THE FIRE WITHIN: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CONFLICT IN KRISTIN CASHORE’S FIRE

• HETTY PUSPITASARI
• 2025

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Abstract

 

Hetty Puspitasari (33200026), The Fire Within: Character Development Through Internal And External Conflict In Kristin Cashore’s Fire

This thesis analyzes the role of internal and external conflicts in the character development of Fire, the protagonist in Kristin Cashore's novel Fire. The descriptive qualitative study aims to understand how her struggles shape her character. The main theoretical framework combines Hurlock's theory of personality development and Nurgiyantoro's theory of character development. These theories are complementary: Hurlock's explains the psychological reasons for personality changes through factors like environment and social interaction, while Nurgiyantoro's analyzes how character changes are triggered by the narrative plot and conflicts. The findings indicate that Fire's journey is influenced by two main types of conflict: internally, she grapples with physical conflict, mental conflict, moral conflict, and emotional conflict; and externally, she faces man versus man, man versus nature, man versus society, and man versus fate. These conflicts catalyze her growth from a hesitant individual into a decisive and responsible leader.

A key theoretical contribution of this study is its placement of physical conflict within the realm of internal conflict. This demonstrates that the body and physical appearance are not just external arenas but also sources of psychological and moral dilemmas, thus broadening the understanding of the intricate relationship between conflict and character development in literary studies.

Keywords; Character Development, Internal Conflict, External Conflict, Kristin Cashore, Hurlock's Theory, Nurgiyantoro

• Character Development
• Internal Conflict
• External Conflict
• Kristin Cashore
• Hurlock's Theory
• Nurg

https://repository.bsi.ac.id/repo/73652/THE-FIRE-WITHIN:-CHARACTER-DEVELOPMENT-THROUGH-INTERNAL-AND-EXTERNAL-CONFLICT-IN-KRISTIN-CASHORE’S-FIRE
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