Discourse Analysis in Novela 'Song of the Tree'

For many years, the research toward narrative discourse had been done. It is has been investigated that discourse analysis has important role in some aspects of language and even in literature. In literature, we can find many stories, such as short story, essays, or even folklore that have narrative effects. The stories like folklores are also included as narrative discourse. A narrative discourse has a story that more than a story. It consists of linguistic structures which has interest to be investigated. Therefore, we have to know that linguistic observation cannot reveal narrative discourse and a narrative discourse itself cannot reveal the structures of linguistic which exist in it, especially for narrative discourse which has historical, social and cultural background. Charles Peck stated that narrative discourse is a discourse that is an account of events, usually in the past, that employs verbs of speech, motion, and action to describe a series of events that are contingent one on another, and that typically focuses on one or more performers of actions. Examples, folklores, historical events, mythology, personal experience.

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkey
"A triumphant book . . . A true story truly told." — The New York Times Book Review
Since a narrative relies on personal experiences, it is often in the form of a story. When the writer uses this technique, he or she must be sure to include all the conventions of storytelling: plot, character, setting, climax, and ending. It is usually filled with details that are carefully selected to explain, support, or embellish the story. All of the details relate to the main point the writer is attempting to make.
Text and the Gloss found in the novela Song of the Tree, are as follows:
1. Song of the Tree (Title)
2. “Cassie, Cassie, child, wake up now,” Big Ma called gently as the new sun peeked over the horizon.
3. I looked sleepily at my grandmother and closed my eyes again.
4. “Cassie! Get up, girl!” This time the voice was not so gentle.
5. I jumped out of the deep feathery bed as Big Ma climbed from the other side.
6. The room was still dark, and I stubbed my toe while stumbling sleepily about looking for my clothes.
7. “Shoot! Darn ole chair,” I fussed, rubbing my injured foot.
8. “Hush, Cassie, and open them curtains if you can’t see,” Big Ma said.
9. “Prop that window open, too, and let some of that fresh morning air in here.”
10. I opened the window and looked outside.
11. The earth was draped in a cloak of gray mist as the sun chased the night away.
12. The cotton stalks, which in another hour would glisten greenly toward the sun, were gray.
13. The ripening corn, wrapped in jackets of emerald and gold, was gray.
14. Even the rich brown Mississippi earth was gray.
15. Only the trees of the forest were not gray.

After reading and analyzing the story Song of the Tree, it is found that one source of the story’s power is that we can share our knowledge about a reality that some people are dealt with unfairly because of the color of their skin. In the story, it happened in Mississippi 1930’s where some people of white skin take cruel advantage of people with darkener skin. There is also the power in the hunger which makes us feel how that strong demand of stomach can rue our lives. But in the last, the power of pride appears when the hero arrives at the last minutes to rescue.

Posted by miasastra

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