Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of five parts including background of the study, problem formulation, objective of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms.

A. Background of the Study

There is no single definition to define what literature is. Wellek and Warren 1962 see literature as “an art” p. 15. Meanwhile, Roberts and Jacobs 1987 state that technically, literature is “anything spoken or written” p. 1. However, literature is not the same as any writing made by a scientist or a doctor. What distinguishes literature from any other writing or utterance is that literature is both interesting and entertaining. It is created to catch emotions or imagination while the others are not. Literature, still according to Roberts and Jacobs 1987, “has many things to offer” p. 2. Literature is like a window to see the world. It adds knowledge about culture in different places that have never been visited. It also provides pictures about human dreams and struggle in different societies. It helps to see beauty in the world. Literature helps “to shape our judgements through the constant comparison of the good against the bad” Roberts and Jacobs, 1987, p. 2. It helps to develop personality and to build self identity. In short, literature helps “to grow both personally and intellectually” Roberts and Jacobs, 1987, p. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 2. A work of literature can teach people about the nature of human more than a psychologist does Wellek and Warren, 1956. One form of literary work is prose. Roberts and Jacobs 1987 classify prose as a part of “imaginative literature” p. 3. This means “ the truth of literature is true to life and human nature, not necessarily to the world of historical and scientific facts” Roberts and Jacobs, 1987, p. 3. Novel and short story are the example of prose. Thus, they are also categorized as imaginative literature. In accordance with this, Andrea Hirata’s novel entitled The Rainbow Troops can also be classified as imaginative literature. Most readers believe that the novel is about the writer’s biography which tells about his childhood experience. However, it is reasonable to categorize it as imaginative literature. It does not mean that his writing is not truthful. It is just true to life and human nature. In this novel, Hirata does not write a textbook, nor a historical work and biographical work. He does not also write a news article which merely recounts facts. But rather, he writes a novel which tells about certain life episodes of his childhood experience in such a beautiful and dramatic way. His intention is not to convey information but to tell and entertain people through series of dramatic situations. If his intention is to recount facts, he will just write a biographical work. However, since his decision is to write a novel, it should always be remembered that novel is a part of imaginative literature. The Rainbow Troops is a novel written by an Indonesian novelist, Andrea Hirata. This novel has been sold for more than five million copies. It has also been adapted into movie by Miles Production and receives some prestigious awards not PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI only in Indonesia but also worldwide. The Rainbow Troops portrays certain life episodes about the inspiring childhood experience of the narrator, Ikal, who is actually the writer himself. It tells about the struggle of ten students and their teachers in SD Muhammadiyah Gantong for better life and future through education; how a young teacher struggles for her students’ right for education against poverty and marginalization in the society and how ten extra ordinary students from the poorest community in the island learn and reach their dreams and how a fatherly man defends the oldest Islamic school in the island from being destructed. The Rainbow Troops is amazing because: 1 this novel adapts a theme which is considered different from other novelists, 2 the writer presents a story of everyday life of certain group of people in certain place which is never been exposed before, 3 the story flows simple and dynamic that makes readers cannot stop reading, and 4 the characters and the conflicts are presented smoothly and naturally. The existence of symbols in this novel may not be recognized by most readers because of author’s tendency to connect the story with real events. This makes readers feel that the story is a reality without any imagination. It is also possible that symbols are often unnoticeable. Readers who merely believe in what is written in the story will not even realize the symbols. However, referring to the fact that a novel is a creation of an author, readers will be able to see more than what is written in the novel Stanton, 1965. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI In everyday life, most objects always have meanings. They bring messages which are not only expressly stated but can also be inferred. It is found in daily conversations, religious rituals, traffic signs, letters, flags or even our clothes. It is for example, flag colored with red and white referred to certain country named Indonesia; the red color symbolizes bravery while the white color symbolizes purity. The letter “A” and “B”, if they are put together, mostly known as the symbol of blood type or police number of certain area named Yogyakarta. The word “chair” can be defined as a place to sit. Nevertheless, “chair” itself can also be inferred as a position in certain organizations or power of certain people which preside organization or community. In one hand, it can be said that “sun” can be seen as a big star which is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system. However, it is also possible to say that “sun” is a hope or guidance that brings good things. At the same time, some people see “sun” as something which causes drought, whitered trees, leaves and flowers. It causes fire, suffer, thirst and despair. This interpretation can be different from one to another. It is surely because of subjectivity and different attitude or experience in responding to certain object or event. On that ground, in reading a literary text, though the words used by the author have their own meaning which have been compromised before by the society, the meaning intended by the author may still cause different perceptions from the readers. It is because of subjectivity from both the writer and the readers. It is also possible that a reader may have different perception from another. If so, reading a literary text is understanding something subjective. Yet, subjectivity is PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI the core of reading a literary work. This subjectivity makes the writing itself beautiful, unique, and specific. This study, which focuses on symbols in Andrea Hirata’s The Rainbow Troops , is intended to appreciate the novel and to gain deeper understanding toward the object of the study. As far as the researcher knows, there is no similar study that explore the symbols in the novel The Rainbow Troops. Thus, it will be very interesting, challenging and useful to study the novel and reveal the symbols in it. Studying symbols is challenging, like solving a mystery or play with a complex puzzle. However, as soon as the symbols are revealed, they will “add reality to the story by letting us perceive directly, through the senses, some idea or attitude which is part of the experience the author describes” Stanton, 1965, p . 33.

B. Problem Formulation