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Rabu, 14 Desember 2011

An analysis on Langston Hughes’s, God’s other side


A little piece of Langston Hughes’s work, God’s other side reveals an interesting thing to be analized. There is funny thing if we take a look at the one of character in that literary work. Jesse B. Simple is one of the character in that story who has different thought with the other common people at that time. That different thought has lead him into different perception among him and his society. Most of his neighbor realize that his thought is unwise and full of foolness. He is considered as a stupid and ignorance person.
The cause of that perception firstly comes when Simple believes that God has the other side which can be treated as the same side with the common side. This common is usually used by common people at that time. This thing leads Simple to make a different idea which he thinks it is good enough. This perception comes up when there is a clear difference between White folks and Black folks in Simple’s place. Simple, a negro who belongs to black folks is underestimated by the white folks which become the  most majority in that place. In that society, white and black are differnt. They are separated into some different rules which are banned them to be socialized each other. It can be seen inside the story that there are some rules which have to obeyed by them. Like the example that as a white community person, a man can go without the United Stated Army’s protection like what happen to the black. The white gets sick, but he do not have to creep in the back door of the hospital down South for treatment like the black do. This kind of difference may lead Simple to think that actually the difference is not important because in his mind they are same, same in the eyes of God. Simple thinks that although they are different in the world by they will be same in the day after tomorrow. Both of black and white are taken place in the paradise with the white wings, white robe, and absolutely the white skin. They will live in glory and no one can be differenciate with any kind of differences.
From this thought, the problems come. His society say that Simple is unwise person who just think about foolnesss and can not give the best perception which can be accepted. But, beside that foolness and stupid thought, Simple has given the beatiful message for the reader. From his thought, the reader can be accepted that become different is not a cruel thing. Even it can make the best choice for the life. The example can be seen when Simple believes that God will hear his pray if he stand on the left side of God. Although this is uncommon thing or even it is a stupid thing, but he can stand on his choice and become success with it.
All in all, the different thought of Simple is not a stupid thing. It has moral value and this is a good wise. Simple has his own decision and it can make himself become a wiseman. He believes that become a different person is not strange. It is just the matter of being honored and taking place in a right position.


Noura Nahdliyah (Mahasiswi Sastra Inggris Unesa 2008)

An Hermeneutic Theory Analysis on Langston Hughes, God’s other Side


An Hermeneutic Theory Analysis on Langston Hughes, God’s other Side
Hermeneutic theory is originally term associated with biblical exegesis and the interpretation of religious text and especially their allegorical aspects; now more commonly employed as a defining term for a branch of interpretation developed from modern linguistics and philosophy which adresses modes of interpretation. This interpretation is about a thing which has relationship with religious value. This kind of interpretation may different with the other’s interpretation.
Langston Hughes’ work, God’s other side can be interpreted by hermeneutic theory. This theory can be analyzed in the part of Simple statement that “I would get a little more God’s attention by standing on the left side of God”. In the religion views, the true place in the eyes of God is the place in the right of God’s hand. The right-hand side  is the place which is honored well. This is believed in every human thought. It is true based on religios value and also it is believed generally by the people who believe in religion. Because of that, they believe that God will hear the pray only from his right side.
Simple has different interpretation about that problem. According to him, God can do everything. When the others are enjoyinh their pray in the right-hand side, he chooses to move forward to the other side, in the left-hand side. In his belief, God can pay attention to his pray carefully without hearing the noisy voices which spread out from the right side. This belief leads him to be different with others.
So that, the convention which is believed by the society may be different according to some interpretations. People can build their own interpretation on it. This thing happens in Simple and it becomes his own identity to be different.

Noura Nahdliyah (Mahasiswi Sastra Inggris UNESA 2008)

A Psychoanalitic Criticism: Psychological Problem through Sohrab’s Character in Khalled Hossaeni, The Kite Runner


A Psychoanalitic Criticism: Psychological Problem through Sohrab’s Character in Khalled Hossaeni, The Kite Runner


By Noura Nahdliyah
082154024

Psychoanalitic concepts have became the most important part in our daily life. We ever do something conscious or even unconsciously in our half breath. Those are the example of Psychoanalytic concept. But, Psychoanalytic concept does not only concern in those two things. There are so many kinds of it. Sibling rivalry, inferiority complexes and defense mechanism are included in the term of psychological concept. In this analysis, defense mechanism is the most suitable concept which is related to the problem. Defense mechanism is a kind of self denial. Defenses are the process by which we keep the repressed feeling in order to avoid knowing what we feel we can not handle knowing. (Critical Theory Today:15). This defense may break down when we experience anxiety. This anxiety can reveal some core issues like fear of intimacy, fear of abandonment, fear of betrayal, low self-esteem, insecure or unstable sense of self and oedipal fixation.          Some of those defense mechanisms and the core issues are depicted in Khalled Hossaeni, The Kite Runner. The character of Sohrab has some psychological problem which is interesting to be analyzed. This problem is influenced by those kind of defense mechanism and the core issues which follow it.
Sohrab has an anxiety in his life. This anxiety is caused by his guilty, fear of abandonment and fear of intimacy. Guilty is a feeling of shame because of thing that we have done. This problem happens to Sohrab when he feels so guilty after shooting Assef eyes with his slingshot. He feels that it is his big fault.
“Will God put me in hell for what I did to that man?”(The Kite runner:162).
Beside that guilty, there is also fear of abandonment there. Fear of abandonment is the unshakable belief that our friends and loved ones are going to desert us (physical abandonment) or do not really care about us (emotional abandonment). This is depicted in Sohrab when he feels that what he has done is a shame thing if it is showed by his family. In this case, he remember his father, his mother, his grandmother and also Rahim Khan. It leads him to think that his family will avoid him because of his shame action.
“’I miss father and mother too.’ He croacked. ‘And I miss Sasa and Rahim Khan Sahib. But sometimes I’m glad they’re not....they’re not here anymore’.........because I don’t want them to see me.....” (The Kite Runner: 163)
One thing that also happens in Sohrab is fear of intimacy. Fear of intimacy is the chronic and overpowering feeling that emotional closeness will seriously hurt or destroy us and that we can remain emotionally safe only by remaining at an emotional distance from others at all times. This thing is depicted in Sohrab when Amir comes to him in order to hug him and tries to calm him down.
“’....they did things...the bad man and the other two...they did things...did things to me.’.................................I touched his arm and again and he drewd away. I reached again, gently, and pulled him to me.” (The Kite Runner: 163)
This thing shows that there is a fear to Sohrab’s mind when he gets close with a man. He thinks that that man will be do the same thing as Assef has done to him. The other example can be showed in the next page when Amir wants to bring Sohrab back to the orphanage in order to get the certificate which makes him easy to bring Sohrab to America.
“’You promised that you’d never put me in one of those place, Amir agha,’ he said. His voice was breaking, tears pooling in his eyes. I felt like a prick.” (The Kite Runner: 177)
This is not an aesy thing for Sohrab to receive it. He feels trauma. He never wants to come back to the orphanage because he thinks that an orphanage is the same thing as he ever feels before.
“’Please! Please, no!’ he croacked. ‘I’m scared of that place. They’ll hurt me! I don’t want to go.’”(The Kite Runner: 177)
            In conclusion, psychological problem which happens in Sohrab’s life is caused by his own experience in facing his life. His guilty, his fear of intimacy and abandonment have lead him to his unconcious psychological problem.

Jungian concept in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’, Kubla Khan.


Jungian concept in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’, Kubla Khan.
Coleridge writes his poem, Kubla Khan with the form of historical legend. He tells us the story of a king whose name is Kubla Khan. Kubla Khan is the Mongol Emperor and the grandson of Gengish Khan. He stays inside the beautiful palace. It is build up in the middle of the green hill. The green hill has a lot of amazement. This palace has a lot of luxury and it is wonderful. Although the palace has beautiful scenery, it is not too good. There are still many dangerous things which are standing on that beauty. Everything which spread out the palace hides the danger. This palace is surrounded by the great walls and tower. Outside this palace is a dark forest and river. There is contradiction among those to things, beautiful inside and darkness outside.
Coleridge justifies Kubla Khan as the person who is trapped to the unconscious and conscious mind which is really related each other. This is shown in every line of his poem. These conscious and unconscious minds lead Kubla Khan into his individuation process. This is a kind of psychological journey of Kubla Khan. According to Jung, human archetype is firstly seen. Jung uses persona and shadow as the main point of his theory.
From this poem, we can analyze that persona can be stated in the word “Palace”. Palace here is the place for Kubla Khan to save himself from the other influence. Kubla Khan considers this palace as a beautiful place and keeps him with the best treatment. In his individuation journey, he meets some troubles which made him trapped into the unconscious mind. This trouble is called shadow. Shadow represents the personal unconscious of that person and it can be made difficulty to him. From Kubla Khan’s story, it can be seen that the shadow is represented by “Wall”. As it is kown that wall has surrounded Kubla Khan’s palace and it is separated the beautiful of the palace and the dark of outside world. The wall here takes the part as the shield of that beautiful palace. This is the “savage place” for Kubla Khan while he tries to reach his individuation process. It can make him save from the danger of the outside world. Kubla Khan’s conscious mind is composed in the words sun, green hill, fountain, milk and paradise. Beside that conscious, it also can be seen that those kind of conscious may lead him into his unconscious like moon, river, cavern, forest, demon, and hail. Conscious here means the real condition of Kubla Khan’ physically appearance and unconscious means the real condition of Kubla Khan’s psychological order.
Beside those conscious and unconscious, Coleridge’s work Kubla Khan also consists of Anima and Animus. Anima is the female archetype of man. It represents the female nurturing character which can make the man character is save. The example of anima can be seen in “Abyssinian Maid”. This kind of Anima represents the condition of Kubla Khan. This Abyssinian Maid can make him want to have place in that condition only. He will do anything in order to make his will become true. Because of his act, he is avoided by everyone in that place. It can be shown in the words “with holy dread”.
At the last, Kubla Khan does not achieve his individuation process. He cannot do it because he still cannot far away from his dreadful. His dream is not yet realized. It is difficult to him to step in his way of getting the individuation process.

Noura Nahdliyah (Mahasiswi Sastra Inggris UNESA 2008)

Sabtu, 10 Desember 2011

Tangan Yang Tak Lagi Sempurna



Aku melihatnya saat merebahkan tubuhku sejenak di bangku terminal kota Probolinggo. Perjalananku dari kota Situbondo sangat menguras tenaga. Suasana kota Probolinggo yang mendung belum cukup membantuku untuk mengusir lelah ini. Deretan pegunungan berjajar rapi. Tampak terlihat puncak bromo di ujung sana, hitam berselimut kabut sore yang tebal.
Aku harus segera sampai di Surabaya, kota tempatku belajar. Cukup sudah liburan pendekku ini. Aku sangat menikmati hari-hariku di Situbondo. Indah, sungguh sangat indah. Tampak terlihat bus jurusan Surabaya berjajar rapi di seberangku, namun aku masih lelah untuk meneruskan langkahku. Segera kuputuskan untuk bersandar sejenak, menghirup udara sore kota Probolinggo dengan segelas teh hangat pengusir rasa lelah. Kulihat tubuh lemahnya dengan membawa kardus berisi aneka makanan serta berjajar botol bertuliskan “mizone. Tak kuhiraukan keberadaannya karena memang aku sangat lelah, lelah yang yang teramat sangat. Kuhabiskan seteguk demi seteguk teh hangat itu. Hangatnya mampu mengusir segala lelahku hari ini.
Adzan maghrib berkumandang. Kuurungkan niatku untuk menghampiri bus tujuanku. Segera kuletakkan tas bawaanku di samping Mushollah. “Terima Kasih, Tuhan… Engkau masih memberikan nikmat Maghrib-Mu kepadaku”. Kataku dalam hati. Kuambil air wudhu, membasuh mukaku yang penuh debu dunia ini, membasuh kedua tanganku yang pernah dengan atau tanpa sengaja mengambil hak-hak yang bukan milikku, membasuh sebagian rambutku yang lembab, kedua telingaku yang kerap mendengar suara-suara biadab, serta kaki kanan dan kiriku yang sering kulangkahkan pada jalan yang dimurkai Tuhan.
Tanpa sengaja aku melihat kardus itu diujung sana, dibawah kotak amal mushollah, namun tidak lagi dalam dekapannya. “Lantas, dimana ia…?” kataku lirih. Entah mengapa aku masih mengingatnya, sedangkan tadi aku hanya mengacuhkannya dengan percuma. Subhanallah…. Harus dengan apa lagi aku memujamu, Tuhan. Kulihat sosok itu sedang bersujud di hadapan-Mu, menyembah-Mu dengan kerendahan hati, memuja-Mu dengan bait-bait doa suci. Kualihkan pandanganku. Kurasakan ada basah menjalar di seluruh tubuhku, keringat dingin. Aku takjub dan heran. Dalam kelemahannya ia masih setia kepada-Mu, Tuhan.
Kulangkahkan kakiku menuju kursi panjang di sebelah kantor informasi. Hari semakin malam dan para penumpang semakin berdesakan menunggu bis jurusannya masing-masing. Aku lelah dengan perjalananku. Bus yang kunantikan penuh sesak dengan penumpang. Terpaksa aku menunggu giliran bis berikutnya.
Dalam diam aku masih memikirkan sosok lemah itu, tetap dengan bayangan kotak kardus dalam dekapannya. Bayangannya setia menari dalam imajiku yang lelah. Sekilas kulihat matanya juga lelah, lelah dengan asap dan deru kendaraan, lelah dengan dunia yang memaksanya harus berjalan.
Dalam lamunanku aku tersentak. Sosok itu tak lagi ada dalam imajiku belaka, namun kini nyata dalam pandangan mata. Lengkap dengan kardus berjajarkan botol air mineral serta produk berlabelkan “mizone”.
“Silahkan, mas… Air minumnya. Ada permen dan kacang kulit juga”. Suaranya mampu memekikkan nada dalam hatiku. Astaghfirullah… Tuhan… mengapa Kau harus memberikan cobaan-Mu kepada mahluk lemah-Mu ini? Suaraku tiba-tiba lenyap. Hanya kepalaku yang mengangguk mengiyakan tawarannya serta tanganku yang segera mengambil dua botol air bertuliskan “mizone” dari kardus lusuhnya. Kuambilkan lembar lima puluh ribuan dari celana lusuhku, kuberikan padanya dengan mata yang berair mata. Kuambil sendiri kembalian lembaran itu dari kotak kecil diantara jajaran air minum, kuhitung sendiri lembaran-lembaran itu. Sesekali kudengar suara lemahnya. “Maaf, mas… saya merepotkan panjenengan karena ini”. Aku hanya tersenyum. Hatiku masih menangis melihat keadaanya. Sosok lemah yang masih setia dengan kardus lusuh dalam dekapannya.
Melihatnya menjadikanku teringat beberapa keajaiban yang pernah ada. Seorang Hellen Killer yang tetap setia menulis meski tak lagi ia mampu tuk melihat dan mendengar. Semangatnya tetap melambung hingga ia mendapat berbagai macam penghargaan. Akupun teringat akan seorang Beethoven yang mampu menentramkan hatiku dengan alunan nada yang dirangkainya dengan cinta. Serta seorang Xie Yanhong yang sehari-hari hanya duduk di kursi roda namun ia mampu menaklukkan selat inggris dengan gaya renangnya.
Mungkin sosok lemah yang ada dihadapanku ini tidak seperti Hellen Killer, Beethoven ataupun Xie Yanhong. Namun semangatnya untuk tetap berdiri di atas kelemahannya inilah yang membuatku berkaca-kaca. Perbandingan yang jelas ada. Aku yang memiliki nikmat luar biasa dari Tuhan tetap saja bersikap malas, acuh, dan serakah. Namun ia, dengan kelemahannya tetap setia berusaha menyambung hidupnya kemudian menyerahkan semuanya kepada-Mu, Tuhan.
Bayangannya berlalu dari hadapannku. Segera kumasukkan lembaran-lembaran itu kembali ke saku celanaku. Kuhitung kembali lembar demi lembar. Astaghfirullah, satu lembar terjatuh dalam tasku. Kembalianku lebih. Ini bukan hakku, namun hak sosok lemah itu. Kupandangi sekitarku namun tak kulihat lagi dimana ia. Mataku tetap berputar mengitari setiap ujung terminal namun tetap saja tak kulihat sosok itu. “Tuhan, dimana ia?”. Aku mencarinya di tiap sela-sela bis kota, mengitari terminal yang luasnya hampir tak kumengerti serta menanyakan pada tiap orang yang kutemui. Nihil. Tak kujumpai lagi sosok itu. Aku kembali dalam diam. Aku menyesal kurang teliti mengambil lembaran-lembara itu dari kotal kecilnya. Meski hanya selembar, namun inilah haknya. Hak yang harus ia dapatkan setelah kewajibannya dalam berusaha. Tuhan, sekali lagi dimana ia.
Ternyata Tuhan memberiku jalan. Kulihat tubuh lelaki itu berdiri menyandar pada sebuah taing di sana. Segera kuhampiri ia. Sebentar menceritakan maksudku untuk mendatanginya. Dan perasaan lega aku rasakan ketika mendengar jawabnya. Alhamdulillah, Terima Kasih, mas…”.
Matanya menyampaikan pesan. Keikhlasan akan jerih payahnya dalam menyambung hidup terpancar dari sana. Aku melihat senyum manis terlintas dalam bibirnya yang hitam, sehitam mulut dunia yang selama ini ia kecap. Aku tak mau berlama-lama di sini. Air mataku masih tak mampu tertahan ketika harus melihat kardus dalam dekapannya itu. Belum selangkah aku beranjak, suarannya kembali hadir. “Sekali lagi Terima kasih, mas... Allah mencatat apa yang panjenengan telah lakukan”. “Amin..”. kataku dalam hati. Sungguh Allah Maha Mendengar doa hamba-Nya yang beriman. Kulempar senyum manis untuknya. Sambil menganggukkan kepala aku berkata, “Terima kasih kembali, pak..”.
Bis yang akan kutumpangi tak juga muncul. Hari sudah beranjak malam. Sampai kapan aku harus di sini. Esok hari aku harus sudah ada di kampus. Surabaya sudah menungguku dengan sejuta alasannya agar aku terlihat sibuk. Aku tetap setia duduk di deretaan bangku ruang tunggu, sebelah kantor informasi. Sebentar-sebentar kuteguk air manis dalam botol itu, botol berlabelkan “mizone” yang membuatku akan terus mengingat sosok itu.
Aku masih tak percaya. Dengan keadaannya yang lemah ia masih setia dengan barang dagangannya. Ia mendekap kardus itu di dadanya, dengan seutas tali rafia. Ia menempatkan kotak kecil berisi uang kembalian di sela-sela dagangannya. Untuk mereka yang membutuhkan lembar kembalian, ia izinkan untuk merogoh kotak kecil itu sendiri. Ya Allah, Tuhanku.. mengapa harus kau ambil kedua tangan itu? Tangan yang seharusnya ia gunakan untuk membawa barang dagangannya harus ia gantikan dengan tali rafia yang setia ia gantungkan di lehernya. Seorang laki-laki sepertiku menangis ketika melihat laki-laki lain sepertinya yang harus merelakan dirinya bekerja tanpa kedua tangannya. Aku masih tetap menangis ketika teringat doa yang diucapkannya untukku. “Tuhan.. Berikanlah rahmat-Mu selalu kepadanya”. Balasku berdoa untuknya.
Bis yang kunantikan telah ada di depan mata. Suasana terminal kota Probolinggo semakin lengang seiring beranjaknya malam. Segera kubiarkan diriku berebut tempat dengan para musafir jalanan. Kuambil tempat duduk paling belakang sehingga kudapat bersandar dengan tenang. Alhamdulillah, Tuhan... Aku masih bisa bernafas hingga hari ini, sehingga aku dapat melihat bermacam teguran-Mu atas segala khilafku. Dengan kehadiran hamba-Mu yang lemah tadi, semakin aku percaya bahwa Engkau tak akan memberikan cobaan kepada hamba-Mu lebih dari batas kemampuan hamba. Aku semakin percaya bahwa Engkau akan tetap menuntun jalan hamba-mu dengan sebaik-baiknya tuntunan.
Laki-laki tanpa dua tangan itu telah membuka mataku. Di dalam keterbatasan yang ia miliki, ia tetap setia menjalankan kakinya di jalan yang Engkau ridhoi, Tuhan. Dengan keteguhan hatinya ia tetap berusaha menyambung hidupnya dengan segala upaya. Kadang dalam kesempurnaan kita enggan untuk bersyukur atas segala karunia-Mu. Kadang dalam setiap langkah kita selalu merasa tak mampu. Namun ini tak nampak terlihat pada wajah ikhlasnya, tak pernah tampak sedikit lelah dalam sosok lemahnya. Dalam keterbatasan tangannya ia tetap setia mengabdi pada-Mu, Tuhan. Jalannya dalam beribadah mampu menembus batas kemampuanku sebagi mahluk-Mu yang sempurna. Keterbatasannya bukan lagi menjadi halangannya untuk bermalas-malas. Keterbatasan mampu membuatnya tetap semangat menjalani pahitnya dunia-Mu, Tuhan.
Bis melaju dengan cepat. Suara musik mengalun memekikkan telinga. Kulihat lampu berkelap-kelip di luar sana. Subhanallah, indah nian kuasa-Mu. Tanpa sadar aku terlelap. Dalam diam aku melihat sosok itu berdiri dengan pakaian putih bersih. Ia bersujud di dapan pintu emas serta batu hitam. Subhanallah, dengan keikhlasannya dalam berusaha ia mampu mencium harumnya singgasana-Mu, Baitullah, rumah-Mu, Tuhan... Masih tetap dengan kain putih bersih, juga dengan kedua tangan yang tak lagi sempurna.
Surabaya, 21 Mei 2011