Reasons why the characters employ the certain strategies in the novel entitled “THE RED PONY”.

4. Reasons why the characters employ the certain strategies in the novel entitled “THE RED PONY”.

There are various reasons why the characters in the novel employ certain strategies to issue command. They are as follows:

a. Bald on Record

The characters in the novel prefer to employ commands with the strategy due to these reasons:

1. The commands are employed in emergency. The reason can be found in these data:

In Datum 07/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Billy Buck and Jody: “You hold the lantern!” The employment of the command by Billy is influenced by the situational context of the conversation. The conversation happened in an emergency situation. Billy uses this strategy because at the time

he wants to check the condition of Jody’s horse and he finds that Jody’s horse condition is going worse. Moreover, the barn is too dark and he can’t see the condition of Jody’s horse well so he commands Jody baldly to hold the lantern.

In Datum 09/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Billy Buck and Jody Tiflin: “You run up to the house for a while” There is situational context supporting the employment of the strategy. The conversation happened in an emergency in a serious atmosphere. Billy wants to operate Jody’s horse because he wants to make the horse getting well but at the time, there is Jody. Billy does not want Jody to see the operation because Billy has to concentrate when he operates it. Therefore, he commands Jody to go to the house. He employs bald on record because it is an emergent situation when Billy has to do emergency operation in order to save the horse’s life. Therefore, he wants his message is complied straightly by Jody.

2. The commands are employed as the task oriented activity. The reason can be found in these data:

In Datum 01/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Ruth Tiflin and Jody, her son. The situational context of the conversation supports employment of bald on record strategy by Ruth. At the time, Ruth saw Jody is busy to brush his wet hair. It made his mother upset because Jody did not go soon to the dining room and he also made Billy, his father’s employee, waited outside. Therefore, she asked Jody to go to dining room baldly in the bold words: “Go on in, so Billy can come.”

In Datum 05/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Carl and Jody, his son. The situational context of the conversation influenced him to employ a command with bald on record. As a father, Carl Tiflin wants to make his son, Jody, happy so he prepares a surprise gift. He took Jody to the barn with Billy Buck. There, Carl and Billy will give Jody a surprise gift that is a red pony colt but Jody does not know yet then his father orders him baldly to come to the box stall as in the bold word: “Come here!” After he looks into the box stall he really shocked then steppes back quickly. Jody still does not believe that the red pony is given for him.

Then in the conversation between Carl Tiflin and Bily Buck in Datum 13/BO/Sub-Sup: “Let him alone”. It has been mentioned in the previous chapter that his command is uncommon because from the social context Billy was under Carl. The situational context of the conversation influences him to employ bald on record strategy. The conversation happens in an emergency in a serious atmosphere. Billy is Carl’s employee, so he is quite prepared to take the opposite view to his boss when he feels that Carl is wrong. In the normal situation, it will be impolite for Billy to command Carl directly because he is under the rule of Carl. Billy delivers the command using bald on record strategy because at the time Carl insists his son, Jody, to go with him but Jody does not want to go with his father and it makes Billy angry so he employs the command baldly to Carl as in the bold word: “Let him alone”.

In Datum 22/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Billy Buck and Jody Tiflin. There is situational context supporting the employment of the strategy. The conversation happened in a serious atmosphere. After Jody gets bad dream about his horse, Nellie, he can not sleep again because he worries with his horse’s condition so he goes to the barn to see his horse. While Jody steps into the stall to touch his horse then Billy Buck’s voice comes from above the stall. Jody asks him about his horse’s condition and Jody wants Billy to take In Datum 22/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Billy Buck and Jody Tiflin. There is situational context supporting the employment of the strategy. The conversation happened in a serious atmosphere. After Jody gets bad dream about his horse, Nellie, he can not sleep again because he worries with his horse’s condition so he goes to the barn to see his horse. While Jody steps into the stall to touch his horse then Billy Buck’s voice comes from above the stall. Jody asks him about his horse’s condition and Jody wants Billy to take

3. The commands are employed by the speakers having greater authority. The reason can be found in these data:

In Datum 17/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Gitano and Jody Tiflin. Gitano employs a command to deliver his message. The situational context of the conversation supports employment of bald on record strategy by Gitano. Gitano has a higher status than Jody because Gitano is older than Jody. At the time, Jody quietly goes to the Gitano’s room and it makes Gitano jerks upright and he tries to throw something but Jody stands overwhelmed by the thing in Gitano’s hand, a lean and lovely blade with a golden basket hilt. When Jody sees it he feels curious and he asks several questions about the blade, it makes Gitano upset then he employ a command baldly as in the bold words: “You go now. I want to go to bed.”

Data number: Datum 20/BO/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between mother and son; Ruth Tiflin and Jody. The social factor also influences Ruth to employ bald on record strategy for issuing the command. Ruth has a higher status than Jody. Ruth is Jody’s mother. Therefore, she has a greater authority to give command to her son. The situation is Ruth will make food for Jody’s horse then she employs a command to Jody to watch how the food made because the food is good for Jody’s horse and Jody must give it every morning to his horse as in the bold word: “Watch how I do it.”

4. The commands are employed among person having equal status. The reason can be found in the data:

In Datum 18/BO/Eql, the conversation was between Carl and Ruth: “Now don’t you start anything”. It shows us that the social context of the conversation supports the employment of the strategy. Carl and Ruth are In Datum 18/BO/Eql, the conversation was between Carl and Ruth: “Now don’t you start anything”. It shows us that the social context of the conversation supports the employment of the strategy. Carl and Ruth are

b. Positive Politeness

The characters in the novel prefer to employ commands with the strategy due to these reasons:

1. The commands are employed among persons who have close relationship especially in family. The reason can be found in these data:

Data number: Datum 02/PP/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Carl Tiflin and Jody Tiflin, Carl as Jody’s father asking Jody to go with him tomorrow morning so he employs the command to Jody to go to bed early such as in this utterance: “You’d better go to bed, Jody”. To issue a command Carl employs positive politeness such in the utterance. In this situation, Carl does not command Jody baldly because the social factor between them as father and son.

In Datum 21/PP/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Ruth Tiflin and Jody Tiflin:”You’ll have to do it after this every other morning.” In this situation Ruth employs positive politeness strategy where they know each other well as a mother and son. This command is presented indirectly with low intonation. At the time, Ruth calls Jody when she is in the kitchen; she wants Jody to see her making warm mash for Jody’s horse, Nellie, and then she gives an order to him to make it every morning for Nellie’s breakfast during its pregnancy.

2. The commands are employed by the speaker who belongs to the same group with the hearer.

In Datum 06/PP/Sup-Sub, the conversation was between Billy and Jody: “We’ll go down and cover him up after we eat, then.” The command as in the bold sentence is employed with positive politeness. It can be seen from the using of the word we in the sentence. The word we includes both Jody and Billy Buck in the activity. This shows that they belong to the same group having the common goal.

c. Bald Off Record

The characters in the novel prefer to employ command with the strategy due to this reason:

1. The commands are employed because the degree of the imposition is big or to lessen threat on hearer’s face.

In Datum 13/OR/Sup-Sub, the conversation is between Carl and Jody: “Hadn’t you better come with me?” The utterance is in the form of rhetorical question, this indicates that the speaker employed off record strategy indirectly. The utterance is not real question; there is a meaning behind the utterance. There is situational context supporting Carl to employ the command with the strategy. When Jody and Billy are talking in the barn, Carl Tiflin walks into the barn. Then he asks Jody to go with him indirectly to lessen threat on Jody’s face.

2. The commands are employed to respect to person who has higher position than the speaker.

In Datum 25/OR/Sub-Sup: “You’d better eat some more meat.” The social status among them supports Carl employs the command indirectly using bald off record strategy. He employs a statement rather than an imperative to command Grandfather. From the context, Carl recognizes that Grandfather does not want to be imposed upon in front of the family. Therefore, to avoid imposing Grandfather’s face Carl indirectly command him.

To make easier to understand, I summarize the reasons why the characters employ the certain strategies in the following table:

Table 1.2

Reasons of Employing Politeness Strategy Politeness Strategies

Reasons BALD ON RECORD

1. The commands are employed in emergency.

2. The commands are employed as a task oriented activity.

3. The commands are employed by the speakers having greater authority.

4. The commands are employed among persons having equal status.

POSITIVE POLITENESS

1. The commands are employed among persons who have close relationship especially in family.

2. The commands are employed by the speaker who belongs to the same group with the hearer.

BALD OFF RECORD

1. The commands are employed because the degree of the imposition is big or to lessen threat on hearer’s face.

2. The commands are employed to respect to person who has higher position than the speaker.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS