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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter provides the analysis of the study. It answers two problems formulation that have been mentioned in chapter I. There are two sub-chapters in
this analysis. The first one is the finding figurative language and allusions in Kahlil Gibran’s “We and You”. It contains some types of figure of speech and
allusions found in the poem and the meaning of each of them. The second one is the contribution of those kinds of figurative language and allusions in showing the
idea of class struggle. It contains the elaboration about how the meaning of the finding figurative language and allusions can reveal the idea of class struggle.
A. The Figurative Language and Allusions
1. Similes
a. When we cry, our tears fall into the
Heart of Life, as dewdrops fall from the Eyes of Night into the heart of Dawn; and
When you laugh, your mocking laughter pours Down like the vipers venom into a wound
Gibran, 1947, stanza 8, line 4-8
It has been mentioned in the former chapter that simile is a comparison which uses some kinds of words or phrases such as, like, as, similar, than, seems,
resembles and so on. In this stanza, there are two comparisons which are
considered as simile. The first is comparison between ‘tears’ and ‘dew’. On one hand, in this context, ‘tears’ is related to sadness, suffering, and sorrow then it
describes as dew that drops fall the Eyes of Night. On the other hand, the word ‘dew’ is related to rebirth and a brand new day because dew appears in every
morning. ‘Dew’ is also related to something pure. Due to the comparison that tears are described as dewdrops fall into the heart of Dawn, it means that the
sadness or sorrow from the word ‘tears’ brings a new hope for ‘We’. The second is comparison between ‘mocking laugher’ and ‘viper’s
venom’. It is obvious that this comparison tells about the mocking laugher which is as hurtful as viper’s venom. Therefore, this comparison means the happiness of
some people− because they embarrass other people by mocking them− can be painful for other people.
b. ... you croak and clamour merrily
Like the frogs of the water. And when we Conquer you and subdue you for an Age, we
Remain as silent giants. Gibran, 1947, stanza 24, line 4-7
There are also two similes in this stanza. The first is comparison between ‘You’ and ‘frogsof water’. By using the word ‘like’, this simile describes the same
characteristic between ‘You’ and ‘frogs’. The sound of ’You’ croak and clamour is described as loud as the sound of frog in the water. The second is comparison
between ‘We’ and ‘silent giants’. Different from the first one, this simile uses the word ‘as’ to show the comparison. The way ‘We’ remain is compared as if they
were the ‘silent giants’. These two similes, actually, have the same form in comparing ‘We’ and
‘You’ as human beings with other non-human, ‘frogs’ and ‘giants’. Here, ‘You’ are similar with ‘frogs’ and ‘We’ are similar with ‘giants’. These similes prove
that ‘You’ and ‘We’ are characteristically conflicted. The simile ‘We remain as silent giants’ imply the awareness of ‘We’ in having such a power even they do
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