Approach of the Study

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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

In this part of study, the writer wants to analyze the answers for the two problem formulation mentioned above. The analysis is divided into two parts based on each problem to answer each of them. In the first part, structuralism which is focused on the content of the symbolic meaning in the novel is needed because in the first part of analysis is to answer how the symbols eating, prayer, and love in Eat Pray Love are presented while the second part is to answer the second problem formulation which is how the symbols of eating, prayer, and love reflect happiness.

A. Analysis of Symbols

According to Robert and Jacobs, a symbol is a person, thing, place, action, situation, or even thought. It possesses its own reality and meaning and may function at the normal level of reality within story Robert and Jacobs, 1987:279. In this first analysis, the symbol found; eating, prayer, and love through the place, action, or even thought that is stated by Robert and Jacobs. That theory is supported by Saussure in the scope of structuralism that language is arbitrary, relational, and constitutive. This study only focuses on the language that is constitutive. It means to say that no word can be defined in isolation from other words. The definition of any given word depends upon its relation with other adjoining words. This relational aspect of language gave rise to a famous remark of Saussure‘s: ‗In a language there are only diffe rences, without fixed terms‘. For Saussure, language constitutes our world; it does not just record it or label it. Meaning is always attributed to the object or idea by the human mind, and constructed by and expressed through language: it is not already contained within the thing Barry, 2002:41- 43 Saussure‘s statement suits to the symbols in the novel that has meaning in constituting Gilbert‘s world. Hence, the first analysis goes to the first country Gilbert visited which is Italy.

I. Eating

The first place that Gilbert visited is Italy. In Italy she found out the things that symbolizes happiness for her. Those ―the things‖ of happiness that Gilbert got in Italy are classified into two major, language and food. Food comes along with the action that is done by Gilbert, which is eating. As mentioned above in the first problem formulation, the word eating as a symbol found for Gilbert and here is the explanation. Gilbert‘s feeling of contentment since a few weeks she was living in Italy after having meal sh e ate in Rome. ―After the spaghetti, I tried the veal. Oh, and also I drank a bottle of house red, just for me. And ate some warm bread, with olive oil and salt. Tiramisu for dessert Gilbert, 2006:45. In a few weeks after living in Italy and eating some food in Italy, Gilbert is experiencing the state of being contented or satisfied. The contentment feeling she had after enjoying some meals in Italy. Then Gilbert finds out and realizes that Italy is a pleasure for her, meaning to say that Italy is a place that provides a source of happiness through eating. Everything that she experienced in Italy turns into something delicious; it is the word for Italy in Gilbert‘s opinion. ―Everything became . . . delicious‖ Gilbert, 2006:82. Every meal that Gilbert ate is giving her happiness. She described her meal as something pretty and enjoyed every bite of the meal that she ate while reading Italian newspaper. Finally, when I had fully absorbed the prettiness of my meal, I went and sat in a patch of sunbeam on my clean wooden floor and ate every bite of it, with my fingers, while reading my daily newspaper article in Italian. Happiness inhabited my every molecule Gilbert, 2006:84. The happiness feeling while enjoying meal makes Gilbert love the meal so much. B esides spaghetti, she also loves pizza as she said ―I am having a relationship with this pizza‖ Gilbert, 2006:105. It proves her love to the Italian food so much. Happiness really inhabited Gilbert‘s molecule, it sees when she was in the best pizzeria in Naples, she looked herself in the mirror and saw a happy face of her. ―I see a bright-eyed, clear- skinned, happy and healthy face. I haven‘t seen a face like that on me for a long time‖ Gilbert, 2006:107. Moreover happiness always comes when Gilbert sees another Italian food and describes them in a delicate way. She describes the gelato in Bologna that is better than in Rome, also the pizzas with mushrooms that are like big thick sexy tongues and prosciutto that drapes over it like a fine lace veil drapi ng over a fancy lady‘s hat. In addition the Bolognese sauce there is the best in Italy. The food is definitely better here than in Rome, or maybe they just use more butter. Even the gelato in Bologna is better and I feel somewhat disloyal saying