| dc.description.abstract | This thesis compares an old literary work with the modern one. Into the Wild
is a modern literary work written by Jon Krakauer, and Wuthering Heights is an old
literary work created by Emily Bronte. Into the Wild was published in 1996 and
Wuthering Heights was published in 1847. This research compares self-actualization
within the main characters on those novels.
Self-actualization is self awareness, concern with personal growth and
development. There are five hierarchies of needs which have to be complied before
someone goes through the self-actualization. These are physiological needs, safety
needs, belongingness and love needs and the last needs are self-esteem needs.
McCandless is the main character in Into the Wild. He is tired of all the people
around him. He feels that hypocrisy is the only thing reflected from the society.
Therefore, he has a great obsession to escape and to be lost in such a strange isolated
place. In order to actualize his obsession, McCandless wants to go to Alaska. Alaska
is the only thing in his mind.
In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff has different motives to actualize his
obsession. Heathcliff has bad experiences of his childhood. A long his life, he wants
to revenge on the one he hated in his childhood. He is obsessed to take over
Wuthering Heights and Thrusscross Grange. McCandless and Heathcliff have
different motives to achieve their potential.
There are some problems that are discussed in this thesis. First is how
McCandless and Heathcliff achieve his self-actualization. The second is the
similarities and the differences between the realization of self actualization of
McCandless and Heathcliff.
To analyze the objects matter, this thesis uses a psychological approach,
Abraham Maslow’s theory of human needs, and theory of comparative literature.
Psychological approach is used to dig up the psychological problems existing in the
novels. Maslow’s theory of human needs explores the motivation of characters in the
novels. Comparative literature is used to find the similarities and the differences of
McCandless’s and Heathcliff’s self-actualization. An inductive method is also used.
The method is started by the observation of the particular of facts, and it is included
into the general idea.
In the last chapter, the results of the analysis are written. McCandless and
Heathcliff have the similarities and the differences of self- actualization. It can be
analyzed from two perspectives. It is from the process and the characteristics of selfactualization.
Through the process, McCandless and Heathcliff successfully achieve
their self-actualization. However, it is only McCandless who has characteristically
achieved the self-actualization. Heathcliff experiences a failure in achieving the
characteristic of self-actualization. | en_US |
