MAGICAL REALISM IN MITCH ALBOM’S NOVEL ”THE FIRST PHONE CALL FROM HEAVEN” Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Humaniora in English and Literature Department of Faculty of Adab and Humanities of UIN Alauddin Makassar By PUTRI UTARI Reg. No. 40300111105 ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT ADAB AND HUMANITIES FACULTY ALAUDDIN STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MAKASSAR 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................ i PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN SKRIPSI ............................................................. ii PENGESAHAN SKRIPSI .................................................................................. iii PERSETUJUAN PEMBIMBING ..................................................................... iv APPROVAL SHEET ............................................................................................ v ACKNOWLEGMENTS ..................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. viii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background ........................................................................................... 1 B. Research Question ................................................................................. 5 C. Objective of the Research .................................................................... 5 D. The Significance of the Research ......................................................... 5 E. The Scope of the Research .................................................................... 6 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Previous Findings ................................................................................. 7 B. Realism ............................................................................................... 10 C. Magic .................................................................................................. 11 D. Magical Realism.................................................................................. 13 E. Magical Realism Theory by Wendy B. Faris ...................................... 14 F. Synopsys of the Novel ....................................................................... 19 G. Biography of the Outhor .................................................................... 21 viii CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH A. Research Method ................................................................................ 23 B. Source of the Data ............................................................................... 23 C. Instrument of Data Collection ............................................................ 24 D. Procedures of Data Collection ........................................................... 24 E. Technique of Data Analysis ............................................................... 25 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION A. Findings 1. The Irreducible Element ............................................................... 26 2. The Phenomenal World ................................................................ 30 3. The Unsettling Doubt ................................................................... 37 4. Merging Realms ........................................................................... 39 5. Disruptions of Time, Space and Identity ...................................... 41 B. Discussion .......................................................................................... 43 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 54 B. Suggestion .......................................................................................... 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................. 56 CURRICULUM VITAE .................................................................................... 59 ix ABSTRACT Name : Putri Utari Reg. Number : 40300111105 Title : Magical Realism in Mitch Albom’s Novel “The First Phone Call from Heaven" Supervisors I : Rosmah Tami Supervisor II : Nasrum Marjuni This thesis studied about Magical Realism in Mitch Albom’s novel “The First Phone Call from Heaven”. The objective of the research was to analyze magical realism elements in the novel. The writer conducted the research by using descriptive qualitative method. Technique of data collection used note taking technique with theory of magical realism by Wendy B. Faris. The writer found that there are five elements of magical realism that contain in the novel such as the irreducible element, the phenomenal world, the unsettling doubt, merging realms and the disruption of time, space and identity. Besides, the writer also analyzed about what happen to the characters of the novel and their perception on the phone call from heaven. Therefore, the writer concluded that this novel is magical realism because the characters of the novel experienced hiperreality where they cannot distinguish between magic and reality. Keywords: magical realism, hiperreality and perception. x