1
“ROCK AGAINST BUSH”
INDAH PRATIWI
NO. 103026027656
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
IRONY ANALYSIS ON THE THREE LYRICS IN A PUNK
ROCK MUSIC ALBUM COMPILATION
-“ROCK AGAINST BUSH”
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for
Sarjana Degree of English Letters Department
INDAH PRATIWI
NO. 103026027656
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
ABSTRACT
Indah Pratiwi. Irony Analysis on Three Lyrics in A Punk Rock Music Album Compilation “Rock Against Bush”.A Thesis. English Letters Department. Adab and Humanity Faculty. State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2007.
In this research, the writer analyzes kinds of irony and its meaning in three
lyrics included in a punk rock music compilation album titled Rock Against Bush
which comprises twenty lyrics with Fat Mike as the producer. The writer uses
qualitative and analytic descriptive method.
The three lyrics most contained several kinds of irony as the tools to express
feelings, thought, and perspective against President Bush’s polices in order to
pursue the listeners to vote against Bush in 2004 election. The three lyrics are
Heaven is Falling,God Save the USA, andSad State of Affairs.
Heaven is Falling
contains satire, exaggeration, irony of situation, and irony
of fate or cosmic irony. Whereas,
God Save the USA
, there are irony of
situation, satires, sarcasm, and verbal irony. While, in
Sad State of Affairs
by
Descendent
, dramatic irony constitutes the only irony found.
Kinds of irony contain in
Heaven is Falling
convey critics to President Bush
in the issue of the impact of Iraq war. Madness and disappointments of an American
citizen related with the impact of government’s policies are exposed applying several
kinds of irony in
God Save the USA
. Meanwhile, one kind of irony can convey the
message to vote as a crucial step toward a change in
Sad State of Affairs.
APPROVEMENT
IRONY ANALYSIS ON THE THREE LYRICS IN A PUNK
ROCK MUSIC ALBUM COMPILATION
-“ROCK AGAINST BUSH”
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for
Sarjana Degree of English Letters Department
INDAH PRATIWI
NO. 103026027656
Approved by :
Danti Pudjiati S. Pd., M.M., M.Si.
NIP. 13233516
ENGLISH LETTER DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
LEGALIZATION
A thesis entitled
“IRONY ANALYSIS ON THE THREE LYRICS IN A
PUNK ROCK MUSIC ALBUM COMPILATION
–
“ROCK AGAINST BUSH”
.
has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s Examination
Committee on January 2008. The thesis has been accepted as a partial fulfillment of
the requirement for the Sarjana degree in English Letters Department.
The Board of Examiners
Chair Person, Secretary,
Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M. Pd. Drs. A. Saefudin M. Pd
NIP. 150 299 480 NIP. 150 261 902
Members
Examiner I Examiner II
Dini Masitah, SS., M. Hum. Supardi, SS.
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of
my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by
another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the
award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher
learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.
Jakarta, Januari, 2008
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praises are due to Allah,
the Almighty, and the Lord of all that exist. May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon
His final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, his family and his companions.
This skripsi is presented to the English Letters Department of the Faculty of
Letters and Humanities UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta as a partial fulfillment of the
requirements for sarjana degree (S1).
It is a great honor for the writer to make acknowledgment of indebtedness to
convey her sincere gratitude to Danti Pudjiati who patiently has given valuable
advice and guidance to accomplish thisskripsi.
The writer also would like to convey her sincere gratitude particularly to:
1. Dr. H. Abd. Chair, MA, as The Dean of Adab and Humanities Faculty.
2. Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M. Pd., as The Head of English Letter Department.
3. Drs. A. Saefudin, M. Pd., as The Secretary of English Letter Department.
4. All the lectures of English Letters Department for their encouragement to the writer.
5. The writer’s beloved parents, H. Ahmad Emen (memories with him are immortal in her heart) and Hj. Robiah, whose patients and spirits inspired the
writer in her every anxious.
patient; Eliya and Yudithia Ahmad for lending our lovely room at whole; who
have supported the writer in accomplishing herskripsi.
7. Her beloved friends, Ciko Permana Shidiq for the idyllic place; Amel, Bharier, and Kiki for the moment of hugs, tears, inspirations, and laughs; Zahro,
Farah, Fitri, Ko2m, and Inung for the valuable references; ka Imma, ka
Harris, ka Ade, Fariq and other friends in Kafe Bahasa for the sincere
brotherhood; Erun for every precious words; Teh wulan, Nyda, Eulis, Zamra,
Fenti, Diah, Andi, Firman, Davy for the comprehension of punk rock, Edo,
Yudi, Vay, and Eko for his uncountable kindness.
8. All Librarians of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Library, Catholic University of Atmajaya’s Library, University Indonesia’s library, and Library of UNJ., who
have helped her to obtain some useful books in relation to the topic of her
skripsi.
Finally, she realizes that this skripsiis far from being perfect. It is a pleasure
for her to receive constructive critics to her e-mail, e22e_terescova@yahoo.com for
improving thisskripsi.
Jakarta, Januari
2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ... i
APPROVEMENT ... ii
LEGALIZATION ... iii
DECLARATION ... iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. The Background of Study ... 1
B. The focus of Study ... 6
C. Research Question ... 6
D. The Significance of Study ... 6
E. The Methodology of The Research ... 7
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ... 9
A. Definition of Lyric ... 9
B. Understanding of Punk Rock Music ... 10
C. Figure of Speech ... 13
D. Irony ... 14
1. Verbal Irony... 18
2. Dramatic Irony... 22
3. Irony of Situation ... 24
4. Cosmic Irony ... 26
5. Understatement... 28
6. Exaggeration... 29
CHAPTER III: IRONY ANALYSIS ON THREE LYRICS INROCK AGAINST BUSH -A PUNK-ROCK MUSIC -ALBUM COMPIL-ATION... 31
1. Heaven is Falling by the Ataris ... 33
2. God Save USA by Pennywise ... 37
3. Sad State of Affairs by Descendent... 40
B. The Way Irony Found in The Three Analyzed Lyric Provoke the Listeners not to elect Bush in 2004 presidential election ... 43
1. Heaven is Falling by the Ataris ... 43
2. God Save USA by Pennywise ... 50
3. Sad State of Affairs by Descendent... 55
CHAPTER IV A. CONCLUSION... 59
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 61 APPENDIX 1. Rock Against Bush
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of The Study
Music is the peculiar art in society. It has always been ahead of societal
change and a major influence on both the culture and the politics of the day. It is
believed so, since a song, a combining of lyrics and harmony may evoke certain
feeling of the listeners. As Geoffrey Madell explained “it is the peculiar genius of
music to capture and evoke patterns of intentional feeling such as expectations,
desires, joyful, sadness even madness1 ”.
Lyric is one of parts of music. For the last two centuries, the lyric, which
includes the songs, has been the predominant type of poetry2. Lyrics tinged with violent close with punk rock as it is stated that “Loud, hard beat, insistent music and
aggressive, often abusive or violent lyrics is calledpunk rock3”.
The lyric of punk rock often contained perspectives of disagreement of the
attitude of the authority4. The disagreements may occur if the real and the ideal are out of balance. It is when expectation crushes with the reality.
In an age, when the real and the ideal are out of balance, O’ Connor said,
irony5 is one of chief instruments of critical intelligence. It plays a central role when
1 Geoffrey Madell,
Philosophy, Music and Emotion(Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002), p. 126.
2
Ibid.
3
http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/93966.html. June,07,2007.
4
the society is struggling to conceive its basic premises6. It is a general way of thinking that recognizes contradiction and disparities, which express an intellectual
expression of freedom.
According to John Seery, irony has been applied, not merely to several
authors and their different voices, but also in the entire fields of endeavour such as
visual art, poetry, novels, music, prayer, and confession7. Those endeavours that
contained irony help society to express their idea of the out of balance above
happened.
As one of those endeavors, poetry is defined as a kind of language that says
moreand says it more intensively than does ordinary language8. It is a way for poet to express their inner emotion impliedly. The language of poetry is compact with
idea, thoughts and experience either it is a pleasure experience or a mean
expression.
It can be considered lyric as poetry. As it has been known that lyric is a kind
of poetry, generally short, often involves the expression of intense personal
5
Irony is an indirect presentation of a contradiction between an action or expression and the context in which it occurs.
The Random House(© Random House, Inc., 2006), March 2007,Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1),p. 1.
6
WM. Van O’ Connor, Sense and Sensibility in Modern Poetry (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1948), p. 123.
7 John Evan Seery
, Political Returns: Irony in Politics and Theory from Plato to the Antinuclear Movement(Boulder: Westview Press, 1990), p. 183.
8 Laurence Perrine,
emotion9. Therefore, lyric is a kind of modern poetry harmonized with music. When music is combined with poetry the result can be more memorable10.
In punk rock lyrics, punk rock musicians express their thoughts in viewing
their social and politics circumstances which rather allude certain side. Punk rock is
about taking an attitude in order to rebel against the problems of our society11.
In the year 2004, there were number of movements dislike US President
George Walker Bush like Women Against Bush, Bike Against Bush, and Bluetooth
Users Against Bush many others. They have even sites to share their perceptions
related reasons they dislike their own president and activities they held in expressing
their dislike. It was caused by number of Bush administration’s policies and attitudes
that led to controversy. One of them is the policy of Bush administration in starting
war in Iraq in 2003. The mission based on US suspection to Iraq for having threadful
biological weapon which is later unproven. The fact led controvercy in the worldwide.
It was recorded that thousand of anti-war protesters have marched up Sixth Avenue
in New York, March 20, 2004. Anti-war protests are taking place in many cities
around the world on the anniversary of U.S.-led war in Iraq12
. The disagreement of
anti-war was not only expressed by US citizen who are anti-war in Main Streets, but
9
http://www.answers.com/topic/lyrics. April,15 2007.
10
X.J. Kennedy, Literature: An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry And Drama, Second Edition(Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1979), p. 509.
11http://punkvoter.com/about/about_obj.php. March,05,2007.
12
also in a lyric tinge with critics as it can be found in lyrics included in Punk Rock
Music Album Compilation titled “Rock Against Bush”.
The compilation associated with a punk community site namely
www.punkvoter.com, which aimed to harness the youth vote to not elect bush in
2004 presidential election. “They unite to raise political awareness and encourage
pop-punk fans to vote in the next presidential election — against George Bush”13.
Their idea can be seen in a compilation punk rock music album titled Rock
Against Bush. The effort was initiated by Fat Mike (Michael Burkett) of the band
NOFX. As the producer of the compilation album, he has spirit of change for the
nation. His sense of disappointment toward the president’s policies concerning some
cases presents in every song in this album as he said in an interview:
"About a year ago I decided to use my influence to get bands together to speak out about the president," Fat Mike said. "I think it's our responsibility as citizens and musicians to do so. He's wrecking the country and the world. He's starting wars for no reason, our economy is in the toilet, he's ruining the environment, and he does things like cut taxes when we need money."14
Punk bands include in this compilation album are Descendents, Flogging
Molly, The Offspring, Rise Against, the Ataris, Pennywise, Anti-Flag, Against Me!,
Green Day, Sum 41, The World/Inferno Friendship Society, The Epoxies, Autopilot
Off and many others. They contribute their rebel song lyrics to the compilation Rock
Against Bush harmonized with rock music in order to approach the listeners,
13
Jon Wiederhorn,Good Charlotte, Green Day, NOFX to Rock Against President Bush:Anti-Bush compilation album due next spring, along with tour, Rock Against Bush. Accessed on April, 2007.
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1479176/20030919/index.jhtml?headlines=true
14
particularly punk fans that most are youths to achieve the goal of the album to vote
and to opposed Bush in general election.
The compilation punk rock music album Rock Against Bushconsist of twenty
six lyrics15
. Punk musicians involved the album; engage the punk rock spirit into
political battles against the President Bush. They have seen that the reality is out of
balance with what they expect as a citizen. Therefore, they criticize, allude, and even
mock the government through lyrics that are full of disappointments. They apply
irony in expressing their thoughts, point of views, the spirit of punk rock, and their
disappointments in the circumstances of political battle.
In this research, the writer would like to analyze irony contained in three song
lyrics from this compilation album and elaborate each meaning. The writer would like
to know further the irony applied in those three song lyrics as a critical intelligence to
the government’s policy.
The song lyrics do not only state the feeling and inner emotion of the lyric
writer but also provoke the listener particularly youth in that country to use their right
to vote and not to vote George Walker Bush as a president in the next general
election. It is rarely for the musicians beware of the politics. However, punk rock
musicians such us Fat mike, Pennywise, Descendent, the Ataris and other punk
musicians include in this compilation album in using their influence urge youth to
vote makes them involved in politics. The writer sees that it is an interesting to be
analyzed.
15
Emily Beaulac,Rock Against Bush Knocks off Socks, Rock Against Bush. November,19,2007.
Three out of twenty six song lyrics included in this album, the writer would like
to analyze are Heaven is Falling by the Ataris, God Save USA by Pennywise, and
Sad State of affairs by Descendent.
The lyric of Heaven is Falling by the Ataris is an anti-war protest track from
Rock Against Bush: Vol 116. This lyric tells a story of a soldier who speaks to God of his fate of the unexpected situation that happened to him. He is having a dilemma in
a complicated situation. The Ataris express his protest to war by giving a horrible
experience of a soldier in the middle of the war.
God Save USA is a titled contributedby Pennywisetells an inner emotion of
the speaker. He thinks that his country has no more freedom-a precious thing that so
far has been a proud of this country. The government organization like CIA or NRA
has no longer use to replace the wrong condition to be better. And it caused by the
president.Even, the people of the country are careless and apathy.Those make the speaker angry and desperate with Bush as the president. The speaker also states
that Bush as a president of United States has already failed in leading the country.
The speaker wants a change and asks God to save the country from all the
unexpected situation happened in his country.
A disappointment to the apathy of the society in relation with the impact of
government’s policy can be seen in Sad State of Affairs by Descendent. In these lyrics, the lyric writer has repeated the word I don't care for many times. It
emphasized impliedly that actually the lyric writer has an opponent idea with what
the speaker says in that lyric- that the lyric writer cares much about the case and get
16
mad why every body being so careless. In fact, it is not actually a little case but a big
deal for the nation that needs a change.
B. The Focus of the Study
The research is focused on the irony contained in the three lyrics in Rock
Against Bush-a compilation punk-rock music album. They are Heaven is Falling by
the Ataris, God Save USA by Pennywise, and Sad State of affairs by Descendent.
Those lyrics will be analyzed on the variation of irony contained in the three lyrics
and the writer also deliberates each meaning.
C. The Research Questions
Based on the background of the research and the focus of the study above,
the problem will be discussed are:
1. What kinds of irony found in Heaven is Falling by the Ataris, God Save USA
by Pennywise, and Sad State of affairs by Descendent?
2. How does irony found in the three analyzed lyrics provoke youths to not
re-elect Bush in 2004 presidential re-election?
D. The Significance of the Research
The significance of the study is to give the advantage through the result of
the analysis for readers and writer herself, to know deeper about kinds of irony, and
E. The Methodology of the Research 1. The Objective of the Research
Based on the research question, the research has some objectives.
They are:
a. To give knowledge to the readers and the writer herself concerning irony
as a means to express inner emotion for punk rock musician who get their
association in the compilation punk-rock music album, Rock Against
Bush.
b. To know deeper kinds of irony implied in those three lyrics and to obtain
each the meaning to know further irony works in provoking youths to not
choose Bush in presidential election.
2. The Method of The Research
To answer the question presented in the research question, the writer
uses descriptive analytic method which means elaborate something. The
writer described some facts and also the result of analysis17
. The writer reads
the three lyrics, analyzes kinds of irony occurred in them with a table and
deliberate each meaning.
3. The Unit of Analysis
Analysis unit used in this research are three lyrics in Rock against
Bush- a compilation music album that is released in 20 April 2004 in US by
Fat Mike as a producer. The album associates with punkvoter organization
namely www.punkvoter.com to spread the idea that vote is crucial step to a
17 Kutha Ratna, Nyoman,
change and urges the youth to use their vote and vote against Bush. The
album comprises twenty six lyrics. The writer found the lyrics from website
www.lyric.com Copyright © TSRocks since it was released in US. The three
lyrics the writer analyzes are Heaven is Falling by the Ataris, God Save USA
by Pennywise, and Sad State of Affairs by Descendent.
4. The Technique of Data Analysis
The collected data will be analyzed through descriptive qualitative
analysis. The writer conducts the research by analyzing what has been
written18
. The author expresses his inner emotion totally in his work. Irony is
one way the author express his pattern of feeling. In this research, the writer
analyzes kinds of irony the punk musicians applied in their lyrics and
deliberate each meaning.
5. The Place and Time of The Research
The research is accomplished in the ninth semester 2007/2008 in
English Letters Department, Adab and Humanities Faculty. This research is
conducted at Islamic State University Jakarta Library and other university‘s
library in Jakarta, which provide the information and references about the
material that the writer needs, such as Catholic University of Atmajaya’s
Library, University Indonesia’s Library, and Library of UNJ.
18
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Definition of Lyric
Lyric is a kind of poetry, generally short, often involves the expression of
intense personal emotion19. The lyric is the commonest, and yet, in its perfection,
the most modern; the simplest, and yet in its laws of emotional association; and it all
these because it express, more intimately than other types of verse, the personality
of the poet20.
For the last two centuries the lyric, which includes the songs, has been the
predominant type of poetry21. Most poems are more memorable than most ordinary speech, and when music is combined with poetry the result can be more memorable
still22.
A person who writes lyrics is called a lyricist. In his lyric, lyricist expresses a
subjective, personal point of view23. He also expresses the thoughts and feelings in the lyrics he writes24.
19http://www.answers.com/topic/lyrics April,12,2007.
20 Jay B. Hubbell and John O. Beaty,
An Introduction to Poetry (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1949), p. 57.
21
Ibid.
22X.J. Kennedy (1975),
op.cit.p. 509.
23http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrics April,17,2007.
The lyric, then, gives us idea or theme and calls up appropriate pictures in
language, which is rich in suggestion, pictorial power, and sensuous beauty25. The meaning conveyed in lyrical verses can be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are so
abstract as to be completely unintelligible. In such cases, there is a tendency to
emphasize the form, articulation, meter, and symmetries of the expressions26.
Thus, lyric is the most modern and simplest way gives the idea of theme in
expressing personal emotion and point of view. The sensous beauty reveal in lyric by
emphasizing the form and the ornament of language used in lyric.
B. Understanding Punk Rock Music
Punk rock music constitutes a type of anarchistic rock music, originating in
the late 1970s with such UK groups as Generation X, The Buzzcocks, and The Sex
Pistols27. Punk rock is an anti-establishment rock music movement came from United States, Australia and United Kingdom in 1974-1975, preceded by groups like
Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Damned, and The Clash28.
Punk itself is sub-culture born in London, UK, which is an ideology of life
included social and politics aspect29. Their thought in viewing their social and politics circumstances can be seen in their lyrics, which rather alludes certain side. Their
thought is stimulated by the moral decadency of the politician. Through their lyrics
25
Jay B. Hubbell and John O. Beaty (1949),op.cit.22.
26
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrics April, 2007.
27http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/Cambridge/entries/097/punk-rock.html June, 2007.
28http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideologi_Punk. June,5,2007.
29
which are simple but contained bitter statement and the hard beat of their music,
punk bands try to allude the authority even intend to wound their feelings with bitter
statement in their lyrics contain their perspective of disagreement of the attitude of
the authority30.
Punk music is a form of rebellion, and that it is turned against all other
musical forms and influences. Webster’s Universal Dictionary defines a punk as “a
style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and
often bizarre or shocking clothing, hairstyles, etc., and the defiance of social norms
usually associated with punk rock musicians and fans”. It says that punk rock is rock
music marked by loud, insistent music and aggressive, often abusive or violent
lyrics31.
Punk is recognized by public with its fashion and their attitude, which tend to
a rebellion. Mohawk hairstyle like Indian, boots, chain, leather jacket, disheveled
clothes, anarchist-criminal lower level, danger drunker are identified by public as
punk32. Actually, the style of their appearance is the reflection of punk who has a rebellion soul, free in expressing their self, even though some people as above think
that their style merely ridiculous, still they have a thought mainstream to their fans
that they intend to provoke directly. They believe that extreme way of thinking
supposed to be expressed by the unique appearance33.
30
Ibid.
31http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/93966.html June,2007.
32
Ibid.
33
Those kinds of public perspective make rocker, punk, skinhead are mocked
once as a thread to regular law but on another chance is admitted as clown that isn’t
danger at all34. With their unconventional style and thought mainstream in stating
something, they make people who accustomed with ordinary system feel annoyed
when their thought mainstream begins trying to change the conventional rules. For
instance, we can see Superman is Dead, a punk rock band from Indonesia tells that
people admit punk rock band no more than tattoo and distortion only35.
According to Dick Hebdige, even though style construction of punk usually
break the conventional style such as having forelock, clothes made of leather and
other unordinary declined style, still it has certain subversive value inside36. Furthermore, punk musician doesn’t speak of love much in their music. In their lyrics
and their music, punk musician rather like a protest shout of a demonstrator against
the cruel of life. The music tells the feelings of frustration, anger, figure of an
authority and even their awareness of their circumstances37.
It can be inferred that punk rock is rock music of punk bands, which express
certain ideology in social and politics through their lyrics. Their unconventional style
in their appearance, their hard music, and their lyrics which is colored by the
mockery as a form of allusion to the author of the state or their lyric with rebellion
34
Dick Hebdige, Asal-Usul & Ideology Subkultur Punk. Penerjemah, Ari wijaya (Yogyakarta: Buku Baik, 1999), p. 13.
35
http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0503/10/hib01.html August,2007.
36
Dick Hebdige (1999),op.cit.14-15.
words is one way of punk rock bands in expressing the heart of their rebellion as a
band with spirit to provoke fans to have the same thoughts.
C. Figure of Speech
Figure of speech constitutes anyway of saying something other than the
ordinary way38. It avoids telling something directly in order to emphasize its meaning.
As it is elaborated by Bradford T. Stull in his book The Elements of Figurative
Language that figurative language is the language that avoids speaking directly or
plainly about the subject under examination. Figurative language is also the
language that either speaks symbolically about the subject or heightens the
musicality of the language when speaking about the subject.
Scharbach adds, language is the ‘dress’ of thought, and figures are the
‘ornaments’ of language39. It needs some times ornament in language either good ornaments or even displeasure ornaments in expressing thoughts.
As an ornament of language, figure brings us into an artistic sensation of
writing. Figurative language is a term that might throw you for a moment. It suggests
more artistic forms of writing and you may have the impression that only artistic
writing has it40.
Moreover, Stull explains that the sensations, feelings, desires, thoughts,
ruminations, revelations, memories, and the like are condensed and crystallized by
38
Laurence Perrine (1969),op.cit.65.
39Alexander Scharbach,
Critical Reading and Writing(New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1965), p. 229.
40 Daniel Brown,
language figured in order to elucidate, illuminate, hint, provoke, and prod, but not to
speak plainly41.
Thus, it can be inferred that figure of speech is the ornament of language with
a certain aim the author intends that brings the reader into certain impression.
D. Irony
Irony is a kind of figure of speech that it is included like allegory, metaphor
and symbol as a species design characterized by doubleness- when a writer can
have two things going on simultaneously since all the common and familiar literary
techniques, and all ways of complicating structure42.
It is different with allegory, metaphor and symbol, and other double design,
the two things going on at the same time the writer can have in irony particularly is
the reality and the ideal, between a human concept of an ideal and what actually
comes as a reality43.
As it has been explained irony is a manner of speaking that implies a
discrepancy44. It is a way in telling something indirectly- a way that is implied incongruity so that it needs more attention for the readers to comprehend the
meaning since it contains special purpose.
41 Bradford T. Stull, The Elements of Figurative Language (New York: Pearson
Education Inc., 2002), p. 4.
42Charles B. Wheeler (1966),
op.cit.p. 92.
43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony March,2007.
44X.J. Kennedy (1979),
Moreover, O’ Connor adds irony as a way of seeing around and behind
opposed attitudes45. Now it can be said, something opposite is the essential part of irony. Based on Random House Dictionary, the essential feature of irony is the
indirect presentation of a contradiction between an action or expression and the
context in which it occurs46.
Hence, with the indirect presentation of a contradiction, irony can be a chief
instrument and has a central role for the society in criticizing the reality that has
discordance with the ideal one. As O’ Connor has stated that “In an age, like our
own, when the real and the ideal are out of balance…the critical intelligence plays a
central role. And irony is one of its chief instruments47”.
It is also known that Irony which relies on a sharp discordance between the
real and the ideal is very often occurred in our lives. It is appeared in various ways
like text, speech, events, music and others48.
From those various ways like music, text and acts that irony can be
appeared, it often establishes point of view of the author or even the musician. Often
creating a marked emotional response in the reader or listener, an ironic treatment of
a subject is usually effective in giving great emphasis to a point of view49.
45
WM. Van O’ Connor (1948),op.cit.p. 134.
46
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006
47
WM. Van O’ Connor (1948),op.cit.p. 123.
48
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony March,2007.
49Clarence E. Schneider,
It needs a great consideration in recognizing point of view contained in irony.
O’Connor explained few characteristics that may help the reader in approaching
irony. Listing its characteristic is one of ways in approaching irony. They are:
1. An essential characteristic of irony is that it has to do with point of view or attitude: the way one looks at something.
2. The whole point of having two elements in irony is that they set each other off, or react against each other.
3. There is no grammar of irony, no system overt signs by which its presence is made known.
4. As a result, irony can always be misunderstood, or ‘taken seriously’, as the phrase goes. The most effective irony tends to be that in which the separation of
the two contrasting elements is actually very wide but appears to be very small or
even non-existent.
5. The manifestation and uses generally speaking its purpose is always critical. To be critical is not necessarily to be hostile; sometimes irony is sympathetic,
benignant, approving. It must, however, pursue what it takes to be the truth.
6. The surface temperature of irony is cool. It can convey strong emotions. Irony involves a certain emotional distancing, in part because its structure forbids
direct expression, whether of feelings or anything else, and in part because its
critical purpose, makes it primarily an instrument of reason.
7. More than any other design, irony suffers by being explained.50
50Charles B. Wheeler (1966),
Those characterizations help to identify the irony and its form. It has been
widely comprised differently in several references. It comprises three until eight
forms of it.
According to Laurence Perrine, irony is divided into three forms. They are
verbal ironyincluded sarcasm and satire,dramatic irony, andirony of situation51. X.J. Kennedy classified irony into four kinds of it. They are Ironic point of view, verbal ironywith sarcasm included, dramatic irony or tragic irony, andcosmic
ironyor irony of fate52.
Charles B. Wheeler delineated irony intofivesub-species. They are
“(1)irony of fate (reversals of expectation); (2)cosmic irony (the God-like point of view); (3) dramatic irony (characters acting in ignorance of something that the audience knows); (4) socratic irony (self-deprecation and exaggerated deference used as a weapon in argument); and (5) verbal irony (the irony of language itself, where words mean the opposite of what they seem to mean-which is much like socratic irony, except that the personal element is missing)”53. Meanwhile, exaggeration and understatement are included in irony by
Clarence E. Schneider and Sylvan Barnet. Clarence E. Schneider statedthreeforms of irony, such as exaggeration, understatement, and satire54. As Sylvan Barnet stated verbal irony, understatement, and overstatement (hyperbole) are also
included intothreeforms of irony55. 51
Laurence Perrine (1969),op.cit.p. 113.
52X.J. Kennedy (1979),op.cit.p. 429.
53Charles B. Wheeler (1966),op.cit.p. 93.
54
Clarence E. Schneider (1974),op.cit.p. 204.
55 Sylvan Barnet,
From five different sources, the writer herself will divide irony into six forms
of it to be discussed in this research. It is done to lessen the confusion to identify its
forms conveyed on the object of the research; and the comprising is based on the
need of this research. They are verbal irony, dramatic irony, irony of situation, Irony
of fate (reversals of expectation, downfalls) or cosmic irony, exaggeration, and
understatement.
1. Verbal Irony
The first form of irony the writer would like to delineate is verbal irony. Verbal
irony is the irony of language itself, where words mean the opposite of what they
seem to mean56. Verbal irony occurs whenever words say one thing but mean something else, usually the opposite57. For instance, "A fine thing indeed!" he muttered to himself58. This sentence describes someone who muttered himself because having something unpleasant but saying with the opposite, fine thing.
Verbal irony is supported by the intonation of the speaker whether they are in the
kind or mean.
It is also concerned that verbal irony is the language in which the author’s
intent is in contrast to what his words seem to say in surface. For example, when you
praise someone sarcastically with the true intent of disparaging him59. “Indeed, you
56
Charles B. Wheeler (1966),op.cit.p. 93.
57X.J. Kennedy (1979),
op.cit.p. 428.
58http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/irony.html March,2007.
59Hulon Willis,
are the most beautiful girl in this universe who can simultaneously decimate the
whole,” said a person meanly when seeing a girl dressed improperly.
As it is known from above that through verbal irony always implies the
opposite of what is said, it has many gradations. And in its simplest form, it does
mean only the opposite of what is said. Somehow, in more complex form, it means
both what is said and the opposite of what is said, at once, though in different ways
and with different degrees of emphasis60. The more complex the author apply verbal
irony in his work, the more high the degree of emphasize the author intent to send to
readers. In discussing verbal irony, sarcasm and satire are often occurred61. a. Sarcasm
Sarcasm as a form of irony is widely used in English especially when people
are being humorous. Generally the sarcastic speaker or writer means the exact
opposite of the word they use, often intending to be rude or to laugh at the
person the words are addressed to62.
It is also usually called sarcasm when it is a somewhat sour statement tinged
with mockery63. It can be said that it is a way of technique in communication where verbal statement is stated cynically, telling something but emphasizing the
other hand.
60
Laurence Perrine (1969),op.cit.p. 113.
61
Ibid.
62http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/sarcasm.html. August,2007.
63X.J. Kennedy (1979),
In expressing sarcasm, it is known that for destructive purposes, ridicule or
mockery in sarcasm is used harshly, often crudely and contemptuously. It may
be used in an indirect manner, and have the form of irony, as in “What a fine
musician you turned out to be!” or it may be used in the form of a direct
statement, “You couldn't play one piece correctly if you had two assistants.” The
distinctive quality of sarcasm is present in the spoken word and manifested
chiefly by vocal inflection64.
In addition, according to Perrine, Sarcasm is simply bitter or cutting speech,
intended to wound the feelings (it comes from a Greek word meaning to tear
flesh)65.
Sarcasm is also a particular kind of personal criticism leveled against a
person or group of persons. For example, a person got an ovarian cancer rather
dedided to see a spiritual healer instead of going to a medical doctor. Her friend
response and says sarcastically, "Great idea! I hear they do fine work!". The
response of her friend seem critisize and allude the work of the spiritual healer
and has no trust in him. Fine work he means is the opposite that the spiritual
healer has bad reputation and it is not a legitimate treatment for cancer66.
On this basis, it can be deduced that sarcasm is a verbal statement which is
stated cynically, telling something but emphasizing the other hand. It is also as a
64 Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged
Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
65
Laurence Perrine (1969),op.cit. p. 104.
particular kind of personal criticism leveled against a person or group of persons
that is intended to wound the feelings.
b. Satire
Satire is a form of humour where the writer or speaker tries to make the
reader or listener have a negative opinion about someone, by laughing at them,
making them seem ridiculous or foolish etc. If someone is being satirical, their
aim is not just to amuse, but to affect the person that they dislike; to hurt them,
ruin them, etc67.
In the same way, Perrine stated that satire is both cruel and kind just like
surgeon who is cruel and kind who cut open body to repair to be health.
Similarly, satire applied in a certain text gives hurt in order to make things be
better. Correspondently, Gorys Keraf stated that satire is used to against
something in order to be held a correction ethically and aesthetically68. For instance, one of the members of your class raises his hand on the discussion of
this point and say, “I don’t understand,” and your instructor replies, with a tone of
heavy disgust in his voice, “Well, I wouldn’t expect you to,” he said satirically. It
gives hurt for the member to have more efforts to understand.
Different from sarcasm which is often used on colloquial level, satire is a
more formal term, usually applied to written literature rather than to speech and
ordinarily implying a higher motive: it is ridicule (either bitter or gentle) of human
folly or vice, with the purpose of bringing about reform or at least of keeping
67
http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/satire.html. August,2007.
68 Gorys Keraf,
other people from falling into similar folly or vice. As Dean Spears defines “satire
is a piece of writing that seeks to expose folly or wickedness and to hold human
behavior up to ridicule69 .
Moreover, satire is implied usually for censorious or critical purposes and is
often directed at public figures or institutions, conventional behaviors, political
situations, etc70.
Thus, it can be inferred that satire is a satirical statement, which its purpose
is to affect the person that they dislike; to hurt them and even to ruin them.
However, satire is bringing about reform concerning certain human folly or at
least is keeping other people from falling into similar folly or vice.
2. Dramatic or Tragic Irony
The further form of irony the writer would like to discuss in this research is
dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is a relationship of contrast between a character's
limited understandings of his or her situation in some particular moment of the
unfolding action and what the audience, at the same instant, understands the
character's situation actually to be71. The reader has the pleasure of knowing something that neither of the character does72.
As a result of the limited understanding of the character above, leads a
tragedy that could be happened in a literary work. That is why, in this case, some
69
Dean Millan Spears,Developing Critical Reading Skill(USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999), p. 224.
70
http://dictionary.reference.com/cite.html?qh=irony&ia=luna March,2007.
71http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/cc-dramatic_irony.htm September,
2007.
72Alexander Scharbach (1965),
critics heel speak of tragic irony instead of dramatic irony73. Tragedy is associated with dramatic Irony so that it can be some of the most famous and powerful uses of
dramatic irony, where it serves to emphasize how limited human understanding can
be even when it is most plausible, and how painful can be the costs of the
misunderstandings, in some sense inevitable, that result74.
We can see a misunderstanding among characters as a result of the limited
knowing of the character leads a tragedy in a playwright by Shakespeare. Romeo
and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play suffered of misunderstanding that leads both into
death. It is occurred when Romeo finds Juliet in a drugged death-like sleep; he
assumes her to be dead and kills himself. Upon awakening to find her dead lover
beside her, Juliet kills herself with a knife.
On the other side, according to Perrine, the discrepancy is not between what
the speaker says and what he means but between what the speaker says and what
the author means. The speaker’s word may be perfectly straightforward, but the
author, by putting those words in a particular speaker’s mouth, may be indicating to
the reader ideas or attitude quite opposed to those the speaker is voicing. It is used
not only to convey attitudes but also to illuminate character, for the author who uses
it that is indirectly commenting not only upon the value of the ideas uttered but also
upon the nature of the person who utters them. Such comment may be harsh, gently
mocking, or sympathetic75.
73X.J. Kennedy (1979),op.cit.p. 430.
74
http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/cc-dramatic_irony.htm September,2007.
75Laurence Perrine (1969),
As it is known that a game of irony, after all, cannot be played
straightforwardly; there must always be a contrast between what is and what seems
to be. When the author ostensibly speaks in his own person, it can be sure that in
some very particular context he is masking himself. For instance, in poetryUnknown
Citizen by W.H. Auden, which represents modern citizen, who, according to the
poem, are programmed like machine. Actually, the speaker is masking himself. The
speaker tells many frigid actions of the citizen that actually implied an idea of the
author that is actually contrast with the actions of the unknown citizen. The contrast
makes us see that the author doesn’t agree with the like-machine human life be
portrayed in the speaker’s word.
Therefore, it can be concluded that dramatic irony can be a tragic irony
where the limited understanding of character in a work leads a tragedy. However,
dramatic irony also can be found when an author masking himself to speak the
opposite of what he really concerns.
3. Irony of Situation
According to Perrine, irony of situation occurs when there is a discrepancy
between the actual circumstances and those that would seem appropriate or
between what one anticipates and what actually comes to pass76. It can be said also; Irony of situation or irony of circumstances is a discrepancy between the expected
result and actual results77.
76
Ibid, p.117.
O’Connor adds, the irony of circumstances, or situation, with its dramatic
nature, seems common to all periods. It is a chief feature in drama, but it is found
also in ballads, lyrics, and certain forms of narrative poetry78.
When we see that a situation is ironic, it may contain some contrast or
incongruity which evoke wryness79. It can be said that situational irony results from
recognizing the oddness or unfairness of a given situation. And it could be positive or
negative80. Hence, It needs more attention to the ironic twists and a plot of a work.
When authors contradict what we expect, they do so for a reason81. It is a way the poet state his point of view implicitly. Irony itself is rather a way of thinking about
texts that produces an oblique form of human interaction82.
It is same with dramatic irony. Irony of situation is also a powerful device for
the poet, for like symbol, dramatic irony and irony of situation enable him to suggest
meanings without stating them- to communicate a great deal more than he says83. For instance, the situation enables the poet spoke his implicit point of view
which is ironic can be seen in O. Henry's storyThe Gift of the Magi, in which a young
couple is too poor to buy each other Christmas gifts. The man finally pawns his
heirloom pocket watch to buy his wife a set of combs for her long, prized, beautiful
78
Van WM O’ Connor (1948),op.cit. p. 130.
79
X.J. Kennedy (1979),op.cit. p.85.
80http://www.sarcasmsociety.com/irony/situational.php August,2007.
81http://www.waukeganschools.org/WHSCommunications/discuss/msgReader$75
June,2007.
82
John Evan Seery (1990),op.cit. p. 194.
83Perrine, Laurence (1969),
hair. She, meantime, cuts her hair to sell to a wigmaker for money to buy her
husband a watch-chain. The results of the situation here are far different from what
was expected. The husband expects that the comb he bought can be used to more
beautify his wife’s long hair. While, the beautiful hair of his wife has been sold to buy
a chain for his sold watch. It seems very ironic because they cannot even use what
they have bought for each. However it leads to a happy ending where the lovers are
drown closer together.
Thus, it can be inferred that irony of situation occurred when the situation
seems ironic and the results of the situation can be far different from what was
expected. The poet often do so for a reason and the reason is to put certain point of
view in such situation implicitly.
4. Cosmic Irony (Irony Of Fate)
In cosmic irony, the discrepancy is between a character’s aspiration and the
treatment he or she receives at the hands of fate84. It occurs when the ambition or the strong desire of a character is having opponent with the reality of fate he has to
receive. The unexpected fate often gives a frustration. Cosmic irony suggests that
some malicious fate (or other spirit in the universe) is deliberately frustrating human
effort85.
O’Connor adds this kind of irony express a negative impulse and invite
ridicule. It spells frustration or megalomania as well as the persistent need for
84
X.J. Kennedy (1979),op.cit. 430.
85
‘debunking’86. In that frustration some of people then castigated a God who could put men in a certain miserably low status87.
In this life, sharp contrasts between human ideals and reality, or between
human intentions and actual results often happened. This fact stimulates the
existence of cosmic irony as O’Connor has said cosmic irony could be sustained
easily while there was a strong feeling that man had somehow been betrayed or
badly treated by God88. It can be said that cosmic irony could express a
disappointment of a character in a work to God treatment or someone who betrayed
his trust.
It can be seen for instance in the inventing world where the
chlorofluorocarbon Freon-12 were invented as safe chemicals by Chemist and
mechanical engineer Thomas Midgley and intended for wide environmental use.
However, it became an environmental disaster since the compounds in widespread
harm to the ozone layer. This fact must much or little frustrate the inventor of his
effort since the reality is far different with what is intend.
It can be concluded that cosmic irony is a disparity between human intention
and the reality happened. It could express a dissapointment of someone who feels
that he have been betrayed by someone or even been badly treated by God.
86WM. Van O’ Connor (1948),
op.cit.p. 132.
87
Ibid. p. 126.
88WM. Van O’ Connor (1948),
5. Understatement
Understatement is also a form of irony, which expresses a concept in term
less strong than those of the intended meaning89. Based on Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, understatement is a statement that expresses an idea, etc in a very weak
way90.
For instance, a statement from a captain, says his best effort in a less term
when he announces the condition of aircraft to passengers. The event is like this:
During the Kuala Lumpur to Perth leg of British Airways Flight 9 on 24 June, 1982,
volcanic ash causes all four engines of the Boeing 747 aircraft to fail. Although
pressed for time as the aircraft rapidly lost altitude, Captain Eric Moody still managed
to make an announcement to the passengers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your
Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are
doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much
distress."91The worddamnedestsounds ironic because actually the crew have done their best to make the engine get work again.
In other side, according to Sedgewick, understatement is the “true nature” of
irony; irony is “language mocking itself.” He interprets this self-mockery as a
recognition of discrepancy: “For the thing as stated, the appearance, falls so far short
of the thing itself, the reality, as to be for all practical purposes a different entity.” In
89Clarence E. Schneider (1974),op.cit.p. 204.
90
AS Hornby,Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English Fifth Edition
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 1299.
other word, understatement is language mocking since considering the discrepancy
between the reality and the appearance shown by certain character.
Thus, it can be inferred that understatement is a lesser expression that is
made than the intended meaning.
6. Exaggeration
Exaggeration is a means to emphasis through overstatement. It is a form of
irony, expresses a concept in terms that are stronger than the intended meaning92. Based on Oxford exaggeration constitutes an action that make something seem
larger, better, worse, etc than it really is93. Like when we say her smile is as wide as ocean. Therefore, we have described the smile to the listener that it is greater than
the wide of smile actually could be.
Perrine added exaggeration or overstatement might be used with variety
effects. It may be humorous or grave, fanciful or restrained, convincing or
unconvincing94. To create the desired dramatic effect is also one of the effects when someone uses an exaggeration. For instance when persons use expressions such
as "I nearly died laughing," and "I tried a thousand times." Such statements are not
literally true, but people make them to sound impressive or to emphasize something,
such as a feeling, effort, or reaction.
Even more in a broader sense, in political rhetoric and advertising slogans,
exaggeration might be used to emphasize what they mean through their
92Clarence E. Schneider (1974),op.cit. p. 204.
93
AS Hornby,Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English Fifth Edition
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 397.
94Laurence Perrine (1969),
exaggerated words. It is used to attract the concern of people to choose a certain
party in a general election or even in advertising world to gain the interest of
consumer to buy a certain product.
Hence, it can be concluded that exaggeration is a statement that make
something is much better or even worse than it really is. It is used to emphasize the
CHAPTER III
IRONY ANALYSIS ON THREE LYRICS
IN A PUNK ROCK MUSIC ALBUM COMPILATION- “ROCK AGAINST BUSH”
As it has been explained in the previous chapter that irony is a manner of
speaking that implies a discrepancy. It is a way in telling something indirectly- a way
that is implied incongruity so that it needs more attention for the readers to
comprehend the meaning since it contains special purpose.
Irony is the most figures of speech that are found in this research. It is
variously found in three lyrics that include in the punk rock music album compilation
– “Rock Against Bush”. They are Heaven Is Falling by The Ataris, God save the
U.S.A.by Pennywise, and Sad State of Affairsby Descendents.
It is known that punk musicians involved in the compilation album form a
union to against the policies of George W. Bush that has been put in place and to
oppose him in 2004 election. It has been recognized from the previous chapter that
punks have always preached social political change in their songs. Punk musicians
like Descendents, the Ataris, Flogging Molly, The Offspring, Rise Against,
Pennywise, Anti-Flag, Against Me!, Green Day, Sum 41, The World/Inferno
Friendship Society, The Epoxies, Autopilot Off and others here unite around issues
they all care about and that they have all sung about. They all stand together as one
voice in shaping the future of their country by choosing another candidate who has
better domestic and foreign policies in the future.
The issues they preached are about personal freedom, the environment, and
particularly war in Iraq, which was started by America On March 2003. Iraq was
suspected to haveWeapon Mass Destruction. Bush Administration feels that military
actions, regime change, invasion in Iraq are necessary to be done to protect
Americans against Iraq's WMDs. The destructive weapon later is not proven
possessed by Iraq. It is sufficient to mention the 448 dead American souls (as of
12/12/2003), the 11,000 maimed American servicemen, and the Iraqis (tens of
thousands, hundreds of thousands, it is difficult to know) that have resulted from the
invasion95
. This unexpected tragedy brings the question that “was this invasion and
conquest really necessary to protect Americans?” Punk musicians involved in this
album were pretty aware of this issue and bring it onto their songs to criticize the
government.
The purpose of punk rock musicians in bringing the social political issues in
their songs has accordance with the purpose of irony that is to criticize the figures of
authority to allude them which is intended to touch the emotion of the listeners and to
make them having negative opinions toward them.
In this chapter, the three lyrics where irony variously found like Heaven Is
Falling by The Ataris, God save the U.S.A.by Pennywise, and Sad State of Affairs
by Descendents are analyzed in tables to make them easier to be classified and to
be elaborated each meaning to find out how the irony found in lyrics may provoke
listeners to not chose Bush in 2004 presidential election. In each lyric, the writer
takes the lines contained irony and classifies them based on the variation of irony
95
Thom White,It's Official: Voting Bush Is 'Not Punk' (This article revised February 5 and October 10, 2004. Original redaction -- December 15, 2003. )
and comprehends the implied meaning to find out that irony found there may
influence listeners not to elect Bush in the 2004 election.
B. Kinds of Irony in Three Analyzed Lyrics
1. Heaven Is Falling By The Ataris As I walk beneath the valley I shall fear no evil
for thanks to King George and his rainbow cabinet today murder is legal
God I know that it's wrong 5
to kill my brother for what he hasn't done and as the planes blacken the sky it sounds like heaven is falling it sounds like heaven is falling
you promises me a new day a'dawning 10
I've seen a thousand points of light
like so many points of hatred, shame and horror God I want to be a man
but I don't want to die with a rifle in my hand)
and as the planes blacken the sky 15
it sounds like heaven is falling it sounds like heaven is falling
you promised me a new day a'dawning well nothing here looks new to me
but a score of mothers' sons 20
caught 'tween the devil and the deep blue sea 21
Heaven is Fallingis an anti-war protest track fromRock Against Bush: Vol
196. This lyric titled heaven is falling is written by the ataris97. As it has been recognized that the title of this punkrock compilation album is Rock Against
Bush. Hence, the idea tinged the lyrics with the disagreement toward President
George W. Bush Administration’s policies.
96
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_AtarisAccessed On September 2007
97
The ataris is an alternative punk rockband formed in 1995 come from Anderson,
Meanwhile, the issue reveals inheaven is falling is the dissagreement of
the Ataris to American Invasion to Iraq on March 2003. It is assumed so since
the lyrics seems uttering several dissapointments of the impact of a war. The
dissapointments are delivered to the listeners through several kinds of irony
contained in the lyrics.
[image:45.612.109.533.179.603.2]The following table decribes several kinds of irony found inheaven is falling:
TABLE I
Kinds of Irony Contained inHeaven is Falling No.
Data
Line
Kinds of
Irony
C. Notesa. forthanksto
King George and his rainbow cabinet today murder is legal 3 4 Satire, Exaggeration, Irony of situation Satire:
Ordinarily, the word thanks is used to express one’s gratitude to someone else or even to God. However, thanks as a satirical word in this line sounds hardly sincere and hardly literal because the speaker saidthanks to King George who is in this case is George W. Bush- a President of US for the condition today the king had made murder became an action permitted to do.
Exaggeration:
course has a centered-absolute authority. However, in this case, the word king is addressed to US President George Walker Bush as a head of a democracy nation. It is not appropriate and sounds hardly sincere since it is intended to exaggerate bush’ real position as a president totally acts like a king in his kingdom and made the rules by his consideration only without listening other opinions come from minority.
Irony of Situation:
The situation is ironic since what is expected in the word murder contrast with the condition described in the 4th line. As it has been known that murder is an illegal action in everywhere. It is an action of loosing someone’s life. It against the basic human right to have a life. However, in this 4th line, it is said that the condition today as the reality that has to be faced is “murder is legal to do”. It is contrary to the fact people have commonly known that murder supposed to be said as something avoided to do.
b. God Iknow
that it's wrong 5
Irony of fate
Irony of fate or cosmic irony occurs here. In the fifth line, it is told that the speaker has already known that to kill someone is something wrong to do. However, as a person in a war to kill is an action must be done. The contrast here where Cosmic Irony lies are between the desire of a speaker to be a good man who had already known that it is wrong to kill someone; and his fate to kill someone.
tokillmy brother for what he hasn't done
c. it sounds like
heaven is falling
8
Exaggeration
Literally, the word heaven is the sky, as seen from the earth98. Therefore, it seems not real to say that heaven is falling. It is an exaggeration. It symbolizes the condition of war at that time where booms and guns were sounding and shaking every district in war area.
it sounds like
heaven is falling
9
d. you promise mea new day a'dawning
10
Irony of fate
Obviously, cosmic irony or irony of fate is contained in these lines because the incongruity can be seen between the speaker’s desire of a promised enlighten days the speaker expects so far in the phrase a new day a'dawning; and the real condition wherehatred, shame, and horror must be faced because of the lies (the unfulfilled promise). The real condition is still unavoidable where there isn’t any change and peace found there.
I've seen a thousand points of light
like so many points of
hatred, shame and horror
11
12
e. you promised mea new day a'dawning
18
Irony of fate
Irony of fate or cosmic irony also occurs here since it can be seen the discrepancy between the phrase a
new day a'dawning as the
