1
STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH POEM
Muhammad Rezki *)
English Department, STKIP PGRI West Sumatera, Jl. Gunung Pangilun Padang rezkimuhammad92@yahoo.co.id
Sri Imelwaty**) imelwaty05@yahoo.com
Yendra**)
yendra_brutus@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The background of this study was that the students of English Department at STKIP PGRI West Sumatera experienced difficulties in understanding and interpretation English poem after they learned literature unit. The purpose of this study was to identify the difficulties that third year English Department students of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera encounter in understanding English poem. This study was qualitative research with basic interpretative study design. The researcher chooses the participants using purposive sampling technique. The 5 students of English Department became participants in this study. In collect the data, researcher used recorded interview. From analyzing the data of this study, it was found that every student experienced difficulties in understanding English poem on; they did not know about elements of poem, then they did not know about figures of speech in the poem and they did not know about the meaning of poem. Based on the result of this study, it can be concluded that elements of poem and meaning of poem can make the students of English Department at STKIP PGRI West Sumatera having difficulties in understanding English poem.
Keywords: Students’ Difficulties; English Poem; Literature.
*) The Researcher
**) Advisors (1 & (2
INTRODUCTION
Literature is a creation that be created by author to deliver messages with communicative about author’s intent; it has aim to aesthetics or beauty of art. Furthermore, the purpose of literature is to distributing ideas, experiences and feeling from author. Then, literature also uses as media entertain for the readers. By learning literature, we can understand, produce and also develop the work that we create be better.
In English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera, literature is one of subjects which learned by students. There are several topics of literatures that have to learn for students, namely; Prose, Poetry and Drama.
All of them to be learning in order to students can create a good work and students will expect can to understand or analyze the messages containing in a work. So, literature subject should be mastered by students who learn about literary work, because it can add
their knowledge in learning English.
Furthermore, literature very important for comprehend of students in learning English poem. One of the literature subject that has to be learned by students is poem. Poem is a literary work that can express and deliver our feeling uniquely in developing our idea or knowledge. Poem have three types, they are narrative poem, lyric poem and descriptive (dramatic) poem. In analyzing poem, we need to focus on emotion, imagination, feeling and experience that make us understand about what the author delivers through poem. In the poem itself, there are some aspects that can bring us to deep comprehension on it, like: figurative language, diction, symbol, general and detail meaning, and also for imagery that construct the element of certain poem.
Based on informal interview that is conducted by researcher to some students of English Department at STKIP PGRI West
2 Sumatera on January 7th, it is found that there
are some difficulties for third year English Department students to understand English poem in literature subject. First, many students disable to understand the meaning of poem, and also purpose of the author’s taught.
Second, verse of poem cannot be comprehended by students, due to there are students get confusing to analyzing and interpreting of verse or what the poem talks about. The last, many students do not know about figurative language that is use in a poem, especially figurative language in poem gives different expression toward the poem, because figurative language is a way in saying something other than the literal meaning.
The researcher is interested in conducting this study on analyzing about student’s difficulties to understand of English poem. So, in this study the researcher tries to find out anything that cause students unable to understand of English poem. Then, the research question to conduct this study is “What are the students’ difficulties in understanding English poem?”.
Referring with the explanation above, there are some difficulties that are faced by students in understanding an English poem on literature subject. So that, the researcher interests to do this study and researcher makes a decision about the purpose of this study is to identify the difficulties that third year English Department students of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera face in understanding English poem.
RESEARCH METHOD
In this study, the researcher conducted the study as a qualitative research. However, in qualitative research there are many type of design qualitative. The researcher used basic interpretative study as a method to do this study. The researcher selected this method because researcher wants to describe about students’ perception on their difficulties in understanding English poem at English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera on academic year 2012/2013.
The location of this study conducted in campus STKIP PGRI West Sumatera at Padang city. It was located at Gunung Pangilun, Kecamatan Padang Utara, Kota Padang, Provinsi Sumatera Barat.
In this study, there were some students of English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera as participants. The researcher
focused on third year English Department students of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera in academic year 2012/2013 that be participants in this study, because they were students that learned literature subject, especially poem.
Then, researcher took 5 students who learned English poem in English Department students of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera as participants, due to further facilitate researcher in collecting data by interview (Semi-Structured Interview).
Data of this study was recording between researcher with participants, they are: 5 English students’ at STKIP PGRI West Sumatera.
Thus, after collecting the data, researcher conducted next step to analyze data. In analyzing the data, researcher used thematic analysis by used deductive and inductive approach, because research design of this study is a basic interpretative study. There are 5 phases of thematic analysis:
1. Collect Data
The researcher gathered the data from sources that included from recording and interview. The recording data from interview was transcript into a paper to find information that related by research question.
2. Coding Data
The researcher gave code to main idea and gave code to some sentences in the transcript that helped researcher in found the themes of this study from sources data that was gathered. The data came from transcript of interview with participants.
3. Code Validation
The researcher checked again to make sure the information of the data about the students’
difficulties in understanding English poem. In getting validation, the researcher asked and discussed to the first advisor to check and read the data.
4. Themes/Framework Identification In this stage, the researcher identified and analyzed students’ difficulties in understanding English poem. The data came from transcript interview.
5. Information Consolidation, Finalize Theme Names
The researcher mentions English students’
difficulties in understanding English poem that related transcript interview for each English teacher. And the researcher described and illustrated to the reader the real information that related students’ difficulties in understanding English poem which it took a few of quotation from original text that is
3 translated into English.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The result of research question in this study about “what are student’s difficulties in understanding English poem?” In answering this research question, the researcher used semi-unstructured interview especially recorded as an instrument. To get the recorded, researcher used a hand phone as tool to take the recorded. After researcher did the interview, researcher found two things that made students difficult in understanding English poem, they were the students did not know and did not understand about the elements and the meaning that containing in an English poem.
The results from both of them can be seen as follow:
1. Elements of Poem a. Words
Based on interview that be done by researcher with fifth English students, there were some of them stated that words of poem have affected English students difficult in understanding English poem. In words from elements of poem, researcher asked to some students, apparently only three students who stated that words of poem have made the students difficult to understanding English poem. It could be seen on the result interview between researcher and students, included:
Q: After you know about elements of poem, what are you experienced difficult when you try understanding English poem?
S1: Setelah mengetahui unsur-unsur puisi, kesulitan dalam memahami puisi bahasa Inggris itu terasa, karena kita harus mengetahui makna, kata-kata serta bentuk dari puisi itu.
(After I know about elements of poem.
Difficulty that faced in understanding the English was felt, because we must know about the meaning, words and form of poem itself)
(Transcript A. Student 1. Words Line 45- 49)
Student 1 said that in understanding element words of poem very difficult for English students, because we must understanding and analyzing each word of the poem in there and it could made English students confused in understanding English poem in literature subject. Besides that, the words of poem have expression which too difficult to be understood, because in words of
poem contained implied meaning. It was several difficulties that encountered by English students in understanding English poem.
Moreover, student 3 also has a reason about it:
Q: What is difficulty that faced when you understand meaning of English poem?
S3: Kesulitan untuk memaknai sebuah puisi yaitu terdapat pada wordsnya penggunaan kata. Jika tingkat sastra seorang penulis puisi itu tinggi pasti penggunaan kata yang digunakannya juga lebih sulit untuk dipahami.
(Difficult to find meaning of poem is in using words. If an author or poet has high- level in literary value then using words of his or her poem more difficult to understand an English poem)
(Transcript C. Student 3. Words Line 127- 133)
Student 3stated that words of poem affected English students in understanding English poem, because words of poem were choosing word of an author or poet that used in poem that his or her created. So that, if an author or poet has high-level in literary value then using words of his or her poem will be elusive for English poem in understanding English poem.
Student 4 also has gave a reason, the researcher would show the data was below:
Q: OK, based on your answer on number 9. There, you stated that elements of poem divide into 7 parts. So, I will ask you, what are parts of poem that make you feel difficult in understanding English poem?
S4: Kalau masalah kesulitan, pastinya ada. Menurut saya itu yang dua tadi terutama pada words, kenapa saya merasa kesulitan karena disitulah pentingnya sebuah puisi, tanpa words atau kata-kata itu tidak akan berarti apa-apa.
Menurut saya itu sangat sulit untuk dipahami, apalagi menentukan
arah dari puisi tersebut…
(It was existed. I think, it there are 2. They are words, because it was important thing in English poem. Without element words of poem, the poem was nonsense. I think it very difficult to be understood…)
(Transcript D. Student 4.Words Line 76- 85)
In addition, student 4argued that words of poem also difficult to be understood by English students. Therefore, if English students wrong
4 in analyze the words of poem, it will make
them misunderstanding toward meaning of poem that their read. And also, words of poem could identify direction of poem, because words of poem described on the goal of author or poet in poem that his or her created. So that, it made English poem difficult in understanding English poem.
b. Form
Referring to interview that did by
researcher with fifth English students, apparently there was only one student stated that form of poem affected English students difficult in understanding English poem. The statement from student 1 told about it could be seen on the result interview between researcher and student, included:
Q: After you know about elements of poem, what are you experienced difficult when you try understanding English poem?
S1: Setelah mengetahui unsur-
unsur puisi, kesulitan dalam memahami puisi bahasa Inggris itu terasa, karena kita harus mengetahui makna, kata-kata serta bentuk dari puisi itu.
(After I know about elements of poem.
Difficulty that faced in understanding the English was felt, because we must know about the meaning, words and form of poem itself)
(Transcript A. Student 1. Form Line 45-50) Student 1 said that after he has studied literature subject, especially English poem at English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera, evidently the form of poem has several kinds. So, he doubted in identify form of poem and it also affected his in understanding an English poem.
c. Figures of Speech
Based on interview that be done by researcher with fifth English students, there were some of them stated that figures of speech affected English students difficult in understanding English poem. In element figures of speech of poem, researcher asked to some students, apparently only three students who stated that figures of speech have made the students difficult to understanding English poem. It could be seen on the result interview between researcher and student, included:
Q: What is the part of poem that makes you feel difficult in understanding English poem?
S1: Unsur puisi yang sulit di dalam memahami puisi itu adalah unsur figure of
speech, karena itu di dalam bahasa Indonesia pun itu majas kan. Contohnya saja kita harus berandai-andai dan kita harus mengungkapkan kata-kata yang tersirat yang ada di dalam puisi di pahami oleh si pembaca.
(The element of poem that difficult in understanding a poem was figure of speech, because it in Indonesia language was figurative language. For example we must imagine and express words that imply in a poem that difficult to be understood by the reader)
(Transcript A. Student 1. Figures of Speech Line 54-62)
Student 1 told that in understanding element figures of speech of poem very difficult for English students, because figures of speech have a different meaning that contained in English poem. So that students have to imagine in express the meaning that contained in the English poem. It has made students difficult to understanding English poem.
Student 2 has a difficulty with figures of speech in understanding English poem. It can be seen below:
Q:What is the part of poem that makes you feel difficult in understanding English poem?
S2: Bagian yang tersulit itu pada figure of speech, kalau dalam belajar bahasa Indonesia itu seperti majas ya, contohnya saja ada personifikasi, metafora, ironi.
Nah, kalau di dalam bahasa Indonesia kita kan masih bisa menerka-nerka maksud dari majas tersebut, tetapi di dalam bahasa Inggris kita harus memahami katanya dan kita harus memahami dulu makna sebenarnya yang terkandung di dalam puisi tersebut.
(The element of poem that difficult to be understood was in figure of speech, when learning Indonesia language, it was like figurative language. For example personification, metaphor and irony. In Indonesia language, we can conjecture the intent of figure of speech, but in English we have to understand the words and real meaning that contained in English poem) (Transcript B. Student 2. Figures of Speech Line 63-76)
Student 2described that figures of speech of poem affected English students in understanding English poem, because many
5 types of figures of speech that faced in a poem,
such as; metaphor, simile, personification and etc. It has made English students in understanding English poem. Therefore in English poem, students must understanding word and denotative meaning of the figures of speech that contained in a poem.
Student 3 also has difficulty with figure of speech from poem. The statement of student 3 mentioned about it, namely:
Q: What is difficulty that affected by element of poem when you try to understand meaning of English poem?
S3: Kesulitan yaitu unsur-unsur puisi berupa majas, karena kita harus memahami dulu penulis ini mengarah atau membuat puisi ini berupa apa, apakah itu bersifat sedih, senang kita harus tahu dulu majas yang digunakan atau nanti kita bisa tahu dari majas apa yang di bikin jadi kita akan tahu makna atau maksud dari puisi ini.
(The difficulty in element of poem was figure of speech, because we must understand about direction of poem that created by author)
(Transcript C. Student 3. Figures of Speech Line 71-80)
Student 3argued that figures of speech of poem also difficult to be understood by English students in understanding English poem, because in figures of speech could described the meaning or purpose of poem and it that made students can’t be able to analyze the meaning of English poem.
d. Voice
The researcher would be show the data below:
Q: OK, based on your answer on number 9. There, you stated that elements of poem divide into 7 parts. So, I will ask you, what are parts of poem that make you feel difficult in understanding English poem?
S4: Kalau masalah kesulitan,
pastinya ada. Menurut saya itu yang dua tadi terutama pada words, kenapa saya merasa kesulitan karena disitulah pentingnya sebuah puisi, tanpa words atau kata-kata itu tidak akan berarti apa-apa.
Menurut saya itu sangat sulit untuk dipahami, apalagi menentukan arah dari puisi tersebut. Lalu yang kedua itu adalah voice, voice itu juga sulit bagi saya, apalagi puisinya juga bermakna sedih karena saya juga sulit untuk
mengungkapkan itu sedih terutama di dalam unsur voice puisi.
(It was existed. I think, it there are two.
They are words, because it was important thing in English poem. Without element words of poem, the poem was nonsense. I think it very difficult to be understood.
And then was voice, element voice of poem also difficult to be understood, because it could describe situation of the English poem)
(Transcript D. Student 4. Voice Line 76- 91)
Student 4 stated about voice of poem could made English students difficult to understanding English poem in literature subject. It was due to voice of poem refers to the speaker’s tone and stress in words of poem and that thing made students hesitation in understanding English poem.
e. Symbols It could be show on:
Q: What is the part of poem that makes you feel difficult in understanding English poem?
S5: Kalau menurut saya unsur puisi yang membuat saya sulit untuk memahami puisi bahasa inggris, yaitu; unsur symbol, karena banyak unsur atau hal-hal yang penting didalamnya yang tidak bisa di mengerti ataupun dijelaskan.
(I think, the element of poem that make me difficult to understand English poem was symbols, because many of element or the things that can’t be understood and explained in poem itself)
(Transcript E. Student 5. Symbols Line 62- 68)
Student 5 mentioned about symbols of poem could made English students difficult to understanding English poem in literature subject, because many important things of poem that contained in symbols of poem that can’t be understood or explained by English students.
2. Meaning of Poem a. Connotative
It could be seen on the result interview between researcher and student, included:
Q: Between both of the meaning, which one those make you feel difficult to understand English poem?
S1: Dari yang dua makna itu, antara denotative dan Connotative. Makna connotative lah yang membuat saya sulit
6 memahami puisi bahasa Inggris, karena
di dalam puisi menggunakan figure of speech tadi dan kita pun berandai-andai di dalam mengungkapkan kata-kata melalui ungkapan sehingga pembaca sulit untuk memahaminya.
(I think connotative meaning that make me difficult in understanding English poem, because in a poem using figurative language and we must conjecture in express the words in the poem. It that make the reader difficult to understand English poem)
(Transcript A. Student 1. Connotative Line 101-111)
Student 1 stated that connotative meaning was an implicit meaning of poem that made English students difficult in understanding meaning of the poem. Besides that, student 2 also has a reason about it:
Q: What are difficulties that you faced when you try to understand the meaning of English poem?
S2: Untuk memahami makna, rasanya saya merasa sulit pada makna connotative, contohnya dalam puisi bahasa Indonesia, seperti; “Singgahlah ke rumah gubukku”.
Jadi, sebenarnya bukanlah sebuah gubuk yang ditunjukkan itu namun merupakan sebuah rumah yang tergolong cukup bagus. Nah, di sini kita menarik kesimpulan bahwa itu merupakan majas ironi, jadi di dalam bahasa Inggris kita harus paham dulu si author itu memaknai kata itu kemana gitu, nanti kalau kita salah di dalam memaknai makna puisi, puisi tersebut akan ngambang. Maka dari itu, saya sangat sulit di dalam memaknai makna puisi bahasa Inggris.
(To understand meaning of poem, I think feel difficult on connotative meaning in poem. For example in poem of Indonesia, such as: “Singgahlah ke rumah gubukku”.
So, actually it was not a shack that showed, but it was a great house. OK, in here we concluded that it was figurative language, so in English we have to understand the purpose of author. If we wrong in interpret a poem, then the meaning of poem difficult to be understood)
(Transcript B. Student 2. Connotative Line 121-140)
Student 2 described that connotative meaning was a definition that has another
meaning in there. So, it could made students confused in analyze and understanding English poem. Moreover, student 3also gave statement about it:
Q:Between both of the meaning, which one those make you feel difficult to understand English poem?
S3: Ya, diantara dua makna yang telah saya bilang tadi juga, yaitu; makna connotative yaitu makna yang tersirat, karena itu membutuhkan pemahaman yang penting dan pemahaman yang lebih dalam untuk memahami sebuah puisi, kita harus tahu dulu penulisnya ini membuat puisinya menggunakan majasnya apa dan makna nya apa.
(Yes, between both of the meaning that makes me difficult in understanding meaning English poem was diantara connotative meaning. It was the implicit meaning; because it needs more important interpret in understanding meaning English poem)
(Transcript C. Student 3. Connotative Line 113-123)
Student 3 mentioned that connotative meaning was an implied meaning in a poem. In connotative meaning, the students need more focus when their tried to understanding English poem.
Student 4 also got the difficulty toward connotative meaning in understanding English poem. It could be show on:
Q: What are difficulties that you faced when you try to understand the meaning of English poem?
S4: Kesulitan dalam memahami makna puisi bahasa Inggris, yaitu; dimana kita susah untuk menentukan sebuah kata, contohnya dalam satu kalimat berisi kalimat yang bermakna connotative kita harus memahami apa tujuan dari makna tersebut, karena itu tidak sama dengan makna denotative yang memiliki makna sebenarnya tanpa kita perlu memahami apa yang tersirat didalamnya. Disitulah letak kesulitan dari memahami makna puisi bahasa Inggris.
(Difficulty in understanding meaning English poem was where we difficult to identify a word. For example in one verse of poem contained connotative meaning we must understand the purpose of the meaning)
(Transcript D. Student 4. Connotative Line
7 144-158)
Student 4 stated that English students difficult in understanding English poem, because all of them can’t be able catch a meaning in English poem. Meaning that difficult to be understood by students was connotative meaning; it can define as a definition which didn’t explain about something clearly. Then, same with all of students before, student 5 also got the same difficulty about it:
Q: Between both of the meaning, which one those make you feel difficult to understand English poem?
S5: Bicara soal makna lagi ya. Kalau itu makna yang tidak sebenarnya, karena sulit untuk dipahami oleh pembaca.
(Talk about the meaning of poem. I think, it was connotative meaning, because it difficult to be understood by the reader) (Transcript E. Student 5. Connotative Line 105-108)
In addition, student 5argued that connotative meaning was an unreal meaning of poem, because the meaning that delivered in English poem based on author’s experience.
Therefore, English students difficult in understanding an English poem.
The researcher found students’ difficulties based on theories about students’ difficulties in understanding English poem. Those begin with the students did not know, did not understand and did not identify figures of speech in an English poem and the students did not understand and interpret the meaning of poem (Salameh: 2012). In doing this research, the researcher has seen difficulties that be experienced by English students during doing interview.
In addition, researcher found the new categories when he analyzed the result of transcript interview in recording at campus STKIP PGRI West Sumatera. The categories did not have on the theories. These categories were natural from the field or English students in transcript interview. There were four the new categories that he found when analyzed the transcript interview in recording with English students at campus STKIP PGRI West Sumatera. The first was words of poem, second was form of poem, third was voice of poem and the last one was symbols of poem.
Researcher had explained all of the new categories from English students before.
Based on explanation above, the researcher concluded that based on the result of transcript interview by English students at campus STKIP PGRI West Sumatera during interview.
It stated that the things that affected English students difficult in understanding English poem were first, elements of poem that consists of; words, form, figures of speech, voice and symbols. The second was meaning of poem, especially connotative meaning that contained in an English poem.
CONCLUSION
In this study, the researcher describes to prove about students’ difficulties in understanding English poem by some English students from academic year on 2012/2013 at English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera, especially in literature subject. This study is conduct based on a basic interpretative study at English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera. There are many of English students at English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera that can be participants in this study. The researcher takes five English students from academic year on 2013 as participants. It causes that students from academic year on 2012 do not become participants in this study, because the students from academic year on 2012 doing environmental practice activity at their each school on this moment. So, researcher only took five English students in this English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera.
Related with research finding, the researcher concludes into; the result interview especially recording. In interview, the researcher finds some the students’ difficulties in understanding English poem at English Department. The English students from academic year on 2013 that experience difficult in understanding English poem on element of poem and meaning of poem. Element of poem consists of; words, form, figures of speech, voice and symbols. Meanwhile, meaning of poem consists of; connotative meaning.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The writer would like to express his deepest gratitude to his advisors Sri Imelwaty, Ph.D and Yendra, S.S., M.Hum who gave their valuable time, guidance, suggestion, support and comment during the process of finishing this journal.
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