COMPARING PERSPECTIVES THEMES ON LIFE, LOVE, AND DEATH IN “THE FAULT IN OUR STARS” AND “SURAT KECIL UNTUK TUHAN”

Abstract

This study compares attitudes towards life, love, and death between John Green's novel "The Fault in Our Stars" and Agnes Davonar's novel "Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan". The comparison shows that both novels have different attitudes towards life, love, and death. Depiction of death in both novels affects the character’s understanding of life and love. Western civilization in "The Fault in Our Stars" manifests individualism and freedom of the self, while Eastern civilization in "Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan" manifests spirituality and society. This study finds that the portrayal of death and love in the two novels is very different, and these are based on the cultural environment and experience-based of the characters.