SIGNA’S CHARACTER BUILDING IN ADALYN GRACE’S BELLADONNA

Abstrak

This study analyzes the character development of Signa Farrow, the orphan protagonist in Adalyn Grace’s Belladonna (2022), using Erik Erikson’s theory of Identity vs. Role Confusion. The research aims to identify the stages of Signa’s character development and to explain the impact of her character’s development on the narrative and other characters in the novel. This study applies a qualitative descriptive method with a psychological literary approach. The data are taken from narrative descriptions, dialogues, and events that portray Signa’s emotional, moral, and psychological growth. The findings reveal that Signa’s character building develops through four main stages: struggles and isolation, adaptation and social learning, moral conflict and responsibility, and identity acceptance. These stages reflect Erikson’s identity development process, showing how Signa transforms from an emotionally insecure orphan into a confident young woman with a clear sense of self. The study concludes that Belladonna presents orphanhood not merely as a condition of loss, but as a psychological foundation for identity formation and emotional resilience in young adult fiction.