2. THE PROBLEMS OF DANIEL STONE’S
FAMILY AS REFLECTED IN JODI
PICOULT’S THE TENTH CIRCLE:
A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH
Presented by :
Fatah Ahmadi
09004212
3. 1. Background of the Study
As human being, people in the world are never
free of the problem. In daily life people usually find
many sets of problem beside happiness.
The problem does not only happen in one
individual, but it can happen in a group of human
likes in an environment, for
example, family, school, social, country, literature, cu
lture, etc.
As a creature of God, human should be solved the
problem wisely.
4. 2. Identification of the Problem
There are many problems found in this novel.
First, Trixie Stone, Daniel Stone’s daughter who broke off
from her boyfriend, raped by her ex boyfriend, tried to
commit suicide, and run away from her house.
Second, Laura Stone, Daniel Stone’s wife, has an affair
with her student. Third, Daniel Stone is a father who can
not protect his daughter and get a lie from his wife. He
had also killed Jason, a boy who had raped his daughter.
Based on the problem in Daniel Stone’s family problem
above, the researcher will try to use a psychological study
as a way of analyzing Daniel Stones’s family problem of
novel entitled The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult.
5. 3. Limitation of the Problem
Limitation of the problems is needed to make the
research focused. Based on the identification of the
problem above, there are many interesting problems
shown by the author. Through reading intensively, the
researcher would like to focus on the problem of Daniel
Stone’s family as reflected in this novel. The researcher
limited the problem in order to that discussion is not
become more complicated and broad. This study will
discuss on the portrait of Daniel Stone’s family problems
as reflected in Jodi Picoult’s The Tenth Circle.
6. 4. Formulation of the Problem
The researcher formulates the study into
following questions:
• How does the author describe Daniel Stone
character?
• How does the author portray the problems of
Daniel Stone’s family?
• What are moral values can be taken from the
novel?
7. 5. Objective of the Study
The objectives of the study are:
• To find out the Daniel Stone character.
• To find out the problem of Daniel Stone’s family.
• To find out moral values can be taken from the
novel
8. 6. Significances of the Study
• In theoretically: The researcher wishes that this research
will give knowledge contribution to the literary research
especially the study about the personality and the
characters in this novel by using psychological approach.
• In practically: The researcher wishes this research will be
helpful as the controlling and evaluating means for the
reader to behave and act. For the lecturer, this research
will help them as the means in comprehending various
character or personality of their students. This research
is intended to give motivation to the reader to read and
study the literary work that written by Jodi Picoults.
9. 7. Theoretical Review
a. Biography of the author
Jodi Lynn Picoult (Jodi Picoult) is the best selling author of
the following novels: Songs of the Humpback
Whale (1992), Harvesting the Heart (1994), Picture
Perfect (1995), Mercy (1996), The Pact (1998); Keeping
Faith (1999), Plain Truth (2000), Salem Falls (2001), Perfect
Match (2002), Second Glance (2003), My Sister's
Keeper (2004), Vanishing Acts (2005), The Tenth
Circle (2006), Nineteen Minutes (2007), Change of
Heart (2008), Handle with Care (2009), House
Rules (2010), Sing You Home (2011). She is also the author
of Wonder Woman: Love and Murder (a collection of Wonder
Woman #6-10). In 2003 she was awarded the New England
Bookseller Award for Fiction
10. b. Character
Character is one of the intrinsic elements, refers to the doer in the
story of the novel. Character plays an important role in a literary
work. Sudjiman (1992:16) says that character is an important part
in a story to recognize individuals and figures involved in the story
for it gives both mental and physical feature of individuals or
figures. In the same way, Nurgiyantoro (2002:165) states that
character is the subject of the story. Character is a unique or
extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or
notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of
character; as, Randolph was a character; Caesar is a great
historical character.
(http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ch/character142889.html)
Abrams (2005:10) defines character as the person presented by
the readers as being endowed with moral and dispute qualities
that are expressed in what they say (the dialogue) and what they
do (the action). According to Subhan (2010:8) characters in a
novel divided into two groups, major and main character and
minor character.
11. c. The problem of family
Family problems represent a unique, but
common, category of adjustment difficulty that causes
people to seek psychological treatment. Problems can
develop in a couple relationship because of a medical or
psychological problem in either person, or in one of
their children. Parent-child problems can also create
distress within a family. Poor communication and
discipline problems are very common. Sometimes there
are constant battles between siblings, and the parents
cannot seem to resolve the conflicts
12. d. Psychological approach
Psychological approach is a science of human being. It
means of behavior and mental process. Psychological
approach is to study about human life
(Benjamin, 2:1987). Subhan (2010:59) says that
psychology can be used to he help a literary critic or a
literary researcher to explain, interpret and evaluate
literary work.
13. 8. Research Method
a. Type of the Study
This study is categorized into a library research.
Since all data sources are taken from libraries. The
technique/method of library research is a method used
in finding, studying, and selecting the book which the
data source from library. The other sources are some
books, movie and internet source which related to the
topic of the discussion.
In this cases, the subject is The Tenth Cicle novel. It
consists of 504 pages and published by London: Hodder
& Stoughton Ltd. Meanwhile, the object is the
psychology of Daniel Stone’s family character.
14. 9. Data Collecting Method
Data of this research can be analyzed into primary and
secondary data.
• Primary data
The primary data is The Tenth Circle novel. The
researcher reads and observes the novel carefully and
critically. The activity to read the novel is not only once but
many times. From the novel, the researcher makes notes
into the draft.
• Secondary data
Secondary data are data that are gathered to support
the primary data. They were taken from the sources like
collection/critical books, reviews, and some essays about all
that related to the novel. The secondary data of this research
are taken from other sources such as some critical
books, library, movie and also internet to help the researcher
to interpret The Tenth Circle novel easier.
15. Bibliography
• Picoult, Jodi. 2006. The Tenth Circle. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
• Picoult, Jodi. 2008. The Tenth Circle Lingkaran Kesepuluh. Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
• Alvare, Helen. 2009. Origins’ Magazine (The Family and The Values of Human Life).
• Bugin, Burhan. 2005. Analisis Data Penelitian Kualitatif. Jakarta: P.T. Raja Grafindo Persada
• Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 2002. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada Univ. Press
• Subhan, Bustami. 2010. A Guide to Literary Criticism. Yogyakarta: Debut Press
• Sudjiman, panuti. 1992. Memahami cerita rekaan. Bandung: P.T. Dunia Pustaka Jaya
• Wallek, Rene and Warren, Austen. 1978. Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt Grace and
World, Inc
• Murray Bowen. 1978. “Problems of Medical Practice Presented by Families With a Schizophrenic
Member” in Family Therapy in Clinical Practice. New York: Jason Aronson.
Electronik Source :
• www.jodipicoult.com
• http://bestsellers.about.com/od/authorprofilesaz/p/jodi_picoult.htm
• http://www.bookrags.com/biography/jodi-picoult-dlb/
• http://www/langara.bc.ca/psychology.whatpsy.htm
• http://www.bookrags.com/biography/jodi-picoult-dlb/
• http://www.psychologyinfo.com/problems/family.html
• http://www.storybites.com/characterization2.htm
• http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ch/character142889.html
• http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/problem
