investigation. Harriet and Hely spy on the Danny and
sneak into Eugene’s apartment. Before they escape, they release several
snakes and are seen by the brothers. Harriet continues to follow Danny
until she knowswho killed her brother.
She tried to find out evidence the death of her brother. Strong-willed
and smart, she also decides she want to bring Danny to justice but the
murderer was never identified or caught. So Harriet is difficult to bring
Danny to justice.
To understand the case, this study will explore about the character
and characterization to reveal the actions of the main character in the novel
The Little Friend. It also intends to find out what kind of effect that the
characters get after doing the action. This novel is chosen because it
carries much of meaningful of life knowledge.
1.2 Statements of Problems
Based on the background of the study explained above, this study
will observe The Little Friend by questioning:
1. How is the character of Harriet in TheLittle Friend?
2. What is Harriet’s motiveto know her brother’s killer?
3. How does she find the killing mystery?
1.3 Purposeof the Study
In accordance obout the statement of the problem stated above, this
1. To describe the character of Harriet
2. To find out Harriet’s motif of her brother’s killing
3. To find out the killing mystery
1.4 Significance of the Study
Through this study, it is expected that the reader will enrich the
knowledge of the illustration of character and characterization which may
be done by them. It is purposed giving both theoritical and practical
contribution for everyone. Theoretically, the results of the study are
expected to give contribution to develop the study and analysis on literary
study on Harriet character in a novel The Little friend by Donna Tartt.
Besides, the reader will be able to appreciate the literary work itself as a
human’s work which serves another side of human’s life, especially Donna
Tartt’s literary work.
On the hand, the researcher hopes to provide valuable input to several
parts: first, it is expected that this study will be useful for students of
English as a reference. Secondly, it is expected that this research can give
significant contribution for future researchers who are interested to do
research like this study.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
This research aims to analyze the novel The Little Friend by Donna
Tartt. It will not talk about other character but this study just focuses on
statement of the problem stated above, Harriet Cleve Dufresness character
and characterization becomes the most important poin to analyze. However,
some other characters that Harriet interacts with will be also the object for
analysis and will be limited to Harriet familly using New criticism theory.
1.6 Method of the Study
This chapter discusses how the research is conducted. It consists of four
main sub chapters consisting of research design, source of data, procedure
of data collection, and procedure of data analysis.
1. Research Design
To answer the problems of the study, the research used the
qualitative method and the way that uses by library based. Laurence
Neuman says that it (library research) is also called qualitative research
in which the data are in the form of text, written words, phrases or
symbol; it is not concerned with any number 972). This study uses
Little Friend a novel written by Donna Tartt. It uses qualitative
merhod, because qualitative taken to analysis is about analyzing and
this study want to get a valid description about Harriet character and
characterization and also to find out brothers’ killing mystery. Based
on the problem above, this study used the theory of new criticism.
2. Source of Data
The main of source data for this analysis is the novel of Donna tartt
under the tittle The Little Friend. This research analyzes Harriet
sentences in the novel and also related to problem of the
study.supporting data will be taken by reading book, PDF, thesis and
journal.
3. Procedure of Data Collection
Data is the most important aspects in conducting a research, so data
must be collected effectively. Procedure of data collection is a parts of
research method to explain how the data collection support the
research which we analyze. In collecting data for the research which
based on the qualitative method, steps of data collecting are as follows:
a. Preparing The Little Friend novel as the main data.
b. Reading the novel to get the complete and well understanding
on the story.
c. Collecting the data from the novel by comprehending reading
to get the accurate data.
d. Selecting the related references that supported the data
collection.
e. Collecting the data in novel to find forms of narrations and
coversations in the novel which is related to problem of the
study.
f. Searching the theory which is related to the problem.
g. Analyzing the data collection dealing with the statement of the
h. Making conclusion based on the result of the data analysis.
4. Prucedure of Data analysis
After collecting the data, the researcher conducts analysis of the
data. It is devided into some steps. First, the researcher classifies some
phrases, sentence, paragraph and dialogue which show the motive to
know her brother’s killer as well as its effect towards the character’s
life in the novel. Then the researcher will connect the theory with the
data. The last, the researcher tries to interpret and make thesis
statements from the analysis of data.
1.7 Definition of Key Terms
There are some definitions of key terms related to this study:
Imagination : The action of forming mental images (Glover 23)
Conflict : The opposition between two characters, between large
group people, or between protagonist and larger forces such
as natural objects, ideas, modes of behaviour, publict
opinion, and the like (Robert and Jacobs 1694)
Mystery : A book, film, or play, especially about a crime or a
events that have happened
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoritical Framework
This chapter delivers some theories used to analyze the object.
This research explains about the theories that are going to be used to
analyze the novel The Little friend by Donna Tarrt. Theoretical framework
may be useful to bring an understanding and comprehension on the
theories including the fundamental concept and how it works on literary
work analysis.
This thesis applies the new criticisma as the whole discussion in
the thesis. In analyzing this subject, the new criticism theory, which are
about character and characterization that cannot be separated one another.
This study focuses on Harriet Cleve Dufresness character in this research.
Besides that, Psychology theory and theory of ambition will be supporting
theory fot the analysis.
2.1.1New Criticism
New criticism is dominated literary studies from the 1940s through
the 1960s (Tyson 135). New criticism involves the careful analysis of a
literary text’s craft. It is how to paraphrase the text. It is based on the text.
Ignoring any historical context, any biographical information about an author,
any philosophical or psychological issues, or even any of a text’s political or
see how it works as a piece of art. It does not need to think about the
background of literary work making (Gillespie 172).
Some of the most important concepts concerning the nature and
importance of textual evidence (the use of concrete, specificexamples from
the text itself to validate the interpretations) have inconporated into the way
most literary critics today, regardless of the theoretical persuasion, support the
readings of literature. It supports for literary interpretation because the new
critics introduce to America and called “close reading,”has been standard
method of high school and college instruction in literary studies for the past
several decades (Tyson 135). The only way to know if a given author’s
intention or a given reader’s interpretation actually represents the text’s
meaning is to carefully examine, or “close read,” all the evidence provided by
the language of the text itself: its images, symbols, metaphors, rhyme, meter,
point of view, setting, characterization, plot, and so forth, because they form,
or shape, the literary work are called its formal elements. It needs to
understand the meaning of the text itself first. It related to the beliefs
concerning the proper way to interpret it (Tyson 137). The statements
describe that closely reading is the way to understand literary text meaning
and new criticism contributions related theory to analyze expecially in fiction.
The importance of the formal elements of a literary text is a
product of the nature of literary language, which for new criticism, is very
different from scientific language and from everyday language. Literary
and evocation of meanings and of shades of meaning. In addition, literary
language is expressive; it communicates tone, attitude, and feeling. While
everyday language is often connotative and expressive, too, in general it is not
deliberately or systematically so, for its chief purpose is practical. Everyday
language wants to get things done. Literary language, however, organizes
linguistic resources into a special arrangement of a complext unity, to create
an aesthetic experience, a world of its own (Tyson 138). The statements
describe that literary language is very different from scientific language and
from everyday language. Literary language depends on connotation but
everday language is depends on connotative and expressive to get things done.
New critics believed that a single best, or most accurate,
interpretation of each text could be discovered that best represents the text
itself: that best explains what the text means and how the text produces that
meaning, in other words, that best explains its organic unity (Tyson 148).
In this case, new criticism’s success in focusing our attention on
the formal elements of the text and on their relationship to the meaning of the
text is evident in the way we study literature today, regardless of our
theoretical perspective. For whatever theoretical framework we use to
interpret a text, we always support our interpretation with concrete evidence
from the text that usually includes attention to formal elements, and, with the
notable exception of some deconstructive and readerresponse interpretations,
we usually try to produce an interpretation that conveys some sense of the text
Few students today, however, are aware of new criticism’s
contribution to literary studies or of the theoretical framework that underlies
the classroom instruction it has fostered.New criticism’s definition of the
literary text and method of interpreting it, and structuralism rejects new
criticism’s focus on the individual literary work (Tyson 135). From any
statements, it is so clear that in order to analyze Harriet character in the novel
The Little Friend by donna Tarrt, this research will use new criticism theory as
a primary data. For this case,the theory focuses on character and
characterization.
2.1.2Character
Someone who is reading a literary work of course they understand
what in the literature is. In general a literary writer wants to make the reader
feel like to know all of about literary work. Generally in the literature there is
a character from whose the author wants to show the value of literary works
more in the story but still wants to make the reader feel curious, so the reader
wants to know the true meaning of a character created by the author of the
literary work.
In the real work of literature, a literary author usually describes about
the character in his work. Character is one of intrinsic elements in fiction or
narrative work. It is an important element in narrative work or in a story that
can be study. Character often becomes the most important to discuss
Holman states that character is a brief description sketch of a personage who
typifies some definite quality. Describing character is not as individualized
personality but as an example of some view or virtues or types (74).
Holman in A book to literature explains that character is a
complocated term. It is included the ideas of moral constitution of human
personality, the presence of moral uprightness, and the simpler notion of the
presence of creatures in art that seem to be human beings of one sort to
another (63). The statements describes that character is a representation of
human being in literary art which describes the life of human in the real life.
Character is a person in a dramatic or narrative work which
naturally processes moral dispotitional qualities that are expressed in what he
rays through the dialoque and what he does through his/her action (Abrams
20). It means that character is in the story has relevancy with each other;
actually the reader will give interpretation about the character in the story by
them selves (Nurgiyantono 166).
As we know that a character is someone told in the story.
Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral,
intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say
and their distinctive ways of saying it the dialoque and from what they do the
action (Abrams 32-33). Like a human being that a character has own
Furthermore, Abrams states that there are two kinds of literary
characters, it is flat character and round character. Flat character is a
characters lack the development that seems to bring them to life, lack the
complexity that lets us know them as we know people in our lives, and seem
to represent “types” more than real personalities. A round character is
complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle
particularity; such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any
adequacy as a person in a real life, and like real persons, is capable of
surprising us (33). “Round” characterization, like “dynamic,” requires space
and emphasis; is obviously usable for characters focal for point of view or
interest; hence is ordinarily combined with “flat” treatment of background
figures the “chorus.” (Wellek and Warren 227). It means that a round
character has attitude and personality in complex. It is more complex than flat
character. Flat characters tend to stay the same throughout a story, but round
characters often change. So, a flat character is known the character has his or
her virtuous and vices from the start the story tell about than a round
character.
In literary works, especially fiction works, characters are divided
into some types, they are major character and minor character. Major
character is main character when it is almost in whole of story. It is also
related with other characters in the story. On the other hand, minor character is
small character when it is only in some parts in the story. Usually minor
(Nurgiyantoro 176-177). The statements describes that major character is the
main character of the story and minor character is just small character in the
story and usually minor character always has correlation both of them.
In addition with types of character above, there are also any two
types of characters. It is protagonist character and antagonist character.
Protagonist character is like hero, this character usually we like because he or
she shows sympathy and our looking. Antagonist character is causes from
conflict happens (Nurgiyantoro 178-179). The major character is sometimes
called a protagonist whose conflict with an antagonist may spark the story’s
conflict. Supporting the major character are one or more secondary and minor
character whose function is partly to illluminate the major characters. Minor
characters are often static or unchanging: they remain the same from the
begining of a work to the end (Di Yanni 55). When we find a character or
characters who seem to be a major force in opposition to the protagonists
(Madden 66). So, there are many types of characters, as like: flat character,
round character, major character, minor character, protagonist character, and
antagonist character. It means that protagonist character is like hero in the
story because she or he always shows sympathy to our audiens, and antagonist
character is causes from conflict happent in the story.
Based on reflection of the character, there are; typical character and
neutral character. Typical character is character that often appears in working
Neutral character is character that always exists for the story (Nurgiyantoro
191-192).
Characters in fiction are divided in some types, the first,
significance role in developing story there main character and peripheral
character. Main character is a main person that appears in almost all sense in
the whole story, he or she always be told sides of her or his life, but peripheral
character is supporting character, they just exist when have correlation with
main character (Nurgiyanti 176-177). It means that main character is main
person of story she or he get important character of his or her life in the story,
but peripheral just supporting character, they just exist when she or he has
correlation with main character in the story.
By knowing about character, it helps to make easy to analyze
Harriet Cleve Dufresness. This study focuses on woman character named
harriet Cleve Dufresness. It will help to get more knowledge about Harriet
Cleve Dufresness, so we can know more about her character in the story.
2.1.3Characterization
Characterization is one of intrinsic elements in fiction or narrative
work. It is an important element in narrative work or in a story that can be
study. Characterization is the creation of these imaginary persons, so that they
exist for the reader as real within the limits of the fiction and have ablity to
characterize the people of one’s imagination successfully is a primary attribute
Characterization is one of the method to present the character in
the author’s works. When the reader reads a literary work, they can
understand the character personality. Characterization is also a thing that
author delivered message by description, behaviors speeches, and dialoque on
the text in the story (Kusumo 15-16). Through explanation in the dialoque,
characterization as depicting in writing to make image of person clearly in his
action though and life (Seymour Chatman 107).
There are two methods of characterization; showing and telling
(Abrams 33). Showing is when the author presents the character’s expression
then leaves the readers disposition. Telling is when the author describes and
usually evaluate disposition quality. Telling is such as honest, lie, evil
characters and so on.
Holman states that there are three fundamental methods of
characterization in fiction:
1. The explicit presentation by the author of the character through
direct exposition, either in an introductory block or more often
piecemeal throughout the work, illustrated by action
2. The presentation of the character in action, with little or no explicit
comment by the author, in the expectation that the reader will be
able to deduce the attributes of the actor from the actions
3. The representation from within a character, without comment on
the character by the author, of the impact of actions and emotions
will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character
(78). The statements describes that an understanding of the
characterization will help more to learn and reveal the characters in
the story.
Dealing with method of characterization, Aristotle states that
characterization has three methods: thoso are harmotton, homoious, and
hamalon. Halmotton is traits bought by the character that should to be
good detail and related to the action. Homoious is when the author wants
to writes a legend story. Hamalon is the trait revealed through the
speeches at the end of the story should be the same as those revealed
through the speeches at the beginning (Chatman 110).
There are some methods of characterization. An author commonly
characterizes their characters in order to create life like characters in their
novels. The first method is indirect presentation and the second is direct
presentation (Holman 138). The author describes his character indirectly
by using the first method. He usually through the character speeches and
actions, may reveals what the characters themselves say, as speeches may
be expected to indicate the character of the speaker. It may be reflected a
momentary emotional or intellectual state. Besides speech, an author can
also use the actions of his characters to describe the character traits of
One the other hand, Pooly (538) says that the authors may use any
or all of four different methods in characterizing their characters. Those
methods are:
1. He may describe the character’s physical traith personality, in
terms of physical traits, the author may use the objective such
as beautiful, short, blond hair and etc to describe her character.
2. He may show the character’s speech and behaviour, in this
point, the characterization is shown by the behaviour and
speech of the character such as when the character speaks in a
loud tone, the author maybe want to show the reader that is
character is bed-tempered.
3. He may give the opinions and reaction of other character
toward and behaviour, in this points the characterization of
character is show though other’s character opinion toward the
certain character.
4. He may show the character’s though and feelings, in this point
the characterization of certain character is show a certain
character always think that no one in the world is smart but
him, by this thought, the reader can determine that this
character is arrogant.
An understanding of the characterization will help more to learn
the analysis of the character. It can be important study to do in this
research to describe Herriet Cleve Dufresness’s characterization.
2.1.4 Psychological Approach and Ambition
The writer chooses psychology theory to analyze Harriet psychology
problems and the motive to know who kill Harriet’s nrother. Wellek and
Warren states that we may mean the psychological study of the writer, as type
and as individual, or the study of creative process, or the study of the
psychological types and laws presented within works of literature, or finally,
the effect of literature upon its reader (audience psychology) (81).
The psychological approach to literature is less complicated and may be
a help to the readers in exploring the character deeper and also give a better
understanding of the story. By using the psychological aproach, the writer of
the thesis expects to have a better understanding, and wider perspective in
analyzing the work.
From the analysis above is about ambition of the main characters, this
thesis use theory of ambition in order to get more knowledge about what is
ambition and what people will do for their ambition or the characteristics of
ambition. So, the researcher use this theory to analyze the ambition of Harriet.
Tatenhove stated that ambition is energy, expressed in active
behaviors toward some purpose or aspiration (19). It means that ambition is
energy of a human being and expressed in the form of behavior in order to
Austria, a long with Freud and Jung is regarded as a pioneer of psychology,
stated that ambition is a natural desire to reach higher levels of completeness
and fulfillment (Tatenhove 21). It means that ambition is a desire of every
person to achieve what they want or what they aspire to be a higher levels.
From the definitions of ambition above, this thesis several
characteristics’ of ambition, there is purpose or ideas to achieve the ambition in
the story, there is the effort from people who have aambition, and ambition
also natural desires or owne by every people.
Someone is called t be ambitious when he or she has a strong desire to
achieve someting in the life. One’s ambition can be wealth, power, luxury,
honor, security, prestige, or any personal satisfaction, or gratification (Fleet
102). It means that someone can call to be ambitious people when they have a
strong desire in their life to achieve their desire. If someone has ambition, the
ambition will be wealth, power, privilege, or personal satisfaction for those
who have ambotions if they could achieve it.
Bahm stated that man’s ambitiom involves some feeling of
satisfaction and frustration (136). It is believed that an ambitious person will
strive to achieve his desired goals. If their goal can be fulfilled, they will be
satisfied. However, if they can not reach their goal, they will be frustrated.
From the statements about ambtion above, this thesis concludes that
ambition is the desire of every person to achieve what they want or what they
aspire, and they will apply their wishes in the form behaviour or business for
their life, and they will make efforts so that their ambitions could be achieved,
because if their ambitions can be achieve will be wealth, power or personal
satisfaction for them. People who has ambitions are good, but if someone is too
much processed by their ambition, it is become very dangerour, because the
ambition can make unable to control them.
2.1.5 Review of Related Study
In review of literature, this thesis finds out some related research that
had been researched by Marvin J. Lahood has entitled “The Central Character
to Understand family Tradition” The Little Friend” by Donna Tartt’s. This
journal interested to discussing about all of the character’s of the novel. In this
journal, the writer explained all characters in the novel, as like Robin,
Allison, Hely, her neurotic mother, Edi, Edi’s three sister, Libby, Tattycorum,
Harriet, Adelaide, Danny, Ratriffs and Charlotte. The journal also discusses
about family tradition, class, race, the tradition of storytelling.
Meanwhile in this research, it just explains the main character of the
novel, Harriet Clave Dufresness. The thesis discusses that Harriet has
ambition to know her brother’s killer because their family does not care about
that and Harriet relies on her friend, Hely, to find out who killed her brothers,
Robin. To find and discuss the writer used new criticism theory to support the
thesis. Besides that, psychology theory and theory of ambition will be
CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer tries to analyze the character of Harriet as
the main character in the story. Then, this analysis continues
aboutHarriet’s motive to know her brother’s killer and to find the killing
mystery of the death Robin. She tries to find out the tragedy of her
brother’s killing. Harriet relies on her friend, Hely, to find out who killed
her brother Robin.
1.1.The Character of Harriet Cleve Dufresness
As Nurgiyantoro state that the main character is an important
character in a story that appeared continually (176), this part will explain
about the main character, Harriet Cleve Dufresness, who becomes the
center discussion in the novel. It can be seen by the domination of
Harriet’s character in the whole story from beginning, middle and until the
end of the story.
1. Smart
Her baby sister Harriet claimed to recall things that happened before she was a year old. Though she’d been less than six months old when Robin died, Harriet said she could remember him; and Allison and the rest of the Cleves believed that this was probably the truth. Every now and then Harriet came out with some obscure but shockingly accurate bit of information—details of weather or dress, menus from birthday parties attended before she was two— that made everyone’s jaw drop (Tartt 04).
From the quotation above it, explains that when she was baby,
Harriet was smart. Actually, she knew about the incident. When she was
baby, because of hes intelligence,she could record all events that are in the
vicinity. She was difficult to unravel all these events alone. Because she
was very smart in her family, she tries to find out who killed her brothers,
Robin, although in her family, there was no one who is brave to express
who killed her brother Robin.
When he returned in her nightmares it was always dark: a cold breeze blowing through the house, curtains fluttering, and all the windows and doors ajar as she ran to and fro slamming the sashes, fumbling with the locks, her mother sitting unconcerned on the sofa with cold-cream on her face, never moving a finger to help, and never enough time before the glass shattered and the gloved hand reached through to run the knob. Sometimes Harriet saw the door opening but she always woke up before she saw a face (27).
At the time of the evening, Harriet always had nightmares. She
always dreamed about the murder of her brothers, Robin. Almost, every
day she always dreamed the same thing about the murder of Robin. In the
dream, she almost saw the faces of the murderer of Robin. Unfortunately,
when she almost to see the face of murderer, she always wake up before
seeing the faces of the murderer.
2. Naughty
She was twelve years old and in the seventh grade. Though she was a student, the teachers had never known how to handle her. Sometimes they telephoned her mother, or Edie—who, as anyone who knew anything about the Cleves was aware, was the one you wanted to talk to; (Tarrt 18).
From the explanation above, it seen that the character of
Harriet was not only smart but also naughty and rude, even when she
the school that not to arrange and her teachers did not know how to
handle her.
Meanwhile, she was student not to be controlled in the class.
So teachers are not able to handle her anymore. Maybe if the teachers
called her parents, they can help to deal with naughty of Harriet in
school. Harriet was not disobedient, exactly, or unruly, but she was
haughty, and somehow managed to irritate nearly every adult with
whom she came in contact.
3. Boosy little girl
“Unlike Allison—whom other children accepted vaguely,
without quite knowing why—Harriet was a bossy little girl, not
particularly liked (Tarrt 20)”.From the statements above it proved that
Harriet wasbossy little girl. She was also tomboy, so her friends mostly
boys, mostly younger than herself. When at home, she was often
referred to as boosy little girl because she was very bossy person when
at home, such as when she wants to eat anything she always ruled her
aunt to serve her.
Meanwhile, when at school she often rules her friends. When in
the school,Harriet was famous as boosy little girl, when she played
with her friendsin the school garden, Harriet was not ashamed to
everything because since childhood she was used with all of it. One
thing might cause her rude and bossy in the family and schoolmates
because her family’s more attention to her sisters, Allison than Harriet.
Why her family’s more loving and attentive to her sisters, because her
sisters more beautiful that Harriet.
4. Articulate
When Harriet got a bit older, nine or ten, the fixation switched to archaeology. In this she found a willing if addled discussion partner in her aunt Tat. Tat had taught Latin for thirty years at the local high school; in retirement, she had developed an interest in. (Tarrt 23).
From the quotation above it explains that Harriet likes to discuss
with her aunt Tat about archeology. Harriet was smart girl who always
wanted to know about everything.She does not understand much about
Archeology.
Although, she also articulate about the Atlanteans. When Harriet’s
with her aunt Tat, she likes to discuss with her, not only about Atlanteans,
but also likes to discuss about all the things that she has to do with the
story of the murder of her brothers, Robin. When at school she was used to
leaved the library to look for books that he considers important and
interesting for her to read. When she came home she could discuss about
all the things she readsfrom the books.
5. Story lovers
large volume called Pompeii and Herculaneum: The Forgotten Cities , illustrated with color plates (Tarrt 24).
From the quotation above it proved that Harriet not only articulate
but also loves to read love stories in a romance dress novel. She did not
like the gladiator novel novels. Since the first Harriet loved to read books
about things that are related to education and besides.
Meanwhile, she also interested in the story of the lowest and the
dramatic destruction. When she read this novel, she knows that Harriet's
obsession with her family history almost the same with the story that she
read. So, Harriet would like to read the story of the Lowest and the
dramatic destruction, Because when she read the story she always
remembered the incident in her family very frightening. So, because of
that she wanted to find her brother's killer.
Though Tat shared Harriet’s interest in the buried city, from a
human-interest perspective, she did not understand why Harriet’s
fascination extended to even the lowliest and least dramatic aspects
of ruin: broken utensils, drab pot shards, corroded hunks of
undistinguished metal. Certainly she did not realize that Harriet’s
obsession with fragments had to do with her family’s history (Tarrt
25).
From the first since the death of her brother, Robin, she love
reading the story of the Lowest and dramatic destruction because there
was similarities in the story with the story of the tragedy that scary in her
family that caused the death of Robin hanging in a tree near his yard. That
story was very interesting and causes her to constantly learn and read
books about murder and dramatic story.
6. Like martial art
Harriet liked to set herself difficult physical tests (once, she as tried to see how long she could subsist on eighteen peanuts a day, the
Confederate ration at the end of the war), but mostly these involved suffering to no practical point. The only real goal she was able to think of—and it was a poor one—was to win first prize in the library’s Summer Reading Contest (Tarrt 45).
From the statements above it show thatHarriet liked to set physical
tests for the survival of the Suffering of life during this time. Harriet liked
martial art not only to keep himself but Also when she could learn martial art.
She could protect his family and found out who killed her brother's, Robin,
because she could learn martial art course she could keep her when she tried to
find the killer of her brother's Robin , So, she determined to learn the martial
art.
7. Malignant
Harriet! Though small, she was ferocious on the playground, and in a fight, she fought dirty. Once, when Fay Gardner tattled on her, Harriet had calmly reached under the desk and unfastened the oversized safety pin that held her kilt skirt together. (Tarrt 71).
From the quotation above, it explains that Harriet looked young but
she always looked adorable when on the playground. Though she looks
sweet, but actually she was very evil girl. Not only at home she was very
malignant but also rude to his classmates. When her friendsplaying she
easily cries, her loud and nasty. She said coolly when she complimented
her on the way home from school.
Although Harriet looked young, she was a girl who not easy to
defeat by his friends, even if the person was young or older. When she was
play the game, she was the type of person who is not easily discouraged,
she would do anything as long as she can win the game even if she had to
play dirty though.All day she had waited for her opportunity; and that
afternoon, when Fay was passing some papers out, she struck out like
lightning and stabbed Fay in the back of the hand. It was the only time
Hely had ever seen the principal beat a girl. Three licks with the paddle.
And she hadn’t cried. So what , she’d said coolly when she complimented
her on the way home from school.
1.2.Harriet’s Motive to Know Her Brother’s Killer
From those main character, it will classified about Harriet’s motive
to know her brother’s killer. There are many factors that influence the
attraction feeling of someone to another one as explained in the previous
chapter to know Harriet motif of her brother’s killer
1. The Revenge
Harriet wanted revenge for the death of her brothers, Robin. It was
hanging in a tree near her home. Since Robin died, her family so
destroyed and messy. Her mother has financial depression and would not
On a Friday morning in May, twelve years after Robin’s murder, Harriet was sitting at Edie’s kitchen table reading the journals of Captain Scott’s last expedition to the Antarctic. She and Allison often ate their breakfast at Edie’s house on school mornings. Ida Rhew, who did all the cooking, did not arrive at work until eight o’clock and their mother, who seldom ate much of anything anyway, had only a cigarette and occasionally a bottle of Pepsi for breakfast (Tarrt 29).
Harriet raring, if she finds the murderer of his brother Robin, she
will kill that person alone. She is sure will find her brother's killer because
she wanted to avenge his family over the death of Robin.
Hely’s heart plummeted. Harriet! he thought wildly. Where are you? These were the men who had killed her brother; when they found him (and they would find him, of that he was sure) they would kill him too(Tartt 177).
2. Instructions of the Dream
When he returned in her nightmares it was always dark: a cold breeze blowing through the house, curtains fluttering, and all the windows and doors ajar as she ran to and fro slamming the sashes, fumbling with the locks, her mother sitting unconcerned on the sofa with cold-cream on her face, never moving a finger to help, and never enough time before the glass shattered and the gloved hand reached through to run the knob. Sometimes Harriet saw the door opening but she always woke up before she saw a face (27).
From the statement above it, explains that she was always got an
instructions about the death of Robin. When the night, she was always a
nightmare. In the dream all tasted very dark, and there was a mysterious
person who comes to haunt Robin. The person who has killed the suspect
in Robin. At the time, she almost saw the faces of the murderers. She
always woke up before seeing the person. The dream often occurs
Sometimes, when Harriet was prowling the gloomy house late at night, she felt her dead brother draw close to her side, his silence friendly, confidential. She heard his footfall in the creakings of the floorboards, sensed him in the playing of a blown curtain or the arc of a door that swung open by itself. Occasionally, he was mischievous— hiding her book or her candy bar, replacing it on the seat of her chair when she wasn’t looking. Harriet enjoyed his company. Somehow she imagined that wherever he lived it was always night, and that when she wasn’t there, he was all by himself: fidgeting, lonely, swinging his legs, in a waiting room with ticking clocks (Tarrt 39).
From the quotation above, it shows that Harriet is always
thinkingabout the death of her brother's. She felt at the time of evening Came
her brother's always came over and moved to her side and always imagined
when she played together. Although she had a high courage and was smart but
she also often afraid when she felt her brother's Robin came over him.
Meanwhile, sometimes when Harriet was in the house at night, she felt
Robin came to meet her. She always imagined when she was playing, kidding
together and loved each other, but when Robin died anything changed. In the
past they often play together but when he was dead, Harriet felt scared when
considering about all the things that happened when along with her brother.
Here I am , she said to herself, on guard . For she felt the glow of his presence quite warmly when she sat at the window with the gun. Twelve years had passed since her brother’s death and much had altered or fallen away but the view from the living-room window had not changed. Even the tree was still there (Tarrt 39).
From the statements above, it proved that Harriet felt light enough of
presence felt when she sat at the window with a gun. Since the death of her
brother many sights did not change even the tree where her brother was killed
down the tree, the tree where her brother's Robin died hanging over the trees
are located around the yard.
3. Tragedy in her Family
The tragedy in her family reflected a spooky glamour on her which the boys found irresistible. Frequently she spoke of her dead brother, with a strange, willful obstinacy which implied not only that she had known Robin but that he was still alive. Time and again, the boys found themselves staring at the back of Harriet’s head or the side of her face. Sometimes it seemed to them as if she was Robin: a child like
themselves, returned from the grave and knowing things they didn’t. In her eyes they felt the sting of her dead brother’s gaze, through the mystery of their shared blood. (Tarrt 22).
From the statements above, it proved that tragedy in her family
reflected a spooky glamor on her until she determined to know her
brother's killer. Because of it was smart and curiosity, so deeply about
the tragedy in her family, Harriet tries to found out who killed her
brother's Robin who has not been resolved and remains a mystery in
the family.
Due to the tragedy that happened in her family, Harriet did not
know how the death of her brother Robin. Robin was just found
hanging in a tree in the yard near the house and until now no one has
managed to uncover the truth of who killed Robin. Why would he
hung on the tree, whether it was on purpose or were they trying to kill
him. Tragedy Who was the top killer of Robin's death still a mystery,
and until now no one has to know.
Because Harriet was a very smart girl, she was trying to
with the incident, and to date the tree where Robin was killed alive and
nothing was cut down the tree, it was the biggest reason for Harriet to
keep searching for the killer Robin.
When Ida rhew looking out the door over the sink, looking
something she strangeness in her neighborhood, even more clearly
outside the windows of the house Harriet. When she looked out the
window at the home town, she saw something that changed oddity
attention while.
The shrouded figures of Harriet and her disciples were an eerie presence in the neighborhood. Sometimes Ida Rhew, looking out the window over the sink, was hit by the strangeness of the little procession treading its grim way across the lawn (Tarrt 22).
1.3.Harriet Tries to Find Out The Killing Mystery
In this part, this thesis tries to describe the steps of killing mystery.
As explained in the previous part that Harriet tries to find the killing
mystery. Harriet wanted revenge for the death of her brothers, Robin it
was hanging in a tree near in the yard. By the time, when at night, Harriet
always nightmares about the death of Robin. Almost, every night she
always dreamed the same thing repeatedly.Then, which will bedescribe in
this part, why the incident and her Brother's death, what she had mistake
with others so she killed or the other way.
From the quotation above, it explains that Harriet tried to find the
killing mystery of Robin, Harriet tried to find the photographs as evidence
of Robin murder, and it was the reason why Harriet spent so much time at
home Edi. Harriet tried to find much evidence of photographs that were
found in the house Edi. It was the reason why she would not return and
would rather be at home Edi. Because when at Edi’s home she could find
a lot of evidence about Robin's death and who killed him. That was the
reason why Harriet maked so excited to find such evidence, because she
could not wait to find out who the real people who has been the mystery of
the death of Robin.
Edie had no idea that Harriet had found the pictures, and that they were one of the primary reasons Harriet spent so much time at her house. Harriet, equipped with a flashlight, studied them while sitting in the back of Edie’s musty-smelling closet behind the skirts of Edie’s Sunday dresses; sometimes she slipped the box inside her Barbie travelling case and carried it out to Edie’s tool shed, where Edie— glad to have Harriet out of her hair—allowed her to play undisturbed. (Tarrt 26).
From the statements above, it shows that After Robin death,
Harriet look out her brother’s on fire, Robin knew of the incident but
Harriet did not know about it, and the shine of the incident secret and will
be revealed, and Harriet was determined to uncover the murder of her
brother's. She found the mystery of pictures in Edie’s home. She think that
there was correlation with the deat of her brother. Several times she had
carried the photographs home overnight.
the dead? When Harriet was about seven or eight, she had gone to the library in town and asked for some books on magic. But when she got them home, she was enraged to discover that they contained only tricks: balls disappearing from under cups, quarters dropping from people’s ears. Opposite the window which depicted Jesus and her brother was a scene of Lazarus raised from the dead. Over and over again, Harriet read the story about Lazarus in the Bible, but it refused to address even the most basic questions. (Tarrt 29).
From the statements above, it explains that Christ’s was described
as a mystery. When Harriet was about seven or eight, she wants to solve
the mystery in her familys. She was a girl who loves to read romance
novels and books about fixion in the family. So, she had gone to the
library in the town and asked for some books on magic and Harriet read
the story about Lazarus in the Bible are still dealing with the death of her
brother's Robin.
The first time, she loved to read books about fixion. Harriet felt
when was about eight year, she was old enough to know the murder of her
brother Robin who died hanging on the tree. And one of the reasons she
likes to read books fixion because she felt it was the same story about
fixion with the events that befall his family who until today it still a
mistery.
Twelve years after Robin's murder, Harriet sat at the kitchen table
and read the journal expeditions, because she was very smart girl, when
she read the expedition journal. She started thinking how to find the
murder of her brother's Robin. Since the death of Robin her mother rarely
eat anything only cigarettes and a bottle of Pepsi for breakfast. Her mother
was very depressed over the death of her son very sad that he did not take
care of him and do not want to eat anything other than cigarettes and a
bottle of Pepsi.
Meanwhile, her mother setress because his son was dead hanging
in a tree next to the house. It could not be not received from the incident it
why none of the people who know about the incident when everyone in
the house. That was why Harriet has a desire to uncover the mystery death
of her brother Robin even though she knew about the incident.
The problem comes started when kitty Robin refused to eat some
food and was lying in the hot trotowar. Firstly she began resisting and
crying when picked up to leaved home, then she started to fuss when she
like the food and the last she began refusing to eat when wants, after she
was under house Edi's in check. Edie was veterinarian who was very
reliable and smart in taking care of animals, especially cats.
The problem was the children’s cat, which lay on a towel in a
cardboard box near Allison’s head. A week later, it had begun to refuse its
food.
the cat herself. It had been Robin’s kitty. He had found it lying on the hot sidewalk in the summertime—half dead, its eyes hardly open—and had brought it to her, gingerly, in his cupped palms. Edie had had a devil of a time saving it. A knot of maggots had eaten a hole in its side and she still remembered how meekly and uncomplainingly the little thing had lain while she washed the wound out, in a shallow basin of lukewarm water, and how pink the water was when she finished. (Tarrt 30).
Sadness still surrounds the death of Robin, especially Allison.
Allison kept on crying, though overall the same aunt had Described to
Edie. Edie was angry and snapped Allison because she kept on cried.
God only knowed about the death of Robin.
This rebuke was greeted only by a howl of anguish. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake,” said Edie, turning back to her breakfast. “Make her stop!” Allison wailed from the floor, hands clamped over her ears. “Shutup, Harriet,” said Edie. “But—” “No buts. Allison,” she said sharply, “get off the floor. Crying isn’t going to help the cat.” “I’m the only one here who loves Weenie. Nobody else ca-ha-hares.” (Tarrt 31).
To discover the murderer of her brother Robin, on one occasion
when they were in the kitchen. She asked Allison about the murders
Robin's the truth, because at the time of the incident Allison was there all
day so indirectly she has been aware of the incident. She just cried and did
not want them and answering questions at the time Ida Rhew approached
them and at the time it was Allison told him to leaved.
“I wish I was dead.” “Allison?” said Harriet. She didn’t answer.
“Do you know who killed Robin?” Allison began to pick at the crust of her sandwich. She peeled off a strip; she rolled it into a ball between thumb and forefinger.
From the quotation above, it shows that Harriet always stared at
Allison's eyes, she just wants Allison to help him to find who killed her
brother Robin but Allison would not give in and stubbornly unwilling to
help figure out the murderer of her brother's Robin. Harriet always asked
to Allison about Robin, because she ever read in newspaper down of
library. They said were out there the whole time when Robin was death.
Allison speared a tomato slice with her fork and ate it, nibbling delicately around the edges. “Listen. I had a dream last night.” Allison looked up at her, startled. Harriet—who had not failed to notice this leap of attention on Allison’s part—carefully recounted her dream of the night before. “I think it was trying to tell me something,” she said. “I think I’m supposed to try to find out who killed Robin.” She finished her sandwich. Allison was still looking at her. Edie—Harriet knew—was wrong in believing that Allison was stupid; it was just very difficult to tell what she was thinking and you had to be careful around her in order not to frighten her. “I want you to help me,” said Harriet. “Weenie would want you to help me, too. He loved Robin. He was Robin’s kitty.” (Tarrt 54).
In his journey Harriet was a girl who was arrogant and very
different to Robin. Everyone does anyone know if Robin with Harriet is a
brother, harriet so serius in acting while Robin was very slow and
therefore he differed with Robin. Because she tried to find out the
beginning of the death her brother's Robin along with Helly. Although at
the time of the incident Helly has not been born into the world. In their
quest to found her brother's murder mystery Robin, she always used her
imagination.
you’ve been reading too much Nancy Drew, sweetie,” he said to her. “All that stuff happened before Hely was even born.” He practiced a golf swing with an invisible club. “There used to be three or four trains that stopped here every day, and you had a lot more tramps over around the railroad tracks.”(Tarrt 59).
From the statements above, it proved that Helly felt suspicious
with Danny, she thinks that Danny who killed her brother's Robin Because
he just got out of prison, he also once shot a man in the leg and he also
knew Robin since he was little. He is a friend who was very dangerous.
Helly know all that happened about Danny and his criminal record so far,
but he was afraid to say something about that to Harriet.
“Kids do that. Danny Ratliff—geez. He used to brag all the time about stuff he never did, like shooting people in the kneecaps and throwing rattlesnakes in old ladies’ cars. “He—Danny’s just nuts,” he said. “Where can I find this Danny?” “Whoa. You don’t want to mess around with Danny Ratliff. He just got out of prison.” “What for?”(Tarrt 59).
From the statements above it shows that When Helly said to
Harriet that Danny who killed her brother Robin, Harriet was shocked
when she heard the news of Helly. Robin knew Danny as a child and was
in the fourth grade. At that moment she wanted to meet him and where she
could found him Because she was so sure that Danny did.
At the beginning, when Robin was in school Danny often meet and
invite him to play with Robin. Danny also often pinched and hit Robin, he
also never kicked a friend of her classes and she was also breathing in
prison for killing someone by shooting his leg.
Now she already has his first name of the suspect who killed her
She also had the name of her first suspect. The very act of writing
it down made her realize how easy it would be to forget, how important it
would be from now on to put everything, everything, down on paper.
One day suddenly struck her restless mind. Suddenly she jumped
out of bed and saw Danny Ratliff name in the book. But there was no
proper address, only 260 Rt.
Suddenly a thought struck her. Where did he live? She hopped out
of bed and went down to the telephone table in the front hall. When she
came to his name in the book— Danny Ratliff —a spidery little chill ran
down her back.
There was no proper address, only Rt 260 . Harriet, after gnawing her lip in indecision, dialed the number and inhaled with sharp surprise when it was caught up on the first ring (ugly television clatter in the background). A man barked: “Yellope!”(Tarrt 67).
Because curiosity Harriet were very eager to found her brother's
killer Robin, she did a variety of ways to unravel all the mysteries that has
a big question mark remainsunresolved. Harriet tried to find information
about Robin from Adelaide and she told her all about Robin.
“I wanted to talk to you about Robin,” said Harriet, who saw no use in edging gracefully up to the subject. “What’s that you’re saying, sweet?” said Adelaide, eyeing a photograph of a charity ball. A slender young man in black tie—clear, confident, unspoilt face—was rocking back on his heels with laughter, one hand at the back of a sleek little brunette in sugar-pink ballgown and elbow gloves to match. “
Robin , Addie.”(Tarrt 69).
From the quotation above, it proved that She asked once more
desperately to Adelaide about when her brother Robin Died. At that time
