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 19th century explains
that the story of kidnapped published
in the 19th 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. 19th 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/