The Moral Lessons in a Literary Work

In Oxford Learner’s Dictionary (1995:548) moral is described as standard of behavior principles of right and wrong. It is also a practical lesson that a story and event or an experience teaches. Human naturally have unique positions. The uniqueness lays on the dualism of moral they have. On one hand, they want someone good, positive and integrative. On the other hand, they tend to do bad, negative and disintegrative deed. In Islam, this case is described in Holy Qur’an:
“By the soul, and the proportion and order given to it; and its enlighten as to its wrong and its right”. (Al Syam, 7-8)

According to Nurgiyantoro (1995:321) moral is something which the author wants to carry on the readers to the meaning which is implied in a work, and the meaning which is suggested through the story. Moral of the literary work usually reflects the authors’ way of their life, their view about rightness values, and those are what the author wants to carry on to the readers. From a story, besides getting knowledge, information, and enjoyment, the readers also get moral lessons that can be adopted in their life, if they are good things and ignored if they are bad things. Moral lessons are presented by the researcher directly or indirectly by the researcher through telling the readers. Readers will easily find them in the story if it is presented by the researcher directly. While the moral is showed indirectly need certain care to find the moral lesson because the writer presents implicitly in the story.