Unlocking the mystery of the fatal game in Karen M. McManus one of us is next

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Putri, Nadya Deliana (2023) Unlocking the mystery of the fatal game in Karen M. McManus one of us is next. Undergraduate thesis, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

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Abstract

This study aims to unravel the mystery surrounding the game of truth-or-dare in Karen M. McManus' One of Us is Next by examining the novel's plot. The novel narrates a story of an invitation raised to participate in a mysterious game called truth-or-dare. The person who becomes the game's target can select either 'truth' or 'dare.' If the targets select 'truth,' they must tell the truth; if they select "dare," they must complete a dare. However, if they choose neither option, the game's creator will reveal their secret to all their friends. The game keeps reaching its highest point till a mysterious death occurs because of it. This study focuses on two research formulas: (1) the description of the truth-or-dare game in Karen M. McManus' One of Us is Next; (2) the journey of the characters discovering the creators and motivations behind the truth-or-dare game in Karen M. McManus' One of Us is Next. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method, describing the findings. Additionally, the data utilized in this study comes in the form of words and sentences. The researcher employs the perspective of New Criticism to explain how the characters in the novel One of Us is Next reveal the culprits and the motives behind the truth-or-dare game and pays attention to Joyce G. Saricks's genre formula of mystery to derive greater accuracy in the findings. As secondary data sources, the researcher also uses books, journals, and other articles to support her research. The findings of this study indicate that the truth-or-dare game assigns targets with specific criteria based on what the game creators intended. In addition, the game also has rules such as choosing between 'truth' or 'dare' and revealing secrets if the target chooses not to participate. Then, the pattern of the characters' actions follows a mystery formula, which includes the committing of the crime, the analysis of the clues, the suspect's interview, and the revelation of motive. Finally, the game creator's motivation is to exact retribution. The game is designed to prevent the suspect from being suspected of committing a crime. In addition, the reason for selecting a particular target is to show their ability in technology and intelligence.