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Optimistic Life Reflected In the Style of Ernest

Hemingway’s

The Old Man and the Sea

THESIS

Submitted to

Postgraduate Program of Language Study

of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta

as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Getting

Magister Degree of Language Study of English

Written by:

HERLIN SUSWATI SETYANINGSIH

NIM. S. 200. 120. 027

POST-GRADUATE PROGRAM of LANGUAGE STUDY

MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY of SURAKARTA

2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All praises and thanks are Allah’s, the one and the only one lord in the

universe. His uncountable graces, faiths, and helps always stand behind the writer,

show her the right way, and carry out to the final step of her thesis writing.

God’s mercies and blessings may always be poured down upon our

beloved prophet Muhammad SAW, the greatest figure in the world, who shares

inspiration, spirit, and power to be a good man here and here after.

This thesis writing which is intended to fulfill the requirement of Master

degree at the Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta would not have been

completed without some contributions and supports from many people.

Thus, The writer wants to express her deepest gratitude to her wise

advisors, Dr. M. Thoyibi MA and Dr. Phil Dewi Chandraningrum, P.hD who have

given their valuable guidance, inspiration, and patience, which finally lead her to

finish the process of thesis writing. The writer also wants to express her sincerely

thanks to:

1. The Rector of the Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, who has given

the hidden spirit and motivation to develop academicals competence as well

as Islamic studies.

2. The Dean of Postgraduate Faculty of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,

for the cooperativeness so that the writer could finally finish taking all

lectures in English Language Studies Department.

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3. The Head of the Postgraduate Program of Language Studies of

Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, and all lecturers of English

department, for every valuable knowledge, opportunity, and experience given

to her so far.

4. All the writer’s lecturers in English Department and also all of the lecturers in

the Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta who give her valuable knowledge

and experience, so the writer is able to get the Degree of Master.

5. The writer’s School Head Master for his permission to let her study in

Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.

6. The writer’s beloved mother, brother, sister, and children who always giving

her endless love and care, eternal pray, and guidance.

7. The writer’s friends of the same class of Muhammadiyah University of

Surakarta for their motivation.

8. The writer’s friends teachers of SMAN 2 Mejayan for their support and helps.

9. Everyone who helps the writer to finish this thesis.

Finally the researcher hopes that this thesis will be useful for her, the

readers who are interested to read it and everyone who needs it. The constructive

criticism and also the suggestions are expected from the readers.

Surakarta, August 2015

The researcher

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ABSTRACT

Optimistic Life Reflected In the Style of Hemingway’s The Old Man

and the Sea.

Herlin Suswati Setyaningsih

Post Graduate Program of Language Study

of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta

dindaherlin@gmail.com

This study aims at explaining the symbols used in the novel and describing the

values of optimistic life reflected in the symbols used in Hemingway’s The Old

Man and the Sea.

This research is classified as a descriptive qualitative method. The primary

data source of this study is the novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest

Hemingway. The collecting data process is note-taking technique. This study is

also categorized as library research.

Based on the findings and discussion, the researcher draws the conclusions

such follows. First, it is found that there are eleven symbols used in this novel,

they are classified into Universal symbol which is considered as a symbol whose

meaning is long agreed by community because of their experience of this. The

selected symbols taken from the novel that the researcher considers as Universal

symbol are sea as a symbol of universe, sun as a symbol of happiness, night as a

symbol of suffering and lion as a symbol of strength. The second catagory is

Individual symbol. The symbol which is categorized as individual symbol is a

symbol which is originally created by authors for the moment of work so

interpretating it requires greater attention to context, for their meaning comes

almost entirely from context. In the novel The Old Man and the Sea the symbols

which the researcher considers as individual symbols are the old man as a symbol

of someone who has optimistic life, Manolin (the boy) as a symbol of hope, Joe Di

Maggio as a symbol of strong desire, harpoon as a symbol of skill, bird as a

symbol of help, marlin (great fish) as a symbol of struggle and shark as a symbol

of destructor or problem. Second, There are six elements or values which

characterize someone as the one who has optimistic life and these ones are

reflected in the symbols used in this novel. They are the values of hope, faith,

power, struggle, positive thinking and respect. Second, Those symbols reflect the

values of optimistic life which is to be the theme of the novel.

Key Words: optimistic life, symbol

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MOTTO

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of

value.

(Albert Einstein)

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look

so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been

opened for us. (Helen Keller)

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DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to:

My beloved mother

My beloved late father

Erlangga Andi Mustofa, my beloved son

Viki Anggarsari Mustofa, my beloved daughter

You are my light, motivator and reason to keep me alive

“Love you forever”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER ................................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL SHEET ............................................................................................ ii

NOTE OF ADVISOR 1st ..................................................................................... iii

NOTE OF ADVISOR 2nd

..................................................................................... iv

THESIS LEGITIMATION SHEET ....................................................................... v

STATEMENT OF THE AUTHENTICITY ......................................................... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................. vii

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... ix

MOTTO ................................................................................................................. x

DEDICATION ....................................................................................................xi

TABLE OF CONTENT ...................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study ................................................................. 1

B. Problems of Study ...................................................................... 5

C. Objectives of Study .................................................................... 5

D. Benefit of Study ......................................................................... 6

E. Scope and Limitation of Study................................................... 6

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Symbol ....................................................................................... 9

1. Notion .................................................................................. 12

2. Classification ....................................................................... 14

B. Novel ........................................................................................ 17

1. Elements of Novel ............................................................... 18

1.a. Theme ............................................................................... 18

C. The Concept of Optimistic Life ............................................... 20

1. Notion .................................................................................. 23

2. Characteristic of Optimistic Life ......................................... 25

D. Previous Studies. ..................................................................... 34

E. Definition of Key Terms .......................................................... 42

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

A. Type of Study .......................................................................... 44

B. Object of Study ........................................................................ 45

C. Data and Data Source .............................................................. 45

D. Technique of Data Collection .................................................. 47

E. Technique of Data Analysis ..................................................... 48

CHAPTER IV SYMBOLS USED IN THE NOVEL

A. Universal Symbol ..................................................................... 49

B. Individual Symbol .................................................................... 58

C. Discussion ................................................................................ 75

CHAPTER V SYMBOLS REFLECTING OPTIMISTIC LIFE

A. Characteristic of Optimistic Life .............................................. 78

B. Discussion .............................................................................. 119

CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

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A. Conclusion .............................................................................. 123

B. Suggestion ......................................................................... 125

C.Pedagogical Implication ..................................................... 125

BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................. 127