Background of the Study

enjoyed. It will make life less tedious and one will feel that hours pass quickly, one can broaden, deepen, and sharpen his awareness of life and its problem 1978: 3. Relating to this, the readers are led to have reflections of their self. As literary work, dramatic text is the means of representing experience in artistic forms, which are delivered differently with the other works. In drama, the story’s events must be represented not merely narrated as in poetry. Milly S. Barranger emphasizes in Understanding Plays, “a play is often the most difficult type of prose or poetry to read because it is written not only to be read, but also to be performed by actors before audiences” 1994: 4. In drama there are two main points that can be analyzed. They are intrinsic element and extrinsic element. Intrinsic element consists of theme, tone, characters, atmosphere, plot, setting, and symbols. In extrinsic element we have socio-historical background of the author or the society to be analyzed. Those elements can be the central subject under analysis of certain studies. In literary theory, symbol defined as an object which refers to another object but which demands attention also in its own right, as a presentation Wellek and Warner, 1956: 189. Concerning that a playwright has a freedom to express his feelings, emotions, intentions, mind, ideas, dreams into certain works, there is possibilities to find such theme or meanings as the scope of the author’s ideas or mind in the story. And sometimes the author uses the symbols to reveal the theme or moral messages behind the story. It is necessary to study the symbol because the work contains many symbols. Besides, the understanding of the core of such story gained trough symbols. However, Symbols can be got in real world and in 2 fictional world. Symbols that become the part of daily of life and this can be seen, for example, from the traffic signs, the national flag from countries, and the other examples of symbols in literature or in fictional world are religion and national identity. In a play symbols and characters are closely related because in some cases character symbolizes perceptions of the author toward a condition or people at that era. There are significant ideas put behind a character as a medium, and symbols are needed to cover it as a unique unity. This unity makes a play more interesting and meaningful. It also emerges critical ways of thinking which brings about various perceptions toward what actually happened behind an action undergone by a character in a single event happened in the play. In fact, symbols are often used as a polite way to delivering ideas which employs certain patterns to elaborate intended ideas. It can be an appropriate way if the symbols are compatible to what it refers to. Some symbols are closely related to the meaning they stand for or they are even completely stick on the real meaning but in some cases some of them are difficult to interpret in logical understanding because it hang up in the gray area. This case causes confusion and deals with the abilities to compile the possibilities which spread along the context of intended meaning. In Sam Shepards Buried Child, there can be found meaning and literary conventions such as; symbolism, allusion, references to mythology and folklore. The symbolism behind the story actually influences the plot. Through the symbols found in the play we can also identify the theme. This thesis is to analyze some of 3 the strongest symbols through one of the characters in Buried Child, which are related to the quest of identity. This study is meant to discuss the roles of symbols in order to find the deeper meaning of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child. In order to analyze, some theories such as theory of Symbolism, theory of character and characterization, theory of formalism and theory of personality structure are employed.

B. Objective of Study

The objective of this study is to discuss the roles of symbols in describing the real meaning of the play especially those expressed by Vince, the character of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child through analysis toward hints appear in the play. This study is aimed to deepen reader’s knowledge, mainly to uncover hidden meanings and to unlock the message beyond the text.

C. Problems Formulation

Based on the description of the play and the background above, this study would like to formulate the question s as follows: 1. How is Vince characterized in the play? 2. What are the most possible meanings of the symbols as expressed by Vince, the character of Buried Child? 4

D. Definition of Terms

To avoid misunderstanding about the content of this study, some literary terms used in the study as follow: 1. Symbol According to Frank Madden, a symbol is regarded as a substituted for elements being signified 2002: 279. 2. Symbolism According to Holman and Harmon 1986: 494, symbolism, “in its broad sense, is the use of one object to represent or suggest another, or literature, the use of symbols in writing,” as Myers and Simms 1989: 298 stated that “ symbolism is the use of symbols to express either public or private values”. Therefore, symbolism is the use of objects to represent or express another, either public or private values in writing. 3. Buried As stated by Willingham that in common sense, buried is an activity to put something underground or covering something with earth, leaves, etc. But in this study, buried is a term that stands for the secrets of the family in the Sam Shepard’s Buries Child. 4. Meaning The definition of meaning in Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature is the messages or the ideas which are intended or expressed. 1995: 775. In this study, meaning is a term to represent covert meaning deeper meaning in the Sam Shepard’s Buried Child. 5 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI