Main Character’s Conflict and Defense Mechanisms in The Novel “Tentang Kamu” by Tere Liye

Abstract

The study dealed with the main
character’s conflicts and defense
mechanisms found in a novel “Tentang
Kamu” written by Tere Liye. The objectives
of this study were to find out the types of
conflict of the main character and the
defense mechanism that is reflected in
solving the problem. The sources of the
data were taken from the novel “Tentang
Kamu” By Tere Liye. This was an
observation study because this study
focused on the analysis of spoken language
in the novel. The collected data were
identified, divided, and analyzed based on
literature and psychology perspectives of
Islam’s (2016) theory and defense
mechanisms by Cramer (2006). The
findings show that Sri Ningsih, as the main
character, faces the external conflict which
is described as person vs nature whereas
the internal conflicts is person vs himself
which describes the features of sadness,
anger, betrayal, anxiety, love and regret as
experienced by the main character. The
conflict between person vs. herself
(internal conflict) becomes the most
common conflict faced by the main
character then it was followed with the
defense mechanism of denial and
identification.