A STUDY ON THE SUSPENSE IN JOHN GRISHAM’S THE SUMMONS

Abstract

John Grisham is one of the famous American writer. One of his novels, The Summons, is discussed in this thesis. The data are collected through the novel, library and cybernetic research that may be proper to apply in this thesis. This thesis is aimed to study suspense especially in The Summons. The problem to discuss are in which parts of the story that contain suspense and how suspense appears in The Summons. In The Summons, foreshadowing appears as clues or sign. This thesis analyzes many events that can raise the readers’ curiosity. Then, the writer submits the events into the structure of plot; exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The purpose is to detect in which parts of the story that contain suspense in The Summons. Plot cannot stand alone in supporting the story. It has a series of causal events. Therefore, this thesis applies formalistic and sociological approach. The formalistic approach is used to analyze suspense trough the plot which concerns with internal analysis of the work of art by using close textual study while sociological approach is used to analyze the relationship between the literary work and the society which is the author as the agent of it. The result of this study proves that the author makes the story interesting to read through the suspense. It is one of the author’s ways to make a good story.