For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered. Line 14
When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more. Line 15 Wine is alcoholic drink. It has been such a life style for having wine for
party, when having problem or serving to other people. People can be addicted of wine. In this line, Gibran uses it as the symbol for people who keep the truth of the
heart in soul. When heart, soul and truth are in one combination, people are usually wise to find the right thing to do. Especially, it’s as the taste of the wine
remembered. It means people that have been dealing with his soul keep asking their heart to find the truth anytime they want to do something or anytime they need self
answer. It may like an addicting activity to keep asking self first. Gibran also says ‘color is forgotten and vessel no more’. Color is related to skin color and vessel is
related by what they are. It means that for keeping the truth of the heart, people need to be free of the diversity of religion, color skin, land boundaries, identity and kind
of things that can make people judging someone blindly. The image of talking is described well in this prose poem. Gibran has given
image of talking by starting why we keep talking, the effect of talking where has been supported by scientific research, and how should we do if we want to talk about
someone or something. There is perspective in society that our talking represents our personality so by wisely talking, it can make us wisely respect the self.
4.3 On Teaching
The third prose poem to be analyzed entitled ‘On Teaching’:
Teaching
Then said a teacher, Speak to us of Teaching. Line 1
And he said: Line 2
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No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge.
Line 3 The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not
of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. Line 4
If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.
Line 5 The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give
you his understanding. Line 6
The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm, nor the voice that echoes it.
Line 7 And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and
measure, but he cannot conduct you thither. Line 8
For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man. Line 9
And even as each one of you stands alone in Gods knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.
Line 10 Pattern of this prose poem is written as sentences. It’s a combination of two
sentences and has a format as antithetical writing where the first sentences and the second sentences, in a line, are written as contrast. Here is how Gibran starts the line
of this prose poem: Then said a teacher, Speak to us of Teaching. Line 1
And he said: Line 2 In this prose poetry, Gibran uses the symbol ‘teacher’ for asking what is
teaching. Mostly, the one who have known well about teaching is teacher. But here, the teacher asks what actually teaching itself. Symbol of teacher here is a deep
symbol because if a teacher who is well known for his ability in teaching asks what is teaching, it means there is something hidden of teaching which haven’t known by
teacher.
No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. Line 3
To introduce about teaching, Gibran says about teaching in one meaningful line. Gibran says that all things which people reveal to you should already you know
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in your half sleep knowledge. The word ‘lies half sleep’ means that all we know isn’t totally we know. We only know the part which is not slept in our knowledge. The
word ‘dawn’ means the time of process when the light first appears which means that we should learn from basic like process from dawning of the day until the dark.
Gibran says that there is no one able to reveal you something because if we don’t know anything about it, we won’t even think about it. If people want to know
something, the first thing people should do is waking up their knowledge because sleeping knowledge means nothing. No matter how many people tell us about
something, if we don’t mention it, it could be useless.
The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his
lovingness. Line 4 Teacher Oxford: 2000 is the person who teaches something to someone by
giving lesson or knowledge. In this line, the teacher walks in the shadow of temple. Temple is being used in worship to the God, especially in Hindu and Buddhist
religions. It has being general agreement that God knows everything. In temple, there is a symbol such as elephant that representing a wisdom. If a teacher walks in the
shadow of temple, he’ll always practice his wisdom as the symbol of temple itself. But in this line, Gibran says that the teacher can’t give the wisdom to his follower, he
is only able to give his faith and lovingness. It’s because wisdom is relative; someone seems wise to some people but may not seem wise to the others. When a teacher
gives his wisdom, it’ll not be working at all. It’s better to tell his followers his faith because the followers will learn the wisdom itself by their faith and to tell his
lovingness because the best way to tell the wisdom is by getting love. One of the best
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ways to tell someone about something, to teach someone about faith, and to give them wisdom is by giving sample by ourselves.
If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind. Line 5
In this line, ‘he’ refers to the teacher in previous line. Gibran tells about the teacher twice in different level. The first, in previous line, the teacher walks in
shadow of temple. And the second, Gibran adds the clarification as the wise teacher or a sage. It means there is possibility that some teachers aren’t wise. In the second
level, if the teacher is really wise or a sage, he will not bid you enter the house of wisdom. Wisdom itself Oxford: 2000 is the ability to make sensible decision and
give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have. Everyone has different experience and level of knowledge; it means there is different wisdom
for each person so leading someone to find wisdom by their own mind is the best way to teach about wisdom. They will find wisdom by themselves and take it for
them long live.
The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding. Line 6
Astronomy is the scientific study of stars and the astronomer is the person who learns astronomy. He may go out of this earth to learn about the start and other
planet. Someone may learn all subjects in the earth but astronomer learns something out of the earth. The words ‘astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of
space’ means that the astronomer can talk about what he has known about the space itself but the words ‘but he cannot give you his understanding’ is being contrast. It
means that although the astronomer has told you as much as he has known about the
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space, people still can’t understand what he says about his understanding. That may because when someone tell something to us, our imagination may being different
with what he is actually talking about. Imagination and level intelligence of someone give different understanding of a subject.
The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm, nor the voice
that echoes it. Line 7 Everyone knows music but musician is someone who skilled in playing
music. Music is sound that arranged in a way that is pleasant or exiting to hear. Music has many functions as a way to get peace in specific time, neutralizing
emotion, a medium to share idea and experience and etc. Music may have message in it and the rhythm in music is the way to express those all. Here, musician is being the
symbol of the person who wants to hear the sound of the world and tell it again to the world. In this line, Gibran repeats the word ‘space’ twice, the first has been written in
previous line, to mention the space because space could be the universe. Ironically, Gibran keep giving contrast by the word ‘but he cannot give you the ear which
arrests the rhythm, nor the voice that echoes it’. It means although the musician tells the sound of the world, tells about what he knows about the world and what the
world wants to say, we cannot hear it like the way the musician hears it.
And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither. Line 8
He, in this line, is general person. He can be anyone. Yet, he can’t conduct you thither. He can’t make you to do what he wants to do, no matter how much people
know about something. He may able to make you do something, think about something or make something but those all because in the inner self, you do it by
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yourself. This line may emphasize that we are the organizer for ourselves. We should conduct ourselves first. All we do should base on our own desire.
For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man. Line 9 Everyone has his own vision in his life. Vision is needed to make someone
plan something well for the future. The symbol ‘wings’ is used to show the way. Wings make someone can fly up and keep moving up. There is concept in our mind
that ‘up’ is better than ‘down’. The connection between vision and wings is something that related in power. If the vision keeps being better, it means that human
keep making better for getting the vision. Vision makes someone has spirit to reach his dream. But in this line, Gibran says that someone can’t lend the wing of that
vision. It means that someone can say all about his vision to everyone and motivate them to reach it but he can’t make those people have same spirit to get the vision.
Spirit and motivation itself called as the wing in this line. Some people may have same vision but they may have different motivation and strength of the spirit. So
those will make the different passion to get the vision itself.
And even as each one of you stands alone in Gods knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his
understanding of the earth. Line 10 Symbol of God refers to most advanced knowledge. Gibran writes the word
‘each of you’ to support the word ‘alone’ in ‘stand alone in God’s knowledge’ which emphasize to personal. In other word, it is about we and ourselves. Standing in God’s
knowledge is something great because we are in center of universe knowledge. Yet we are alone which means that we can’t depend on the other person. Our
understanding about the God and the earth is on ourselves.
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Since line 3 until line 8, Gibran keeps giving contrast to emphasize we must learn something by our own desire, thought and self. It’s like what Gibran says that
whoever would be a teacher of men let him begin by teaching himself before teaching other; and let him teach by example before teach by word. For he who
teaches himself and rectifies his own ways is more deserving of respect and reverence than who would teach others and rectify their ways.
4. 4 On Pain
The fourth prose poem to be analyzed entitled ‘On Pain’:
On Pain And a woman spoke, saying, Tell us of Pain.
Line 1 And he said:
Line 2 Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Line 3 Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must
you know pain. Line 4
And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy;
Line 5 And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted
the seasons that pass over your fields. Line 6
And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief. Line 7
Much of your pain is self-chosen. Line 8
It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Line 9 Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquillity:
Line 9 For his hand, though heavy and hard, is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,
Line 10 And the cup he brings, though it burn your lips, has been fashioned of the clay which
the Potter has moistened with His own sacred tears. Line 11
Many people complain when they are on pain. Pain is like something bad for them. But actually, there is a positive side of pain. In this prose poem, Gibran is
talking about pain. And a woman spoke, saying, Tell us of Pain. Line 1
And he said: Line 2 Woman is identical with her soft heart. There is analogy that men use their
brain more and women use their heart more. Gibran uses the symbol ‘woman’ may
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mean as suggestion that we shouldn’t be only seeing pain with brain but also using the heart because logically, pain is pitiful thing so it seems as if pain were only exist
as negative word.
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Line 3
Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain. Line 4
This line is saying that pain is not a negative thing. Shell is symbol for hiding something. Breaking the shell means breaking the thing that closing something and
find out what is in it. In this line, Gibran says pain giving us more understanding about something. For being parable, people won’t know how it feels when you are
starved because they are never starved. It also happens for other pain. Pain makes people more understand about the feeling of others if they have similar sick of pain
and for getting true understanding. People must know the pain to have a better solidarity and knowledge about something.
And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy; Line 5
This line is an advice from Gibran how is our way to face the pain. Sometimes, when people on pain, they forget the miracles of life. Miracles in life
itself are unlimited, yet we seldom notice it. We can still alive till right now, having two eyes and complete body, having health and those that seem simple are the most
basic miracles in life. We may be richer than other people. Yet, people keep complaining the pain that come to their life. But, when people see the other people
poorer than them, it makes their pain seem better. One of the best medicines for pain
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is by seeing there are many more people that have more pain than us so we know we are luckier.
And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields. Line 6
And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief. Line 7
Season of the heart means the changing process of feeling like happiness, comfortable, tears, and pain. While, season that pass over the field is the season like
spring, summer, autumn and winter. Those all are the life processes in general. Those seasons represent the time of life; spring as moment in our young, summer as adult,
autumn as old and winter as the death. We would accept the timing process of life because it is a natural changing process and we cannot run from it. The seasons itself
are also happened in our mind and we must accept all what happened with our life and feeling. The words ‘winter’ and ‘grief’ as if saying that your pain will be frozen
and keep staying in your side. Yet, we should watch it with serenity because Gibran says we should accept it as part of our inner self process.
Much of your pain is self-chosen. There is no one has desire for having pain in life, though pains are usually
designed by fate to toughen up our existence. It means simply that pain isn’t self chosen because it’s not our choice to be on pain. Some people say that pain is a
natural disaster that is unavoidable. But, in this line, Gibran says that pain is self chosen. Gibran may not only talk about the pain itself but our way face it. If there is
a pain, some people may automatically in gloomy day but there are some people who are able to take positive side and even get pleasure of it. So it’s totally our choice to
be on pain or surrender of pain, or being wiser and rise up of it.
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It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self Line 8
Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquillity: Line 9
Bitter potion is awful way to tell the feeling of being on pain. Yet, that can heal the pain. The medicine that tastes so awful and bitter is make people tempted to
not take it therefore we should trust the physician that the bitter potion can heal the sick. Here, there is no exact answer who is the physician. But, it could be the time or
the life. That is because we often fatefully believe that time will cure the sick self which life gives us the new one. At least, life gives us the new paradigm and
perspective about many things.
For his hand, though heavy and hard, is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen, Line 10
The word “his” represents the physician. His hand is heavy and hard may represent that pain he give makes us feel down and hopeless but it is guided by
tender hand Unseen. ‘Tender hand Unseen’ may represent the God because it’s written in capital letter and the God is the only one who makes a ‘scenario’ for
making us ‘tender’. We should drink ‘his remedy in silence’ may because the remedy is given by God and ‘in silence’ because of faith where we believe that God
always give the best for us.
And the cup he brings, though it burn your lips, has been fashioned of the clay which the Potter has moistened with His own sacred tears.
Line 11
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There are many motivations stories giving analogy that process of making cup connected to pain. Basically, the cup is made of the loam. No one think that
loam is beautiful so it is being unused. But, in the hand of a potter, the loam is being something useful and beautiful. The process of making the cup is by a ‘torture’
where the loam is being taken, being beaten, being dried under the sun, being burn on the fire, and such other processes to make the loam being a cup. Here, Gibran
writes the ‘Potter’ with capital letter to represent the God. We may like the loam itself and the pain is the process to change us being the cup. When we are in the
‘changing processes, we often complain about what is happening on us, about all the pain God give to us, and we are getting angry of it without knowing the ‘magical
power’ of it. But when we are being the cup, we just realize that God makes us pain for making us being more valuable person.
Simplify, pain doesn’t only make us being hopeless and helpless but sometimes, when we are in pain, we realize our hidden potential and power. The
writer also loves the words saying that there is no rainbow without the rain which has the same point that pain and difficulty can make us seeing the nice one behind it. In
conclusion, pain makes self being better if people know how the right way to face it.
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CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1 Conclusion
