Caitlin’s Personality Development in Nina LaCour’s Hold Still (2009)

This thesis examines Caitlin's personality development in Nina LaCour's novel Hold Still (2009). The central issue of this study is how Caitlin's loss of her best friend Ingrid causes the significant impacts on personality development and factors that contribute to this development. This analysis is a text-based interpretation based on the concept of personality development theory proposed by Elizabeth. B. Hurlock. This analysis uses fictional elements including characters, storylines, and places, that explore deeply the issues of identity, loss, and growth for individuals. The findings show that Caitlin goes through a personality development process due to several significant factors. This study highlights the relevance of personality developments in contemporary literary works and provides a deeper comprehension of these development in the context of grief and loss.