AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARACTER’S CONFLICTS IN THE

GLASS FILM BY M NIGHT SHYAMALAN

PROPOSAL

BY
NATASYA
REG. NO. 180705104

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH.

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES.

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA.

MEDAN 2022.
 TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENT.....................................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER I....................................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background of the Study................................................................................................................3
1.2 Problems of the Study....................................................................................................................5
1.3 Objectives of the Study...................................................................................................................5
1.4 Scope of the Study..........................................................................................................................5
1.5. Significance of the Study.................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER II...................................................................................................................................................7
REVIEW OF LITERATURE..............................................................................................................................7
2.1 Literature........................................................................................................................................7
2.2 Characterization.............................................................................................................................7
1. Setting..........................................................................................................................................9
2. Theme..........................................................................................................................................9
3. Plot............................................................................................................................................10
2.3 Conflict........................................................................................................................................10
2.3.1 kind of conflict............................................................................................................................11
1. Internal conflict...............................................................................................................................11
2. External conflict...............................................................................................................................12
CHAPTER III................................................................................................................................................13
METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH..................................................................................................................13
3.1 Research Method.........................................................................................................................13
3.2 Data and Source of Data..............................................................................................................13
3.3 Method of Collection Data...........................................................................................................13
3.4 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................15
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In this era, Film is one of the literary work’s that can explain the plot of the story with a
very clear compared with other literary work’s. Literary works like short stories, novels,
and others be specified in literature, which can not be separated from language, Anyhow
Literature is a imaginative work whether in poetic shape or dramatic or fiction. It always
communicates human experiences and employs devices of narrative. Film is a pary of
literature because they can be analyzed and interpreted in the same ways as traditional
written literature. Film on the other hand are mostly employed the spoken aspects of
communication like sounds. Sounds are dominated in film making. The writer will write
the result of this imagination in a form of literary work.

Literary works are divided into two types; they are fiction and nonfiction. Fiction work
means an imaginative story of the author or narrative work that does not contains
historical truth or true stories. Meanwhile, nonfiction is the work that made from the
results of scientific studies and experiences. Prose, poem, novel, and drama or plays are
including the kinds of fiction works. While, nonfiction works consist of essays,
autobiography, biography, literary criticism, etc. Long (1999: 3) stated that literary work
could open the readers' intelligence to know the essence of cultural, moral, political,
artistic, and education field. Literature adequate to unify these aspects and could be part
of various field in human life.

In this study, the reseacher choose Glass film, a 2019 American superhero film, written
and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, he was able to make me as a viewer, feel empathy
for the three main characters. Like pain and guilt, the point of view of the eyeball that
feels lost, the emotions that are tied to each other. That's all Shyamalan was able to pack
up with the cast who deserve appreciation. This film pretty much slips the emotional side

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of each character, the emptiness of the story that gives a lot of questions to the emptiness
of the character.

This “GLASS” film has two relationships with the two sequel before, namely “SPLIT”
and “UNBREAKABLE” because the main characters in the two previous sequels joined
in this Glass film.

Glass film tells about Bruce Willis returns to play David Dunn or The Overseer, a
security guard who has the ability to be immune and can see criminal acts committed by
someone just by touching him. Samuel L Jackson as Elijah Price aka Mr Glass, a genius
killer who has a bone disorder and has an obsession with comics. Spencer Treats Clark
as Joseph, the son of David Dunn who believes his father is a superhero and Charlayne
Woodard as the mother of Elijah Price. Meanwhile, from the SPLIT film, James
McAvoy and Anna Taylor-Joy are back in Glasss. James still plays Kevin Wendell
Crumb or The Horde, a former zoo officer who has 23 personalities and his body will
change according to each of them. While Anya plays Casey Cooke, a teenager who likes
to hurt himself and is stolen by one of Kevin Wendell's personalities

From the title, Glass seems to be centered on Mr Glass or Elijah Price. Glass shows that
David Dunn, Elijah Price, and Kevin Wendell are in the same place, like a rehabilitation
center. David Dunn is seen eyeing The Beast, one of Kevin Wendell's 23 personalities.

Elijah Price himself is a mysterious figure between David Dunn and Kevin Wendell,
who seems to know the secret between the two. Elijah himself made a mess that made
the rehabilitation center a mess

The Researcher focuses on describing the main characters’conflicts of and find out the
way how the main characters overcame their conflicts.

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1.2 Problems of the Study

The problems are important in which to be analyzed and It helps the Researcher to clear
the ambiguity about the object of the analysis. So here are some problems that should be
analyzed :
What are the reasons of conflict experienced by the main characters?
What kind of conflicts faced by main characters?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

Based on the. problem. statements, the. research. objective are :

1. To. describe the reason of conflicts experienced by the main characters

2. To. describe kind of conflicts faced by main characters

1.4 Scope of the Study

This research is concentrated on describing the main characters’ conflicts in a Glass Film
based on literary perspective. The analysis of the main characters is definitely focused on
descriptions of conversations (dialogues) and events in the play in order to find conflicts
phenomenon in main characters. And finally to describe how the conflicts are solved.

1.5. Significance of the Study

Theoretically, This study is expected to give contribution toward the improvement of

knowledge related to literary work, especially in analyzing conflict in film . Through
watching movie spectators will be easy to reflect from the main character’s survive to
solve her problems so, they are expected to be able to practice it in real life if they faced
the similar problem.

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Practically, this result of this research is expected to enrich and  able
to give some contribution or feedback to researchers , lecturers, and students of English
literature and other researchers in teaching and learning literature studies, especially kind
of conflict in the film.

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 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Literature

Literature is the imaginative  work that has an important role in the class of society and
the function of literature plays a role  serving the human life.
Arthur krystal (2009) explain that “literary means not only what is written but what is
voiced, what is expressed, what is invented, in whatever form”
There is a popular saying that exaggerates literature is only and the only thing to look at
life closely. As a portrait of humanity literature is a kind of bridge that talks and speaks
about human and humanity. It is a gift from the literary authors who stand as an
individual and social being. As a member of society, the literary writer is quite rich with
experiences and through language, he summarizes the experiences through the form of
literature such as poetry, drama or even prose work. To say simply, literature is an
imaginative work that deals with the life of human beings.
Roberts and Jacobs (1993:2) say that, ―Literature may be classified into four categories
or genre: prose fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction prose which classed as imaginative
literature. The genres of imaginative literature have much in common, but they also have
distinguishing characteristics. Prose says fiction, or narrative fiction, includes myths,
parables, romances, novels, and short stories. Originally, fiction meant anything made up,
crafted, or shaped, but today the word refers to prose stories based on the author‘s
imagination

2.2 Characterization

Character in film is giving characterization to the actors of the story. The nature that is
given will be reflected in the thoughts, speech, and views of the character towards
something. Character can be people, animals, object and others. If there is no character in
the film, the intrinsic element of the novel is imperfect. The personality of the character
will lead the character to act such as emotional behavioral, and all the logical things that

7
deals with the problems which faced by the character. Therefore, the character of the film
mostly has a value of a human in real life.
Characters are the persons present in dramatics of narrative work, who are interpreted by
reader as being endowed with the moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in
what they say in the dialogue and what they do in action (Roberts and Henry, 1993:20).
The qualities are moral, intellectual and emotional. How to find these qualities are by
discovering their dialogue and their action. In narrative work such as film , the viewer
will discover a number of dialogue and action by the character, because the plot is very
complex with involving the character on it.
The qualities such as morality, intellectuality, and emotion are important to build up the
story of narrative work. Those things not presented by the character with casually, but
there is Motivation as the grounds in the character qualities for their act and speech
(Abrams, 1999: 33).
There are two types of character, main character and minor character. A major character
is the main character that develops the plot of the story and always appears on the story.
It occupies most part in plot or events that occurred in a story. In the other hand, minor
character can be defined as the supporting character of the major characters and their
function is to illuminate the major characters.
Characters are the main aspects if the reader talks about literary works. In the literary
works characters are the most important things because the story is delivered through the
actions of the characters. Characters in the literary works are portrayals of human being
in real life. The author uses characters as a messenger of the moral values of the story to
the viewer. A life of the characters are in a fiction world, so they have to act as suitable as
their characterization. Characterization is a way to show the attitude of a character.
Flat characters are characterized by one or two traits; they can be summed up in a
sentence. Though they touch life at only one or two points, may be made memorable in
the hands of an expert author through some individualizing detail of appearance, gesture,
or speech (Perrine, 1985: 67-68).
From the explanation, it can be seen that the flat character has one or two characteristics
that can make it easier for the author to display both appearance and movement. A flat
character in the literary work is a two-dimensional character that is uncomplicated as

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 compare to the round characters. On the other hand, flat characters are the simple
characters in the literary work that does not to change throughout the literary work.
Perrine mentions, “Round characters are complex and many-sided; they might require an
essay for full analysis and live by their very roundness, by the many points at which they
touch life” (Perrine, 1985: 67-68). It may be be justified that round characters are the
characters that can resemble the people of real life who possess all aspects of human
qualities.

1. Setting

Kennedy and Gioia (1995:110) stated that setting is a set used in a story. Setting is not
only about time, place, and background or underpinning; but also could make things
happen in a story. It could motivate the characters to act, involve them to the realization,
or makes them reveal their deepest personality; because the characters experience their
events inside this element. Basically, as stated by Kennedy and Gioia there are three
types of setting, they are:
a. Physical places : in the home, café, school, office, etc.
b. Time : in the morning, night, a.m./p.m., etc.
c. Weather : summer, fall, raining, etc.

2. Theme

Kennedy and Gioia (1995:189) defines theme as general ideas that reveals insight the
whole story. In most of story, theme is a center, the unity principal, and moving force. In
literary fiction, the theme infrequently obvious. It means, theme do not ought to deliver
the moral or messages, but particularly tell the whole story about. When the readers or
viewers read or watch the story from beginning to the end, they frequently asked

about "What is the main ideas of the story?" not about "How's the plot?" or "How's the
characters?" or any others. But sometimes, the moral indirectly told inside the story by an

9
 author. The theme should be decided firstly than another element before an author write a
story.

3. Plot

Perrine (1966:58) defines plot as connecting structures of incidents or events in a story

starting from opening until the end. Plot also deliver detail things that reveal every case in
a story. It may include what the characters think, say, or did; influence the setting time of
story (past or present); etc. Plot itself divided into three types, they are:
a. Flash-forward : This is a storyline with events that started from the beginning to the
end of the story.
b. Flashback : This is a storyline with events from the end to the beginning.
c. Mixed-flow : This is a mixed plot of flash-forward and flashback plot.

2.3 Conflict

In daily life, a person is confronted with many problems and obstacles. Conflict has an
important role because conflict is the main issue in a story and it becomes the essence of
any literary works. According to Roberts, conflict is defined as the opposition between
two characters, between large group of people, or between protagonist and larger forces
such as natural objects, ideas, modes of behavior, public opinion, and the like. It may also
be internal and psychological, involving choices facing a protagonist (1995: 1694).
While, Stanford said that conflicts means a struggle between two opposing forces may be
in form of a class of action, ideas, desires, and will (1999: 40). In extreme, conflict can
happen not only to survive and exist but it has the purpose to destroy the existance of
other people or other group that they feel as their enemy.
Nurgiyantoro (1995:124) states that kinds of conflict in a literary work are divided into
two categories; external conflict and internal conflict. Internal conflict are the conflicts
that happen to the character’s heart and mind, for instance, because of the dual desires or
different wishes and choice, etc. While, the external conflict occurs between the
characters in the story with something outside of him perhaps with environment or other

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 character (Nurgiyantoro, 2002: 124). External conflict deal with: Man vs. Man, Man vs.
society, and Man vs. Nature

2.3.1 kind of conflict

Type of events in life or in a story can be events that come from outside or within one's
own self. Events that come from outside involve activities and interactions with the world
outside itself, or it can be said that there is a class between. himself and the world outside
himself. And vice versa, inner event occurre between a person figures with itself. In this
case (Staton, 1965) mentions that the conflict was divided into two categories, namely
external conflict and internal conflict.

1. Internal conflict

Internal conflict also called man vs. self is a battle inside a character. In film , this might be
shown as the good angel on one shoulder and the evil demon on the other.

With internal conflicts, you might feel a clash between competing desires. For example, an
alcoholic may struggle not to reach for the bottle of bourbon. That person knows they
need to stop drinking, but the desire to drink is very strong, leading to an intense internal
struggle.

In fact, there are several types of internal conflict, including:

 Moral conflict is where you might bend your morals for a perceived greater good
or immediate need. For example, a person might steal food to feed their starving
family.
 Conflict in self-image happens when a person's actions do not align with how they
view themselves. For example, a mother may feel guilty if she thinks she's
patient, but loses her temper with her children.
 Conflicts of love is when you hurt something you love. Spanking children is a
great example of this type of internal conflict.

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  Existential conflicts are internal struggles that a character might have about the
meaning of life or the meaning in their life. For example, an environmentalist
might work to save the planet while secretly believing it is doomed.
 Interpersonal or societal conflicts are internal conflicts between your personal
feelings and societal norms or expectations. A naturally introverted person who
fakes being extraverted to fit in with classmates is an example. This can make
them feel guilty about not being true to themselves.

2. External conflict

External conflict is a struggle that takes place between the main character and some outside
force. Therefore, it is outside the body of the protagonist. Usually, it occurs when the
protagonist struggles against the antagonist, a character that opposes the protagonist in
the main body of the story. Other types of external conflict could also arise due to some
other factors such as the forces of nature, and society in which the protagonist lives.

External conflict is essentially the outside forces that pressure the protagonist into action.
Internal conflict will be the pressure a protagonist puts on themselves, something that
external conflict can exacerbate, motivate or call into question. But external conflict is
the pressure point unique to this story. 

A protagonist has a long life outside the point at time in which we are seeing them and. The
external conflict is usually the reason why we are meeting them at this point in their life.
This is unless of course the story encapsulates the protagonist‘s entire life, in which case
conflict will be many and varied.

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 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH.

3.1 Research Method

The research method that used in this study is descriptive qualitative method. Qualitative
research is research procedure that results observable data from characters’ utterances
and behaviors (Bogdan and Taylor, 1975: 4). While, descriptive method is used to
describe the objects, events, phenomenon, background of place and time where the main
characters stand at that time.

3.2 Data and Source of Data

The sources of data used in this study are primary and secondary sources of data. The
primary data is the data that are collected directly from Glas film . Moreover, the second
data acquired from previous studies such as literary books, previous studies, journals,
articles, and, the internet

3.3 Method of Collection Data

The data were collected and selected using the documentation method. The process was by
watching and understanding the content of the film  and relating them to the topic. It was
followed by listening to dialogue and reading the movie script. Afterwards, finding out
the statement that belongs to the intrinsic study, in this case, the elements of fiction
especially about the conflicts selected using the note taking technique.

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3.4 Data Analysis

The collected data were analyzedqualitatively based on the theoretical basis for conflicts.
All the data collected were classified into certain categories. To determine the data, first
the data were copied from the movie and then categorized into internal and external
conflicts. The data were analyzed based on the conflict theory of literature by Kenney
(1966:5), source of conflict and conflict solution was analyzed using the theory managing
interpersonal communication by Deetz & Stevenson (1986).

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