KIDNAPPED

The novel of Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson tells about the story of David Balfour’s adventure. Nate Kaufman (2004) in their research paper about literature in 19^th century explains that the story of kidnapped published in the 19^th century in the progress of British Empiricism. He also said that the story of kidnapped is an interesting adventure tale, worthy of scrutiny, because of the books duality of them self, portrayed by two distinct characters, namely Alan Breck and David Balfour.

This paper tries to explain a limited number of elements of fiction about this novel in depth in purpose to illustrate the points of these elements of fictions clearly, effectively, and specifically.

2.     Analysis

2.1. Characterization of Main Characters

There are several major characters based on the novel of Kidnapped that shows certain characterization in the story.  David Balfour, the protagonist main character who always talked in the story as the first person narrator build the plots the story base of his journey to Cramond to meet his uncle. The common personality of him showed by the author by what the character says, think, and what the character does. In the conversation between David Balfour and Mr. Campbell on chapter one revealed the characterization of David Balfour;

“ My father and mother, since they are both dead, I shall be no nearer to in Essendean than in the Kingdom of Hungary, and, to speak truth, if I thought I had a chance to better myself where I was going I would go with a good will.(I :12)”

The citation above is what David Balfour said to Mr. Campbell which reveals that David Balfour is an honest and faithful orphan by mentions that the both of his father and mother died, planning to speak truth, and he would go with a good willing. Another part which also shows the characterization of the main character is when David saves Alan Breck Stewart from being murdered by Captain Hoseason. It shows the characterization of David Balfour by what he does that he is a courage gentleman who kindly help each other.

The second main character seems to be Alan Breck Stewart who also most talked in the story. Alan Breck Steward is a buddy of David Balfour in his struggle of the adventure to find his uncle. The author defined Alan’s characterization almost by what he says, what he does, and what the others characters say or think about him. In the story, Alan Breck Stewart is an admirable man with his courage and loyalty. It showed when Alan pledges to help David to regain his identity and inheritance, Alan’s courage also shown on chapter X when he pointing a naked sword to Captain Hoseason and try to murder him, and there much more event that show his characterization. Not only that but he also a foolish man showed by his obvious vanity and childlike innocence. It is revealed when he was introducing his name to David Balfour; ‘My name is Stewart,’ he said, drawing himself up.‘Alan Breck, they call me. A king’s name is good enough for me, though I bear it plain and have the name of no farm-midden to clap to the hind-end of it” (X: 105). From what he says above, it clearly showed that Alan Breck Steward is an obvious and childish man by saying that he has a king’s name. Previously also revealed by what David Balfour think about Alan just before he introduce his name.

The main antagonist character in the story of kidnapped is Captain Hoseason. It proofed with the dominance mentioned in the story and also has a great effect of the plot of the story. The story tells that Captain Hoseason is the main subject who kidnaped both David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart in his ship in the journey to Cramond. Captain Hoseason is a hypocrite man. It revealed in chapter V when Mr. Shuan kills Ransome. Hoseason feels sory about it but actualy he know that event but he do not stop Mr. Shuan to kill that boy, whereas Hoseason is a religious man.

2.2. Settings

2.2.1.      Physical Settings

Generally, focus on the physical setting of the story of kidnapped is taken place in Scotland that mentioned several time in the story. Besides general setting, the story is also contains a lot of specific or even very specific setting of places that influence characters mood such as David’s Father’s house which the places when the author begin to introducing the story in chapter I. In the top of a hill which strongly influences the atmosphere of main character (David Balfour), it is written on first paragraph in chapter II;

“On the forenoon of the second day, coming to the top of a hill, I saw all the country fall away before me down to the sea; and in the midst of this descent, on a long ridge, the city of Edinburgh smoking like a kiln”(II : 19). The most setting type in this story seems that it uses Natural Setting Type. It proofed by the places where the conflicts happen placed out door. For example; at the countryside of Cramond, there seems an internal conflict inside David’s feelings; “A little farther on, and I was told I was in Cramond parish, and began to substitute in my inquiries the name of the house of Shaws” (II: 20). Also written just after that; “At first I thought the plainness of my appearance, in my country habit, and that all dusty from the road, consorted ill with the greatness of the place to which I was bound”(II: 20). The statement above also proof that the new place in Cramond risings the internal conflict of main character David Balfour, he must do an adaptation in the new country habits. It is indirectly influence Devid’s mood. Then the place that the most of conflicts happen is on the ship of Houseason. Of course it influences the atmosphere of the story, for example; when David and Alan kidnapped in a ship, there is the place when David Balfour meets Alan Breck Stewart for the first time, when Mr. Shuan kills the cabin-boy, The Captain Hoseason murder Alan Breck Stewart, and much more, all of that conflicts are deeply impress the main characters’ psychology, mentality, though, or even in religious view by the hypocrisy of Captain Hoseason. And another influenced setting of place is in the island where David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart shipwrecked is the place when the internal or external conflicts of both David and Alan to rage frequently.

2.2.2.      Chronological Settings

Although Physical and Chronological settings are in an unite of settings that works together in determining the atmosphere, credibility, character, and organization of the story, but this paper tries to explain them separately in order to get more specific and clear explanation about the settings of this novel.

There are a lot of certain moments that influence the main characters’ mood in the story of David Balfour’s journey. In general statement, the story of kidnapped sets in June 1751. It clearly mentioned in chapter I when David Balfour begin the story of his adventure; “I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace

1751” (I: 11). Now focus to the more specific chronological settings. The author of this novel used a direct explanation in determining the time of the story, each chapter of the story contains certain chronological explanation that direct or indirectly influence the atmosphere of the story. Study of the citation below;

“For a day that was begun so ill, the day passed fairly well. We had the porridge cold again at noon, and hot porridge at night; porridge and small beer was my uncle’s diet.”(IV: 40).

If we analyze the chronological statement above, it has a meaning that it indirectly expresses the time that the story happens at night. The keywords that shows is the phrase; “the day passed fairly well”. The same chronological explanation also clearly grafted in chapter XIII; “It was already late at night, and as dark as it ever would be at that season of the year “. (XIII: 142).

           The more setting types and different timing explanation seems explained in chapter XIX; “Night fell as we were walking, and the clouds, which had broken up in the afternoon, settled in and thickened, so that it fell, for the season of the year, extremely dark”. (XIX: 215). Instantly the readers can easily understand that it explains that the story was happening in rainy season. This setting also influence the conflicts that they may be different with others conflicts in different setting of time, for example; in rainy day the conflicts more disposed to internal conflict like conflict with nature, but in the dry season it may disposed more to external conflicts.

           Finally, the both Physical and Chronological settings are important in the story, it showed in the novels of kidnapped that they works together in the story in determining the atmosphere, credibility, character, and Irony of the story and also the characters mood.

2.3. Point of View

Point of view seems to be an interesting element in this story. The author developed the story with a certain type point of view that more inspire the content of the story. Let study the following statement; “I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father’s house”.(I: 11). Above shows that the authors used pronoun “I” as a main character, it means that the type of point of view in the story is Firs Person Point Of View where the author is as the main character in the story.

3.     Works Cited

Articles/Essay:

Stevenson, Robert Louis, Kidnapped, planet pdf. (www.planetpdf.com)

Kaufman, Nate. 2004. 19^th Century Literature. Page: 1 (http://www.unomaha.edu/techcomm/kaufman/research_paper_19th-2.pdf)

Website:

http://www.novelexplorer.com/kidnapped/overview-38/

http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2005/5/3/14375/Kidnapped_%28novel%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kiddnaped/