Sabtu, 05 Maret 2016

Orang yang serius itu seperti tonik rambut: menguatkan. Orang yang tidak serius itu seperti ketombe: membuat tidak nyaman. Semua itu akan terdeteksi dari hasil seleksi alam. (Friday, March 5th, 2016 at 23.29 pm)

Senin, 17 Juni 2013

Senandung Sunyi

Setelah mengguyur hujan dari pagi hingga siang, langit malam hari ini sungguh cerah. Awan putih terlihat menggantung seperti gumpalan kapas yang ditiupkan ke langit. Dibaliknya puluhan bintang berkerumun riuh berkelap-kelip gemerlap nan jernih. Penjelajah yang kehilangan kompas ini seperti dijemput puluhan pengawal dengan kereta kencana laksana putri yang tersesat di hutan terpisah oleh para dayang. Ia seperti menemukan kawan lama yang selama ini menemani dan membantunya mengarungi waktu, melindunginya dari ketersesatan, membantunya menemukan tujuan. Seperti penjelajah dengan kompas. Seperti putri dengan para pengawal dan dayang. Penjelajah yang satu ini menggantungkan harapan dan impian kepada bintang-bintang. (Tuesday, 18 June 2013)

Senin, 23 April 2012

Soulmate Must Be Proven

She is tired Can't talk to you dunno what happen Can't open a conversation to you dunno why always happening Feel all her attitude were wrong Can't be herself who really her Can't show her personality just like her Can't let herself feel free to express the truly her Do you feel the same, don't you? She is: Confusing Wondering Questioning Hating Blaming Misunderstanding Self-Fighting, why? If only she knew why She'll find the solution faster than the Antelopes running You two are not inanimate objects You two are not mannequins You two are alive And she loves talking and she loves interacting and she loves sharing You two neither have the ability nor can do the telepathy Wait wait wait... Ah, I know! She is... Hmm.. I will not tell you You go find the answer, gentleman Find her map and read it, closely. (Tuesday, 24 April 2012 at 2:58 am)

Minggu, 19 Februari 2012

Analysis of Oedipus Rex Play By Sophocles

Oedipus Rex is a tragedy play written by a Greek tragedian, Sophocles. Oedipus Rex involves in the seven of Sophocles plays which have survived for twenty-four centuries. Another plays which have survived are Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. In this play, the writer finds the most interesting thing to analyze is characters. The Oedipus Rex play contains of nine characters. The characters are Oedipus (King of Thebes), The Priest of Zeus, Creon (Oedipus’ brother in law), Chorus (the old man of Thebes), Tiresias (blind prophet), Jocasta (Oedipus’ wife, sister of Creon, widow of Laius the former king), Messenger (from Corinth), Shepherd, and Servant, but the writer will only use some of them in this analysis. Then the writer will analyze the characters through three aspects of characters. The three aspects are literal aspect, functional aspect, and connotative or symbolic aspect.

First is literal aspect. The literal aspect analysis is to find out what kind of people are the characters in this play, begin by looking at and talking about characters as though they were real people. It must be seen from what is the character’s goal, what strategies does the character provide to achieve that goal, and where is the character vulnerable (what is at stake). In the Oedipus Rex play, Oedipus goal is to find out his origin. It proves in his dialogue:

Oedipus: “Let it all burst out, if it must! As for me, though it be small, I wish to know my stock. – Being born what I am, I could never be another, so I should seek out my descent.” (p. 39)

The dialogue through keywords “burst out”, “stock”, “born”, “seek out”, and “descent” show that Oedipus really wants to know all about his origin; who he actually is, who his ancestors are, and where his ancestors come from. Oedipus wants to know about that because all this time he just knew his parents name and where they are from. Oedipus never knew about his extended family. Oedipus also has one goal again in this play which is to find out who was killing Laius, the former king before him. It proves in the dialogue:

Oedipus: “Then I shall reveal these things anew, – For whoever he was who killed that man would as soon kill me with that same violent hand.” (p. 8)

The dialogue through keywords “reveal”, “killed”, “that man”, and “kill me” show that Oedipus is really curious who the killer of Laius is and he wants to arrest that person. The words “that man” in the dialogue above address for Laius. Oedipus also feels afraid that someday the killer will hunt him and kill him too. That is way he wants to arrest the killer before he killed.

About the strategies to achieve his goals above, Oedipus does many ways to collect information and call some witnesses to his palace to be interviewed. It proves in his dialogues:

Oedipus: “– , for I have sent Creon, son of Menoeceus, my own brother-in-law, to Apollo’s home at Phyto, so that he may learn what I should do or say to save this city.” (p. 5)

Oedipus: “Will someone go and bring the shepherd to me?” (p. 38)

The dialogues above through keywords “have sent”, “save”, and “bring” show that Oedipus have ordered someone to collect information and clues about Laius killer, with that things Oedipus can make plan and decision to protect his city and also himself from the killer. The dialogue and its keywords also show that Oedipus want the evidence of his origin come and tell everything to him.

About the character vulnerable and what is at stake, the Oedipus Rex play is about a man protects his status. The vulnerable thing is Oedipus status as a king and the thing that at stake is his wife and mother, Jocasta. It proves in his dialogues:

Oedipus: “O wealth and power and skill reaching beyond skill, – which the city put into my hands as a gift, not something sought, the trusted Creon, my friend from the beginning, beguiles me and secretly desire to oust me, –” (p. 15)

Oedipus: “ – to her…who is inside…bury her as you will, rightly will you act on behalf of your own –” (p. 50)

The keywords “wealth”, “power”, and “put into my hands” in the first dialogue reveal the Oedipus’s position as a sovereign. That dialogue occurred when Creon, Oedipus brother-in-law or Jocasta’s brother accused him as Laius killer. Then Oedipus suspected Creon have cunning plan to grab Oedipus position as king with that accusation. Oedipus, with all his abilities, defends his position and power as a king from any kind of threats and distractions. He will be alert with any possibilities. The keywords in the second dialogue; “bury her as you will” and “act on behalf of your own” show how Oedipus loves his wife and mother, Jocasta. The dialogue occurred after Jocasta committed suicide. Oedipus asked Creon to give special treatment to Jocasta in her final life.

Second is functional aspect. The functional aspect is to find out what roles do the characters perform in the structure of the play. There are protagonist, antagonist, confidant, foil, raisonneur, utilitarian, and comic relief. In the Oedipus Rex play, the writer only finds four functional aspects; protagonist, antagonist, confidant, and foil. The character which determine as protagonist is Jocasta, Oedipus wife, mother, and the former king, Laius, wife. She determines as protagonist because she makes the events of the play happen. It proves in the dialogues between Jocasta and Oedipus:

Oedipus: “My dearest Jocasta, my wife, why did you send for me to come here from the house?” (p. 33)

Jocasta: “Listen to this man, and discover in his words where the august prophecies of God have come.” (p. 33)

Through the keywords in the dialogues above; “send for me”, “listen”, “man”, “discover” and “words” it can be interpreted that Jocasta is the one who have initiated for the first time to call the messenger to come and meet Oedipus and say about the clues in an effort to investigate Oedipus origin. Actually she just wanted to satisfy Oedipus curiosity about his origin, but then Oedipus forces her to continuing the investigation. Jocasta became mad and did not want to help Oedipus again. Then Oedipus does the investigation by himself. From this messenger and his clue to find out another messenger (the shepherd), Oedipus finally know the truth that he is who killed his true father and married his own mother and also provide children from that marriage. Jocasta is a mother who married her true son and give birth children from it. If the character of Jocasta is not appearing in the play, maybe Oedipus will never know about his sins.

Next, the character which determine as the antagonist is Oedipus. He determines as an antagonist because he is the character who taking an active role in generating opposition. He is the one who push another characters in the play to search and reveal the Laius killer and also his (Oedipus) origin. Then he became mad when he accused as that killer and reverse accuse the people who said him as the Laius killer eyeing his position as a king. He also made Jocasta committed to suicide because of deep depression knowing the truth that she is married his true son, has children from him, and he is who killed his true father or her former husband. It proves in his dialogue:

Oedipus: “For I don’t know with what eyes I could look and see my father when I go down to Hell, nor again my poor mother; to those two my deeds are beyond what hanging could punish.” (p. 48)

From the dialogue through keywords “my father”, “my poor mother”, and “two my deeds” it can be interpreted that Oedipus finally know the truth; Laius is his true father and Jocasta is his true mother. “Two my deeds” mean his sins which are killed Laius and married Jocasta and also makes Jocasta committed to suicide and died. Through that dialogue Oedipus realizes his arrogances because of his position as a king with assume that he is always right. Everyone must obey with his orders and rules without any objections. He did not trust anyone except himself. Because of his arrogances, he lost his chair and bear shame and sin of his actions.

Next is confidant. A confidant is the character whom another character confides in or delivers information to. The character who becomes the confidant is Chorus (the old man of Thebes). Chorus becomes the confidant because he is the one who Oedipus always share his thinking and feeling with. It proves in the Oedipus dialogue to Chorus:

Oedipus: “You seek, and what you seek, if you are willing to listen to my words and help in this sickness, you may take as help and relief from your troubles. –” (p. 9)

Chorus: “Just as you adjured me under a curse, my lord, so shall I speak. –” (p. 9)

The dialogues through keyword “willing to listen to my words” shows that Oedipus wants to share his thinking and feeling to Chorus. Oedipus does not only need sharing partner, but also discussion partner. Thus, Chorus can gives feedback to Oedipus with his opinion and then they discuss it together to find out the way out. Unfortunately, Oedipus meanly asks the feedback from Chorus by threaten him with curse. Oedipus forces Chorus with his power to make him as a discussion partner.

The last functional aspect is foil. Foil is the character that compares and contrasts with another character. The foil in this play is Creon, who compares and contrasts with Oedipus. The thing which will compare and contrast is personality. Let see the dialogues below:

Creon: “I don’t know; I prefer to keep quiet in matters when I don’t comprehend them.” (p. 21)

Oedipus: “Whenever someone swiftly moves secret plots against me, I must also counter-plot swiftly. But if I wait in silence, these things will be accomplished, not as his deeds, but my mistakes.” (p. 22)

In the Creon’s dialogue through keywords “keep quiet” and “when I don’t comprehend” show that Creon personality is careful to think and act. He will make sure himself understand the topic and content of some conversations. After understanding that then he brave to give comment or feedback. Meanwhile, if he does not understand he prefers to remain in silent. On the other hand, in the Oedipus dialogue through keywords “moves”, “secret”, “against”, and “mistakes” show that Oedipus personality is sensitive, spiteful (full of spite or avenge), and reckless. He prefers directly to follow his feeling and presumption in doing some actions rather than collecting the evidences first. However, both of these two men are stubborn. They are, with persistent, defend their each thinking and really want to be the “true man”, but Creon is less stubborn than Oedipus because he still want to break down for awhile with Oedipus to collect more evidences to prove his thinking.

Third is symbolic aspect. The symbolic aspect is to find out what ideas or concepts might the characters symbolize. In Oedipus Rex play, there are two symbols; king and female. Oedipus the king; king is symbolize as power and egoism because king own the city, the land, and also lead the people. King has anything, like to force, and does not like to be opposed. It proves in the analysis above that Oedipus forces everyone to find Laius killer and find out about his origin, forces Chorus to become his sharing partner, and directly very angry with insulting to Creon also Tiresias because they accused him as Laius killer. Oedipus who has big ambition with power and wealth, willing to replace Laius and also married Laius wife, Jocasta, although he knew that former king was dead because of killed by someone.

Next is female symbol which represent by Jocasta. Female in this play symbolizes as the weak and the marginalized. She is the victim of the power which became the most be aggrieved. It proves in Servant’s dialogue:

Servant: “– Our divine queen, Jocasta, is dead. – Still, as much as I can remember or that poor women’s woes you shall learn. – She groaned over her bed, where twice doomed she had born husband from husband, children from her child.” (p. 44-45)

From the dialogue above, it can be seen through keywords “poor women”, “born”, “husband from husband”, and “children from her child” that Jocasta became a trophy; first Laius’s trophy and after he died Oedipus replaced to own it. She had born the children of those men, was satisfying that men’s desire, and obeyed that man’s orders. Then when the mistakes were come up to the surface and the sins began to reveal, she become very guilty, shameful, and regretful. She feels so dirty, a very dirty sinner so that she decided to suicide.

In conclusion, Oedipus Rex play is determined as a play with classic tragedy genre because the moods of the story are serious and sad. There is no humor at all in it. From the beginning to ending the story contains of assassination, quarrel, prejudice, insult, anger, desperation, misconception, sadness, sin, guilt, regret, and death. Although the hero, Oedipus, is not died in the ending, he decided to go and exile far away from his city and kingdom. He will be haunted by sin, regret, and guilt forever. He will unable to live in peaceful until the end of his life.

Selasa, 24 Januari 2012

Quotations from Me

You have to be grateful for what you've got/owned, but don't you ever feel satisfied with that. Open your eyes; see from the nearest to the farthest. Open your mind by identifying and learning. Always remember, this world is so wide and rich ;) - dMn


Mother earth, I want to touch you from the head to toe. - dMn


Dream as much as you can dream. There's no limitation. Just free your mind wilder than Amazon. Chase them with your passion. At the end, they will kneel on you. - dMn

Rabu, 12 Oktober 2011

The Sun of The Moon

One day suddenly I realized
'tis sun has energized me.
When it rise, smilling to me.
Its heat has fused with the wind
slowly blowing surround my body
so gentle so warm
embrace my waist with its leg.
I don't wanna leave
unable to step over the time.
So quiet so peaceful
'till I can only hear the blowing sound
kissing my ears until I fall asleep.
I'm so happy.
'Tis warm has touched my chest
leaving my head in nowhere.


Another day I wake up
only can see the darkness.
I light the candle but still dark.
Then a spotlight quickly come to where I stand
passing me without glancing to my face
think that I'm not exist.
The darkness back.
I feel cold shivering and freezing
falling down to the ground.
Suddenly think it's start raining,
warm raining.
No, I was wrong. I'm crying.
The tears begin flowing falling missing continuously
but I remain in silent
in silent I cry
because I saw the sun has gone away
didn't know who I am.


In that day I remember
I was just dreaming.
Because forever,
The Sun and The Moon can't be together
hand in hand through the days in year.

Jumat, 13 Mei 2011

Who knows best? | OR | Fight for the... worst? best?

If Thou want to know if there's anyone in the house, knock it or push the doorbell!
If Thou want to know if there's a life in the house, say hello!
If Thou want Thou presence be recognize by the host, introduce Thou self!
If Thou want the host got the point of Thou message, tell she orally!

The host will never know if Thou just stand up in front of the door.
The host will not open the door if she did not know who's coming.
The host will consider Thou as a stranger or villain.
But the worst, the host will never realized Thou existence, Thou presence!

Live Thou life and let the host lives she life.
Thou get up to Thou and the host must get up to she.
Don't be mad if Thou lost she because Thou let she go.
Thou must choose; Thou knows well but time knows best.

The most valid messenger is Thou's cavum orale.
The most clear television is Thou's gli occhi.
The most right compass is Thou's cuore.
And the most wonderful of The Almighty's creation is Thou's amore.

Thou decide.

(Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 02.00 am)

Sabtu, 07 Mei 2011

From 'Welcome To My Life' by Simple Plan

Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belong
And no one understands you
Do you ever wanna runaway?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio on turned up so loud
That no one hears you screaming

Do you wanna be somebody else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more?
Before your life is over
Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With their big fake smiles and stupid lies
While deep inside you're bleeding

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

No one ever lied straight to your face
No one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay
Everybody always gave you what you wanted
Never had to work it was always there
You don't know what it's like, what it's like

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

Jumat, 22 April 2011

The Invisible Cage

M-I-S-S-Y-O-U
I-M-I-S-S-Y-O-U
B-U-T-W-H-A-T-C-A-N-I-D-O-?
T-I-S'-L-I-F-E-I-S-S-U-C-K
S-U-C-K-F-U-C-K-I-N'-S-U-C-K
W-H-E-R-E-A-R-E-Y-O-U-M-Y-F-R-E-E-D-O-M?
I-C-A-N'-T-F-I-N-D-Y-O-U-E-I-T-H-E-R-O-W-N-Y-O-U
W-A-L-L-S-B-O-R-D-E-R-I-N-G-M-Y-L-I-F-E
F-R-E-E-D-O-M-H-E-Y-M-Y-F-R-E-E-D-O-M-W-H-E-R-E-A-R-E-Y-O-U-?
S-H-O-U-L-D-I-K-I-D-N-A-P-I-N-G-Y-O-U-?
O-R-G-R-A-B-Y-O-U-F-R-O-M-T-H-A-T-V-I-L-L-A-I-N-?
W-H-A-T-T-H-E-H-E-L-L-C-R-E-A-T-U-R-E-A-R-E-T-H-A-T-?
S-O-D-A-M-N-F-U-C-K-I-N'-H-A-S-S-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-N-G-Y-O-U-F-R-O-M-M-E
Y-O-U-B-R-O-K-E-M-Y-H-E-A-R-T,-M-Y-M-I-N-D,-M-Y-S-O-U-L
B-R-I-N-G-S-O-R-R-O-W-I-N-T-O-M-Y-L-I-F-E
G-I-V-E-M-Y-F-R-E-E-D-O-M-B-A-C-K-!

Sabtu, 18 Desember 2010

Lara ku Terhempas Tersapu Angin

Duri. Air mata.
Menusuk. Mengalir.
Tajam, menyayat, perih, sakit.
Pedih, pedih, pedih....
Lirih, lirih, lirih....
Lemah meski kuat, rapuh meski kokoh.

Tonggak dan rasa
Mana Ia harus pilih?

Ia pilih tonggak, tapi rasa Ia duka, lara tak terperi. Bohongi ruh sendiri.
Ia pilih rasa, tapi Ia tak boleh. Tak ada perundingan.

Hati Ia luka, rapuh, runtuh ketegaran.
Lemah tak beraga.
Ia sedih tak terperi, ingin segera lari.
Hilang selamanya.
Ia ingin lupa tak tengok kebelakang.
Remuk redam rasa Ia.

Tak terkatakan. Tak tergambarkan.
Hancur lebur tersapu angin.

Ia hanya ingin tahu semua yang tersembunyi.
Ia hanya ingin pasti apa yang terjadi.
Jangan tutupi!
Takkan mengerti!
Ia tak berani duga-duga.
Jelaskan! Jelaskan! Jelaskan!

Selamat tinggal. Ia pergi tak kembali.
Sampaikan rindu pada angin lalu.

Selasa, 16 November 2010

AKU INGIN by SAPARDI DJOKO DAMONO

Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana:
dengan kata yang tak sempat diucapkan kayu
kepada api yang menjadikannya abu

Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana:
dengan isyarat yang tak sempat disampaikan awan
kepada hujan yang menjadikannya tiada

Selasa, 19 Oktober 2010

Balada Pesona

Dear Pesona
Taklukan aku jika kau suka
Curilah aku jika kau cinta

Hanya memandang ku akan diam
Hanya dipendam ku kan melayang
Terenggut dendang rayu Sang Pujangga

Dear Pesona
Melodi jantungmu berbicara
Irama nafasmu pun senada

Sesal tak datang diawal
Cemburu tak kenal akal
Sakit hati pun kian menjalar

Wahai Pesona
Cinta ini tak punya kaki
Tak bisa pindah dari lubuk hati

Jika kau tau kau ada hati
Sapalah aku Sang Dewi Pagi
Kan kuberi cinta kasihku ini
Sejuta macam nikmat sorgawi

(Tuesday, Oct 19th, 2010 at 11.55 pm)

Kamis, 14 Oktober 2010

Asa Rasa Hampa

Banyak tanah bertopeng di lembah sunet
Akirba. Du. Kondita. Krudila. Mala. Suvita.
Skimitar tergenggam erat di balik punggung
Bersiap-siap untuk merobek asa rasa hampa

Ciumlah ruh itu wahai sang petualang!
Menyengat, sesak, tajam
Memaksa bahagia berlari mengejar cahaya
Nurani memudar merasuk ke dalam asa rasa hampa

Asa rasa hampa
Asa dan Rasa dan Hampa

Wahai Malia, Kua
Hinalah cermin itu yang memantulkan rupa
Dewa-dewi berpaling muka sambil melantunkan karma
Menari bergelora menyambut asa rasa hampa

Tidurlah tanpa nyawa
Terbuai asap kabut nirwana
Mengemis telanjanglah kepada Sang Tuan Maha Raya
Dan pandanglah dengan tawa,

nafasNya melempar tanah hingga kaldera asa rasa hampa.

(Thursday, October 14th, 2010 at 8.35 pm)

Kamis, 02 September 2010

Analysis of Digital Fortress novel by Dan Brown

Summary
NSA (National Security Agency) is an American secret agency. The function is checking all of the information in around the world and spying the information which contain of terrorism and any other dangerous information especially which threaten the security stability of the United States using a very high technology machine named TRANSLTR. NSA hiring smart people who expert in the cryptography field from over the world to be the cryptographer there. Their works is breaking the code and translate them into the easily understandable information because usually the secret dangerous information is made in the complicated language code. One day, there was strange information called Digital Fortress which has been entered in the TRANSLTR. The maximum time for TRANSLTR to read the most complicated information is two hours, but the Digital Fortress has already inside the TRANSLTR for more than twelve hours and TRANSLTR still could not read it. Then Commander Trevor Strathmore, NSA Deputy Director of Operations, called in Susan Fletcher, the NSA's Head Cryptographer, to find out the problem. Then Fletcher discovered that it was written by Ensei Tankado, a former NSA employee who became displeased with the NSA's intrusion into people's private lives. Tankado intends to auction the code on his website and have his partner, "NDAKOTA", release it for free if he dies. Essentially holding the NSA hostage, the agency is determined to stop Digital Fortress from becoming a threat to national security.
Tankado suddenly died in Seville, Spain. His cause of death was allegedly due to a heart attack. Then Strathmore asked David Becker (Fletcher’s fiancé) to go to Seville and find out if there were any clues which brought by Tankado to break the Digital Fortress. Then Becker knew that Tankado wore a ring which there was a writing on it before he died and the ring was gone when Becker check out Tankado’s dead body. Strathmore said that writing was the clue which he searched to breaking the Digital Fortress. Immediately Becker started to find out where the ring was and he must go through in a long journey, difficult struggle, and some dangerous situations to get the ring. The dangerous situations were when all the people who ever owned the ring were killed by an assassin named Hulohot who has sent by someone to search the Tankado’s ring and when Becker finally met Hulohot and then Hulohot tried to kill Becker because he knew if Becker already got the ring.
Meanwhile, in the NSA office, the situation was getting warm. Fletcher was found that NDAKOTA, the Tankado’s partner, is Greg Hale, one of the NSA’s cryptographers. She knew about that when she not deliberately opened Hale’s computer and read his messages. She opened Hale’s computer because she knew if Hale has already thwart her searching process in her computer to find out about NDAKOTA, but Hale said if that messages were copied from the Strathmore’s email. Suddenly Phil Chartrukian, the Sys-Sec (name of the chamber in the NSA office where the cryptographers work in) technician who is unaware of the Digital Fortress code breaking failure and believes Digital Fortress to be a virus, conducts his own investigation into the TRANSLTR whether Strathmore allowed Digital Fortress to bypass Gauntlet (NSA's virus/worm filter). Then he was found murdered in the sub-levels of TRANSLTR. Hale said if he saw Strathmore killed, but Strathmore said if truly Hale was the murder of Chartrukian. Then Hale hostage Fletcher because Strathmore threaten him if he will report him to the police as a murder. Unfortunately, Hale kicked by Strathmore’s gun because he threatens if he will tell all the NSA’s secrets to the public.
Later, Fletcher knew that Strathmore was a person who sent an assassin, Hulohot, to kill the people who owned Tankado’s ring included Becker, her fiancé. Later she also believed that Strathmore was a person who killed Chartrukian because he didn’t want anyone thwart his ambition in breaking the Digital Fortress. Strathmore was very ambitious in breaking the Digital Fortress because he was planning to sell the data to the biggest digital company in Japan. Then TRANSLTR is blown up because of overheating, working too long in reading the Digital Fortress, and Strathmore was burned in with it. Fletcher escape from it because she succeeded ran away with a private lift in Strathmore’s office which brought her to the main office building, few kilometers far away from her office building. Then Jabba, NSA's Senior System Security Officer, told her that Digital Fortress was a virus which eating the data bank of NSA security system gate and if the gate gone, all of the secret information that NSA has can be access by every people in the world who have modem.
Finally Hulohot dead, fell down from the tower when he was in fighting with Becker and Becker can save the ring and telling the writing on the Tankado’s ring to the people who has been waiting him in NSA. Unfortunately, the writing was not the code to breaking the Digital Fortress. Then Becker and Fletcher finally realize if the breaking code was not the ring. The breaking code was the amount of Tankado’s fingers in his each hand which is three, because he held up one of his hand to the top before he died. Finally the Digital Fortress can be destroyed.


1. Character
Actually, this novel has more than fifteen characters, but I only mention eight of them because the rest are just the cameo. The eight characters that I mention are Susan Fletcher (the NSA’s Head Cryptographer), David Becker (a university professor on languages and Fletcher’s fiancé), Commander Trevor Strathmore (NSA Deputy Director of Operations), Ensei Tankado (a disgruntled former NSA employee), Hulohot (an assassin sent to Spain after David Becker), Phil Chartrukian (Sys-Sec Technician), Greg Hale (NSA cryptographer) and Jabba (NSA’s Senior System Security Officer). First character is Susan Fletcher. She is a very smart girl with 170 IQ. Her ingenuity is proved when she successfully got her doctorate in age 28 and became a cryptographer in NSA not long after that. She is also an assertive, independent, and a loyal woman. One of the evidence of her assertiveness is when she obviously refused all of Hale’s flattery to have a dating with him. She is an independent woman because she can live alone without family and earn her own money. Her loyalty is proved with keep all the NSA secrets and didn’t tell to anyone even though to her fiancé. Second character is David Becker. He is a responsible and honest man. His responsibility is proved when he did all what Strathmore asked to him and finished them. His honesty is proved when NSA asked his help to translate a code in Chinese language and then it also asked him to translate the code randomly in order to keep the secrecy of the code, because he is not allowed to know the meaning of the code. He is also not allowed to tell anyone that he ever been work for NSA to translate a secret code. Becker obeyed all the rules and didn’t tell to anyone about what he had done with NSA. Third character is Commander Trevor Strathmore. He is a very ambitious man. He will do anything to get all what he wants. The example of his ambitiousness is when he killed Phil Chartrukian and Greg Hale who rebbel him in order to keep the TRANSLTR running and can keep working to read the Digital Fortress. Fourth character is Ensei Tankado. He is a man who has strong principles and will keep the principles with all efforts that he can do. It proved when he thought that NSA had violated the people’s privacy with its TRANSLTR, and then decided to resign from NSA. Fifth character is Hulohot. He is very mean and cruel assassin, but he is loyal to his boss. He will kill all the people who prevent him to do what has been ordered to him. It proved when he killed all the people who ever owned Tankado’s ring and do as hard as he can to kill Becker and take the ring from him. Sixth character is Phil Chartrukian. He is a very curious and spontaneous man. It proved when he spontaneously went to the sub-levels of TRANSLTR in order to shutdown that machine manually because he knew that Digital Fortress is a virus and it never can be read by TRANSLTR. That machine also can be exploded because of overheating, continuously push to work to read the Digital Fortress. Seventh character is Greg Hale. He is a very talented seducer man, but sissy. He never gives up flattering Fletcher so that she would have a date with him. He is very sissy when he was afraid to be accused as Chartrukian murder and decided to hostage Fletcher. Eighth character is Jabba. He is so careful in doing anything. He will not decide to do something before him sure that he is allowed to do that thing. It proved when he found a problem with TRANSLTR he didn’t go to check out the TRANSLTR directly because Strathmore is not allowed him to check out the machine.


2. Characterization
In this novel the writer, Dan Brown, use indirect way of characterization in describing each character. It means that Brown describes each character through the other characters like through the dialogue, comment, what is done by the character, and the like. One of the ways that Dan Brown has used in describing the characterization of Commander Trevor Strathmore is through what he has done like when he killed Chartrukian with pushed him in the sub-levels, when he finally proved has sent an assassin named Hulohot in Spain to kill David Becker and when he proved masquerade as NDAKOTA. That all show or describe that Strathmore is a very ambitious person. There is no word for failure in his dictionary of life. He will do anything to realize all what he want. He will eliminate all the things that prevent him to get what he wants. One of the ways that Dan Brown has used in describing the characterization of Susan Fletcher is through the dialogue like a piece dialogue in the chapter 11, ‘You are on my team, aren’t you?’ Strathmore asked. Susan smiled. ‘Yes, sir, I am. One hundred percent.’ One of the dialogues between Strathmore and Fletcher that I have typed before shows or describe that Fletcher is a loyal person. She is loyal with his job and also with his boss with obeys what his boss said and ordered to her.


3. Setting
There are three kinds of setting; physical, social, and spiritual. Physical setting is divided in two which are place and time. In this novel the setting of place were in Maryland, United States of America and in Seville, Spain. The setting of time was on a whole day, from the morning until the night. The social setting of the story in this novel is the relationship condition between the characters. Almost all of the characters have not good relationship each other because their relationship has flavored with ambition, selfishness, and suspicion. Otherwise, there were some people who still have good relationship each other like Susan Fletcher with David Becker, Chartrukian with Susan Fletcher, and Jabba with Susan Fletcher. These good relationships are built because of the feeling of love and sense of solidarity among coworkers. So there were a bad and a good relationship condition between the characters in this novel. Actually, this novel has less spiritual setting, but the most obvious spiritual setting is seen when David Becker almost died killed by Hulohot in Spain. In that time, Becker felt that his life will end because he already exhausted and desperate in fighting and ran away from Hulohot. Then he pray to God to be given the last power to fight Hulohot until he gave up tried to kill Becker, save the Tankado’s ring and gave the ring to Strathmore and Susan. Then God answered Becker’s pray. Hulohot died, fall down due to slip from the tower when he tried to kill Becker and grab the Tankado’s ring from him.


4. Point of view
According to me, this novel has an objective point of view. With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The writer is unnamed or unidentified, remaining a detached observer. The writer never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel. The writer also does not assume the character's perspective and the writer is not a character in the story. The writer just reports on events and lets the reader supply the meaning.


5. Figurative Language
There are three figurative languages in this novel; hyperbole, irony, and paradox. First figurative language is hyperbole. The characters often used this kind of figurative language to reveal some expression when they find something irrational or when they have to do additional work at the wrong time. The example is in chapter 3 when Susan Fletcher muttering to herself when she repeated the entire procedure at an equally imposing electrified fence to entering the NSA building area. She said in her mind, Come on, guys... I’ve only been through here a million times. Then also in chapter 3 when Strathmore ordered her to come to the office on Saturday morning, a time when she supposed to enjoy her free day, Susan said in her mind, Twenty-six thousand employees and a twelve-billion-dollar budget; you’d think they could make it through the weekend without me. The sentences I’ve only been through here a million times and you’d think they could make it through the weekend without me are hyperbole expression. Second figurative language is irony, like in the chapter 36, 80, and 82. Greg Hale tapped and copied Strathmore’s email and found that Strathmore is NDAKOTA, but when Susan read that email which listed belong to NDAKOTA in the Hale’s computer, she thought that NDAKOTA is Greg Hale. Then when Hale saw that Strathmore pushed Carthrukian in the sub-levels and made him died, Susan thought if Hale was killed Chartrukian because Susan just saw Chartrukian’s dead body and Hale who stood near it. That were irony because Hale is accused of acts that he did not do and Susan didn’t trust to him although he already telling the truth to Susan. Third figurative language is paradox. Paradox can be found when Strathmore fast to his faith if Digital Fortress is really a special tracker system and can be read by TRANSLTR, but the fact proved if Digital Fortress is a virus which eating the security system gate of NSA data bank.


6. Trait
Traits are characteristics which every character have them, and every character usually have different characteristics with others. Trait is divided into four. There are biological trait, physical trait, natural trait, emotional trait, and deliberative trait. Susan Fletcher; the biological trait is a woman, the physical traits are slim and tall, the natural traits are assertive, independent, and loyal, the emotional trait is suspicious, and the deliberative trait is good listener. Fletcher’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when she refuse a dating invitation from Hale, become the head of NSA’s cryptographer, obeyed all what his boss ordered to her, accusing Hale as NDAKOTA and Chartrukian murder and didn’t want to trust all the Hale’s explanation, and always listening the Becker’s stories about his life when they have the time to get together. David Becker; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are slim and athletic, the natural traits are responsible and honest, the emotional trait is low-temper, and the deliberative trait is good listener. Becker’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he did all what Strathmore have asked to him with went to Spain to search the clues to break the Digital Fortress, didn’t kill Hulohot although several times he tried to kill Becker, and always listening other people’s suggestions. Commander Trevor Strathmore; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are quite big and tall, the natural traits are ambitious, the emotional trait is low temper, and the deliberative trait is good counselor. Strathmore’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he really ambitious to keep the TRANSLTR working in more than twelve hours although he knew that will cause dangerous impact, always keep his emotion stable and calm, and always gives advices and examples about how to be good leader to his subordinates. Ensei Tankado; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are short and just have three fingers in each hand, the natural traits is idealist, and the emotional trait is high-temper. Tankado’s natural and emotional traits are proved when he decided to resign from NSA because he thought NSA project which is tap all of the communication systems in around the world is violate the human right and immediately made the Digital Fortress program to ruin the TRANSLTR machine. Hulohot; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are slim and quite tall, the natural traits are mean and cruel, and the emotional trait is high-temper. Hulohot’s natural and emotional traits are proved when he killed some innocent people who ever own Tankado’s ring, tried to kill Becker but failed, instead killed by his own fault. Phil Chartrukian; the biological trait is a man, the natural traits are curious and spontaneous, the emotional trait is impatient, and the deliberative trait is communicative. Chartrukian’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he bravely went to the sub-levels of TRANSLTR to shutdown that machine manually without Strathmore’s permission. He already asked Strathmore’s permission to shutdown that machine, but Strathmore has refused it. Greg Hale; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are athletic and gallant, the natural traits are great seducer but sissy, the emotional trait is impatient, and the deliberative trait is communicative. Hale’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he always attracting Susan’s attention, and made Susan as a hostage because he was accused as NDAKOTA and Chartrukian’s murder and threatened to be in prison. Jabba; the biological trait is a man, the physical traits are short and fat, the natural traits is careful, the emotional trait is patient, and the deliberative trait is wise. Jabba’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he always careful in doing his job, didn’t want to broke the rules which were exist in NSA, and commit with his responsible as the senior system security officer in NSA.


7. Plot
NSA (National Security Agency), an U.S secret agency which function is tapping all of the communication systems in the world in order to keep the security stability especially in the U.S. Susan Fletcher, the Head of NSA’s Cryptographer, has ordered by Strathmore, NSA Deputy Director of Operations, to find out Ensei Tankado, an ex. NSA cryptographer who sent a dangerous system code named Digital Fortress to the TRANSLTR (a machine which functions read and filter the information from around the world) in order to realize his dream about the people’s privacy right. Later Digital Fortress is known as a virus which can destroy the defense system of NSA data banks, but Strathmore didn’t trust if that was a virus. He keeps the TRANSLTR running to read Digital Fortress in more than twelve hours. He also sent a languages professor, David Becker, and an assassin, Hulohot, to Spain to search Tankado and the clues to breaking the Digital Fortress. The clue was found. That was Tankado’s ring, which had move to some people but then Becker can get it. Hulohot killed the people who ever owned the ring and also tried to kill Becker because he also wanted to get the ring. Accidentally Hulohot died. TRANSLTR is exploded because of overheating, and Strathmore also burned together with that most valuable machine. Finally Becker, Susan, and Jabba (NSA’s Senior System Security Officer) found that the password to destroy Digital Fortress is not in there ring. The real password is the amount of Tankado’s fingers in his each hand. Fortunately they can destroy the Digital Fortress and save the NSA data bank.


8. Atmosphere
According to me, the atmosphere of the story in this novel is suspense because the story line is pleasurable excited and it can make the reader always be anticipated regarding to the outcome of the story which is the ending. The story is unpredictable and makes the reader surprise when the prediction is missed from what this novel gives. The most unpredictable story is the fact that Digital Fortress is a virus.


9. Theme
According to me, the theme of the story is national security versus a right of individual’s privacy. In this story, a country has tapping all of the communication system in the world with a reason to protect or keep its national stability from any dangerous disturbances. That thing is obviously has already violated the human’s right which is a right of individual’s privacy, because every people in this world have a right to get their privacy and it is not allowed to share with another people.

(Saturday, July 3rd, 2010)

Rabu, 30 Juni 2010

Analysis of Turkeys Turning Table short story by William D. Howells

1. Summary of the Short Story
There is Papa who was telling a story, on Christmas morning, to his little girl (daughter) about turkey ghosts which were haunted a family. Papa began the story with telling the background why these turkey ghosts haunted that family. As the tradition in Christmas and Thanksgiving days, every family is get together in a gathering event and enjoyed the main menu which is turkey. Year by year, a lot of turkeys have been killed and were eaten by humans. Then all the turkeys which have been killed and eaten by the humans were become ghost and planned to avenge their revenge to the humans. One day there was an extended family which consist of grandfather, grandmother, aunties or mamas, papas the aunties husbands, little girls, and little boys, who where gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving day. The grandmother and aunties were bought a first premium turkey at the county fair which the weigh is about twenty pounds. Then they cooked and prepared the turkey to the dining table as a main menu to be eaten together for the Thanksgiving peak ritual event. After everybody finished the dinner they were fast asleep, but there was one little girl who almost fall asleep but didn’t sleep yet. Then vaguely she saw a large bronze-colored shadow which was turkey gobbler’s ghost. This turkey wear a red pasteboard placard round its neck with FIRST PREMIUM printed on it. The little girl quickly realized that this turkey ghost was a ghost of the turkey which had been eaten by her and her family at the dinner few hours ago. Suddenly her cousins, the other little girls and one little boy who was her brother, awakened from their sleep because they also aware of the arrival of the first premium ghost. When they were decided to run out from their room together, the first premium ghost was gained, gained, and gained and changed become turkey chicks or chick-chickledren, blockaded their way. Then the turkeys said that they will avenge their revenge to the humans because the humans like to eat them all this time. Now they will eat the humans. Then the little girl made a promise to the turkeys that they (the humans) will not have the turkeys to eat again especially at the Christmas and Thanksgiving days. Then after the ghosts gone, the children said to adult people that they should not have eat turkeys again especially at the Christmas and Thanksgiving. They will have oyster soup, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, Hubbard squash, celery, turnip, cauliflower, mince-pie, pandowdy, plum-pudding, fruits, and frosted cakes to eat instead. The adult people thought that there was fair enough and after that, every Christmas and Thanksgiving days, they changed turkey with the menus above.

2. Character
This short story has twelve characters. They are Papa, little girl, grandfather in the story, grandmother in the story, aunties or mamas in the story, papas in the story, little girls in the story, little boy in the story, the turkey gobbler’s ghost or first premium, and chick-chickledren. First character is Papa. Papa is an assertive person but always loving his daughter, the little girl. He patiently did the story telling for the little girl. The assertiveness is proved when Papa told to his little girl not to interrupt his story. Second character is little girl. She is quite talkative and has a high curiosity. Sometimes she interrupted her Papa’s story with some detail questions or statements. Third character is grandfather in the story. He is a good story teller. He told a story about turkey gobbler and made his sons, the papas, very excited to hear the story more completely. Fourth character is grandmother in the story. She is a good mother for his children and good wife for his husband. She always doing all the housework perfectly to make her children, grandchildren, and relatives comfort to stay in her and her husband house. Fifth character is aunties or mamas in the story. They are also good mothers for their children, good wife for their husbands, and good children for their parents, but they have more mature behavior than papas. It proved when they are always ready to help the grandmother to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner and said to papas that they acted like silly boys when papas persuade grandfather to tell them a story about turkey gobbler. Sixth character is papas. They were little bit childish when they gathered together with their father. That seemed like they felt flashback to a moment when they were child. Seventh character is little girls in the story. Some of them were brave, but the rest were sissy. Eighth character is little boy in the story. He is a brave boy because he bravely persuaded the little girls to run out from the bedroom when the turkey gobbler’s ghost came. Ninth character is the turkey gobbler’s ghost or first premium. He is a wise turkey because he chose to make a deal with the little girl in the story that the humans are prohibited to eat turkey again instead of continued the turkey’s clan revenge to the human. Tenth character is the turkey chicks or chick-chickledren. They were all spoiled, egoist, and mean. They were hate become ghosts and really want to eat the humans for their revenge.

3. Characterization
In this short story the writer, William D. Howells, use indirect way of characterization in describing each character. It means that Howells describes each character through the other characters like through the dialogue, comment, what is done by the character, and the like. For the example, Howells describe the characterization of the little girl through the dialogues which were she said. When the little girl asked her Papa, “Is it going to be a dream? How can it be a dream than?”, it shows or describe that this little girl has a big curiosity about what was happened with the people in the story which her Papa was telling to her. She wanted to make sure if her Papa didn’t make any mistake in telling the story.

4. Setting
There are three kinds of setting; physical, social, and spiritual. Physical setting is divided in two which are place and time. In this short story the setting of place was in a house, a family house. The setting of time was on Christmas morning. The social setting in the story that Papa told to his little girl is there was a good relationship between the extended family with their neighbors in the neighborhood around their house. In the beginning of the Papa’s story, Papa told that all the relations in the neighborhood of that extended family had come to dinner in the Thanksgiving. It showed that the extended family is open to their social environment. The spiritual setting was available in the story when the little girls and boy in the Papa’s story feel frightened when they met the turkey ghosts. There was a struggle in the children’s self between face the truth and search the solution or consider that thing as a dream and then forget it. Finally they can face the truth that they were facing ghosts which would have revenge to them and found the solution to make peace with the ghosts.

5. Point of view
According to me, this short story has an objective point of view because the writer is unnamed or unidentified (a detached observer). The writer does not assume character's perspective and is not a character in the story. The writer just reports on events and lets the reader supply the meaning.

6. Figurative Language
There are two figurative languages in this short story; hyperbole and irony. First is hyperbole. The little girl used this figurative language to complain her Papa when he mentioned a lot of kinds of food in his story. The dialogue is: “Don’t mix them all up so!” pleaded the little girl. “It’s perfectly confusing. I can’t hardly tell what they had now.” The hyperbole is contained in the words ‘perfectly confusing’. Second is irony. The turkey chicks or chick-chickledren ghosts used this figurative language when they talk and act imitated the children’s behavior when they started to eat turkey. The part of story is: They acted perfectly ridiculous, and one little brat of a spiteful little chick piped out, “I speak for a drumstick, ma!” and then they all began, “I want a wing, ma!” and “I’m going to have the wish-bone!” This part is irony because the turkey chicks or chick-chickledren show off a moment when they were eaten by the humans. This is very sad.

7. Trait
Trait is divided into four. There are biological trait, physical trait, natural trait, emotional trait, and deliberative trait. Papa; the biological trait is a man, the natural traits are patient and assertive, the emotional trait is low-temper, and the deliberative trait is wise. Papa’s natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are proved when he advice the little girl not to interrupt his story and when he accepted the little girl idea to equalize the little girl appearance in Papa’s story with her appearance. The papa’s physical trait is not mentioned in the short story. Little girl; the biological trait is a girl, the physical traits are pretty, had red eyes, blue cheeks, and straight hair, the natural trait is impatient, the emotional trait is high temper, and the deliberative trait is communicative. All the little girl’s trait are mentioned through Papa’s story when he equalize the little girl appearance in Papa’s story with her appearance, when few times she interrupt Papa’s story, when she cried in the end of the story, and when few times she told her perspective about Papa’s story. Grandparents in the story; the biological traits are men and woman, the physical trait is old, the natural trait is mature, the emotional trait is patient, and the deliberative trait is wise. Their natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are indescribable in how they really exited and happy accept their neighbors and children come to their house to celebrate the Thanksgiving. Papas and mamas in the story; the biological traits are men and woman, the natural trait is amiable, the emotional trait is low-temper, and the deliberative trait is good listeners. Their natural, emotional, and deliberative traits are showed in the story when they are very cheerful to celebrate the Thanksgiving in their parents’ house with their children and when they looked exited in listening their father’s story about the turkey. The papas and mamas physical traits are not mentioned in the short story. Little children in the story; the biological traits are male and female, the physical trait is young, the natural and emotional trait is labile, and the deliberative trait is wise. They were labile because they still easily getting panic in facing some situation, but they were wise enough in make the problem solving for the problem between the turkeys and humans. Turkeys; the biological traits are male and female, the physical traits are large or small with bronze-colored, the natural trait is mean, and the emotional trait is easily getting angry. They were mean because they planned to eat the humans for avenge their revenge to the humans and they were easily getting angry because they kept their hatred to the humans for a long time.

8. Plot
Papa told a story to his little girl about turkey ghosts. The ghosts were haunted a family which was held a Thanksgiving gathering party in the grandparents’ house, but just the little children who saw the turkey ghosts. The ghosts wanted to avenge their revenge to the human with eat them because from long time ago the humans continuously consume or eat them. Fortunately their scheming can be thwarted because on of the children, a little girl help them to make an agreement with another humans to change the turkey’s menu especially in Christmas and Thanksgiving with some seafood, fruits, vegetables, and cakes. Actually, that little girl wasn’t met the turkey ghosts, but she was trance by the turkey ghosts. After that, every Christmas and Thanksgiving, people didn’t eat turkey’s meal again and changed with some substitute menus above.

9. Atmosphere
According to me, atmosphere of this short story is thriller because there are a lot of frightened parts in this story. The most frightened part of this short story is the ending when Papa said to the little girl that actually the little girl in the story was not dream, but she was trance by the turkey ghosts.

10. Theme
According to me, the theme of this short story is keep the preservation of all the God’s creature to keep the balancing of the life in this earth. This theme is obviously contained in the part when the turkey ghosts wanted to eat the little children for avenge their revenge to the human, because the human make them as their food. This short story also tried to deliver a message for the people to use and consume the natural resources wisely, so that their off spring in the future could know, use, and consume the natural resources too.

(Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 05:43 am)