Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host

Eurike Naftali Alien Christy Bhet Louise
S1 English Literature, Languages and Arts Faculty, State University of Surabaya.
eurikealien@gmail.com
Abstrak
Tesis ini bertujuan untuk mengungkapkan eksistensialisme dalam karakter utama di novel Stephenie Meyer berjudul
The Host, Melanie Stryder. Tesis ini membahas tentang bagaimana Melanie menampilkan eksistensialisme dan apa
dampak dari keberadaan Melanie untuk hidupnya, cinta, dan dunia. Melanie yang hidup di era di mana alien menginvasi
bumi harus mempertahankan keberadaannya sebagai manusia. Melanie hidup sebagai buronan, bepindah dari satu ke
tempat lain untuk bersembunyi dan membuat saudaranya aman. Melanie memilih lebih baik mati daripada ditangkap
oleh para pencari. Sebagai manusia dan mempertahankan keberadaannya, Melanie memiliki motif dalam setiap
kegerakannya. Berpikir tentang apa dan bagaimana hidup sebagai ada manusia. Menjadi seperti manusia terkahir di
bumi membuat Melanie harus siap kabur kapan saja, kesepian tanpa teman dan selalu dilingkupi kecemasan. Sebagai
manusia, Melanie juga memiliki kebebasan untuk memilih, dia memiliki kehendak bebas untuk berakhir hidupnya atau
tetap hidup bahkan ketika "jiwa" telah dimasukkan ke tubuhnya. Dengan Jamie sebagai satu satunya keluarga yang
tersisa, Melanie tumbuh menjadi wanita yang bertanggung jawab penuh untuk memastikan Jamie selalu aman. Melanie
juga menunjukkan dari bagaimana dia dalam kesadaran dan ketidaksadaran untuk dirinya sendiri. Konsep existenliasm
dan Being dan Nothingness oleh Jean Paul Sartre digunakan untuk mengungkapkan tentang Eksistensialisme Melanie di
novel Stephenie Meyer, The Host. Novel Host sebagai data utama akan disertai dengan data tambahan untuk penelitian
mendalam dari penerapan teori tersebut. Hasilnya akan menunjukkan bagaimana Melanie sebagai eksistensialis dan
dampak terhadap kehidupan, cinta dan dunianya.
Kata kunci: existetialism, existenliast, kesepian, kecemasan, kebebasan, tanggung jawab, mobile, motif.

Abstract
This thesis intends to reveal existentialism in the main character of Stephenie Meyers The Host, Melanie Stryder. This
thesis discussed problem concern in how Melanie represent existentialism and what the impact of Melanies existence
to her life, love, and world. Melanie that is live in a era where aliens invaded the earth has to maintain her existence as a
human. Melanie live as a fugitive, nomadic from one to another place to hide and make her brother safe. Melanie, she
rather die than to be caught up by the seeker. As a human and maintain her existence, Melanie has her motif upon her
mobile. Thought about what and how to life as exist human being. Seems like the last human being and a fugitive that
has to nomad anytime, makes Melanie feels Loneliness and anxiety like common existence character. As a human
Melanie also has her freedom to choice, she has free will to end up her life or keep alive even a soul has been inserted
to her body. Having a litle brother to protect, build up Melanie to be fully responsible woman to make sure her brother
save. Melanie also shows off how she is being for herself and in herself. The concept of existenliasm and Being and
Nothingness by Jean Paul Sartre is used to disclose about Melanies Existentialism in Stephenie Meyers The Host. The
novel The Host as the main data will be accompanied by additional data in order to eleborate deeply from the
application of the theory. The result will be shown how Melanie as an existentialist and its impact to her life, love and
world.
Keywords: existetialism, existenliast, loneliness, anxiety, freedom, responsibility, mobile, motif.
Putting it into other simpler words, existence is a
concept of being, owned by each creature. Thus, the
definition of existence above is to make clear that in
order to have a good understanding or to do an analysis
of existence, it cannot be treated as something
completely general.
The existential migration that has told in The
Host showed deeper and complex. In the previous
novel is about human and vampire world that are
switching each other, The Host told about existential
migration inside one body of a human. Wanderer had

Introduction
Stories and fiction are abounding about existence. All
'stories' have a beginning and therein lays the irony and
the confusion. Existence is energy in one form or
another and The Law of Conservation of Energy states
the total amount of energy in the universe must remain
constant and energy can be neither created nor
destroyed. Therefore the essence of existence is
always
present'
did
not
come
from
anywhere/thing/non-thing
and
not
going
to
anywhere/thing/non-thing (Majors, 2008, p. 56).
1

Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

injected into Melanie lying body, and Melanie refuses
to disappear. The wonderful existence of wanderer in 7
previous planets has to migrate to Melanie's stubborn
body and mind. The existential migration did not only
happen to Wanderer but also to Melanie, she has to
migrate from a rebel who was always hiding become a
rebel who fight altogether with the enemy. Melanie
struggle to stay exist in a body that is not any longer
herself.
It's may be perfectly safe to say that there is
an existential diffusion of Melanie and Wanderer.
Diffusion existential is the existence of two fused and
formed a new existence without leaving their
distinctive style of existence. Melanie as humans has to
live with a soul parasite in her body, taking control of
the motor, but not in her mind. Together they form the
world of new life as a result of a fusion of the human
world and the soul parasite.
Differences in existence theme in the novel
The Host from other novel lies in the character of
Melanie addressing what is happening in her life. The
peak where Melanie getting caught by the seeker
makes her isolated in her own body altogether with a
soul called Wanderer. Melanie had to shut the secret of
the existence of other human beings for the sake of
human salvation that is left. Much more she had to
keep Jamie and Jared from seeker who is search and
staying alive in her body that is reigned by the soul. In
the Stephenie Meyer's other novels, the existence of the
characters is not stated that much compare to what
Melanie did in The Host novel. Stephenie Meyer's The
Host is the first sequel of The Host Trilogy. As the
information above about Melanie's struggle to keep
exist as a human being. The different attitude in The
Host makes this sequel is interesting to be studied.

Theory, Theory of Existentialism, and Being and

Nothingness, all by Sartre.

Statement of The Problems:

1. How is existentialism represented in Melanies
character in Stephenie Meyers The Host?
2. What are the impacts of Melanies existence to her
life, love, and world?
Research Method:
This study uses the novel of Stephenie
Meyers The Host by Little, Brown Book Group as a
data of analysis. Then the data will be taken from the
quotations of speech and information in the novel that
has relation to the main characters existence and her
behavior in life.
There are several concepts to the study. These
are used as tools to analyze the novel according to the
quotations. In order to answer the first statement of the
problem, this study will use the Mobile and Motif

Loneliness and Anxiety or Death

Anxiety, the other characteristic of modern
man, even more basic than emptiness and loneliness,
means concern and fear especially about what might
happen. For being hollow and lonely would not bother,
expect it make people prey or victim to that peculiar
psychological pain, which is called anxiety. Thus
anxiety in greater or lesser degree, tends to destroy
their consciousness of their selves and the stronger
their consciousness of their selves, the more we can
take a stand against and overcome anxiety (May,
1953:38).
Sartre sees anxiety and death as a
confrontation with the fact of freedom or our unmade
future. Anxiety, according to Martin Heidggers,
individuals confrontation has been lead by the
continuous awareness of someones own future death.

Purpose of the Study:

1. To find out how Melanie Stryder represent
existentialism vividly.
2. To describe what are the impacts of how
Melanies existence to her life, love, and world.
Motif and Mobile
Sartre in Flynn had cited formula the view
that character traits, or qualities, are disposition that
incline one towards certain types of actions, but which
cannot determine ones behavior. The distinction
between inclination and determination, between
essence and nature, is central to Sartres theory of
freedom. (Flynn, 2013:5). The motif is the reason for
the act and the ensemble of rational considerations
which justify Melanie characteristic and traits as a
survival and independent woman are supported by the
mobile and motif. Motif and Mobile are the main
theory to analyze someone's character in life, the main
feature that someone will unconsciously present in
their daily life. In short, the motif is the vision when
mobile is the mission.
The mobile is the ensemble of the desires,
emotions, and passions which urge to accomplish a
certain act. In character of Melanie Stryder, her
experience lives in the run as a fugitive are the mobile
of her act. Mobile arise in a real and visible, appearing
explicitly and real actions. Mobile emerged as
satisfying the desires of the motif. A mobile is a real
form which is realized by the desire of the motif. So it
would be easier if the mobile is expressed as a mission
when the motif is a vision.

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

Moreover, Sartre says that man must accept the fact of
his alienation from the rest of the world (Kaufmann,
1956:292). It is an undeniable fact, since there is
always a discrepancy between the reality that exist out
there and the reality created by an individual in his
mind. What actually happens in everyday life most of
the time contradicts and denies ones wishes and
dreams, therefore one always lives a life marked by
never ending conflict and finds himself in the middle
of this tug of war between two opposing forces.

the absolute responsible is not resignation; it is simply

the logical requirement of the consequences of our
freedom (Robert, 1957:169).
According to Sartre, one has to make his
own existence. In that process, man must choose,
without any universal guidance. Man has to follow his
own standard, his own moral. Once he chooses, he
has to responsible for his choices, means he cannot
blame anything else but himself.
Being and Nothingness
Sartre in Tong ever cited this parts: Being-for-itself
(pour soi) and Being-in-itself (en-soi). Being-in-itself
comes for repetitive, material existence humans share
with animals, vegetables, and minerals; being-for-itself
comes for the moving, consciousness existence humans
share only with humans (Tong, 1998:174).
According in Sartre, being is objective, it is what it is,
and being is in-itself. Existence refers to the fact that
some individual or thing is present in the world. In
short, Being-in-itself is non-conscious Being, the being
of existing things or objects of consciousness. Beingfor-itself is conscious being, being all you can be,
which is conscious of what it is not. Nothingness is a
state of non-being. Nothingness does not itself have
being, but is sustained by being.

Freedom of Choice
According to Sartre, choice is point of Human
existence, and it is inescapable, even the refusal to
choice is a choice. Freedom of choice entails
commitment and responsibility, because individuals are
free to choose their own path. This is the meaning of
Sartres pronouncement that we are condemned to be
free. He to be free means to be unconditioned by
any moral law or eternal values (Joseph, 1970:55).
Moreover Sartre argues that man is simply what he
makes of himself, man must choose and must make
decision without any authoritative guide to create his
own values (Joseph, 1970:55). Basically, freedom of
choice is an argue that man is simply what he makes of
himself. There is no universal guidelines for every
decision, the believe of existentialists, instead even
trusting science is often a leap of faith.

Procedure of Analysis
a. Data collection
The first step to understanding the data required to
finish the analysis is through the extensive and close
reading. Then following the intensive reading to gather
the data which come s from characters expression,
thought, and attitude and action which representing the
general description of Melanie Stryders exixtence and
behavior. During the intensive reading, the observation
by classifying of expressions, thoughts, and description
are must be done to maximize the precise and filtered
data which contains the mentioned idea previously.

Responsibility
Sartre argues human being should have
commitment and responsibility. Man is responsible
even his passions, because even his feeling are formed
by his deeds (Kaufmann, 1956:295). It means that there
is nothing to force him, or precise pattern pushing him
into the future, because individuals are free to choose
their own life, they must accept the risk and
responsibility by following their commitment wherever
it leads even to death (Wilson, 1972:523). Furthermore
b. Data analysis
First step of analyzing will be revealing the existence of Melanie Stryder, then searching what are the impacts. This step
is unworkable without the Mobile and Motif Theory, Theory of Existentialism, and Being and Nothingness
itself (being all you can be) is defined "as being what it
Analysis
is not and not being what it is". It is our potentiality to
Representation of Existentialism of Melanie Stryder
be more than we are being. The For-itself is perpetually
Being-in-itself is non-conscious
designing itself not to be the In-itself. For-itself is a
Being, the Being of existing things or objects of
witness of reflection, reflecting upon a form of flight in
consciousness. Being-for-itself is a conscious being,
the face of being. Being-in-itself is just being, being
which is conscious of what it is not. Nothingness is a
what it is. Being-in-itself (being what it is) is full of
state of non-being. Nothingness does not itself have
itself. It is engaged in the world, too busy for selfbeing but is sustained by being. Sartre says that
reflection.
Nothingness is the contradiction, and not the opposite,
of Being. Being has several dimensions. Being-for3

Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

3.1 Being-in-itself
Being-in-itself is just being, being what is.
Melanies being-in-itself means the real being of
Melanie Stryder, the full of herself. In short being in
itself stand for characteristic or the identifying feature
of someones nature. The real character of Melanie is
strong, never give up, and never break a promise,
stubborn and responsible. It appears in several phases
of Melanie's life. Her strength to defend her presence
of insertion period is part of the being-in-itself. The
non-conscious being of Melanie who defends her
existence by run away and hide, make her feel free.
Melanie as a living human, have the freedom to choose
what to do with her life. Melanie also fully responsible
for any choices taken in his life.
As the theory about motif is the reason for the
act and the ensemble of rational considerations which
justify Melanie characteristic and traits as a survival
and independent woman are supported by the mobile
and motif. Motif and Mobile is the main theory to
analyze someones character in life, the main feature
that someone will unconsciously present in their daily
life. In short, motif is the vision when mobile is the
mission. Melanie clearly has her motif and her mobile
to defend her existence in this book. Motif appears
implicit in the character of a person, as well as in the
character of Melanie. Consciously or not, motive
always the underlying of all mobile behavior. Motif is
like the rational base for a human being for any reason
of their actions. Motif often form of human nature
which makes the motive in his life. Motif is the basic
concept underlying the human presence in his life.
Melanies motive to survive in this colonized
world is defend her existence. Melanie never
consciously that she is defending her existernce. She
just doesnt want to be killed, so then she run away.
Melanie lives through suffer as a fugitives human
being who continuously pursued. Melanies physic and
mental being very tired during the run. Hunger,
insecurity, and fear she feels every day. Together with
her brother, Melanie struggled for her life as long as
possible to be human. Earth has been overrun by
invisible enemy and human being hosts used by this
enemy. The human brain is taken over while their
bodies continue their life before, as if nothing had
changed.
Melanie hates newcomer abominable, so she
would rather die than have to share her body with an
enemy called the soul. Melanie assumes this is massive
murder, where all the people she know it is not the
same person anymore. "You murder an entire species
and then pat yourselves on the back". (Meyer,
2008:48). That's why Melanie insists on preferring to

die rather than to be inserted soul. The stubborn

Melanie keep pounding Wandas mind, soul who
inserted in her body. Melanie is not afraid to say how
much she hates Wandas nation which immediately
take over the earth, Melanie even called Wandas
nation is killer, viler than humans.
Melanie keeps maintain her existence as a
human being until finally catch in forbidden building
where previous human hiding there. Fear locked her
in a vise, goading the blunt, clumsy limbs forward but
hampering them at the same time. To flee, to runit
was all she could do. (Meyer, 2008:15). Fear of being
catch up by the seekers be the main reason for Melanie
to escape and suicide in the night when Melanie and
Jamie try to find answers where another man left in the
prohibited building. Melanie leaves Jamie to remain in
hide and survive, surrender to be a distraction of
seekers and eventually commit suicide.
Melanie refuses to disappear. After being
caught and injected, Melanie keeps trying to maintain
her existence. Melanie keeps continue to live in the
mind of Wanda. Melanies powerful rebel soul felt well
by Wanda, memory recall, hatred, love and longing, all
expressed very strongly in Wandas mind. Slow but
sure Wanda felt what Melanie feel. Wanda begins to
love and miss Jared, Jamie, and their memories. Wanda
begins to have a sense of having Jared and Jamie, and
eventually Melanie lead Wanda to go from her world,
and looking for Jared and Jamie.
As soon as I realized this, it disappeared.
Mine, spoke the alien thought that should not
have existed.
Again, I was frozen, stunned. There should
have been no one here but me. And yet this
thought was so strong and so aware!
Impossible. How was she still here? This was
me now. (Meyer, 2008:18)
Wanda knows it all will start with the end of
her host. The final piece will look like death for her
eyes, the death of Melanie who refused injected.
Wanda can sees clearly how Melanie escape, run to
avoid the seekers, and jump in the elevator pits. Jared's
face appears after that; automatically look so handsome
in Wandas mind. Melanie does not want Jared own by
others directly flare up and life in the Wanda mind.
The danger is behind! I scream back in my
mind. But I see what they mean. A feeble
stream of light, coming from who knows
where, shines on the end of the hall. It is not
the flat wall or the locked door, the dead end I
feared and expected. It is a black hole.
(Meyer, 2008:15)

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

Melanie keep running even though she knows
that a black hole ready to greet her toward. The beingin-itself of Melanie, push her to confront death and
maintain her body as Melanie, she wont be anyone else
and make other human getting catch. Melanie also
takes the risk to leave Jamie alone without her, thing
she ever think, she ever afraid before.
The being-in-itself of Melanie make Melanie
have to keep strong no matter what happen with her
body. She has to stand still even she is hungry. She has
to run even she is very tired. My legs moved me
forward without any thought on my part. The
crunching rhythm of my steps was background music,
low and tedious. (Meyer, 2008:94). On the way
explore the desert to find Jared and Jamie, Melanie
take over her body more than Wanda. Melanie is
stronger and tougher than Wanda. Melanie move her
body, her legs to walk forward and look for the
presence of another human being. This is nothing,
Melanie reminded me wryly. We have been hungrier.
(Meyer, 2008:96). When Wanda begin to feel hungry
and their food supply run out, Melanie remind Wanda
that their hunger ever more than this. Melanie
continues to force Wanda to be strong. The lift of
finding another milestone kept me moving despite the
growing weariness in my legs. Melanie urged me on,
chanting encouragements when I slowed, thinking of
Jared and Jamie when I turned apathetic. (Meyer,
2008:96)
In her relationship with Jared, Melanie starts
to feel that she belong to Jared and Jared belong to
hers. Melanie always tries to keep Jared save by keep
her memory from Wandas scan so that Wanda could
not tell the Seeker where the other humans will be. One
night, Melanie dreams about Jared, how beautiful Jared
is and how she loved Jared very much. Then that make
Wanda feels what Melanie felt too, Wanda experience
Melanies love to Jared, and Wanda slowly become
loves Jared too. In other way, Melanie wont share Jared
to other girl, even she know that her and Wanda is in
one body. Melanie's fist punched his jaw, knocked his
face away from mine with a blunt, low sound. Flesh
against flesh, hard and angry. (Meyer, 2008:257).
Melanie hates the way Jared kiss Wanda and Wanda
perceive him. Jared belongs to Melanie, and she wont
let Jared kiss Wanda.
At least I died trying. And I won. I never
gave them away. I never hurt them. I did my
best to find them. I tried to keep my promise.
I die for them. (Meyer, 2008:103)
The tired and hopeless Melanie at that time
proud of herself to be hold on that far. Melanie ever
promises Jamie that she will never leave Jamie alone,

wherever she will go she will back for Jamie. Melanie

and Wanda keep walking on that burning desert,
looking for any sign and form to find another humans.
Melanies being-in-itself physically tired could not take
any other step, but Melanie keep going, her spirit never
let herself down and give up.
Being-in-itself of Melanie is the real being of
her, the being of Melanie that can be touched, can be
heard, and can be tasted. The real being of Melanie, at
least Melanies body still can be tasted by Jared.
Melanie never look the same in front of Jared eyes with
Wanda inside her that is why Jared hate the real being
of Melanie that time. But even though Jared hate the
being of Melanie in that time, Jared still feel the being
of Melanie there and Jared still has the feel to keep
Melanie save.
I was not to be killednot immediately,
anyway. Jared was keeping me prisoner.
I told you he would protect us.(Meyer,
2008:130)
There is a moment when Kyle and Ian met
Jared to ask a permit to kill Wanda and Melanie. Jared
stand in front of Melanie and took a defend action to
protect Melanie from Kyle and Ians attack. The real
being of Melanie still being felt by Jared, that is why
Jared protect Melanie.
Is Melanie still alive, Wanda? Please?
She promised she would come back, did not
she? I murmured. Would Melanie break a
promise to you?
Jamie slid his arms around my waist and
clung to me for a long time. After a few
minutes, he whispered, Love you, Mel.
(Meyer, 2008:201)
Not only Jared who feels the being of Melanie
inside of Wanda, but also Jamie. Jamie ever promised
by Melanie that she would never leave him. And there
is Melanie, proof that she is back, she is back for
Jamie, to tell him that she never break her promises.
Melanie success to show Jamie, shes still alive.
Jamie and Jared safety is the main thing that
has always thought Melanie. Melanie even has a will to
kill herself in order to keep her secret keeps Jamie and
Jared. After her body inserted by a soul, Melanie
relieves to know that her reason for the death makes
Jared and Jamie safe. Melanie sets a message for Jared
and Jamie in the night when she arrest in order to save
them, and it makes Jared and Jamie survive. "As
quickly intervening as if it had come from me, the
thought that was not mine Followed the name through
my lips. "Jared is safe."."(Meyer, 2008:32)
For several months Melanie tries to hide the
memory of Jamie, her brother. Until in one night
5

Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

Wanda dreams about Melanies memory of meeting
Jared when Melanie had to steal food for Jamie in the
soul home resident. As the quote above, Melanie hide
her memories of Jamie seems to be a forgotten memory
not because Jamie is not important anymore for
Melanie, but because Melanie want to keep Jamie safe,
shouldnt be caught by the Seekers.
Melanie existences in Wandas mind slowly
make Wanda who high humane soul loves Jamie too.
Wanda understands Melanies great love to Jamie,
Melanie hide her memory about Jamie just to keep him
save. Wanda become very sorry and very great stricken
horror shortly after she send an email about Jamie to
the Seeker. So she has a crazy desire to re-send the
email and apologize for the erroneous email that she
had sent while still half asleep.
Longing and fear that culminate make
Melanie become more 'alive' in the mind of Wanda.
The vision that created by Melanie also increasingly
affects Wanda, slash Wandas feeling, and also make
Wanda loves and have a sense of belonging Jared and
Jamie. Wanda getting miss Jared and Jamie fond
memories like Melanie miss them by the vision that is
created by Melanie. Melanie slowly led Wanda to
follow her advice, look for Jared and Jamie.
Melanie thwarts Wandas plan to visit her first
healer in Tucson. Melanie lets her mind stay deep in
Wandas thought, let the image of a magical place in
the desert dancing in her memory. Her motive is to let
Wanda enter into her mind, find out what make
Melanie so silent. Melanie success leads Wanda enter
to the memory of a magical place in the desert, her
memories with Jared. Wanda hypnotized and lost in
memories Melanie. Melanie explains memories about
how little time she had to have Jared in the world like
this, and memories that make them both miserable.
Melanie getting missed Jared even more, as well as
Wanda. Wanda intends to keep Melanie from the
seeker to escape with Melanie, looking for Jared and
Jamie in the vast desert of Arizona.
Enough, I said out loud, cringing away from
the whiplash of pain. Enough! You've made
your point! I can't live without them either
now. Does that make you happy? Because it
does not leave me many choices, does it? Just
oneto get rid of you. Do you want the Seeker
inside you? Ugh! I recoiled from the thought
as if I would be the one to house her. (Meyer,
2008:81)
Melanies motif works well to Wanda. Wanda
just stopped her car and followed Melanies memory of
the profile of a mountain peak, which will lead them to
Jared and Jamie. Wanda eventually decide to stop at a

small shop in the shadow of the mountain, buy some

supplies to go find Jared and Jamie. Starting slowly
toward the little store in the shadow of the peak. There
was really only one thing to do. (Meyer, 2008:85).
Melanies great love to Jared and Jamie is a motif of
Melanie to still exist in Wandas mind. Her motif to
stay exist is the main reason to keep Jared and Jamie
save and change the world to be peace again.
3.2 Being-for-Itself
Besides unconscious being, there is also one
more type of being. Being-for-itselfis conscious being,
which is conscious of what it is not. Associated with
the body, the perceiver (the entity that does the seeing,
touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting) is not itself a
perceptible object, but still has a certain kind of being,
Being-for-itself. Being-for-itself is conscious of itself.
Indeed, itself is conciousness of objects, and can be the
object of its own consciousness.
Being-for-itself is being all you can be. It is
sustained by self reflection or self realization, the
changing of being-in-itself. When Melanie rebels
toward The Soul insertion, she showed her being, her
existence. All Melanie want is just stay human, stay
being human, stay with her identity. The colonization
ruined Melanies life, made Melani seems like have no
future. Melanie expressed her loneliness by living with
her only brother since her parents taken over by the
soul.
Being and Nothingness is contrary not
opposite but it is all also kind of cycle that would never
can be separated. If being in itself has it motif caused
by nonconcious being, being for itself has it mobile to
complete it conscious thought by the act. The mobile is
the ensemble of the desires, emotions, and passions
which urge to accomplish a certain act. In character of
Melanie Stryder, her experience lives in run as a
fugitive are the mobile of her act. Mobile arise in a real
and visible, appearing explicitly and real actions.
Mobile emerged as satisfying the desires of the motif.
Mobile is a real form which is realized by the desire of
the motif. So it would be easier if the mobile is
expressed as a mission when the motif is a vision.
Being-for-itself also brings Melanie to selfrealization and self-determination associated with her
position as a human, woman, and older sister. As a
human, Melanie realize that she had to hold out on
every obstacles in her life. If she want to live, she had
to fight and do everything that support her life. If there
was no food, she had to find, no matter how the way,
she had to have hers and her brothers stomach be
filled. Briefly, being for itself is conscious awareness.
Melanie realized as human consciousness is food
supply to survive. Food is one of the most important
6

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

thing to fulfill as a human. Foods make human stay
alive and give energy to move. Melanie and her brother
are human in escape who also need to fulfill their need,
their desire, to eat. Melanie and her brother used to
move stealthily to citizens house to steal some food.
And that desire to fulfill their need to eat is the way
Melanie met Jared.
Steal some food in citizens house is
Melanies mobile action to complete her desire and
passion as human. Their desire to eat made Melanie
urges to accomplish with a certain act. Her desire to
fulfill their need pushed Melanie to bring as much as
she can for them.
Melanie get herself realized that she had to be
a mother for Jamie. No parent means that she got full
responsibility to take care of Jamie, her only one
brother. Jamies safety, health, and prosperity all over
her shoulders. That is why Melanie has to find food,
challenge the danger to stole any food for Jamie.
It was very hard to leave Jamie, even to find
another human being outside. Melanie know the
possibility to find her cousin, Sharon, still human there,
and she had to make sure. Melanie know the news, she
had to find Sharon to make their life better surrounding
by another human. Traumatic tragedy little Jamie felt
when he know that their Father would not come back
appeared. He afraid if Melanie will never come back.
But being-for-itself get Melanie realized that she had to
be strong, brave, and hold on for Jamie.
Being-in-itself and being-for-itself is just like
a vice versa. Being-for-itself in Melanie Stryders
character means she chooses what she is going to be.
She may choose to be still being human, but she had to
cover up all the risk. Being-for-itself brings Melanie to
self realizationon as a woman. As a woman, Melanie
get herself realization that she need a man in her life, a
man who can protect and guard her. Melanie found
Jared as that man. Mine, spoke the alien thought that
should not have existed. (Meyer, 2008:18). Melanie
owned Jared and she will never want to share Jared.
Again, I was frozen, stunned. There should have been
no one here but me. And yet this thought was so strong
and so aware!(Meyer, 2008:18). Melanie realized that
shes still alive inside Wandas thought, and every
memories of Jared she shared with Wanda, she did not
want Wanda feel that she owned Jared too.
Melanie knew she was in love with Jared
since their first kiss, but she wonder if Jared feel that
way too. As a women Melanie has the feel of loving
and did not want to lose Jared, but in a life like this
seems like impossible to still being together till the
end. The quotation above showed that Melanie realized

that shes a woman and fall in love with the last man on
earth.
As a women, Melanie also have desire to be
loved by Jared. Their lives as fugitive for years
impossible to make Melanie and Jared have no feeling
at all. Melanie feels save with Jared by her side, and
Jared feels glad to meet Melanie, found a human like
Melanie is like found a treasure for Jared. Jared
thought he was the only one human that left, and found
Melanie was a surprise for him. I can't believe it, he
whispers. You're still human. (Meyer, 2008:36).
Twenty nine days after met Jared, Melanie asked Jared
why he never kissed her again since the first time they
met. Jared confused why Melanie asked that thing,
Jared told Melanie not to think that way, Melanie didnt
have to think that it was kind of obigation to serve
Jared, because found Melanie was more than enough
for Jared. But Melanies desire and passion to be touch
by Jared is all she felt that time, love has changed
Melanie into adult women, and need to be loved by a
man. By the time Melanie asked Jared what she felt
was her mobile action to express her passion of loving
Jared.
Melanies mobile action to save her brother is
run. In a forbidden building Melanie tries to find a clue
where the other clan hide, and end with the seeking of
seekers. As long as the seekers come closer, Melanie
makes sure to keep her brother save by hid him under
the table with a secret message for Jared. Then Melanie
just go away, run is her desire to stay alive, her passion
which is urges to accomplish. Melanie does not even
care how to complete her escape, she just fill up with
her passion to run away and save everyone she love.
3.2 The Impacts of Melanie Stryder Self
Existentialism
Existentialism is the philosophy that emphasis
on individual existence, freedom, and choice. There is
so much diversity in the philosophy of existentialism
causes concrete definition is hard to put down. Sartre
argues that existentialism bring out people in an
engagement with freedom and feel it. It means that the
man has to make his own existence in the world and
fill his freedom with his own action and also be
responsible for whatever he has done. Existentialism
allows for a lot of freedom (Robert, 1957:209).
Melanie can comes up with her own
conclusion, create her own answers, her choice is
inescapable, but she has to learn from making choice
and committing to those choices. Melanie comes to life
with her motif and mobile as her vission and mission,
then she has her natural character by her being in itself
and her attitude by her being for itself. In short
Melanies motif and character formed her mobile and
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Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

attitude in her daily life. In the end, every single step
she takes will bring up one or more impacts to
everything around her.
Existentialism had classified into two forms,
one is Religious Existentialism and the other one is
known as atheistic or secular existentialism. Since this
thesis discusses, the writer focuses on secular
existentialism. All too often people link a lack of faith
or secular beliefs with existential ideals. Existentialism
has little to do with faith. Melanies existence is all
about her life, her claim on her life that had been
colonized. Melanie never complains to God, all
Melanie can do is being her own hero for her and
everybody she loves in her life. Talking about atheistic
existentialism, existentialism is seen as a despair,
loneliness, dissatisfaction and suffering in humans life.
Melanie doesnt begin to find out whether God exists or
not and start to use her own reason and decision as an
answer that if God does not help her in her suffering. It
is better that her consider that God does not exist.
Because of Sartres argues that existentialism
bring out ourselves in engagement with freedom and
feel it. It means that man has to make his own
existence in the world and fill this freedom with his
own action and also be responsible for whatever he has
done. That is why Melanie has come with a lot of
freedom, finding her own conclusions, create her own
answer. As a human Melanie had already choose to
maintain her life so then she had to commit to her
choice. According to Sartre, the concept of Secular
Existentialism is existence precedes essence or it is
called atheistic existentialism. Existence precedes
essence means that human kind is born without any
identifying nature until they can prove their existence
until get the meaning or values in the society (Janaro &
Altshuler, 2003: 591-592).
In Secular Existentialism, there are four
characteristics fundamental attitude which become
uniquely of existential thinking. First, objective
thinking is concerned with the result of point of view
about life. In the book there is so clearly shown that
Melanie overthink about her existence as a human. She
would never allow others come and injected into her
and changed her become someone else. Melanie also
overthink about her only one brother and her
boyfriend, Jareds safety, until she is still alive even
when soul called Wanderer injected into her. Melanie
so overthink so then she lead Wanderer to found Jamie
and Jared. That is the process to find the truth to get
belief by seeing and object as prove of existence.
Second, individual thinking that is mean the process of
thinking which has not spirit and sense in life. This
point means that a man must exist in time and struggle

to show his existence without having relation with

creature. Melanie never think about God, creature or
anything but herself, her family, her love, and her
world. Melanie has been life in struggle for so long
time. She has to life on the run, hiding, migrate all over
US, and starvation. All she did in suffering are just
reminder that she is human who has to maintain her
existence as human. Third, personal commitment
which has high risk to prove the existence. She follow
her own decision not to submit her life to the colony
called soul and she accept to life in struggle and
committed totally to it. This third point is the central
attitude to control freedom of thinking to decide
something whether right or wrong. In the story Melanie
fall in love to Jared who so much elder than her, as we
know that too much different age in a relationship will
look weird, and Melanie thought like she is the last
women in the earth, and so did Jared, so shes keep
going on. The last point is patient attitude in search
truth; this is the process of thinking to face the reality
to get essence. The existentialist thinks that times can
give experience to show the truth in life (Roberts,
1956:92-94). With Wanderer, Melanie find out what is
life, how to life, how to love, how to fight, how to
make a sacrifice to other we love, and how to accept
what should happen, would be happen. This statement
has deep implication to human existence that is become
the basic themes of Seculer Existentialism. Those
themes are Loneliness and Anxiety or Death, Freedom
of Choice and Responsibility (Stumpf, 1966:460).
Existentialism in literature has often been
plagued with despair and profound loneliness. When
ones feel despair and lonely, they will try to overcome
the common sickness of despair and loneliness. The
feeling of loneliness will send someone to great despair
and anxiety while face the real life. Sartre said that
anxiety is state of being anxious or experiencing a
strong or dominating blend of university, agitation or
dead, and brooding fear about some contingency
(Roberts, 1957:211). As a form of existentialism
anxiety and death describe the end of life that is a part
of existentialists life (Roberts, 1957:213).
Loneliness and anxiety that had been clearly
experienced by Melanie as the impact of the existence
she claim by the arriving of a colony called soul on
earth. Melanie has forced to be in disarray from her
family, living on the run, and became the sole guardian
for only one brother, Jamie. As it says in Roberts
book, that anxiety is state of being anxious or
experiencing a strong or dominating blend of
university, agitation or dead, and brooding fear about
some contingency (Roberts, 1957:211). Existentialism
as a form of death anxiety and describe the end-of-life
8

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

that is a part of the existentialist's life (Roberts,
1957:213). Melanies motif and and mobile to hold on
her humanity make her feel anxiety, confront the
emptiness of being human. Melanie escapes from the
colonization with implicit reason to maintain her
existence as humans. Nonconscious act that Melanie
took in order to refuse a soul inserted to her body
because Melanie does not want to be someone else.
Melanies choice to escape, living on run, and being a
fugitive as the impact because she wants to maintain
her existence on this earth that has been colonized.
Melanie felt the anxiety and loneliness in her life who
is always running at that time. Melanie know that the
world has been taken over and human existence will be
extinct soon. Melanie indirectly understand that the
ultimate limit of the existence of a creature is death, or
force to deathlike that experienced by humans since the
colonial of the soul.
Along the story of Stephenie Meyers The
Host, the main character of that story, Melanie Stryder
has to live and made friends with loneliness in her life.
Feel like living in a last minute life every time, feel like
the last human on earth, and since she was teen, she
has loosed her parents, then she lived with her only
brother, Jamie Stryder. Without any awareness the old
Melanie who always cheerful being confiscated and
being the lonely Melanie who living in fear.
In all that shed lost since the end of her
world, so long ago shed never before felt
betrayed. When her father had brought the
seekers after his children, shed known it was
not him. There was no betrayal, only grave.
Her father was death. But Jared was alive and
himself. (Meyer, 2008:268)
Since she was young, she had already lost her
family. No mother, no father, but only one brother,
Jamie. When Melanie was young, her father had caught
by the seekers, and injected a soul into him, and then
her father brought the seekers to caught Melanie and
Jamie, there is no safe place for them. Every place they
have lived before, had already scanning by the seekers
to find Melanie. Melanie has to run, avoid to meet
everyone she has known become someone else,
murder. Has met Jared is kind of miracle to Melanie. It
was like Jared had come brought new hope for
Melanie, as she and Jamie werent the human left. And
Jared kept Melanie safe, made Melanie loved him.
You're not alone, he realizes. His expression shows
uncertainty for the first time. (Meyer, 2008:38) Jared
made sure Melanie that hes human on the first time
they met. It was cant be avoid that Melanie also
miracle to him. Thats why they feel have each other,
the only human left, then they were in love and cant

be separated. And after Melanie had caught and

Wanderer inject into her, she know Jared will never
being traitor, as her father she thought before. Jared
alive, and still himself.
As she lives with her brother all alone, hide
and run, Melanie has to take care and feed her brother.
Go to work was completely impossible for Melanie to
fulfill their need, remember that Melanie is a fugitive.
There was no other option for Melanie, except steal
food or anything she need in citizens house. That night
Melanie has to steal some food to feed their stomach
that have not eat for some days. Melanie leaves Jamie
in the save place, hide from every danger. Melanie
walks to nearest citizen house to steal some food or as
much as she could bear. She takes every risk to go
alone and keep Jamie safe, if she had to caught, she
would be caught alone, and Jamie still save. Melanie
totally feel the anxiety, she is absolutely afraid, how if
she getting catch, how if Jamie has to live alone, and so
on. But Melanie, keep going because she want Jamie
keep alive.
Before Jared, Melanie live all alone and she
have to take care of her brother. Then after Jared, when
she catch by the seekers, and Jared not there, she is all
alone, again. But in a way, she glad, if she had to be
caught, she had to be caught alone, she can keep Jared
and Jamie safe. The only one option she had is dead, in
a lonely time, and keep everyone she loves save. I am
alone. I've failed. (Meyer, 2008:16). Melanies
loneliness bring an impact, death. Death as the impact
beacuse her confrontation with nothingness with
impossibility of finding ultimate justification for the
choices she must make. Melanie know well about
remain her existence, so if death is also the part of
existence, she had to take it, she would take it.
Anxiety is also clearly tasted by Melanie
when she come to find Jared and Jamie in human hide
place in the dessert. Just because Melanie desire to
meet Jamie and Jared, heading death heading
forwardas the impact if humans there willing to kill her
and Wanderer. Melanie and Wanda finally decide to run
away from seeker and follow their own instinct,
finding Jamie and Jared, because its not only Melanie
who loves them, but also Wanda. Melanie and Wanda
confront fear, feeling anxiety; even they know what the
price they have to pay. Feeling the emptiness because
of anxiety of decision she makes completely holding
her on when she was in the dessert, with nobody but
themselves. They took every risk in their plan in a way
to find Jamie and Jared. They have to hold on in the
desert, confront fear of being caught by seekers
anytime, starving, and dehydration.

Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

No. But since the option of driving is now
reasonable, I will take it. It will be nice to see a bit
more of this world. The desert can be stunning
(Meyer, 2008:65). Melanie found an excuse to avoid
being followed by the seeker on the way to Arizona.
Melanie told the seeker that she wanted to refresh her
mind by driving all alone and enjoying the desert rocky
mountain along the road. On the first time the seeker
doubt on Wanderer excuse, but then she permit Wanda
to drive alone toward Arizona. Wanda concede the
point of refreshing, days without seeker, but then
Melanie makes Wanda has not the heart to feel what
Melanie felt all the time. Melanie is missing Jamie and
Jared, so much. And when they driving through the
desert, Melanie remember what her uncle had planned
before, living inside the rocky mountain. Exactly at
that time, Wanda follow Melanie, find another Human,
Jared and Jamie is the most important.
Melanie was perfectly at home here in the
middle of nothing. (Meyer, 2008:90) Because of
Melanie used to live alone, live in loneliness, nothing
is her best friend. Nothing is the best place for her in
hiding. By nothing Melanie feel save, in the same time
feel lonely. Melanie greets inhabitant of desert like old
friends. She know every name of plants there, she used
to be there, and the nothingness of desert is part of her
that was ready to accept her completely as she thought.
Existential loneliness is a way of being in the
world, because of Melanie maintain to be human being
in the world, Melanie feel that loneliness because
human being had been replaced. The replaced of
human being in the world made Melanie has no other
human friend, except her brother. Melanie used to
suffer in her loneliness, until she can feel that she is
alone. Loneliness is being her friend, her close friend.
She is all alone till she can feel her loneliness. So then
with her loneliness she feel anxiety all the time and she
would confront death easy as the part of existence.
As Sartre sees anxiety and death as a
confrontation with the fact of freedom or our unmade
future. Anxiety, according to Martin Heidggers, leads
to the individuals confrontation with the continuous
awareness of ones own future death (Kaufmann,
1956:292). Future image of Melanies life was still
blur, until she took an action and deal with every
problems in her life. Melanie met up with anxiety and
death in every choice she decides, and its so human.
Melanie still a human who has to find out who is she,
what she would be, how she would deal with her life.
According to Sartre cited in Joseph, choice is
central of Human existence, and it is inescapable, even
the refusal to choice is a choice. Freedom of choice
entails commitment and responsibility, because

individuals are free to choose their own path. Or in

another word, Sartres pronouncement that we are
condemned to be free (Joseph, 1970:55). Basically
freedom of choice is an argue that man is simply what
he makes of himself. Mostly we make choices based on
our experiences, beliefs, and biases, those choices are
unique to us and made without an objective form of
truth. There are no universal guidelines for most
decisions, existentialists believe. Instead, even trusting
science is often a leap of faith.
Being for itself is a human entails with the
power to choose, human has the power to make a
choice. Melanie as a human choose to stay still as a
human around the colonized of Soul in the earth. The
Soul concede the point of human being prosperity by
making them injected with The Soul. But human
werent human anymore even their old body continued
their old live, even their physicly form were still
human, their mind had totally taken over by The Soul
that injected to them. Melanie translated it as a murder,
huge amount murder. So that Melanie choose to run
away, avoid, and hide from The Soul that look for
human to be injected.
Melanies being for itself is kind of Melanies
consciousness that she is need to make choices based
on her experiences and beliefs, those choices are
unique to us and made without an objective form of
truth. Melanie had experienced live as human, around
human, and socialize with another human. Her
experience teaches her how differnt the world of
human and the world when The Soul came. Melanie
found that earth was so much changing by the come of
The Soul to the earth. Thats why Melanie choose not
to give her body to The Soul by running away from
civilized become a fugitive. Melanie become so sad
remembering how beautiful the earth when she was
around with her family, her neighbor, when The Soul
havent come yet to the earth.
Her name was Melanie Stryder. She was born
in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was in Los
Angeles when the occupation became known to
her, and she hid in the wilderness for a few
years before finding Hmmm. Sorry, I'll try
that one again later. The body has seen twenty
years. She drove to Chicago from I shook
my head. There were several stages, not all of
them alone. The vehicle was stolen. She was
searching for a cousin named Sharon, whom she
had reason to hope was still human. She neither
found nor contacted anyone before she was
spotted. But I struggled, fighting against
another blank wall. I think I can't be sure I

10

Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

think she left a note somewhere. (Meyer,
2008:30)
The quotation telling that Melanie was in Los
Angeles when the first occupation starts and even she
trapped in that cruel world she had choosen to still
being human. Melanie has her own freedom to choose
what she gonna be doing with her body, her life.
Melanie choose to stay being a human by running
away from the civilized country and hiding in the
wilderness. In order not to be caught Melanie choose to
live nomadically, she lives move from one place to
another place and avoid the places which are have
memories of her family because the Seekers already
investigate her fathers mind to catch her. She has her
freedom to choose where are the save place to hide.
Melanie makes several stages of journey, walk around
America not only to hide but also to find another
humans which are still alive. Melanie tried to find her
family after her long long journey. Melanie wanna
meet her cousin, Sharon, because Sharon should be
safe with her father, Uncle Jeb, Melanies crazy uncle.
Melanie choose to find Sharon because she knew that
Uncle Jeb had a plan, Stryder plan, to hiding in a
miracle place.
Melanie taken choices to make sure she can
continue her life. As a human, Melanie has a commit to
defend her existence, and making a choice is the way
to express her commit, once again, the prove of
Melanies being for itself is her conscious awareness.
The existentialist conclude that human choice is
subjective, because individuals finally must make their
own choices without help from such external standards
as laws, ethical rules, or traditions. Because individuals
make their own choices, they are free; but because they
are freely choose, they are completely responsible for
their choices.
Stay alive with Wanda injected to her was
Melanie choice. The fight that Melanie already done all
these last time until she had caught made her stronger
and cant be defeated that easy. When Wanda injected
into Melanies body, Melanie wont leave, and then
Melanie still stay there, Melanie had to share her body
with Wanda. Melanie choose not to gone, but stay and
maintain her existence.
Melanie is still here.
He nodded slowly. What is it like? For you?
For her?
It's frustrating, for us both. At first I would
have given anything to have her disappear the
way she should have. But now I I've gotten
used to her. I smiled wryly. Sometimes it's
nice to have the company. It's harder for her.
She's like a prisoner in many ways. Locked

away in my head. She prefers that captivity to

disappearing, though.
I did not know there was a choice. (Meyer,
2008:256-257)
Melanie and Wanderer, they were live in one
body in a time. Melanie who was missing her brother
and Jared so much replaying her memory with them
inside Wandas mind. They were debating each other,
about saving human live or helping the seekers to find
human and get them injected. Melanie took an option
of make Wanda being her, not Melanie being Wanda.
Melanie has her freedom to make the soul which
injected to her being hers.
Melanie does not know if the choice she choose
could make Wanda love Jared and Jamie as she did.
Just because that is the only way to save Jared and
Jamie, Melanie takes the risk of her choice. Melanie
decided it by her self, and she choose to share Jared
and the memory they pased with Wanda. Melanie
choice was totally subjective, because Melanie make a
point that she is need Jared and Jamie, that is why she
decide to did the plan, made Wanda loves them too.
Her thought sighed faintly in my head:You never
know how much time you'll have. The tears I was
crying belonged to both of us. (Meyer, 2008:76) and
this quote is the proof that Wanda has already feel the
way Melanies feel.
Starting when Wanda want to meet her healer
in Arizona, Melanie changing Wandas mind to find
Jared and Jamie at Pichaco Peak. Melanie takes an
option to bringing Wanda meet another human.
Melanie knew how deep the hatred of human who are
fight to defend the soul injected in the earth to the soul
like Wanda inside Melanie, and Melanie keep going
with her plan to met them. Melanie stay still in her plan
and wanna told Jamie, that she is alive. Melanie doesnt
care how her condition she just want to choose what
she had to choose to maintain her life, told Jamie she is
still alive.
Responsibility is kind of characteristic or the
identifying feature of someones nature, but somehow
responsibility is also kind of act of provement its
responsibility. If however it is true that existence is
prior to essence, man is responsible for what he is.
Thus the first effect of existentialism is that it puts
every man in the possession of himself as he is, and
places the entire responsibility for his existence
squarely upon his shoulders (Kaufmann, 1975:350). As
a human who choose to stay exist by all of hers,
Melanie got the responsibility all over her shoulders by
every decision she had taken. Melanie had choosen the
decision and taking every risk of her decision to show
that she takes responsibility of life she had choosen.
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Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

Melanie consciously she has to responsible
the way she live and every choice she choose.
Responsibility is the dark side of freedom she chose.
Melanie chose to stay human and she was still human,
until she felt the anxiety and loneliness being human.
When Melanie realize that she was completely
responsible for her decisions, actions, and benefits,
they are overcome by anxiety. Anxiety is the risk that
she had accepted for still being human. As a human,
Melanie was giving an option to stay alive and human
or just surrender to the soul and get injected, and
Melanie chose to run and keep maintain her identity as
human. She had the freedom to chose, but as
existentialist, every choices she had chose there would
be responsibility she had bear.
The first, primary responsibility should be
borne by Melanie as humans is to survive as a human
being among search of seeker who continues to chase
her. Beside of having to protect herself, Melanie also
had to protect her brother, Jamie who was still much
younger than herself. Melanie had to keep hiding to
avoid the seeker who will search the rebels. In times of
hiding, one place may not be safe forever. Melanie and
Jamie had to keep moving to keep safe. Melanie was
also responsible for feeding Jamie and herself. As the
rebels that were being hunted, look for dining with
shopping at the market is impossible. Melanie had to
steal at residents house or wherever Melanie can find
food to bring it to Jamie.
Melanie and Jamie are starving. Melanie had to
leave Jamie in the cave, their temporary home. Melanie
left Jamie in the cave to keep him safe, while Melanie
went to steal food at the nearest houses. But other than
to their immediate needs as human beings who are
hungry and in desperate need of food, Melanie also feel
anxiety. What if she getting caught while stealing food,
what if she could not go back to the cave where she left
Jamie, how could Jamie survive without her. Melanie
felt the horror of the choice he decides, still be a
human.
They will not believe that, Jamie, I
whispered. They'll think I'm lying to trick you.
They'll just want to kill me more if you tell them
that. (Meyer, 2008:203)
Risks that must be borne Melanie did not just
stop. Although finnaly Melanie had caught and a figure
of a Soul named Wanderer is inserted in her body,
Melanie still has the power to decide what she would
do. Melanie leads Wanda slowly but surely to find
Jamie and Jared. Melanie well aware of the risks of her
decision if she took a decision look for Jared and
Jamie is death, whether it's death at the hands of
humans or seeker. Melanie really understand how the

human hatred against the soul figures, such as the

hatred she felt of Wanda early insertion to her. She
would receive that kind of hatred when she will meet
Jared and Jamie later. But Melanie still choose to
search for Jared and Jamie because she have been
unbearable longing them again. Melanie was willing to
take re sponsibility for all risks of her choice. By the
time Melanie finally met with an amount of human
rebels, Melanie became very hated person and would
even be killed immediately. But Melanie tried to talk to
Jamie, and Jamie finally understand and accept
Melanie. Because only Jamie who understands how
Melanies language, and Jamie knows very well that
Melanie still live together in one body with Wanda.
Therefore, Sartre believes humans should have
the commitment and responsibility. Melanie must be
responsible because even her feelings were shaped by
her actions. Feelings of fear, worry, and loneliness was
formed purely by choice she had taken. This means
that no one forced her to still being a human. Melanie
could have chosen yield herself to the soul that is being
invaded earth, and let her be inserted by a soul and die.
But Melanie prefers to maintain its existence as a
human being and fight for the survival of human
survival although it should be accompanied by huge
and full responsibility of the risk. All of this she did
because as existentialist, individuals are free to choose
their own lives, they must accept the risk and
responsibility by following their commitment wherever
it leads even to death (Wilson, 1972: 523).
Furthermore, absolute resignation is not responsible;
the only requirement of the logical consequences of our
freedom (Robert, 1957:169).
Conclusion
The Host is a story of young woman who
struggles to proclaim her existence in the earth as a
human, Melanie Stryder. Melanie Stryder has
overcome many phases in her life. Unseen enemy is the
only thing that has to be fight, but their small size wont
make them easy to be destroyed. Wanderer, the soul
inside Melanie, form Melanie to be a formidable
presence defend and protect her brother. Conflicts and
struggles not only she feels from outside, but also from
inside of her body. With Wanderer inserted to her body,
Melanie has to fight and compromise.
Melanie represent her existence in any
moment in her life. In every single step she takes, she
has her motif and mobile consciously and
unconsciously. Motif is a reason for the act and the
ensemble of rational considerations which justify
Melanie characteristic and traits as a survival and
independent woman are supported by the mobile and
motif. Motif and Mobile is the main feature that
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Melanie Stryders Existence in Stephenie Meyers The Host.

someone will unconciously present in their daily life.
In short, motif is the vission when mobile is the
mission. Mobile is the ensemble of the desires,
emotions, and passions which urge to accomplish a
certain act. Mobile arise in a real and visible, appearing
explicitly and real actions. Mobile emerged as
satisfying the desires of the motif. Mobile is a real
form which is realized by the desire of the motif.
Melanie clearly shows her motif and her
mobile to defend her existence. Motif appears implicit
in character of Melanie and motive always the
underlying all of her mobile behavior. Motif is like the
rational base for a human being for any reason of their
actions. Motif is the basic concept underlying the
human presence in his life. Melanies basic concept in
her life is being human, keep being human. All she
want to proclaim is her existence as a human. In order
to proclaim her existence she reveals her mobile in
several act. First, she want to be human so that she
rejects to be inserted by a soul, she choose to die, she
jumps to elevator shaft suicide her self. Second, she
want to mets her family, she replays her memory
regularly inside Wandas mind to makes Wanda cant
live with them either then decide to find Jared and
Jamie. Third, she is hungry but she is a fugitive, then
she just goes to nearest human house to steal some
food for her and her brother. Fourth, Melanie keep
awake inside Wandas mind, get ready to take her body
back. As her condition that seems lock inside of
Wanda, Melanie keeps proclaim her existence, at least
to Wanda. She lets Wanda realize that she cant be killed
easily.
By the time Melanie does her motif and
mobile, Melanie is also represent her conscious and
unconscious being. When motif and mobile is vission
and mission, there is something formed Melanie to
being in itself and being for itself. Being in itself is
Melanies unconscious being, form her natural
character. Strong, individual, reckless and resourcful is
Melanies being in itself. Keep living with that kind of
motif sets Melanies character then become her
identity. Melanies basic character form her to be
strong and individual women. Although she needs
Jamie and Jared as much as she needs oxigen. Her
being in itself, her unconcious being is her basic
character which make her become what she want. She
never know that she is that strong to walk through them
all, all alone. She is still alive even Wanda had inserted
to her body and still want to prove that she is fully
commit to her promise to Jamie.
Besides being in itself, Melanie is also a
councous human being who aware of her existence in
this world, being for itself. Melanie knows she want to

be human, what to do to maintain her humanity and

what the risk of being human. Melanie bears it all and
complete her life living surround by people she love
and love her. Being for itself is Melanies conscious
being, form her attitude, how to deals with another
living things. Melanie plainly stated hatred for Wanda
at the first time, Melanie also cant fool her longing to
Jared and Jamie inside Wandas mind.
Melanies existence surely bring impacts to
her life, love, and world. As the secular existentialism
point, Melanie had been concern with the result at the
first. She want to keep herself being a human so she
has to human no matter what. Second, as a man,
Melanie must be exist and strugle in order to prove her
humanity, prove her existence by choosing to die as
human rather than alive and being someone else, in this
point means being host of a soul. Third, Melanie
showed her personal commitment as a human who
want to be a human by keep alive inside Wandas body
and lead Wanda to fulfill her commitment to back to
Jamie and Jared, even all of those effort take her to
high risk trully death. Fourth, Melanie escort Wanda
patiently in order to make her believe that her nation is
killer, and all of these cant be continued. Melanie
showed Wanda about how human should live,
interaction, not even like that moment created by the
souls nation.
Melanies existence according to Sartres
theory about existentialist divided into 3 parts.
Loneliness and anxiety or death, freedom of choices,
and responsibility. Loneliness which is mean like the
end of life, Melanie had gone through it. Melanie had
lived like everytime is the last minute for her, what if
she is catch by the seeker and who gonna take care
Jamie. Loneliness leading her to live in the shadow of
anxiety, unmade future, insecurity. Melanie did not
even know what tomorrow will bring to her, but
Melanie as a human, she has freedom of choice and she
chooses to life. Living as fugitive that Melanie choose,
appearing responsibility she has fulfill, as a main point
is feeding Jamie and herself. In fact, that responbility
leads her meet Jared. Jared strengthen Melanies motif
and mobile to keep alive while bringing her to obscure
lifelike.
In the end of all Melanies choice influence
the world she live inside. She meets Jamie and Jared,
get them back, giving Wanda new life, giving the world
new life where the soul and human being can be live
altogether without destroy each other. As long as
human understand the responsibility of the freedom
they choose, though heart will lead them into happiness
in the end.

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Litera-Kultura. Volume 05 no. 01 Year 2017, 01-14

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