THE ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN POEMS “MY FRIEND”, “MY ONE TRUE LOVE”, AND “NO REGRETS” BY SHAYNA O’CONNELL
Mahyati,S.S.,M.M
STBA Technocrat Tangerang
Abstract
This analysis aims to comprehend the figurative languages in the poems “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets” by Shayna O’Connell. To finds the answer of the study, the writer formulates the problem into two problem formulations which are (1) what kinds of figurative language used and (2) What is contextual meaning of each figurative language in poem “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets”. In analyzing the figurative language, the writer uses the objective approach to classify the figurative languages and the meanings in the text. The writer also uses social approach in order to comprehend the situation of the society in that time. It is found that there are some figurative languages that is used in the poems “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets” which are metafora, simile, hiperbola, litotes, repetisi, and personifikasi. The writer also concludes that the meaning of the figurative language found in the poems are about friendship and love.
Keywords: Figurative Language, Poems
1. INTRODUCTION
In daily life, almost all of the people express their feeling in various ways of literature. One of them is poetry. Poetry is art of feeling expression with several rules in writing. There are two types of poetry, narrative poetry and lyric poetry. Narrative poetry is poetry that has stress story and action including epic, romance, and ballad poem. Lyric poetry is poetry that has stress on emotion and song. It includes elegy poem, sestina poem, epigram poem, sonnet poem, and abode poem. Generally, poetry uses the simply writing and different language in daily conversation. Words in the poetry have wide meaning. Stressing in the poetry also will describe the situation that moment. They also use figurative language to make poetry have the essence of style and beauty.
Figurative language is simply a descriptive way of writing which helps the reader to imagine a picture of the subject or scene, and to bring out the reader’s emotions and help them relate to the words. However, it cannot be taken literally. As a result, to translate it into different languages may cause misinterpretation. If it is translated literally, word for word, into a second language, it will be completely misunderstood. Although, there are always possibilities for translator to analyze, understand and translate it correctly. The use of figurative language involves a risk misinterpretation. Moreover, it would be a challenge for a translator to be able to translate the meanings of figurative language in the source into their equivalence in the receptor language.
There are any kinds of English language figurative elements such as metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, allegory, and other. In this study, the writer will focus on the explanation figurative language. The writer will analyze of figurative language in poem “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets” by Shayna.
2. THEORETICAL REVIEW
Poetry is the choice of words and their arrangements made to draw the listeners or readers. It means that poetry has written whit feature words and arrangements that words whit the result is beautiful. The author hopes with arrangement the words poetry will have enlarge meaning and can known by listeners or readers. With those words they have imagine of the purpose that words.
Poetry is a literature works which written by author as a expressing emotional. In the writing poetry, author use variety of techniques to make the poem interesting to reading. Technique poetry is including metaphors, similes, personification, repetition, etc. That technique is call figurative language.
According to Kennedy (1983:479), Figurative language refers to words, and groups of words, that exaggerate or alter the usual meaning in figures of speeches of the component words. A figure of speech may be said to occur whenever a speaker or writer, from the sake of freshness or emphasis, departs from the usual denotations of words.
It means that figurative language is a word or group of words used author to exaggerate object with different words that can change meaning of that sentence. Figurative language also used to freshness or emphasis. It means with figurative language will have the enlarge meaning.
“Figurative language is language which employs various figures of speech, some examples are metaphor, simile, paradox, etc.” Reaske, (1966:42). In the figurative language, an author use kind figures of speech such as: metaphor, simile, and others to make a poem have difference impression.
Based on the explanations above, writer concluded that figurative language is a word or group of words used author to exaggerate object with different words that can change meaning of that sentence. To make it author use figures of speech such as: metaphor, simile, and others.
a. Hyperbole
According to Reaske (1996:43), Exaggerating is often in a humorous way to make a particular point is known as hyperbole.
Hyperbole is exaggerating words to describe something so that reader got a particular point as impression. Hyperbole often in a humorous way, but the humorous is not logical. For example: I have told him a thousand times.
b. Simile
According to Reaske (1996:41), A simile is a comparison that often uses the words like or as. A smile is a direct comparison between things, which are not similar in their essence particular.
It means simile is a word used to compare thing between one thing with other but the thing is opposite. For example: your eyes like the sun.
c. Metaphor
According to Reaske (1996:36), Metaphor is figures of speech which compare a thing to another directly.” Metaphor is cooperation of two things as directly, but the word is not real meaning. For example: the teacher is a hero without badge.
Based on the background of the study, the writer wants to know that Shayna uses figurative language and contextual meaning in poem “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets”.
3. METHOD
My Friend, My One True Love, and No Regrets are poetry written by Shayna O’connell. My Friend consists of 5 stanzas and 20 lines, My One True Love consists of 4 stanzas and 16 lines, and No Regrets consists of 4 stanzas and 16 lines. That poetry has published in 1990.
In this research, the writer uses mimetic approach in which this approach is an approach of study literature work that focuses the work of art in relation to the universe. (Abram’s theory)(Dr. Bustami Subhan, M.S., 2003:32). By using this approach, in order to analyze those poetries, the writer is going to use several aspect of poetry that is figurative language, theme and the sociology when those poetries were created. In this analyzing, the writer using qualitative method of research in which the result of this method is presented in the form of quotation or descriptions, though some basic statistics may also be presented. The writer used many books and theories, which related to analyzing poetry to support this paper.
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
The writer analyzes figurative language in poems: “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets” by Shayna O’connell. The first, the writer analyzes elements of figurative language in poem “My Friend”:
After the writer reads and analyzes the poems, he finds some figures of speeches. They are generally dominated by metaphor, hyperbole, repetition, simile, and personification.
Here are the evidences in each poem:
Kinds of figurative language used in poems “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets”
a. My Friend
1. Metaphor
The writer finds one metaphor figures of speech.
a. I feel so safe within your grip (line: 14, stanza 4)
The words “safe and grip” in the sentence above still connect to each other in the contextual meaning. Therefore, the writer concludes it is classified into metaphor.
2. Simile
The writer finds one simile figure of speech.
a. Your smile sparkles like new fallen snow (line: 2, stanza 1)
This the only one proof of simile found by the writer in this poem. He indicates it from the keyword how simile is. From the word “like”, he is easily able to find that this statement is simile.
3. Hyperbole
The writer finds one hyperbole figure of speech.
a. Make all my fears just melt away (line: 12, stanza 3)
From the verse above, the writer can conclude that it is a hyperbole figure of speech. Melt away exaggerates the word fears. Exaggerating is typically hyperbole.
b. Can brighten anyone’s lousy day (line: 10, stanza 3)
The words “lousy day” is indicator exaggerates in these words. So these is kind of hyperbole.
4. Litotes
The writer finds one litotes figure of speech.
a. Made these four years quite a trip (line: 16, stanza 4)
The phrase above simply expresses that it is a short journey although the duration is quite long. This statement is the opposite hyperbole so it is classified into simile.
b. My One True Love
1. Metaphor
The writer finds two metaphor figures of speech.
a. Your lips a luscious shade of red (line: 7, stanza 2)
Your lips and a luscious shade of red are directly compared in this verse. It is also named metaphor.
b. You’re my gift sent from up above (line: 15, stanza 4)
The poet is comparing between “you and my gift” here so this is also metaphor.
2. Personification
The writer finds one personification figure of speech.
a. This is what my vow will say (line: 14, stanza 4)
This sentence indicate personification because “vow will say” as if to do something like human doing.
3. Hyperbole
The writer finds five hyperbole figures of speech as following:
a. To you I’d give my tender soul (line: 1, stanza 1)
Here, the poet only wants to help someone but the poet exaggerates the expression. The writer concludes that it is hyperbole.
b. Your smile brightens up my day (line: 3,stanza 1)
In this sentence, the words “your smile” is like alive. It can make something bright. This is clearly classified into hyperbole.
c. I love you more than words can say (line: 4, stanza 1)
From the verse above, the writer can conclude that it is a hyperbole figure of speech. More than is indicator exaggerates in these words. Exaggerating is typically hyperbole.
d. My dreams of you I never dread (line: 8, stanza 2)
That sentence actually refers to “I like you” but its poet exaggerates it. It is easily decided by the writer that it is an expression that uses hyperbole.
e. You helped to mend my broken heart (line: 12, stanza 3)
That sentence actually means, “to calm someone” but the poet expresses it exaggeratedly.
4. Repetition
The writer finds two repetition figures of speech:
a. Your laugh refreshing, young, and new (line: 6, stanza 2)
Here, the poet gives effect to the readers by repeating words. It is to emphasis that it is very important. Although in this sentence, the words are not the same but the meanings are similar. The writer summarizes that it is repetition.
b. My angel, my savior, my one true love (line: 16, stanza 4)
The word “my” is repeated three times to create the effect to the readers that this part is crucial thing. In conclusion, it is considered as repetition.
5. No Regrets
a. Hyperbole
The writer finds four hyperbole figures of speech.
1. I wore a smile upon my face (line: 1, stanza 1)
This sentence makes expression with wore smile on her face to shows exaggerate. This is clearly classified into hyperbole.
2. I’ll love you till the day I die (line: 13, stanza 4)
This sentence use exaggerates the expression because as if she never loves others.
3. Up until my final breaths (line: 14, stanza 4)
Here, the poet only wants to help someone but the poet exaggerates the expression. The writer concludes that it is hyperbole.
b. Personification
The writer finds two personification figures of speech
1. My mind tells me to leave you (line: 11, stanza 3)
This sentence indicate personification because “mind tells” as if mind can tell as people.
2. But my heart says you’re the one (line 12, stanza 3)
Heart cannot say, so the writer classifies this in personification figure of speech.
The contextual meaning of each figurative language in poems “My Friend”, “My One True Love”, and “No Regrets”.
a. My Friend
1. Metaphor
a. I feel so safe within your grip (line: 14, stanza 4)
It means that, she feels safe near him. She believes that the one will protect her.
2. Simile
a. Your smile sparkles like new fallen snow (line: 2, stanza 1)
It means that the smile is beautiful as new fallen snow.
3. Hyperbole
a. Make all my fears just melt away (line: 12, stanza 3)
It means that, nothing fears when she go along with him.
b. Can brighten anyone’s lousy day (line: 10, stanza 3)
He can amuse someone when get sad. He is a jaunty person.
4. Litotes
a. Made these four years quite a trip (line: 16, stanza 4)
It means that, four years is not too long but it is only a short time.
b. My One True Love
1. Metaphor
a. Your lips a luscious shade of red (line: 7, stanza 2)
It means that your lips make her emotion come up.
2. You’re my gift sent from up above (line: 15, stanza 4)
She just wants to say that he is the one who is sent by the God for her.
b. Personification
1. This is what my vow will say (line: 14, stanza 4)
It means that, he promise to her that he will be married to her one day.
c. Hyperbole
1. To you I’d give my tender soul (line: 1, stanza 1)
The author emphasizes that she will do anything to help him.
2. Your smile brightens up my day (line: 3,stanza 1)
According to the author opinion, his smile makes her life cheerful.
3. I love you more than words can say (line: 4, stanza 1)
She wants to say that she loves him so much.
4. My dreams of you I never dread (line: 8, stanza 2)
Based on this statement, the writer concludes that she will never give up getting her love.
5. You helped to mend my broken heart (line: 12, stanza 3)
The author says that she will be better after getting her affection.
d. Repetition
1. Your laugh refreshing, young, and new (line: 6, stanza 2)
She just wants to emphasize that his laugh makes her feel more fresh and younger.
2. My angel, my savior, my one true love (line: 16, stanza 4)
The author emphasizes that is the only one person lives in her heart.
c. No Regrets
1. Hyperbole
a. I wore a smile upon my face (line: 1, stanza 1)
It means that she always smiles. She never gets sad.
b. I’ll love you till the day I die (line: 13, stanza 4)
It is to emphasize that she loves him forever.
c. Up until my final breaths (line: 14, stanza 4)
It is to express that her love will never end until she dies.
2. Personification
a. My mind tells me to leave you (line: 11, stanza 3)
The author thinks that it would be better she leaves him although her heart says differently.
b. But my heart says you’re the one (line 12, stanza 3)
It means that her love is still on him. No one can change his position in her heart.
After answering this second question, the writer can simply conclude that the three poems analyzed by the writer is only about friendship and love. It can be proven by looking at the contextual meanings of her poems.
5. CONCLUSION
After the writer analyzes the data found from those three poems written by Shayna O’connell, he concludes that the figurative language used in the poem are metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, litotes, and repetition figures of speech.
“My friend” tells about friendship. In this poem, the author is wondering her friend. Her friend is a boy that has poor appearance but his personality is contrarily different. He is a very kind person. Therefore, she likes him. Besides, the writer can also predict the content of it from its title.
“My One True Love” can also be predicted its contextual meaning from the title. It tells about love. It is about a girl who really loves a boy. She will never give up getting her love but unfortunately, she has to leave him because of a reason, which cannot be explained.
“No Regret” tells also about love. She loves someone but someone who is loved by her betrays her love. However, she never regrets loving him. From those explanations, the writer can summarize that all three poems above are about friendship and love.
6. REFERENCES
Reaske, Christoper Russel. 1996. How to Analyze Poetry. New York: monarchi press.
Reaske, Christoper Russel. 1996. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: monarchi press.
Kennedy, X.J. Goia Diana. 2002. An Introduction of Poetry. New York: Longman
Wellek, Rene, Warren, Augustin; 2003. A Guide to Literary Criticism. Yogyakarta. LPPDMF.
Diyyani, Robert. 2004. Literature Approaches, to Fiction, Poetry and Drama.New York. McGraw-Hill.
Gill, Richard. 2006. Mastering English Literature. New York. Palgrave Macmillan.