Style Markers in Children's Stories Found in Walt Disney Animation Books.

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Maranatha Christian University

ABSTRACT

Penulisan skripsi ini dimaksudkan untuk memenuhi persyaratan kelulusan di Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Kristen Maranatha. Dalam skripsi ini, saya membahas penggunaan style markers yang ditemukan dalam buku animasi Walt Disney.

Ada 5 kategori style markers yang ditemukan dalam buku ini, yaitu Devices of Sound, Figures of Speech, Graphology, Cohesion, dan Language Play. Kelima kategori style markers inilah yang menjadi ciri khas yang menonjol dari buku animasi Walt Disney. Style markers seperti ini juga dibuat dengan tujuan agar anak- anak dapat mengerti cerita-cerita yang disampaikan oleh para penulis.

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Maranatha Christian University anak-anak mengerti isi bacaan dan maksud dari penulis dalam cerita. Cohesion yang digunakan dalam cerita-cerita yang ada memampukan anak-anak menyerap informasi bacaan lebih cepat dan juga mengerti isi cerita dengan lebih baik. Untuk mendeskripsikan karakter-karakter yang ada, para penulis pun menggunakan language play. Ketika anak-anak membaca nama-nama karakter yang menggunakan style marker ini, mereka dapat mengetahui peranan dan karakteristik dari setiap karakter.

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CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF STYLE MARKERS AND THE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN’S MINDS A. Devices of Sound ... 8

B. Figures of Speech ... 10

C. Graphology ... 11

D. Cohesion ... 12

E. Language Play ... 13

CHAPTER III: DISCUSSION ON THE STYLE MARKERS FOUND IN WALT DISNEY ANIMATION BOOKS A. Devices of Sound ... 15

1. Consonant Sounds: Alliteration ... 15

2. Consonant Sounds: Consonance ... 15

3. Assonance ... 19

4. Rhyme ... 20

5. Onomatopoeia ... 23

B. Figures of Speech ... 24

Simile ... 24

Personification ... 26

C. Graphology ... 28

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2. Italicization ... 31

D. Cohesion ... 33

Formal Repetition ... 33

E. Language Play ... 35

CHAPTER 1V: CONCLUSION_{... 39}

BIBLIOGRAPHY _... ₄₃

APPENDICES _... ₄₅

Table 1. The Use of Devices of Sound ... 45

Table 2. The Use of Figures of Speech ... 46

Table 3. The Use of Graphology... 47

Table 4. The Use of Cohesion... 48

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Maranatha Christian University 45

APPENDICES

Table 1. The Use of Devices of Sound in Walt Disney Animation Books

No. Type of Data Data Sounds

his friends, the jazz cats, found it very chilly in Sir Hiss Imitated: Snake’s sound 4 Onomatopoeia

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Table 2. The Use of Figures of Speech in Walt Disney Animation Books

No. Type of Data Data Meaning

He always slept like a log. He slept very deeply. But each time Uncle

looked back over his shoulder, quick as lightning the villains slipped behind a tree or a snowman, so that uncle shouldn’t see them.

They follow and slip very quickly.

As Black as Night The surrounding where Mowgli lives is very dark.

1 Simile

Easy as Pie To get what they want is very easy.

The grass and plants were so thirsty because of the heatwave.

They need water as the weather is really hot.

The old moon showed a bright smile,…

The moon glows very brightly and beautifully. 2 Personification

In the darkness the glow of the bonfire looked very friendly.

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Table 3. The Use of Graphology in Walt Disney Animation Books

No. Type of Data Data Meaning

“They are CHOCOLATE coins wrapped in gold paper! Uncle Scrooge has cheated us!”

The coins the Beagle Boys expect are not made of chocolate but gold.

Suddenly there was an ENORMOUS gust of wind and the wigwam blew right up into the sky and whirled away in the blustery wind!

The wind is very, very big.

“You ARE clever, Thumper!”

Thumper is not considered to be clever before.

“I may be SMALL,” boomed Thumper, “but I have a BIG brain! I know what to do.”

Although Thumper has a small body, he is brainy. 1

Capitalization

“I wanted a HOUSE -painter, not a PICTURE -painter!”

Uncle Scrooge expects a painter whose job paints house.

…meanwhile there are some new friends waiting to meet you.

Bambi will have new friends, not old ones.

Bambi was delighted, and the seagulls weren’t his only new friends, because geese, too, arrived in the forest.

Not only seagulls but also geese become his new friends.

We have lots of people dressed as burglars, and fairies and animals-but you are the only one who came as a detective!”

There is nobody wearing a detective costume like Mickey does.

Mickey and the boys were surprised to see Pluto splashing in the waves.

Mickey and the boys really feel surprised. 2 Italicization

“You never catch those mice- and now you get caught in the trap I set for them! Be off!”

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Table 4. The Use of Cohesion in Walt Disney Animation Books

Type of Data No Data

1 Never-Never Land 2 Wheels within Wheels

3 So Brer Fox, he thought and he thought of a clever plan to catch Brer Rabbit.

Formal Repetition

4 So they pulled and pulled and pulled and suddenly-RIPPP!-the big cracker tore apart.

Table 5. The Use of Language Play in Walt Disney Animation Books

No. Characters’ names

Word Formation Process of Word Formation 1 Sneezy {sneeze}{-y}◊ verb+ suffix -y Suffixation 2 Goofy {Goof}{-y}◊ noun+ suffix -y Suffixation

3 Cinderella {cinder}{ella} Compounding

4 Aristokitten {aristocratic}{kitten} Blending 5 Cruella de Vil {cruella}◊ {cruel} {a}

{de}{vil}◊ {devil}

Compounding Clipping 6 Kanga {Kangaroo}◊ {Kanga} Clipping

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Reading is an important activity in life; that is why, we have been encouraged to read books since we entered the elementary school. During the elementary school period, aged 6 to 12, children are expected to read books so that they can be fond of reading for the rest of their lives. In addition, by reading books, they can have wide knowledge.

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humor or the despair of sorrow, injustice and ugliness.’ (Huck, Hepler, Hickman, 1989:4) In order to make children understand the imagination used in children’s books well, an author must arrange the stories in such a way that they can come to children’s minds easily.

Another factor which makes children’s books interesting to read is the use of language. The language used in children’s books should be adjusted to the age of the children in order to make them understand and enjoy the stories. The choice of words must create some effects on children’s minds so that the books will be considered suitable and interesting for children. For example, the language used and the effects of the sounds produced will be memorable and create enjoyment; the choice of words will also help children imagine the places, the characteristics of the characters as well as the actions of the characters; the writing system and repetitions will help children get the author’s message.

According to Leech and Short (1981:59), children can understand a story written in a simple language. Children’s minds are artless; consequently, this influences the word choice and the structure used in children’s books. In addition, an author must think of some ways to convey his message to children. For instance, repetitions and good cohesion may help children get the message from a story more easily. There are various ways to build a style of writing used in children’s books.

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As a result, I am challenged to analyse the style of writing used in children’s books.

In this thesis, I gather the data from Walt Disney Animation books, which embrace many kinds of stories for children. Walt Disney is famous for its various stories. ‘Any book that Walt Disney adapts immediately becomes Walt Disney’s…, as in Walt Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, for example. The quality and language of these stories are drastically changed, and yet these are the books that children know and ask for.’ (Huck, Hepl er. Hickman, 1989:34). This means that Walt Disney Animation books have the specialities to arrange stories that can make children enjoy reading.

Considering that it is a pleasure to read Walt Disney’s Animation books, I become interested in discussing the style markers found in Walt Disney Animation books. I want to know how the stories can attract so many children. By discussing this aspect, there will be a clear understanding and information about the style markers used in Walt Disney Animation books. In this thesis, I will show the kinds of style markers used in Walt Disney Animation books and their effects on children’s minds.

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For example, the language used in a text influences the literary elements such as characterization, plot, and theme.

Since the analysis is about the use of the style markers in Walt Disney Animation books, this analysis belongs to Stylistics. Stylistics is ‘the study of style used in literary and verbal language and the effect the writer/speaker wishes to communicate to the reader/hearer.’

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylistics_%28linguistics%29)

In Walt Disney Animation books, I find there are several style features that are noticeable and worth deeper analysing. They are devices of sound, figurative language, graphology, cohesion and language play. In literature, devices of sound are used to add the enjoyment of reading a text. Figurative language or a figure of speech is used to compare two things for the freshness or emphasis. ‘Graphology is an orthographical study, embracing the ideas that writing system operate on style and form.’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/graphology). ‘Cohesion is the way in which the message is segmented into units.’ (Leech and Short, 1981:243) and ‘Language play is an action of manipulating the language by bending and breaking its rules.’ (Crystal, 1998:1)

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In analysing the style of writing used in Walt Disney Animation books, I set the following problems:

1. What style markers are found in Walt Disney Animation books?

2. What are the effects of the use of the style markers in those books on children’s minds?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Having set the above problems, I make a study which is meant: 1. To analyse the style markers found in Walt Disney Animation books. 2. To show the effects of the use of the style markers in those books on children’s minds.

METHOD OF RESEARCH

I use library research in this study. First, I read the books and references related to the topic I am going to analyse. Then, I collect and select the data which can be classified. After classifying the data, I discuss and analyse them, focusing on the effects caused by the use of the style markers on the readers’ minds. Finally, I write a research report based on my discussion.

ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS

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CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

In this chapter, I would like to draw some conclusions based on the

findings. Having analysed the data, I find the style markers used in Walt Disney

Animation books have a great influence on children’s minds. I figure out that the

style markers are supported by the author’s word choice in arranging his stories in

order to make attractive children’s books. The style markers produce a kind of

language which is suitable for children. Basically, the use of style markers affects

children’s minds in understanding the stories and in making children enjoy

reading the stories.

The style markers found in Walt Disney Animation books are devices of

sound, figures of speech, graphology, cohesion and language play. From the five

categories of style markers found in the data, devices of sound are the most

dominant marker used in Walt Disney Animation books. This is proved from the

findings. From the total of forty-seven data of style markers, nineteen data are

devices of sound, seven are figures of speech, ten are graphology, four are

cohesion and seven are language play. In my opinion, the fact that devices of

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very useful because children start acquiring their language skills by hearing

sounds. It will be easier for them to receive information in this audible way.

In devices of sound, there are six characters’ names and two titles

containing alliteration; one character’s name and two titles containing

consonance; two titles and one character’s name containing assonance; two titles

and one sentence containing rhyme, and two characters’ names containing

onomatopoeia. From the devices of sound found, the most dominant sound is the

use of repeated sounds compared with the use of imitated sounds. I personally

think that it is easier and nicer for children to hear repeated sounds because they

are more simple to understand than imitated sounds.

The author creates devices of sound in the characters’ names and the titles

so that children can remember the names easily. The author expects children to

know the characters who have important roles as well as the stories from the

interesting titles. When the author creates a pleasant name to hear, he also makes

children interested in knowing more about the characters. This style marker is

suitable for children. Since children are generally curious, they will be attracted in

reading names and titles that are nice to hear; moreover, they will find more

information about the characters and the stories. This effect really enables

children to read the books more easily and have fun in reading; therefore, reading

will be more enjoyable.

The other four style markers are not used as dominantly as devices of

sound. However, it does not mean they have insignificant roles. The use of figures

of speech really influences children in following the narration. In the data, I find

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children will understand the stories more clearly because of the comparison used.

They have to imagine the things being compared with the knowledge they have

already had. By using this style marker, the author brings children into the stories.

They will imagine as if they were in the stories. They know the reasons why some

events happen or what is going on in the stories. Children like imagining things

since they are still in the growing age and they know some things around them.

Thus, the author creates figures of speech that are simple and easy for children.

Besides imagining the things compared, they are also able to know what the

author wants to convey through the stories. Children can feel the circumstances in

the stories and improve their imagination. This style marker really helps children

understand the stories better.

I do not find the use of metaphor in the texts I analyse. In my opinion,

children generally will find it too difficult to correctly interpret the things being

compared in a metaphor since the comparison is implicitly stated.

Graphology affects children to catch the author’s message. The author

makes some words which are eye-catching so that what the author intends to say

in his stories can be easily understood by children. The use of this style marker is

appropriate for children because of the artlessness of children’s minds. They

cannot think about something in a complicated way yet. I also find in the data that

the author uses easy graphology like capitalization and italicization. Therefore,

this style marker helps children catch the author’s message directly in the stories.

Through cohesion, the author tries to make children understand his

message. Basically, children learn through repetition. It makes children absorb the

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understand what is trying to be implied in the stories. I think this style marker

helps children know the emphasized words and get the author’s ideas.

Language play appears in many characters’ names so it helps children know

them more. By using this style marker, the author lets children guess the

characters’ roles and their characteristics in the stories. The author creates some

new invented words that help children analyse their characteristics from their

names. In Walt Disney Animation books the author does not use difficult

processes of forming invented words; on the contrary, he applies easy processes of

forming invented words. In this way, children will easily analyse simple names. If

the author creates difficult language play, children will take it for granted that the

names are ‘common’ names and they cannot guess anything from the names. I

believe easy language play is suitable for children as they have not known many

vocabularies yet.

From the analysis, I can understand the use of style markers and the effects

in children‘s books, especially in Walt Disney Animation books. I find the

correlation between the use of style markers and the suitable kind of language

used in children’s books. By using style markers in children’s books, an author

presents a good reading material for children. Children can understand the stories

well and digest the information from the stories. They also will enjoy reading and

make it their habit. It is the style markers that differ children’s books from t he

reading material for adults. Those style markers prove Walt Disney Animation

books to be the suitable children’s reading material. This also explains why they

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

References

Crystal, David. Language Play. England: Penguin Group, 1998.

Dryden, Gordon and Vos, Jeannette. The Learning Revolution: To Change the

Way the World Learns. New Zealand: The Learning Web, 1999.

Hainstock, Elizabeth G. Teaching Montessori in the Home the School Years.

Delapratasa Publishing, 2002.

Hornby, A S, et. al. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 1995.

Huck, Charlotte S. Hepler, Susan. and Hickman, Janet. Children’s Literature in

the Elementary School. United States: Saunders College Publishing, 1989.

Leech, Geoffrey N. A Linguistic Guide to English Poetry. London: Longman

Group, Ltd, 1969.

Leech, Geoffrey N. and Short, Michael H. Style in Fiction: A Linguistic

Introduction to English Fictional Prose. London: Longman, Inc., 1981.

Wales, Katie. A Dictionary of Stylistics. London: Longman Group UK Limited,

1989.

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