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A Study of the ambition of the main character, Johnson to be a white man which leads him into his tragedy in Joyce Cary's Mister Johnson

This thesis is a study of Joyce Cary?s Mister Johnson. Through the analysis on the
main character, the writer intends to finds out whether the setting has any significant role
in motivating Johnson to have the ambition to be like a white man and how the main
character?s ambition to be a white man leads him into his tragedy. She intends to show
that the setting in the novel has great influence in motivating Johnson to have the
ambition to be like a white man and prove that Johnson?s ambition is the main factor that
lead him into his tragedy. She expects that through this study, the things readers realize
that ambition is capable to drive people to destruction. The discussion of his ambition
begins with a description of his environment which results on his character and ends with
the process of his tragedy. The thesis writer will analyze how the main character,
Johnson has an ambition to be like a white man through setting. She also will discuss the
impact of his ambition on the main character. In analysing the topic the thesis writer
uses library research, consist of critics?s opinion, the definition of ambition and tragedy
and also some data about the novel and the author, and literary approach concerning
characterization and setting. From the whole analysis through the `main character?s
environment and characters, the writer finds out that Johnson is influenced by his
environment to posses the ambition to be like a white man which brings him into his
tragedy. He is so obssesed to fullfil his ambition, so he tends to do anything. The impact
of his ambition, he is trying to pursue his ambition through crime, until he meets his
tragedy. Thereafter, as a result of his own ambition, he falls into his tragedy. Then, from
the analysis above, the thesis writer concludes that people should be able to control their
ambition in the right way, because if they are not able to control their ambition, they will
encounter destruction.