Object of the Study
taken and which had not. Thus, after the previous studies’ main arguments were scrutinized, some points that needed further analysis were found. The two
previous studies put their main bulk of arguments around Alma without paying equal attention to the other main character, John. This was the point that
motivated this study to be conducted, i.e. John’s equal importance in the play.
Thirdly, as the purpose of this study was to prove the importance of John in the play, a hy
pothesis was born. The hypothesis was that William’s Summer and Smoke
was created based on Saussurian binary opposition, and this could be seen from the symbols and the two main characters’ characteristics. Thus,
research questions were formulated to conduct the study. The first research question dealt with the intrinsic elements of the play that writer believed would
lead to the ultimate goal of this study, i.e. the characteristics of Alma and John as revealed by the symbols. The second and last research question would answer
how binary opposition found in these symbols and the characteristics of the characters construct the narrative structure of the play. From the last research
question, it was apparent that the approach for this study would be structuralism. The next step was to answer the research questions. However, before
jumping to the analysis, this study needed to be equipped with theories related to the research questions. Thus, library research was done. This step was important
to provide guidelines in conducting the analysis. Thus, theories on symbols, characters and characterization, structuralism and narratology were reviewed.
Next, the time came to answer the previously formulated research questions. In answering the first questions, all the symbols found in the play were
listed. After that, the analysis of symbols would be done to find the characteristics of Alma Winemiller and John Buchanan. For the last questions, the theory of A.J.
Greimas’ three basic patterns was applied to see how the symbols and the characters construct the narrative structure of Williams’ Summer and Smoke.
Lastly, the conclusion was drawn from the two analyses on the two research questions. As the last stage of this study, a review of the two previous
analyses would also be contained in this last part.
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