CHARACTER IN CHILDREN REALISM OF JEFF KINNEY’S DIARY OF WIMPY KID: THE UGLY TRUTH

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to prove the books of Diary of Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

belong to children realism genre and the characters of Greg Hefley, Rowley Jefferson, and Dad suit in the realism novel. Thus, the researcher applies children literary theory, especially Lukens concept of genre and character.

This study is a qualitative research employing content analysis method. The main source of this research is a novel entitled Diary of Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth s by Jeff Kinney which was published in

2012 by puffin books. The researcher was the primary instrument and the data sheets were the secondary instrument. The trustworthiness of the data was gained by providing rich, thick description; reading and re- reading the data; and conducting triangulation.

The findings of this research reveal that every literary element of the book has shown the characteristic of realistic text. The characters in this books are all have similarity with real life people. The plot are problems

that commonly face by real people. The setting in this book are the same with the world we know it. Theme that is about coming of age. The researcher also found that the character of Greg Hefley, Rowley Jefferson, and Dad are suit with realism stories. They have character’s features of credible, authentic, not stereotype,

and multi-dimensional. In conclusion, the researcher finds out that Jeff Kinney’s Diary of Wimpy Kid: The

Ugly Truth is realism novel which represent the reality of an ordinary middle school student. The idea of realism  in  portraying  realities  will  help  children  as  readers  in  understanding  human  problems  and

relationship.

Keywords: character , realism, children literature, Diary of wimpy kid: the ugly truth