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The Use of Figurative Language in Characterization of Wilde's THE 8SE 2) F,*8RAT,9E /ANG8AGE ,N CHARACTE5,ZAT,21 2) :,/DE’S THE NIGHTINGLE AND THE RED ROSE Fitria Lonada & Laily Martin Andalas University Abstract The study suggests how figurative language is related to the description of characterization in children litera- ture. To ensure that the indirectness of the figurative language actually helps describing characterizations further, the study focuses on the description of the simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and irony (Rozakis, 1999) of the main characters of :ilde’s The 1ightingale and the Rose. The analysis on the figura- tive language uses is used as the Ease for interpreting the story’s characterization. ,t reveals that figurative language descriEes characterization relating to the information on the characters’ mental and physical attrib- utes. Each of the figurative language categories describes the characterization in certain way in order to make the particular abstract concepts for characterization detailed and concrete. In that case, with the help of figu- rative language, the story may be comprehended better by young readers. Keywords: figurative language, characterization, simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, irony Introduction purpose is to serve three elements of clarity, forth, and beauty in the language.” Other than Rozakis (1999: 28) defines “Figurative to tell something implicitly, figurative lan- language is saying one thing in terms of an- guage also functions to make text language other.” By figurative language, a concept of an more interesting and aesthetic. The using of actual object is represented indirectly. Even figurative language creates literary works though it is commonly found in literary works with a high artistic value because the language to arise the beauty of language choices, the style makes the text language more poetic, indirectness seems irrelevant to the ideas of colorful and different from daily language. concreteness and explicitness of children psy- Moreover, using figurative language also cholinguistic development. Therefore, this causes “special meaning and effects” (Abrams, writing generally describes the way Wilde 1981: 63). uses figurative language in the sample short Figurative language is categorized into story, The Nightingale and the Rose, which was certain types. Little (1984) divides it into three: taken from his children literature collection of comparison, association and other figure of The Happy Prince and the Other Tales (1988). It speech; Perrine (1988) divides it into 10: meta- particularly focuses on how figurative lan- phor, simile, synecdoche, personification, me- guage describes and forms characterization. tonymy, allegory, overstatement (hyperbole), Stylistics is an approach which relates irony, symbol and paradox; and Rozakis ideas in linguistics and literature; linguistic (1999) has allegory, ambiguity, apostrophe, features are used to describe and prove an conceit, connotation and denotation, contrast, interpretation of a literary text (Widdowson, metaphor, irony, hyperbole, irony, litotes, me- 1975:4; Semino and Culpeper, 2011:1; Ver- tonymy, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, personifi- donk, 2002:3; and Simpson, 2004:3). By apply- cation, sarcasm, simile, symbolism, synecdo- ing stylistic analysis, readers are able to ana- che, synesthesia, transferred epithet and un- lyze the style of an author in telling stories derstatement in his kinds of figurative lan- form the linguistic choices. In this study, figu- guage. From the three, the idea of Perrine rative language is observed in relation to its (1988) is chosen and limited to the discussion support to the interpretation on characters on the categories of metaphor, simile, personi- and their characterizations. fication, hyperbole and irony. Here is the brief Figurative language refers to telling explanation. something to convey an implied meaning Metaphor (Rozakis, 1999:28). Tajali (in Fadaee, 2011: 1) Rozakis (1999:33) defines “A metaphor states “The language that uses figures of is a comparison without the words like or as.” speech is called ‘figurative language’ and ‘its 15 Leksika Vol.9 No.2 – August 2015: 15-20 From the definition, it can be said that meta- Personification phor is the comparison between two different According to Barnwell (1980), things directly without the word comparison. “Personification is a figure of speech in which Black (2006: 102) states “0etaphor was once an abstract idea, or something which is not defined as saying one thing and meaning an- alive, is treated as though it were a person.” other.” ,n simply, metaphor can be analogous Furthermore, Rozakis (1999:35) explains that to the formula A is B. For example, in man is a “Personification is the attribution of human wolf (Glucksberg, 2001:7), the man is compared characteristics and/or feelings to nonhuman to wolf which refers to wild- and braveness. It organisms, inanimate objects, or abstract means that the man is brave like a wolf, or, ideas.” This statement is supported Ey 0urfin otherwise, the man behaves terribly like a and Ray (2003:339), “Personification is a figure wolf does. The way to determine the process of speech (more specifically a trope) that be- of carrying meaning in metaphor divides the stows human characteristics upon anything process into two; the tenor and vehicle nonhuman, from an abstract idea to a physical (Bradford 1997:22-27, based on the ideas from force to an inanimate object to a living organ- Richards (1936) and Leech (1969)). In brief, the ism.” In other words, personification is the tenor is the main subject that describes the expression of language to create non human to analogous subjects (the vehicle). live as human by giving human’s attributes: act, conversation and emotion. The example of Simile personification is death, no be proud by John Simile is the comparison that expresses Donnes (Rozakis, 1999:35). From this example, a thing is like another thing explicitly. Rozakis death is compared to proud. Donne indicates (1999:36) states that “A simile is comparison death as human who can feel proud. between unlike objects introduced by a con- nective word such as like, as, or than or a verb Irony as seems.” This is similar to .larer’s (2004:152) Galperin (1977:146) states “Irony is a “Simile is rhetorical figure which “compares” stylistic device also based on the simultaneous two different things by connecting them with realization of two logical meanings— “like”, “than”, “as”, “or”, “compare”. These dictionary and contextual, but the two mean- comparison words are the characteristics of ings stand in opposition to each other.” Simi- simile. In simile, the comparison is seen larly, Rozakis also states that “Irony states one clearly. This is contrast to metaphor that com- thing in one of voice when, in fact, the oppo- pares things implicitly. If the concept of meta- site meaning is intended (1999: 33).” Clearly, it phor is A is B, then the concept of simile is A is can be proposed that irony has the different like B. Barnwell (1980:34) divides three parts of meaning from the literal. Irony is not seen simile and metaphor: from what it is said but rather to interpret the the TOPIC, i.e., the actual thing which is meaning from the context, as stated by Black being talked about (2006: 110), “A marked disparity between what is said and the situation is often indica- the ILLUSTRATION, i.e., the thing to tive of irony.” For example, how clever are you. which the topic is compared (Galperin, 1977:147). In analyzing of irony, the readers are not interpreting the dictionary the POINT(S) OF SIMILARITY, i.e., the meaning but rather from the context. From the components of meaning which the topic example, the word clever is used to mock here and the illustration have in common when rather than to compliment a person. compared. Henceforth, Barnwell gave an example, Hyperbole the Eaby’s skin is a smooth as silk (1980: 34). Barnwell (1977: 49) proposes that “A hyper- From this example, the Eaby’s skin is compared bole is a deliberate exaggeration, used for em- to silk by using connective word as. Since a silk phasis and dramatic effect.” It means hyper- is smooth and soft, thus, it can be said that the bole is the style of language in expressing baby’s skin feels smooth and soft. Here, the something exaggeratedly. Hyperbole, or over- point is the baby’s skin, the illustration is silN statement, is used to cause the effect and reac- and the point of similarity is smooth. tion from the listener or reader, such as seri- ous, ironic and humorous. As stated by 16 Figurative Language in…(Lonanda 0artin) 0urfin and Ray (2003: 205), “A figure of refers to the various means by which an au- speech that uses deliberate exaggeration to thor describes and develops the character in achieve an effect, whether serious, comic, or literary work.” The characterization techniTue ironic.” Galperin (1997:76) provides an exam- can be done physically and mentally, as ple, he was so tall that I was not sure he had a face 0urfin and Ray (2003:53) describe “Author (O. Henry). This utterance contains the mean- must therefore make their characters ”come ing that the ‘he’ is very tall that the speaker alive” by describing not only such things as cannot see his face. Here, the speaker ex- physical attributes, actions, conversation, and presses the height excessively since, in logic, their effect on other characters but also such no mater how tall a person is, his/her face can things thought and emotions.” They say fur- still be seen. ther that “The author may employ direct char- acterization, explicitly presenting or comment- The above discussion on figurative language ing on the characters, or indirect characteriza- is going to be related to the ideas of character tion, setting forth the characters though repre- and characterization of the short story to inter- sentation on their action, statements, and feel- pret its actual uses in the text.
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