Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai2. Maksimilianus Doi3. English Literature Study Program. Flores University 1,2,3 nonyulitha@gmail. com1, fheiralexon@gmail. Macksydtory@gmail. ABSTRAK : Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakter dominan Cath yang digambarkan dalam novel dan menemukan karakter Cath yang sebenarnya sebagai karakter utama dalam novel Fangirl karya Rainbow Rowell melalui hubungan oposisi biner. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif melalui pendekatan dekonstruktif. Dalam penelitian ini data diambil dari kutipan berupa dialog, kalimat, frasa dan kata. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa karakter dominan Cath dalam novel tersebut adalah gugup, introvert, kecanduan, rendah diri dan egois dan adanya sisi lain dari kepribadian Cath adalah tak kenal takut, ekstrovert, acuh tak acuh, percaya diri dan peduli Kata kunci: fangirl, oposisi biner, dekonstruksi ABSTRACT : This study aimed to determine the dominant character of Cath depicted in the novel and find out the actual character of Cath as the main character in Rainbow Rowell's novel Fangirl through a binary opposition. This study used a qualitative descriptive method through a deconstructive approach. In this study, data were taken from quotations in the form of dialogues, sentences, phrases and words. The results of this study indicate that Cath's dominant character in the novel is nervous, introverted, addicted, low self-esteem and selfish and the other side of Cath's personality is fearless, extroverted, indifferent, confident and caring. Keywords: fangirl, binary opposition, deconstruction INTRODUCTION Basically, literature comes from human life experience. Every thought, feeling, imagination and perception is poured into writing. According to Mays . literature is a work that is built through ideas into writing, then brings them to life by representing experiences, which involve our emotions, imagination, senses and knowledge. This is supported by Owa. Separ, & Wanggai . who said that literature also known amazing idea comes from the thoughts of the author to make an amazing art in the form of literary work and can be enjoyed by people. Literary works are not only made based on imagination but also taken from the real story. We can find several literary works based on true stories that immortalize real-life moments, memories and individuals. According to Turco . , the types of writing to be found in literarture is called genres. the primary genres are fiction, drama, poetry and nonfiction-all of these terms are umbrella terms, for there are subgenres in each category, such as the novel, novella, novelette . ong stor. and short story. The author writes a novel based on the story of human life or the events that they were inspire. Each character of course has an important role in building a work to be more alive. The story of an interesting character will be able to attract the interest of the reader to be interested in the work made by the author. According to Bate . , a great literary character is a character that is very real in life and whose character is immediately recognizable and very familiar to the reader. Meanwhile Tolok. Doi. Kara & Wanggai, 2. says that, character will support the story and make the story meaningful and understood by the readers, therefore the presence of literature in the novel is So, a simple story, but a strong character will be very easy to remember, even without names and illustrations, but makes us feel our hearts. Based on the explanation above, it can be said that character is a figure built Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. by the author to lead the reader freely imagine the desired character according to his will. In this study, novel is determined to be used as the object of the analysis because novel is one of the literary works that can be analyzed and novels also are reading texts. A reading text can be criticized by using various theoretical approaches and the reader's point of view. The theoretical approach used is adapted to the needs of the If you use the reader's perspective, there are many factors that influence it, namely social, psychological, experience, belief, moral and personality factors. Every social aspect can be expressed in literary Every aspect of life can be translated into literary works. A literary work can be criticized by using a text reading strategy. This is an old theory that is applied, namely the theory of structuralism. However, this is in contrast to the deconstruction theory pioneered by Derrida . which says that a work or reading text must have a contradiction between what is written and what is referred to outside the text. This deconstruction theory is also called poststructural or postmodern. Theories that are present as opponents or development of literary structural studies. This postmodern is a research flare that is one step ahead of modernity. Collins and Mayblin . see deconstruction as a new perspective in literary studies. Deconstruction actually gives encouragement to find something that has not received attention. Deconstruction also allows for intellectual exploration of anything, without being bound by a single rule that is considered universally applicable. deconstruction, reading does not have to start from scratch. can start from anywhere. Reading consists of several units odeadlock discourse. Deconstruction theory explains that outside the structure of the text there are many meanings that differ according to the content of the text itself or the absolute meaning. Literary texts always produce multiple This multi-interpretation occurs when a text is read and interpreted by different readers. This is because every reader has a different point of view and opinion. This meaning will give rise to new interpretations when associating with various events or situations in human life. This is supported by Barry . , who says that the theory of deconstruction is a theory that aims to unmask internal contradictions or inconsistencies in the text, which aims to show the divisions that underlie the apparent unity. In this study the writers will conduct a study on the novel. The novel which is the object of this study is entitled Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. It tells that the main character named Cath who has a very opposite personality to her twin Wren, where Cath has an introverted personality. Cath is a first-year student who has absolutely no interest in campus life, or in other words, she is afraid to face the fact that she has to live in a dorm and separate from her twin sister who suddenly wants to enjoy campus life without her. Cath is always engrossed in her own world, namely writing fanfiction on her fanfiction account. Carry On. She even prefers to greet her online friends over greeting her roommates. Cath is very introverted towards other people and is reluctant to step out of her comfort zone, she also prefers to eat protein bars under her blankets rather than having to go to the cafeteria and meet lots of people. CathAos personality is often found in the human person today. There are many factor that influence affect humans, including environmental Human live with another human, this will shape humans depending on how humans feel accepted and comfortable in that environment. The feeling of acceptance and comfort that a person has while in their environment will shape their thought to stay in their comfort zone. This will often disrupt the human mindset when he begins to go out into the wider environment, the fear of being unacceptable will haunt humans. Cath's personality in the novel is very clearly seen that she is an introvert. However, if viewed from the point of view of deconstruction theory above, that a text that does not always have one absolute meaning, so, the writer argues that Cath must have a personality that is opposite to her habit. METHODS This study used the descriptive qualitative method by Bogdan & Biklen . said, qualitative research is Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. research that attempts to analyze data in all its richness as closely as possible to the form in which they were recorded or transcribed, qualitative articles and reports often contain quotations and attempt to describe what a particular situation or worldview looks like in narrative form. That is to say, it aims to help us to understand the social world in which we live and why things are the way they are. It can be undesrtood that descriptive qualitative research more widely based on people own mind and more emphasis on words. The source of data in this study was novel AuFangirlAy by Rainbow Rowell. The book has three hundred twenty seven pages. The book was published in St. Martin's Press on 2013. ANALYSIS The research question explained about the binnary oppositions that is found in the Fangirl novel. The data will be analyzed by using theory of deconstruction. Nervous Ae Fearless The dominant CathAos character has been found, it turns out that the Cath has another identified trait or Cath who was nervous was not that nervous when she was with othe people or people she just met. Cath also has a brave nature in herself. When Cath was with Nick in the library doing her fiction writing assignment. Cath wasn't as nervous as the previous explanation. Nick is a new person that Cath knows, but Cath doesn't feel anxious when she is with Nick. Cath was comfortable with the. Here is an excerpt from Cath's courage. It felt different being with Nick now, different even from a few hours ago. The is fun. Cath didn't feel like her true self was buried under eight layers of diagnoseable fear and anxiety. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath feels comfortable with Nick, who is Nick's new friend she met in fiction class. As explained above. Cath will definitely feel nervous if she is with othe people in her comfort zone life, but the is refuted by the quotation above, where Cath shows the courage to start something with new people without fear, even the is fun for her. Cath also didn't feel the nervousness at all that she usually always felt. Cath also accepts Levi as her girlfriend, the courage to show herself is proof that Cath is not a person who always feels anxious when she is with other people. The following is a testament to Cath's courage to be honest with herself. "That's great," said Cath. Trying not to let her face show that she wanted to kiss and kill Levi. (Rowel 2014:. Cath let the other side of her out. She is not afraid to show her feelings to others. Her courage to be honest with herself can be seen in the quotation above. Her love for Levi did not make her hide again and remained in her often nervous attitude. Her love made the courage inside her come out, the feeling also made Cath happier and the courage made her comfortable when she was with othe people. When Cath is faced with a shocking event that forces her to take action that will cost her money. Cath doesn't think twice about taking the bold act of going out into the crowd when her sister is stuck in a bar. The following is an excerpt that demonstrates Cath's novelty. Inside the dark and congested bar, people were shoved shoulder to shoulder. There was a band playing music on stage and the size of a sofa by the door. Cath looked around, but she couldn't see past the crowds of crammed bodies. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath walked through a crowd of people at a bar. This is not the Cath depicted in the novel, not the Cath we already know the character of. This is another side of Cath. She was able to bravely go to a bar, which was filled with people, music, commotion, new people and men. The existence of Levi in Cath's life, makes Cath a different person than she was before. Feeling accepted by othes, makes her brave to get closer to othes. When Levi is in Cath's room, and Cath reads her fanfiction. Cath feels very close to Levi. Cath finally felt she deserved to be with someone else and that also built her courage. The following is an example of Cath's courage with Levi. Levi's smile widened, so that Cath could see her teeth. It was strange looking at Levi like the. From close Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. As if she was allowed to do so. (Rowell, 2014:. Levi's existence really made Cath change completely. Cath didn't change to just be friendly to Levi, but Cath finally showed her true nature that had been hidden for a long time in her. Levi brought an influence in Cath, her drastic change in attitude when she was with Levi, made it seem as if she felt brave with herself. Here is an example of Cath showing courage when with Levi. Cath felt herself blush. She didn't look at Levi again until they were standing in front of the elevator. (Condition: steady smil. When the elevator doors opened. Levi put a hand on Cath's back and Cath almost jumped. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath's attitude, which we already know, is inversely proportional to the quote above. She didn't feel the nervousness or panic that suddenly attacked her when she was with new people she met. The bold quotation above means that. Cath feels comfortable being on the side of other people. Cath's feelings became stable and she didn't feel the panic that took away her good day. We can see that, thee is a binary opposition that works in the character of Cath. Thee is courage in her if we carefully dissect her character. A person's courage will appear when she believes in someone, she will not feel afraid to avoid but she will feel comfortable when with that person. Cath convinced herself to start something new, she convinced herself to try to get out of her comfort zone. With a little effort to get through the day that is different from before, building Cath's confidence to move forward armed with the courage within herself. Cath didn't always act nervous if she was determined firmly within herself. We can find a brave side or character in Cath, by identifying a hierarchy of oppositions that can be done with careful reading, because with careful reading and focus we will be directed to conclude a single meaning in which the author arranges conclusions based on the causal relationships she constructs. Introvert Ae Extrovert Cath as the main character in the novel Fangirl, has a dominant character from her, one of which is Cath, who is an introvert. Cath is very difficult to socialize, she doesn't like being in crowds. Cath prefers to hide all day long than having to waste energy on socializing, which is a characteristic of people with introverted personalities. Here, binary opposition will work in the character of Cath who has an introvert personality and Cath is also an extrovert person. While Cath is working on errands with Nick at the library, her close relationship with Nick, makes her not believe that she did that. Sitting alone in the library, laughing and working together is the opposite of her introverted personality. Here is an extroverted attitude that Cath shows when she is with Nick. AuFun,Ay said Cath, looking up at Nick, still not sure if they were flirting with each other Ae She was pretty sure She wanted to. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath is willing to show her feelings to othes. She feels happy when She is with Nick and they tease each othe showing affection. Cath didn't mind Nick's treatment at all. She liked her. Cath shows a friendliness to Nick so she can build a relationship between them. Cath has an open mind about how she should make people feel at home with her. Cath really showed her true attitude towards Levi. She even became herself when they were togethe. When they were dating. Levi often gave Cath motivation or advice that Cath was a valuable person. Due to Cath's growing trust in Levi. Cath finally confidently behaves according to her true self. Here's a look at Cath's self-confidence that grew when She was with Levi. Levi pulled their hands towards her, then up, so that their hands were in fact over her shoulders. "How do you feel when I smile at you?" she asked then she actually smiled at Cath, just a little. Not like myself, thought Cath. Then she sheld Levi's hand tightly, for balance, then on tiptoe, rested her chin on Levi's shoulder and rubbed her head gently against Levi's csheek. Her csheeks were smooth, and Levi smelled a lot thee, like perfume and mint AuLike an idiot,Ay Cath said quietly and as if I didn't want to stop. (Rowell, 2014:. Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. Cath gave a positive response to Levi with all her heart that she really liked Levi's behavior towards her. There was no nervousness, anxiety or feeling like avoiding Levi. Cath instead let Levi be near her. Cath who usually avoids getting close to othe people, in fact she really needs Levi. Cath communicates emotionally and intensely, to attract the attention of the interlocutor, which is a characteristic of extroverted people. The words in bold above meant that. Cath felt a change in her, and She accepted it. It was an attitude of self-confidence that was slowly growing in Cath because She didn't feel any anxiety at all. Cath didn't pay much attention to Reagan as her roommate. Now, she has built trust between them. Cath didn't feel like she was wasting her energy when she spent time with Reagan. Here is an example of Cath's extrovert Levi was right, they must have hit it off, because now that Reagan was saying things like that. Cath wanted to laugh at that. If Reagan missed dinner. Cath would still come down to the dining room and sit at their table. Then, when Reagan came back to the room later Ae when Reagan came back to their room later Ae Cath would tell her everything she had missed. (Rowell, 2014 :. Cath also accepted Reagan as a roommate, which at first. Cath really didn't like Reagan who was always outspoken with a much different appearance from her because Cath felt that Reagan was very uncomfortable for her. However, she agreed with what Levi said that she and Reagan were a perfect match. Cath finally responded to all of Reagan's words, she must always laugh at Reagan's nature who always called people. Cath even waited for Reagan if she was late for dinner in their dorm canteen. Extrovert personality is also shown through the following quote, when Cath finally realized that her college life would be very happy when She was with Levi and Reagan. No matter the difference in their characters. Cath just felt happy with their existence. Cath was really happy now. (Not that she'd admit it to Levi. ) So far, being the object of Reagan's charity project hasn't taken too much effort Ae just going to the dining room togethe would shelp Reagan to mock everyone who passed by their table. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath let Levi and Regan close to her. She was very happy when she was with them. She simply kept responding to Levi's jokes and went to eat in the cafeteria and then mocked the passers by at their table with Reagan, which made her feel comfortable and thee was no need to be afraid. Cath was happy to be with them, which meant she didn't waste energy sitting alone in her room. She even gets a lot of positive energy by feeling happy when she is with them, the is because extroverts enjoy the energy of the people around her. As we already know introverts tend to be introverted to prefer their own thoughts they need alone time or with friends to have energy. The quote in bold above means. Cath is a person who is more open and likes to talk to othe people, which is a characteristic of people with extroverted personalities. Binary opposition actually works in the character or side of Cath that is not described by the author specifically which is found in the way readers are directed to read more critically and be able to relate one meaning of the text in order to produce one meanings but are related to the previous meaning. One of the applications of the binary opposition concept is through reading text of Fangirl novel and try to find out the othe Cath's chracters as main character, which the writer had found the binary opposition in characters of Cath is introvert and Addicted Ae Indifferent Cath is a fan/Fangirl of one of the fictional characters in a film. Her idol is a part of her life, nothing can make Cath turn away from her idol. However, by applying deconstruction thinking, the author uses binary opposition to examine the character or the other side of Cath. Cath which is where. Cath does not really care about her idol and is not interested and ignorant of her idol. Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. Cath had a fanfiction account called Carry On. She had a lot of fans on the account. After having a hard time writing because she had to accompany her father who was hospitalized due to an unstable mental condition, then Wren was also hospitalized due to an overdose. She kept her too busy to even think about writing. And when she reopened her account, a lot of fans asked for an update on a new story about Simon & Baz. Cath finally started typing, however, her feelings for Simon & Baz are not what they used to be, here are the quotes and explanations It didn't matter where Cath started, as long as She finished. She started typing. Not . Every word was sheavy and painful, as if Cath was peeling them off one by one from her stomach. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath no longer finds comfort in writing fanfiction about her idol. She fells a sheavy feeling when she starts Cath begins to show feelings of disinterest towards her idol. She also did not care about them anymore, because every time she tried to get back to writing, she was in a lot of pain. The quote in bold above means. Cath has lost her interest in her idol. She exhibits apathy or indifference towards Simon & Baz. Cath's behavior towards her idol, provides evidence that She has acted to be unconcerned, which is not a character the author has known or described. When Simon & Baz was an escape when she was tired of everything she faced, now finally Simon & Baz is no longer the most comfortable place for Cath, she just wants to stop thinking about her idol because so many problems come to haunt her. Here's a quote that makes it clear that Cath does not feel attracted to her idol. Cath didn't try to stir up a fight for nine days. She just wanted to get away from tonight. She didn't have time to feel guilty about writing fiction. Even thinking about that stupid story made Cath feel clawed. (Rowell, 2014:. In fact. Cath feels depressed when she starts thinking about Simon & Baz, the quote in bold above means that. Cath is really indifferent to her favorite idol. Cath finally loses motivation and passion for the things that used to be considered interesting and fun to run. The proves the influence or work of binary opposition in the character or side of Cath. She who originally made Simon & Baz a part of her life and happiness, now Cath has shown an attitude that proves that she no longer considers her idol a part of her life. This is also supporting evidence of Cath's character. While Cath is working on her fanfiction assignment. Cath begins to feel a loss of interest when She tries to write about her Cath is no longer showing her Fangirl side through the following quotation. Cath sat further away, got out of bed and packed her laptop. AuI was wrong when I told my professor I could finish it Ae I couldn't. I'm not even sure if I can finish Carry On. " (Rowell, 2014:. Cath no longer fell confident. She seems to want to get away from the things that makes her depressed. she fells in the quote above. Cath lost faith in her abilities. Not only has she lost her confidence, she has lost interest in something that she has originally loved so much. The depressed feeling that Cath felt, now makes her live in the void, she no longer believes in herself. Cath's attitude is in contrast to the attitude described earlier. Cath who initially loved her idol, now she is ignorant and doesn't care about her idol. Her thoughts were only of Levi, she could not stop those thoughts. She felt she had lost her identity as a fangil. The is because of how Cath's attitude can't be balanced between her boyfriend and her idol. The fact that She thinks more about her boyfriend, makes Cath lose her love for Simon & Baz, as in the quote below. Cath looked at her laptop. SheAos been working on the same paragraph for two hours, it's a love scene (Parental Guidanc. , (Like all Cath love scene. , and She keeps losing track of where Baz and Simon's hands should be. (Rowell, 2014:142 Cath lost her rhythm in writing stories in her fanfiction. The quote in bold above means. Cath lost the will to write because she thought too much about her love story. As previously explained. Cath simply gave all her life to bet on her idols Simon & Baz. However, as time goes by. Cath finally finds real love. She begins to forget everything She has built with her sister. Cath also acted deviated from what she should have done. She becomes a person who does Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. not care about her idol, which is the exact opposite of what a Fangirl really means. Cath who was originally a true fan, became blind to her love story with a man. This, can be considered normal because every human being will feel the turmoil of love that will make her feel lost because they will always think about the person they love. Cath also felt the same way, like people falling in love. Cath finally became indifferent to her idol who had become a part of Cath's life and indeed the writer had described Cath's character like that. Cath, a Fangirl fanatic and addicted to it, is now a different person who is no longer a Fangirl. Insecure Ae Confident Insecure is one of the dominant characters owned by Cath which is described by the novelist Fangirl. The feeling of inferiority is due to Cath who always feels it is inappropriate to deal with other people she just met, even though she still feels insecure with her own family. Cath's behavior like this very much appears in every chapter in the The author finally analyzes and identifies by reading carefully to find the othe character or side of Cath. The author believes that Cath's character is not only about her being a person who always feels inferior, but, she is also a person who is very confident in dealing with a problem. By using the theory of deconstruction and then looking for binary opposition, the writer finds a confident side of Cath. Cath finally showed her confident side, she also no longer felt inferior and began to trust people who wanted to be close to her. This is shown through Cath finally dating Levi. From the previous explanation. Cath, who was less confident in her feelings, now finally trust Levi as an important person in her life. Cath was no longer afraid to tell Reagan the truth as Levi's ex. Because Reagan's approval also made Cath more confident. The following is a quote that shows when Cath felt confident in her relationship with Levi. Cath turned and pulled the blanket up. "Levi is better for me. " She agreed. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath with a feeling of comfort and confidence expressed her heart. Cath, who initially felt that she and Levi were not compatible, was now in contrast to how she felt now. Cath became more confident in Levi and felt that Levi was the one for her. Cath shows the best side of herself, she was able to get out of her comfort zone, because Cath believes she will go through the best love story between her and Levi. The quote in bold above means. Cath agrees with other people's opinion about her, the means Cath respects her. Confident people never think of themselves as inferior to others. In othe words. Cath believes that she has the same rights as othe people, she also believes herself that she deserves to feel in love like everyone else. The allows Cath to pursue her dreams, enjoy life, stand up for herself, and make a difference in her own way. Cath and Levi plan to go on a date. Cath was very excited about Levi's Cath really did not expect this happenned to her. Cath asked Reagan what she should wear to look attractive in Levi's eyes. Cath's efforts, proving that she is a believer, are quoted as supporting evidence of Cath's attitude. As soon as Reagan left for work that afternoon. Cath jumped off her desk and began to csheck her closet to determine what she was actually wearing. Maybe a T-shirt and cardigan or jeans. She her choices on the bed. Then she went looking for something She'd bought at a flea market last yearAe a knitted green collared sweater with vintage pink buttons. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath shows her confidence by getting ready to go out with Levi, where. Cath is a person who is afraid to look ugly and feels inferior to those around her. Cath believes herself, that she will look beautiful, as evidenced by how she is very excited to prepare for their date well. The shows that. Cath values herself highly, which an insecure person would not do. She showed her confidence by trying to look attractive in front of Levi. With Cath respecting herself, she will have confidence that Cath is not inferior to anyone else. Armed with the self-confidence that Cath slowly built, one day when Cath was alone in her room. She acted or pretended to be someone else. This is an improvement from her efforts to look different from her previous Here is a quote that demonstrates Cath's confidence. Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. Cath pulled the rubber band from her hair and removed her glasses. she had to step closer to the mirror to get a better look at herself. She lifted her chin and forced her foreshead to relax. "I'm the fun one," she said to AuSomeone give me tequilla because I'm really going to drink it. And thee's no way you'll ever find me having a panic attack in your parents' bathroom. Who wants French Kiss?Ay (Rowell, 2014:. With confidence. Cath believed in herself that she could be like anyone else. Other people in Cath's eyes are, cool people, can be anything and are not afraid to act and act the way they want. Cath with a new feeling of courage growing in her heart and mind, acted like the othe people who had always surrounded her. Cath started by taking off her glasses and brushing her hair down. Even though it was a little awkward. Cath stepped into the mirror and tried to look different than She really was. UnabaShedly. She started acting in front of the mirror, acting like She was one of the hottest girls at a party. According to the quote above, it can be seen that Cath is starting to build her confidence by daring to try something new. The is the first experience for Cath to act as if she is not herself, with the small effort, it can be concluded that Cath is not an insecure person, she is also a confident person. Then, through the quote above, we can see that. Cath began to make peace with herself. Cath had always been afraid to start a change in herself, however, it could be seen that. Cath started to believe in herself. Selfish Ae Consifderate In the previous explanation. Cath as the main character in the novel has one of the dominant characters being The previous explanation provides evidence that in her life with othe people or her family. Cath will not hesitate to be selfish where Cath wants her life to go according to what she thinks without thinking about othe people's Using deconstruction, the author finally uses how it works by reading carefully, and then looking for the binary opposition contained in Cath's character. What the writer found in the character of Cath is, it turns out that she is not a selfish person as described by the novel's author. Cath is proven to pay attention to the people around her. Cath shows concern for her sister who has overdosed in a bar. The caring attitude made Cath feel that She shouldn't think about herself, the is proof that Cath cares for her sister. Cath folded her arms over the edge of the bed and laid her shead down, exhaling. "I'm glad they brought you here," she said, "whoever brought you here. " Because I wasn't thee, because you didn't want me there, because I didn't know how to stop you. (Rowell, 2014 :. Cath felt sorry for her sister for what wasn't really her fault. Cath paid more attention to her sister, because She felt compelled to do so and thanked the person who saved her sister. Cath who at first didn't care and even hated her sister Wren, because Wren wanted to live life freely without Cath beside her, but Cath's attitude was inversely proportional to the following quote. Her attitude was very uncontrollable when she was away from Cath, and Cath felt she had to take responsibility for the misfortune that befell Wren. The quote above proves that despite Cath's arrogance or selfishness. She still has a high sense of caring or concern for her sister. Cath takes care of her sister by proving that She will always make time or make time to be with Wren under any circumstances. Cath in her own way proves to Wren that She is a good sister and they deserve to love each othe. Even though Cath still has feelings of disappointment. She still tries to give proper attention to how a fellow sister should behave. Cath's caring attitude returned when She and Reagan devised a plan for Cath and Levi to keep their distance while Reagan was between them. Cath paid attention to Reagan because she understood how her roommate felt when she saw her friend and ex showing affection for each othe in front of her. Here is an excerpt that shows that Cath is paying attention. AuOkay,Ay said Cath, deciding to take the seriously. "What's the rule again? You can't talk about sex, you can't show off your affection, you can't talk about dating. " "You can't be jealous" "You can't be jealous for no reason, is that fair?" Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. Reagan pursed her lips. AuFine, but be reasonable when the happens. Can't be jealous for no " "Deal" said Cath (Rowell, 2014:. Cath and Reagan made it a rule to respect each other. The rule is a rule made for Levi and Cath not to show affection in front of Reagan, who Reagan is Levi's ex. Cath showed concern by following their rules so Reagan wouldn't feel hurt and Cath wouldn't feel bad about seeing her roommate. Cath also felt She had to be understanding towards Reagan, because She didn't want them to feel awkward when She and Levi showed affection because Cath was sure her days at the dorm would not be easy without Reagan. In the case too. Cath showed her concern by respecting Reagan's decision not to cross the line they had set togethe. The concern proves that Cath does not only think about herself and wants everything to go as she wants, however. Cath realizes that she must respect othes, so that her safer life with the people around her can run smoothly. Cath is happy to shelp Nick complete her writing. Cath paid attention by crossing out anything she thought was inconsistent with what their professor wanted. As we all know, that Cath is very good at writing, that doesn't make her brag to her friends. Cath humbly shelped them with the abilities she had. Here is an excerpt from Cath's caring Nick snatcshed the paper. "You crossed them all out. " "I didn't cross out everything. "What do you have left?" Nick leaned even furthe and watcshed Cath write. "The rhythm," said Cath. AuThe rhythm is good. Ay "Yeah?" Nick smiles "Yeah. It reads like a waltz. "Envy you?" "Definitely," said Cath. I can never write a waltz. Cath even fixed it. She rewrote Nick's lines. It reduces the strange nature of her character. "Why did you cross it out?" said Nick that night, leaning over Cath's left shoulder. Smells good. (Insight at a glance: the guys smell goo. "I love that part," She said. (Rowell, 2014:. Cath is happy to help Nick make Nick's work even better. Cath, who already has experience in writing, without hesitation helps her theme to make her work more interesting. With her concern for Nick. Cath believes that her actions will produce good results for Nick. Cath humbly without coercion or pity, shelping her friend sincerely and not showing pride or selfishness to let her friend be in that position and Cath in the top position because she is already very good at writing. Cath also shows her care for Nick by paying attention, not only to remind them of how their work should be done, but Cah takes real action by crossing out Nick's work which she thinks is not very good. From the quote above. Cath humbly admits that Nick's work made her envious. The meant. Cath wasn't bragging about her ability to be praised by people, she was just doing her job to help her writing partner. Cath's ability to write, does not make Cath want to take every opportunity to look good in fiction writing lectures, but Cath with a sense of concern, she wants her theme to be comparable to herself. Cath's concern is also indicated by her warning Nick to be better at writing instead of tutoring her. Cath did it out of concern and didn't want Nick to be on the wrong path. A good friend, will remind you as long as it is for good, not to plunge you into trouble. Of course Cath paid more attention to her fathe who was experiencing mental disorders. Cath who originally didn't care about othe people's feelings, has now become a very sensitive person through the attention she gives, here is the quote "You go," said Cath. "I'm at home with Dad. "I can't go without you. It must look weird. Ay (Rowell, 2014:. Cath gave more attention to her father who was recovering from her mental illness. Cath gave attention with intention from the heart, which will manifest an action based on awareness. That is, the attention is given intentionally Yulitha Patrisia Paju1. Febe F. Irawati Wanggai 2. Maksimilianus Doi3. DECONSTRUCTING CATH AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN RAINBOW ROWELLAoS NOVEL FANGIRL Journal of Language and Literature p-ISSN 2502-5473 | e-ISSN 2808-0106- | Vol. 11 Nomor 1 Maret 2025 http://e-journal. id/index. php/lntern/index lanternsasing@gmail. driven by the will of the person. As Cath experienced in the quote above. Cath knew that her fathe was in recovery, so she was willing to shelp her fathe or csheck how far her fathe is progressing in that recovery period. Cath shows she cares by giving what she can or by sacrificing her time. Sacrifice in the case means, her attention is not only spoken by mouth or only crossed her mind, but also based on real action. CONCLUSION There is binnary opposition in the character of Cath as the main character that has found in Fangirl novel. Cath is described as a nervous, insecure, introvert, addicted and selfish person, but has been found through deconstruction work, the writer finds that Cath is also a fearless, extroverted, indifferent, confident and considerate Cath's character is judged by how she responds or faces something that happens to her. Cath as the main character in the Fangirl novel is just like other human in the real world that has nature of how to behave. Every character is character, no consideration as good and bad characters anymore. Every character in the story, described by the author, must have a character or another side, if we work through the theory of deconstruction. Like Cath's character that has been analyzed. Cath who doesn't want to get out of her comfort zone and is closed to something, now we can see that Cath is brave to get out of her comfort zone and behave openly with people around her. The binnary opposition are found in the character of the story. PeopleAos perception about certain human character can be explored deeper and have opposite side. From the deconstruction theory and from concept of binnary opposition it can be concluded that in assesing a person not only from the outside but must be more deeply familiar with and understan the character. REFERENCES