Study on Inner Conflict of the Main Character in John Steinbeck s The Grapes of Wrath

Novel is the most popular kind of litera ry work that is able to portray people and places confronting events in real time up to now. The scope of inner conflicts, then, is chosen to be analyzed since people react diffe rently towards conflicts; different conflicts will result differently on the hand of diffe rent people in the different places. This thesis aims to find out the inner conflicts faced by the main character of the novel, to discuss, and to analyze the causes of emergence and the resolutions taken to overcome the inner conflicts. This thesis is considered a qualitative study in which the analysis is in the form of description. The theoretical fra mework of the analysis is based on the objective theory of M. H. Abra ms, in which the analysis is viewed solely fro m the point of vie w of the intrinsic ele ments of the novel – setting, plot, characters, and theme. The analysis then shows that the novel takes place during the hard time of the Americas Great Depression around 1930. Steinbeck portrays Tom Joad, besides as a greatly devoted man towa rds his mother and his fa mily, as an on -parole man who does not like to be under pressure, tends to do what he wants, interested only in his own personal matters. The analysis then finds that there are five kinds of inner conflict in the novel: inner conflict between (1) To ms trait and his parole condition, (2) To ms. trait and the unity of the family, (3) To ms trait and the unity of the family, (4) Tom‟s fear and the unity of the family, and (5) Toms desire and his mothers fear. The inner conflicts emerge on five ma jor causes: (1) To ms stubbornness, (2) Toms carelessness, (3) financia l proble m, (4) killing a cop, and (5) To ms choice to hide in a cave. There are e ight solutions taken to overcome the inner conflicts. The writer would like to suggest that the readers should be able to manage their conflicts well. The write r would also suggest that students of literature class should analyze a litera ry work using objective approach as the basis. At last, the writer would like to suggest other researchers to go more deeply into the analysis of the novel. Hopefully, this thesis could be any of benefits for further studies