Analysis of Plot Structure of the Story

26 a Absurdity in This letter is incredible. The statement is said by Rudy in the exposition part of the story. Included in the introduction of Blacks’ case, the letter mentioned is the letter from the insurance company to deny the claim covered in the insurance which is supposed to cover all Blacks. The letter contains denial of claim for the eighth time, added by a Claims Supervisor of Great Benefit addressing Blacks as “stupid, stupid, stupid” p. 23. Later, this letter is labeled as Stupid Letter. The letter is not incredible literally, because incredible in literal meaning is used to address something that is highly awesome. The statement here suggests meaning that is contradictory by overstating. Thus, the statement is verbal irony. As Booth 1974 says, verbal irony makes the receptor rejects literal meaning to perceive the hidden meaning. The intended meaning that the letter is absurd because it is inappropriate to be called an official letter from an honorable institution as big as Great Benefit. Further, the story elaborates on how the letter is a good document to be tried in the bad-faith case of insurance company. The bad-faith case is a case of not fulfilling legal obligations that two parties has agreed on. In the story, it is not covering Donny Ray’s treatment as what an insurance claim should. As it is written in the story p. 33, “It is shocking and mean, and obviously written by someone convinced that Dot and Buddy would never show it to a lawyer”, it proves that if it is shown to the lawyer, the letter can become a serious problem against the writer. Denying the claim is one thing, but the word stupid is terribly awful to be inside an official letter. The word stupid is absurd to be used to address anyone formally. Thus, a denial claim is classified as an official letter. Any written documents have 27 a high possibility to be a good proof in the courtroom and this particular letter would be one beneficial proof for the plaintiff side. From Rudy ’s point of view as a lawyer, incredible here means that the letter is a very favourable for him to collect as a document in the courtroom. Max Leuberg, a professor at Rudy ’s law school who is an expert in bad-faith cases also uses the exactly similar term in describing the Stupid Letter when he reads it for the first time in his office p. 36. Max has assisted in bad-faith cases in the north, which awards huge punitive damages for the insurers’ opposition. Together with other documents, he is sure that this one particular letter is necessary to make Rudy win the case. In conclusion, Rudy describing the Stupid Letter as incredible is verbal irony. By saying incredible, he expresses disbelief of the use of “stupid” word in an official letter. He also knows that it is a great supportive document to punish Great Benefit. Stating the contrary word instead of what Rudy wants to convey stresses the degree of absurdity he wants to convey through a verbal irony. In conclusion, Rudy uses verbal irony by stating that the Stupid Letter is incredible. The use of word “incredible” is ironic because he hides his true intention of addressing the letter as something absurd by saying incredible. Even though the letter can be considered as a great document to win over the defense lawyer of Great Benefit, the word incredible cannot cover the whole intention just by saying incredible. Thus, it proves the sentence as verbal irony for expressing something to be more than just what the word literally means. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 28 b Understanding in I dont understand. Pettineo 2012, p. 7 explains that verbal irony is created when the implied meaning of the stated message is either the opposite to or incongruous with the meaning of statement. As the subtitle suggests, verbal irony in the statement occurs because the implied meaning intended by Rudy is exactly the opposite of what he openly states. The statement occurs in the crisis part of the story when Rudy is about to lose his second job after he experiences similar matter with Brodnax and Speer p. 151. After getting a phone call from Dot Black saying that some random guy telling her that Barry X. is now her lawyer, Rudy feels something fishy. In addition, Dot gets to know from Barry that Rudy, her actual lawyer representing her as far as she knows, no longer works there pp. 150-152. During the phone conversation with Barry Lancaster – his new immediate boss, the imminent bad feeling that Rudy feels previously, grows stronger as the conversation goes on. A sudden incomplete explanation of the whole situation makes Rudy abruptly realise of what is actually happening. He, that has never been given the key of the office pp. 133-134, has never met the main superior of his workplace p. 133 and has never received his contract of employment after three days of work p. 138, finally gets the insight of the reason behind all preposterous treatment he receives back then. Nonetheless, it would be terrible to experience disgraceful unemployment for the second time with another short record. Trying to prevent the prospect of him getting dishonourably jobless, Rudy announces that he does not understand what Barry tries to convey to him. Fully understanding the upcoming scenario that is PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 29 about to happen, he wants to contend his job in any accounts. No matter how much he wants to deny the truth, however, the truth of him being fired is still coming. Barry will not keep him as an employee. Rudy does not deny that he understands the situation through the statement. On the other hand, he clarifies it more by saying “I don’t understand” towards what Barry will say. Simply put, he says it not because he does not understand the situation, but he just cannot comprehend why this kind of experience recurs to happen to him. Since he is so optimistic in doing the job in the beginning, the reality of him being jobless in such a short time is too horrible for him to perceive that he states the sentence. The intended meaning behind the statement is also supported by actions described by the author as Rudy saying it. As found in page 151, “I close my eyes and want to cry.”, the actions preceeding the statement enhance that Rudy actually grasps the situation in which he is in. Otherwise, not fully comprehending the situation, Rudy will not act so in responding to Barry’s explanation. Verbal irony occurs when the intention of the character is conveyed through the contradictory spoken statement. Following the story, the readers could perceive the background of causes and reasons which make Rudy state it. However, the discrepancy between true intention and spoken words remains in the sentence. The fact that Rudy himself saying something totally the contrast of something both readers and him know creates the irony. c Vulnerability in Its impressive. The word impressive is used to describe something which deserves respect and admiration. However, the statement of Rudy addressed to Drummond as the