STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN ROBERT FROST’S “MENDING WALL” · 2020. 8. 5. · entitled “Mending...

STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN ROBERT FROST’S

“MENDING WALL”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

KARTIKA NOVA FURYA ANGGADEWI

Student Number: 164214108

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2020

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ii

STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN ROBERT FROST’S

“MENDING WALL”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

KARTIKA NOVA FURYA ANGGADEWI

Student Number: 164214108

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2020


vii

“Love All, trust few, Do wrong to none”

-William Shakespeare


viii

This thesis is dedicated to myself,

family, my partner who always

supports me, and all my friends.

_ _ _ _ _


x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ......................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv

STATETMENT OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................. v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH . vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... x

LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. xii

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... xiiiii

ABSTRAK ......................................................................................................... xiviv

CHAPTER I ........................................................................................................... 1

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

B. Problem Formulation .................................................................................... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................. 4

D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER II ......................................................................................................... 7

A. Review of Related Studies ........................................................................... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ....................................................................... 13

1. Stylistics .............................................................................................. 133

2. Phonological Level ............................................................................. 144

3. Graphological Level ............................................................................. 18

4. Grammatical Level ............................................................................... 19

5. Semantics Level .................................................................................. 211

C. Review of Related Background…………………………………………...24

D. Theoretical Framework ............................................................................. 299

CHAPTER III ..................................................................................................... 31

A. Object of the Study ..................................................................................... 31

B. Approach of the Study ................................................................................ 32

C. Method of the Study .................................................................................... 33


xi

1. Data Collection ..................................................................................... 33

2. Data Analysis........................................................................................ 34

CHAPTER IV .................................................................................................... 366

A. Language Features in poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost ................. 36

1. Phonological Level ............................................................................ 366

2. Graphological Level ............................................................................ 46

3. Grammatical Level .............................................................................. 49

4. Semantic Level .................................................................................... 51

B. Meaning Revealed from the Stylistic Features in Frost’s “Mending Wall”

………………………………………………………………………….54

CHAPTER V ..................................................................................................... 667

REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 70

APPENDICS ........................................................................................................ 73

\


xii

LIST OF TABLES

No. Table Page

1 Table 1. Alliterations that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 37

2 Table 2. Assonances that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 39

3 Table 3. Consonances that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 42

4 Table 4. Rhymes that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 44

5 Table 5. Contractions that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 46

6 Table 6. Direct Speech that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 47

7 Table 7. Dashes that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 48

8 Table 8. Tenses that are found in the poem “Mending Wall” 49

9 Table 9. Rhetorical devices that are found in the poem “Mending

Wall”

51


xiii

ABSTRACT

ANGGADEWI, KARTIKA NOVA FURYA. (2020). STYLISTIC ANALYSIS

IN ROBERT FROST’S “MENDING WALL”. Yogayakarta: Department of

English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Literary work always has a meaning, especially poem. Through the

meaning, particular issues can be discussed into deeper analysis. Therefore, for that

reason, the researcher focuses on the stylistic analysis in Robert Frost’s poem

entitled “Mending Wall”. Stylistic analysis is used to find out the language features

that exist in the poems and establish the meaning that can be obtained from the

language features.

There are two research problems in this research: What are language

features used in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall” and How are the use of language

features reveal the meaning of the poem. The first problem is answered using

stylistics approach. The poems were analyzed based on four language levels:

phonology, graphology, grammatical, and semantics. The second problem was

answered by connecting the language features with the poem.

The findings in the research are the answers of the research problems. In

phonological level, alliteration, consonance, assonance, and eye-rhyme are used to

highlight important words. In Graphological level, contractions are used to keep the

number of syllables on each line, punctuations: period, coma, semi colon, and colon

are used to separate lines, and apostrophe is used to indicate direct speech. In

grammatical level present tense is used the most to give the feeling of the poem. In

semantic level, metaphor, simile, symbol, and imagery carry the poem’s meaning.

The four language features are link to each other to deliver the meaning of

the poem that is conflict and relationship in human’s life. From the four language

features, semantic features contribute the most in constructing the meaning.

Keywords: stylistic analysis, language features, mending wall


xiv

ABSTRAK

ANGGADEWI, KARTIKA NOVA FURYA. 2020. STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN

ROBERT FROST’S “MENDING WALL. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra

Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Karya sastra selalu memiliki arti, terutama puisi. Melalui karya sastra, isu-

isu-isu tertentu dapat dibahas dengan analisis yang lebih dalam. Karena itu,

penelitian ini berfokus pada analisis stilistika dari puisi milik Robert Frost yang

berjudul “Mending Wall”. Analisis stilistika digunakan untuk mengetahui fitur-fiur

yang ada pada puisi dan menentukan arti yang bisa didapatkan dari fitur bahasa

tersebut.

Terdapat dua permasalahan dalam penelitian ini: apa fitur bahasa yang

digunakan dalam puisi Robert Frost yang berjudul “Mending Wall” dan bagaimana

penggunaan fitur bahasa untuk mengungkapkan makna dari poem tersebut.

Permasalahan pertama dijawab dengan menggunakan pendekatan stilistika. Puisi

tersebut dianalisa berdasarkan empat tingkatan bahasa: fonologi, grafologi,

gramatikal, dan semanik. Permasalahan kedua dijawab dengan menghubungkan

fitur-fitur bahasa tersebut dengan puisinya.

Penemuan-penemuan di penelitian ini adalah jawaban dari permasalahan-

permasalahan di atas. Pada tingkatan fonologi, aliterasi, konsonasi, asonansi, dan

eye-rhyme digunakan untuk menyoroti kata-kata penting. Pada tingkatan grafologi,

singkatan digunakan untuk mempertahankan jumlah suku kata pada setiap baris,

tanda baca: titik, koma, titik koma, dan titik dua digunakan untuk memisahkan

baris, dan tanda kutip digunakan untuk menandai kalimat langsung. Pada tingkatan

gramatikal bentuk waktu masa ini digunakan paling banyak untuk memberikan

perasaan dalam puisi tersebut kepada pembaca. Pada tingkatan semantik, metafora

simile, symbol, dan tamsil membawa makna dari puisi tersebut.

Keempat fitur bahasa tersebut terhubung satu sama lain untuk

menyampaikan makna dari puisi tersebut yakni permasalahan dan hubungan dalam

hidup manusia. Dari keempat fitur bahasa tersebut, semantic fitur berkontribusi

paling banyak dalam membentuk makna puisi tersebut.

Keywords: stylistic analysis, language features, mending wall


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Literary work is self-expression, which deals with words as the root to

create a picture and an idea. According to Moddy, literary works have four

functions, they are 1) to train four language skills; 2) to add knowledge about human

life experience such as customs, religion, culture, and so on. It develops character

buildings to the readers or audience; 3) to develop creation and feeling; 4) to support

character building (1984, p. 5).

Creative writing is one of the genres in literary works. The examples of

creative writing are novels, short stories, and poems. Since creative writing has no

boundaries. Creative writing usually represents the author’s point of view of certain

events, for example, William Blake’s poetry. Blake used to live in the Industrial

Revolution; the Industrial Revolution was a great change in history. However,

Blake felt that Industrial Revolution caused more harm than good. During the

Industrial Revolution, children were forced to work as labors and there was a high

intensity of discrimination happened. Blake expressed his hatred toward the

Industrial Revolution through his book’s “Song of Experience” which bluntly tells

about the harm caused by Industrial Revolution. Literary work also reflects the

author’s experience. A poem entitled “Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos

William is one of the examples. William was a doctor in northern New Jersey. One

of his patients that suffered from serious disease became an inspiration to write the

poem.


2

Studying literary works is necessary to get a better understanding about

the works and give an appreciation to the authors. Literary works can be studied

from its style. Authors have their style of writing to convey particular meaning or

interpretation to the reader. According to Wales, style refers to the perceived

distinctive manner of expression in writing or speaking (2011, p. 397). However,

style in linguistics is how the author or writer way of thinking in assembling the

words in literary works. Style in linguistics explains that the language of poetry has

its characteristics such as it may flout the grammatical rule, it has a particular sound

pattern, and it has unique graphology.

In the literary text, stylistics aims at proving how language style can

construct meanings, so that appreciation of literary works is not merely based on

assumption (Isti'anah, 2017). Therefore, stylistics is applied to analyzed literary

works. According to Widdownson, stylistics is the study of literary discourse from

a linguistic orientation (1975). Addition, stylistics defined as the analysis of

distinctive expression in language and the description of its purpose and effect

(Verdonk, 2002, p. 4). In short, stylistics is the study of style scientifically. It is

added “Style leads to the structure, patterns, and arrangement of words to form

sentences in spoken or written form” (Leech, 1989). In conclusion, stylistics is an

analysis of style linguistically through the structures and words arrangement to find

out its purpose and effect.

In this research, the researcher applies four language features of analysis.

To be specific, this research aims to analyze the phonological level, graphological

level, grammatical level, and semantic level of a poem and the use of those features


3

to reveal the meaning of the poem. The poem observed in the study was written by

Robert Frost entitled “Mending Wall”.

Robert Lee Frost, abbreviated as Robert Frost, was an American poet born

in San Francisco, California on March 26, 1874. He was known for his realistic and

depictions of rural life and his command on American colloquial speech. Frost was

the only poet who received Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry four times. One of his best

works is a poem entitled “Mending Wall”. A blank verse poem that uses

enjambment, incomplete syntax at the end of line. The poem was written in 1914;

it is about two rural neighbors that one spring day meet to walk along the wall that

separates their properties and repair when it need to be repaired. The speaker of the

poem the one who questioning the existence of a wall. However, the neighbors were

conservative and it looks like they do not have time for nonsense. Robert Frost with

his creativity invites the readers to be criticize about the poem because it is not

merely tells about a story, but the poem “Mending Wall” has a deeper meaning

which related into conflict and relationship in human’s life.

Two reasons have motivated the researcher considered the poem of Robert

Frost interesting as the object of study. Firstly, it is because of the essential element

of Frost’s style. Frost holds a distinctive position in handling the stylistic devices.

Abdul Bari and Summara (2014) stylistically analyzed one of the Frost’s poems

“The Onset” and concluded that Frost is unique in using stylistic devices like

imagery, simile, metaphor, hyperbole and sound devices to show the theme of his

poem.


4

The present study will analyze Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” through the

language features to reveal the deeper meaning of the poem. Therefore, this research

uses a specific study as theoretical backgrounds. Stylistic approach is used in this

present study. Stylistics in this research aims to show the language features used in

the poem “Mending Wall” and find out how those features used to reveal the

meaning of the poem.

Problem Formulation

Two problems are discussed in the study. The problems are presented as

the following:

1. What are language features used in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”?

2. How are the use of language features reveal the meaning of the poem?

Objectives of the Study

Two objectives will be analyzed in this research. The first goal is to

describe the language features that are used in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”

poem. There are some stylistic features found in this poem. Those can be seen

through the phonological level, graphological level, grammatical level and semantic

level. The research aims to find out the language features that are found in the poem.

The second goal is to know the use of the language features to reveal the meaning

of the poem “Mending Wall”. The research aims to observe the language features

used by Robert Frost in the poem “Mending Wall” and the usage of the language

features to reveal the meaning of the poem “Mending Wall”.


5

Definition of Terms

This section will clarify the definition of terms that are applied in the

research. The terms are overwhelmed stylistic, language features, and poem. The

first terminology is stylistics. According to Leech and Short, stylistics defined as

the linguistic study of style (2007). Therefore, stylistics can be said as a branch in

linguistics, which study, about style in language text.

The second terminology is language features. Features, as described in

linguistics, is a term used to refer to any typical or noticeable property of spoken or

written language (Crystal, 2008). Therefore, language features can be defined as a

term used to refer the properties in literary work. Stated by Simpson, there are seven

levels of language features that can be studied, those are phonology, graphology,

morphology, syntax/grammar, lexical analysis, semantic, and pragmatics (2004, p.

5). All features in language work together to create specific meaning of a poem. In

short, language features are functioned as ways for authors to deliver the messages

of the literary works they have made.

The third terminology is poem., Poem is a piece of writing in which the

words are chosen for their sound and images they suggest, not just for their obvious

meaning. The words are arranged in separate lines, usually with a repeated rhythm,

and often the lines rhyme at the end (2015, p. 1146). Added, poem is a piece of

poetry communicating to the reader the sense of a complete experience (Webster's

New Collegiate Dictionary , 1981, p. 879). Poem is creative writing. Therefore, it

can be said that a poem is one of the literary works whose role is as the


6

representation of what inside someone’s mind. Poem delivers certain ideas and

messages from the writer to be understood by the reader.


7

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The following sub-chapters cover review of related studies, review of

related theories, and theoretical framework. The review and theoretical are

beneficial to give some basis for the analysis in the subsequent chapters. Previous

studies by other researchers in stylistics are shown in review of related studies to

give the understanding that the present study is beneficial. Review of related

theories will review some theories that are relevant to the study. In the theoretical

framework, it will explain the contribution of the theories and reviews in solving

the problem of the present study.

A. Review of Related Studies

There are five studies from the other researchers that contribute to the

present study. Those studies will help the researchers to develop ideas and give a

better understanding of the topic of the present study.

The first study entitled Stylistic Analysis of the poem “The Onset” by

Robert Frost by Bari Khan, Raffique, and Saddique (2014). There are two analysis

in this study. First, the study aims to analyze the language features in the poem “The

Onset”. Second, it aims to elucidate the theme of the poem through its diction,

imagery and sound devices. The analysis will help to comprehend the basic themes;

those are conflict between good and evil, pessimism and optimism, and life and

death. To analyze the data, the researchers use stylistic approach since stylistics is


8

capable to be applied in literary text. The researcher focuses on analyzing the data

through semantics and phonological. First is the poetic devices; those are

symbolism, imagery, simile, metaphor, and hyperbole. Second is the sound devices;

those are alliteration, consonance, assonance, and rhyme scheme.

The contribution of the study to the present study lies on the analysis in

revealing the deeper meaning of the poem. In semantics level, Frost uses symbols

to represent ideas indirectly. In the poem “night” symbolizes as sadness, “dark

woods” symbolizes the evil and mystery of life, and “snow” symbolizes as death.

Other than imagery is also used in the poem to represent sense of experience

through language. Frost uses two comparison in the poem, simile and metaphor.

Simile is an indirect comparison where metaphor is direct comparison. Last, Frost

uses hyperbole to exaggerate of detail truth. In phonological level, alliteration,

consonance, and assonance are found to give the harmonious in the poem. The

rhyme in the poem consists of different rhyme scheme in each stanza. In conclusion,

the poem “The Onset” is not merely talk about the seasons but it is has deeper

meaning about life and death. The theme of the poem can be foreground through

the diction, symbols, imagery, and metaphors.

This study and the present study both share the similarities, which is the

data and the analysis. Both studies use poem by Robert Frost and analyze the

language features of a poem. However, this study only focus on two language

features that are semantic level and phonological level, meanwhile the present study

discusses the data from four language levels; phonological level, graphological


9

level, grammatical level, and semantic level. Therefore, the present study adds

development to this study.

The second study is entailed Stylistic Analysis of Robert Frost’s Poem

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Hasmi, Asim Mahmood, and Ilyas

Mahmood (2019). The purpose of the study is to find out the style of Robert Frost

poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. The researchers focus on the use

of language features in the poem. Those are phonetic level, phonological level,

graphitic level, grammatical level, and lexical/semantic level.

There are two focuses in this study. The first is to find out the language

features of Robert Frost “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. Second is to

identify how the language features contribute to construct the theme of the poem.

The contribution of this research lies in the analysis. The researcher has analyzed

each word individually based on a phonetic, phonological, graphitic, lexico-

syntactic, and grammatical level. In phonetic, the researchers analyze euphonic,

cacophony, assonance, consonance, alliteration, rhyming scheme, and tone

modulation. In graphitic, the researchers analyzed the writing style of Frost. In

lexico-syntactic, the researchers analyzed the choice of words that are used. In

denotation of poem, the researchers analyze the figure of speech. Last grammatical

level, the researchers focus on the use of part of speech: pronoun, noun, verb, and

adjective.

In result, from phonetic level, Frost uses assonance, consonance,

alliteration in the poem to create a harmonious and pleasant effect. The rhyming

scheme in poem is unique which is aababbcbccdcdddd with each word has two


10

syllables. Tone modulation occurs to catch the attention of readers to focus on the

imagery. In lexico-syntactic the analysis highlights that Frost uses polysemy

(natural layer) to choose the words. Frost also uses Anglo-Saxon vocabulary that

shows the brevity and correctness. Last, Frost shows the cleaver use of antonym

such as lovely-dark and woods-frozen lake. The denotation, Frost uses symbolism

to support the meaning of the poem. Some of the symbols are woods symbolizes as

nature, snow and sleep symbolizes as death, and village symbolizes as society and

civilization. Other than that, Frost uses metaphor and personification. The last

feature is grammatical level, Frost uses first person pronoun many times, which

shows the personal involvement of the author’s life experience. He also uses

pronoun “He” and “His” to show the power of God. Continuously, Frost uses many

nouns to differentiate images and symbols. The verbs in the poem are divided into

four categories; those are mental cognitive verb, behavioral process verb, material

process verb, and verbal process verb. In conclusion, Frost uses combination of

different stylistic devices to make the poem lyrical. The symbols in the poem help

to show atmosphere and environment in the poem are very terrible; it creates sense

of death and despair.

Hasmi’s study and this study share similarities and differences. Both

studies are similar in terms of the data: they analyze poem as their data with the

same author. Both study also analyze the language features of poem. However, the

study of Hasmi tries to know the theme of the poem through the language features.

Meanwhile in present study, the researcher tries to observe the purpose of the


11

language features to reveal the meaning of the poem. Therefore, the studies are

different in terms of the use of language features.

The third study is written by Xenia entitled A Stylistic Analysis of Maya

Angelou’s “Still I Rise” and “Caged Bird” (2015). The researcher focuses on two

objectives. The first is to describe what language features are employed to develop

the themes in the poem “Still I Rise” and “Caged Bird”. The second is to find out

the different language features used in each poem to develop the same theme that

is about Black oppression and survival.

The researcher analyzes four language levels that are phonological level,

graphological level, grammatical level, and lexical level. The contribution of this

study for the present study lies on the analysis. In phonological level, the language

feature can be seen through rhyme and sound pattering (alliteration, assonance, and

consonance). In graphological level, there is inconsistency of numbering lines in

stanzas. In grammatical level, the researcher finds different clauses, parallel

structures, and prepositional phrases in both poems that deliver the theme of black

oppression. In lexical level, both poems have various repeated pronouns, words

choice, metaphors, and similes. In result, the researcher finds out that both poems

use different language features to develop the same theme; black oppression and

survival.

Both Xenia’s study and present study use poem as the data and stylistics

as the approach. The difference lies on the analysis of the poem. Xenia’ study tries

to find out different language features that develop the same theme, while the


12

present study tries to analyze the meaning of poem through the language features.

However, Xenia’s study help the present study in the analysis of language features.

The fourth study is entitled Stylistic Analysis of William Wordsworth’s

Poem: “I Wandered Lonely as a Could” by Hidayati (2015). The research focuses

on language style used by Wiliam Wordsworth. There are two purposes in the

research, first to describe stylistic elements appear in William Wordsworth’s poem:

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”. Second, to explain the foregrounded on syntax

patterns appearing in William Wordsworth’s poem: “I Wandered Lonely as a

Cloud”. The analysis uses the stylistic approach that covers lexico-syntactic

patterns, figurative language, phonology, graphology, morphology, and

foregrounded on syntax patterns appear in the poem.

The analysis of graphology can be seen through the capitalization in the

twenty-four lines. It is a reflection of versification which was salient to poetry in

the earliest form. In the phonological features, it is concluded that William uses

rhyme to make the poem pattering which is ababcc. The rhyme uses a one-syllable

word. In morphology, William uses Affixes in some words. From the lexico-

syntactic, it is found that the poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Could” mostly uses

noun. Hyperbole, symbolism, personification, simile, repetition, metaphor, and

antithesis are found as the figurative language. In the foregrounded on syntax, it is

found that William likes to use a noun related to nature and human to convey the

meaning of the poem to the readers.

The benefit of this study for the present study lies on the analysis. This

study works on the same field with the present study that is stylistics. The different


13

of this study and the present study is the second problem formulation. Hidayati’s

study tries to explain the syntax patterning in the poem, while the present study tries

to reveal the meaning of the poem from the stylistic features that are used.

B. Review of Related Theories

This part will introduce the theories that are necessarily applied throughout

this study, which are stylistics, phonology, graphology, grammar, and semantic.

1. Stylistics

Stylistics is a literary discourse from a linguistic alignment. According to

Widdownson, stylistics is the study of literary discourse from a linguistic

orientation (1975). Added, stylistics is the analysis of distinctive expression in

language and the description of its purpose and effect (Verdonk, 2002). Therefore,

it can be concluded that stylistics is the study of literary discourse in language and

its purposes linguistically.

There are many language levels that can be observed in stylistics,

especially poems. A poet makes his/her style in writing poems to distinguish

him/her from other poets. The style can be seen through the diction, word patterns,

punctuations, the use of figurative language, and so on. Style also function as a

bridge to convey a particular meaning to the reader. Style applied with a specific

purpose. For example, a poet wants to deliver the hidden meaning of some words

or lines in the poem which can give a new meaning of the whole poem compare to

the explicit one, he or she can use the semantic features by using figurative

language. Applying stylistic features in literary works gives certain interpretation


14

and effect to the readers when they read the text. Stylistics is applicable in both

literary and non-literary texts. Therefore, it is always possible to analyze style in

language.

According to Simpson’s language level theory (2004), there are four levels

of language features that can be applied stylistic study. Those are phonological

level, graphological level, grammatical level, and semantic level. Phonology is the

sound of spoken language; the way words are pronounced. Graphology is the

pattern of writing language. Grammar is the way words are combined with others

to form phrases and sentences. Semantics is the meaning of words and sentences.

2. Phonological Level

Phonology is the study of the sound system. Simpson defines phonology

as encompassing the meaning potential of the sounds of spoken language (2004, p.

6). In written text, the formation of the word creates particular sound depends on

which part one sounds link to others. In the poem, words create a sound pattern

which has meaning. The sound pattern can be found in forms of alliteration,

assonance, consonance, and rhymes that are studied in the phonological level.

a. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

in the same line of poetry (Hashmi, 2019). According to Bradford, alliteration is the

repetition of the cluster of similar consonant sounds within individual lines and

across sequences of lines (2005 , p. 16). It can be concluded that alliteration occurs

when the same initial sounds repeated in the same line in the stanza of the poem.


15

Alliteration uses to emphasize particular feelings, to mirror the ideas or feeling that

is described, and to enhance the beauty of writing. The example of alliteration in

the poem can be seen in Robert Frost’s “Birches”, “As the stir cracks and crazes

their enamel”. In that line, the sound /cr/ are repeated. The sounds /cr/ similar to the

sound of ice breaking and trees which knocking against each other. In that, Frost

tries to present the feeling of nature not only through written but in spoken.

b. Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of the vowel sound. According to Bradford,

assonance is the repetition of clusters of similar vowel within individual lines and

across sequences of line (Bradford, Stylistics , 2005 , p. 16). Assonance occurs

when the vowel sound is repeated in the line of the poem in the stanza. The example

of assonance is the poem “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth.

“A host, of golden daffodils”

The vowel sound /o/ repeated three times in the line.

c. Consonance

Consonance and alliteration are similar. In the alliteration, the initial

consonant sound is repeated. Meanwhile, consonance is repetition in the middle and

end. According to Cuddon, consonance is the close repetition of identical consonant

sounds after different vowel (2013, p. 153). The example of consonance in the poem

is “Poem 315” by Emily Dickson,

“Your brain to bubble cool,

Deals one imperial thunderbolt,”

The consonant sound /l/ is repeated to create a sense of atmosphere in the poem.


16

d. Rhyme

According to Wales, rhyme is a kind of phonetic echo found in verse:

more precisely, a phonemic matching (2011). Rhyme is the repetition of similar

sounds in the same stanza. The poets make the rhyme in the poem intentionally to

deliver particular his/her message or to give an aesthetic touch in the poem. Seven

rhymes will be used in the present study. Those are eye-rhyme, masculine rhyme,

feminine rhyme, slant rhyme, para rhyme, end rhyme, and internal rhyme.

1) Masculine rhyme

Masculine rhyme is typically monosyllabic content word (Wales, 2011). It

is stressed or ‘strong’ rhyme. Masculine rhyme used in the traditional prosody since

the end of the sixteenth century.

E.g.

Stand the church clock at ten to three?

And is there honey still for tea?

2) Feminine rhyme

Feminine rhymes are multi-syllabic, involving unstressed ending.

(Wales, 2011, p. 156).

/ x

E.g. Little Jack Horner

/ x

Sat in a corner


17

3) Slant rhyme

Slant rhyme is a repetition in both initial and final consonants.

E.g. /bend/ and /band/

4) Pararhyme

Pararhyme or half-rhyme is used by some to refer to rhyming words when

the final consonants sound is the same.

E.g. /ill/ and /shell/

5) Internal rhyme

Internal rhyme is a rhyme which occurs within a single verse-line. The

example is taken from the first line of Shelly’s ‘The Cloud.

E.g. I bring fresh /showers/ for the thirsting /flowers/

6) End rhyme

End rhyme is the most common rhyme in English. According to Wales,

end rhyme is two units matched by identical sequences of sound stretching from the

vowel (usually stressed) to the end of the word, with the initial sound varied.

E.g. /rose/ and /toes/

7) Eye rhyme

Eye rhyme is the rhyme where it has identical spellings but different

pronunciations.

E.g. /bough/ and /cough/


18

3. Graphological Level

According to Gomez, Graphology is a linguistic level of analysis that

comprises the study of graphic aspects of language (2015). Graphology deals with

the analysis of physical characteristics and pattern of handwriting to identify the

writer. Graphology in language text covers punctuation. The language text with

intentional graphology can have more meaning and effect on the reader. Moreover,

literary works especially poem has no boundaries. The writer has the freedom to

make a poem by specifying graphology to create an effect of a particular

interpretation.

a. Punctuation

According to Calhoun, punctuation considers as one of the non-verbal

tools of poetic expression available to the poet (Calhoun, 2015). Punctuation also

functions to give certain meaning in the language text.

1) Period (.)

Period or full stop is punctuation that is used to close a sentence and placed

at the end of it.

2) Comma (,)

Comma is used to make sentences-particularly longer sentences-easier to

read.

3) Apostrophe (‘)

An apostrophe refers to mark possession and indicate omission of letters

(Ahmed & Irshad, 2015).


19

4) Dash (-)

Dash is used to mark a big break, or interruption, in a sentence.

5) Semicolon (;)

This punctuation used when the sentence is alike or belong together.

Unlike comma, a semicolon can go between two sentences.

6) Colon (:)

A colon is used before giving an example-or examples-of something.

4. Grammatical Level

Grammatical concerns with the structure of the sentences. As stated by

Fromkin, “If sequence of words forming a sentence is consistent with the rules of

the grammar, the sentence is grammatical” (2000, p. 90). In English language, tense

is one of the most important elements in grammatical. Tense indicates the time of

particular action. Several noticeable tenses are shown in the poem “Mending Wall”

by Robert Frost. The researcher analyzes the various tenses to see the relation

between tenses and the meaning of the poem. The tense will be analyzing line per

line. The tenses that will be analyzing are present tense (simple present tense and

present perfect tense), past tense (simple past tense and past progressive tense).

a. Simple Present Tense

According to Yule present tense is the most basic sentence, it is associated

with the ‘actual habitual’ at present tense and illustrated with an expression of time

(1998). Simple present tense in general expresses facts (general truth), habitual


20

events, and events that exist. Since simple present tense deals with the event in the

present usually will use time adjunct and frequency adjunct such as now, today,

often, always, sometimes and so on. The example of simple present tense is “I eat

breakfast every morning” (habitual), “The sun rises in the east” (general truth).

b. Present Perfect Tense

According to Eastwood, present perfect is used when the speaker tells

about the past and the present, for actions in the period leading up to the present

(1994). Present perfect tenses are used to express the idea that a certain event

happens before another event occurs. Present perfect indicated with the auxiliary

‘have’ followed by past participle. The example of present perfect tense is “She has

stayed in Jogja since 2005”, this sentence means that the subject ‘she’ already

stayed in Jogja from 2005 and until now she still staying in Jogja.

c. Past Tense

Stated by Yule, past tense is used to talk about the actions in past time,

denoting completed action in the past (1998). There two types of past tense that will

be analyzed in this study. First is simple past tense. Simple past tense is used to

express events that started in the past and ended in the past. Simple past tense

indicated with the use of verb two and the adjunct of time such as yesterday, last

week, last year, and so on. The example of past tense is “Students of Sanata Dharma

University went to Jakarta last week”, this sentence means that the trip of students

of Sanata Dharma University to Jakarta happened in past (last week) and ended in

the past too. Second is past progressive tense. Past progressive tense is used to

express the idea that a certain event is still in progress during a particular time (past


21

time). The example is “Kiko was studying grammar when I called him”, this

sentence means that Kiko started studying grammar before I called him, by the time

I called he was still studying grammar.

5. Semantic Level

According to Simpson, semantics level is the meaning of words and

sentences (2004, p. 5). Wales added that semantic specifically the study of linguistic

meaning of words and sentences, it has much influenced by philosophy and logic

in its history (2011, p. 379). There are four types of semantics that are mentioned

by Wales, those are lexical semantics, sentence semantics, narrative semantics, and

literary semantics (2011, p. 380). Lexical semantics study the different sense

relations of words such as synonym, hyponym, and figurative language. Sentence

semantics study the meanings that take place between parts of the sentences in term

or roles, for example agent and patient. In narrative semantics, it concerns about the

discussion of topics such as possible words that occur in a text. Narrative semantics

is influenced by some kind of philosophy. Last is literary semantics, literary

semantics serves psychological, philosophical or general theoretical approach to the

dynamics of literary text. The present study analyzes the lexical semantics, which

is figurative language. As mentioned before, Robert Frost was famous with his

uniqueness in using stylistic features like metaphor, simile, and symbol; therefore,

the present study applies figurative language. The figurative language that are used

in this study is metaphor, simile, symbol, and imagery.


22

a. Metaphor

The word metaphor came from Greek which means ‘carry-over’ (Wales,

2011, p. 265). Metaphor is the comparison of two different things. Metaphor can be

defined as direct comparison. One of the examples of simile can be found in the

poem “The Sun Rising” by John Donne,

“She is all states, and all prince, I.

Nothing else is.

Prince do but play us; compared to this,

All honor’s mimic, all wealth alchemy.

In the example above, it can be explained that Donne tells that his lover is like

every country in the world. Their love is too strong that they are the world and else

is fake.

b. Simile

Simile comes from Latin word “similis”. According to Wales, simile is a

figure of speech whereby two concepts are imaginatively and descriptively

compared (2011, p. 383). Simile can be said as indirect comparison because it uses

the word “like” and “as”. An example of simile can be found in the poem “A Red,

Red Rose” by Robert Burns:

O my Luve is like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;

O my Luve is like the melody

That’s sweetly played in tune.


23

From the stanza above it can be seen that Burns compares his lover to a read rose

and melody. In literature red rose symbolizes as beauty and love. Here, Burns

wants to emphasis that his lover is a beauty that he truly loves. He also compares

his lover as melody, melody can be described as harmony. Burns tries to express

that his lover is a melody that makes his life perfect.

c. Symbolism

From Greek “token”, a symbol is a sign, whether visual or verbal, which

stands for something else within a speech community. Different domains may

evolve special sets of symbol/ symbolism. Literature, for instance, draws general

symbols (spring as a symbol of life and birth, winter as the symbol of death, etc.),

also literary “symbols”, a popular field of study in literary criticism (Wales, 2011,

p. 408). Symbol indirectly represents ideas; the meaning is not conveyed directly.

Additional, literary symbols may be a part of our culture such as rose symbolizes

beauty and love. Other than that a symbol can be idiolect that means created by an

individual writer, the symbolism of William Blake as W.B for example. Symbolism

in the literature shows the competence of our interpretations and contexts of the

literary works. The example of symbolism in the poem can be seen from Emily

Dickinson’s poem “A Light Exist in Spring”,

A light exists in a spring

not present on the year

at any other period-

when March is scarcely here..

In the poem above, Dickinson chooses ‘a light’ to symbolize happiness and hope.


24

d. Imagery

Originally, image had a visual meaning, still common in Semiotic of a

physical imitation of an object as in sculpture, painting, and masque. In film, it

refers to a single shot in an edited sequence (Wales, 2011, p. 215). Literary images

in both prose and poetry are not simply to decorate but to deliver, for example, to

reinforce themes, settings, or characterizations. The example of imagery can be

seen from Robert Frost’s “My November Guest”,

“My sorrow when she is here with me,

Thinks these dark days of autumn rain

Are beautiful as days can be;

She loves the bare, the withered tree;

She walked the sodden pasture lane.”

In the poem above, Frost uses the word ‘dark’ as the imagery, which represents the

bad or worst days of autumn rain. The word ‘dark’ is not merely to beautify but to

reinforce the ideas of how bad the situation described in the poem “My November

Guest”.

C. Review of Related Background

The last study is Analysis on Nature in Robert Frost’s Poetry by Yuanli

Zhang (2017). The contribution of this study lies on the analysis. This study helps

to support the present study’s research background as it mentions that Robert

Frost’s unique ways in applying distinctive features and his habit in using nature

and human in his works.


25

The analysis focuses on the distinctive features used by Frost and his view

on nature. The researcher will use this research to help answering the first and

second research questions. Frost owns special feeling and sympathy towards nature.

The first analysis is Robert Frost and His View of Nature. The following

subsequence is Robert Frost Nature’s Poetry. Robert Frost was renowned modern

American poet of nature and rural life. Most of his poems are about natural

elements, he was really interested in natural things since he found beauty in

common things. However, his poems are not merely the understanding of natural

world, his poem concerns with human psychological. Frost once said “some people

call me poet for nature because of the natural setting. But I am not a poet for nature,

there is also something else in my poems” (1976).

Robert Frost uses nature to illustrate human’s psychology struggles in

everyday life. His poems mostly start with the observation of nature then proceed

to the connection of human’s condition such as loneliness, helplessness, confusion,

and indifferent human’s relationship. Even though Frost uses nature the typical

pastoral life is not the main theme of his poem, instead he concentrates on the

dramatic conflict in natural world which involve human, such as the confusion and

dilemma in the poem “Mending Wall” and the danger of nature as in “Exposed

Nest”. Nature in his poems is employed as a metaphor. He describes the natural

world which leads the reader to the comparison. Frost makes an analogy to some

human conditions through nature. Though, he never forces his ideas on the reader,

however he hopes the reader able to get the close ideas as him.


26

The second subsequence is Robert Frost View’s on Nature. In this chapter

the researcher mentions Wordsworth and Emerson which have the same interested

with Frost. All of them were well-known as the poets of nature, Wordsworth is a

pantheist who believes that God exists everywhere in nature. According to him,

nature is in harmony with mankind, nature and man are in the spiritual union.

Whereas, Emerson mentions his view on nature in his essay named “Nature”, he

believes in the immanence of God in nature. Nature in Emerson’s eyes is the symbol

of spirit. In many poems of Frost, it is known that he shares the same keen interest

with Words Worth and Emerson. However, Frost’s perception of nature is more

complicated than them.

The third subsequence is The Bright Side of Nature. In Frost poetry there

exist the bright side of nature. Trees, grass, and animals can be described with full

of affection. The reader can truly feel his affection to nature’s beauty and grace. “A

Winter Eden” is an example of nature’s beauty. The poem is about the place of

winter in the cycle of the season. Frost symbolizes winter as the point in cycle of

life that marks the transition to rebirth. Contrary to the popular belief in winter as

cold, death, and bleakness. Here, Frost shows a beautiful, delight, and lively scene.

The fourth subsequence is The Dark Side of Nature. Lionel Trilling, an

American literary critic defined Frost as a “terrifying poet” who depicted “terrifying

universe”. Trilling speech once made many critics re-examined Frost’s poetry

which people thought to be bright and optimistic. In fact, the poetry contains of

“dark” quality. The “dark” quality brings about the dark side of nature in his poetry.

As in the poem “Into My Own”, the first poem in his first book entitled “A Boy’s


27

Will”. Darkness usually correlates with mystery, ill, and omen. Here, the poem

shows the poet as the stands by the edge of woods, listening to the song of unknown

birds. The song of birds is fascinating, but it lures the poet to step in the dark woods.

But he resists and keep himself away from the woods in their darkness. It shows

that nature in Frost’s poetry is dual-character, namely bright and dark. It can be a

friend of a man, but It can also be enemy who is generous one from time to time.

Second analysis is Nature as Source of Human Wisdom. The following

subsequence is Close Relation Between Man and Nature. We cannot live without

nature, therefore; man and nature are related. In a sense, human being has the same

responsibility as other creatures, we are governed by the same rule in nature. Frost

makes nature as a medium, describes nature in all beauty, loveless, and even

meanness. However, the journey of poem ultimately ends in the problem of man

and solution in this problem through human psychology. The process of finding

solution is important as their living. Since they think intensively and extensively,

thinking becomes an infinite process. The more they think, the more they learn until

learning feels like an endless process. Therefore, so long as man thinking, he will

think forever. The poetry of Frost will live to expose the relationship of man and

nature.

The second subsequence is Symbolic Quality of Nature. Symbolism is the

use of one object or action (a symbol) to represent or suggest something else. It is

a prevalent use for poets to express their ideas through indirect statements, thus

invest the object with an implied meaning (Nordquist, 2016). A poem may have a

surface meaning, but it can also have a deeper meaning which is understood by the


28

reader only by interpreting the significance of words and phrases in the poem.

“After Apple Picking” is the example of symbolic poem. The poem tells about how

the speaker feeling tired after harvest a big amount of apples from his orchard tree.

The act of harvesting is the symbol for daily work in life. Continuously, the poem

also mentions about winter. The speaker aware of the coming winter after the

harvesting autumn. In literal level, it could be interpreted as natural circle of season.

However, from deeper meaning the word “winter” symbols as death. The speaker

knows the fact that he is getting old and death is a natural ending for him. Frost’s

poetic symbols is simple, but the meaning he expressed is significant, which can

only be achieved through symbolic reading.

The third subsequence is “From Delight to Wisdom”: Nature’s Inspiration

to Frost. It is well known that Robert Frost, in a foreword to his Collected Poems

(1939), wrote: a poem “begins in delight and ends in wisdom.” In the poem the

word “delight” does not mean as joy, but it means as the wonder at some unexpected

sight. In the end of the poem Frost puts “wisdom”, which is an insight into human

situation. Nature, to frost is an inspiration.

Third analysis is The Implications of Robert Frost’s View on Nature.

People love Robert Frost’s poems because they can always learn something about

life by reading them. Specifically, the implications of Robert Frost’s view on nature

can be shown from the reading of his poems. The following subsequence is

Dialectical Mind to View Nature. To hold a dialectical mind to view nature, we

must enumerate both sides. The fact, there is no clear dividing line for good and

evil in nature. The thinking of mind to view nature is one of dialectic. Frost can


29

enjoy the beauty of nature; however, he is always aware of the nature’s terror. To

treat nature in a proper way we should hold a dialectal mind.

The last subsequence is Nature as A Book. Nature should be read as a

book, nature as a book, is accessible to everyone, but it is not always an easy book

for us. The meaning is never bluntly stated but implied. Besides, it is dynamic and

uncertain. To be a good reader we have to observe and analyze the book. Frost

makes a good example in this aspect. He is a remarkable reader of nature who reads,

thinks, and always learns. What’s more, he is always trying to share what he has

learned. He expresses it through his poetry. Frost expects us to see what he has seen,

and learn what he has learned.

D. Theoretical Framework

Several theories have been reviewed previously as the theories that will

help the researcher to solve the problem formulations. Stylistics is the approach of

the present study; therefore, stylistics theories are used to support the researcher in

revealing the language features in the poem “Mending Wall”. Continuously,

language features it would be used to reveal the meaning of the poem.

There are four levels of language features that will be analyzed: those are

phonological level, graphological level, grammatical level, and semantic level. In

phonological level, the researcher uses the theories to find out the sound patterns

which exist in the poem such as rhyme, assonance, consonance, alliteration. In

graphological, the theories cover the punctuation. In grammatical level, the tenses

in the poem become the data of the theories; those are simple present tense, present


30

perfect tense, past tense, and past progressive tense. In the semantic level, the

researcher uses rhetorical devices that exist in the poem, such as metaphor, simile

imagery, and symbolism to support the writer in revealing the meaning of the poem.

Those are the theories that will help the researcher to find out the language features

in this research. The researcher uses language features that exist in the poem

“Mending Wall” to answer the second problem, which is to reveal the meaning of

the poem “Mending Wall”.


31

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter is divided into three sections. They are the object of the study,

approach of the study and method of the study. Object of the study is poem which

are analyzed through the language features. Approach of the study explains the

kind of approach that is used in the present study to analyze the language features.

Method of the study shows how the researcher’s ways of collecting and analyzing

the data.

A. Object of the Study

The object of this present study is one of the well-known poems by Robert

Frost entitled “Mending Wall”. The poem was taken from the book entitled North

of Boston. North of Boston was a collection of seventeen poems, included the two

well-known poems, “Mending Wall” and “After-Apple Picking”. The book was

published in 1914 by a publisher named David Nutt. The poem “Mending Wall” is

not structured in stanzas; it is a simple forty-five line of the first-person narrative.

The poem “Mending Wall” is about two neighbors that meet every spring

day to repair the wall, which separates their properties. However, the speaker of

this poem thinks that there is no sense of keeping the wall. Meanwhile, the neighbor

thinks that the wall makes a good neighborhood. The neighbor seems to be a

conservative person; it makes the situation complicated because the speaker of this

poem is more open-minded. Robert Frost with his creativity persuades the readers

to be criticize about the poem because it is not merely tells about a story of two


32

neighbors, but the poem “Mending Wall” has specific meaning that related into

conflict and relationship in human’s life.

B. Approach of the Study

The approach that the researcher uses in the present study is stylistic

approach since the present study concerns about the stylistic analysis in the poem

of Robert Frost entitled “Mending Wall”. Leech and Short state that stylistics is

the linguistic study of style (1981, p. 13). Added, Bradford says that stylistics is

“an elusive and slippery topic every contribution to the vast, multifaceted discipline

of literary studies will involve an engagement with style” (1997). Thus, it can be

said that literary studies bluntly connected with style, as style exists in every literary

works. Since the present study analyzes the linguistic features in literary work that

is a poem by Robert Frost entitled “Mending Wall”, therefore it is acceptable to use

stylistic as the approach of the study.

Stylistic approach in the present study acted as the principle to analyze the

literary text, which is a poem. The poem contains the linguistic elements those are

phonology, graphology, grammar, and semantic. The linguistic elements would be

revealed through each language level in stylistics. After discovering the linguistic

elements, the researcher defines the use of linguistic elements to reveal the meaning

of the poem.


33

C. Method of the Study

1. Data Collection

The object analyzed in this study was literary work, which was a poem by

Robert Frost entitled “Mending Wall”. Furthermore, this study aimed to analyze

the poem with stylistic approach and find out the usage of stylistics in contracting

the meaning of the poem. The researcher did several phases to collect the data are

displayed below.

Firstly, the researcher came to choose literary works as the data. The

researcher decided to pick a poem by Robert Frost. This decision supported by the

fact that Robert Frost was one of the influential figures in literature. Robert Frost’s

poems have been analyzed in various studies. In this study, the researcher used

population as the type of data collection since the study analyzed stylistic features

from a poem.

Secondly, after deciding to analyze Robert Frost’s poem, the researcher

limited the scope of the study. Robert Frost was famous for his works related to

human’s life and nature. Therefore, the researcher decided to analyze the poem,

which contained the message for human’s life. The researcher has read some of

Frost’s works related to human and nature. Then, researcher came to a decision to

choose a poem entitled “Mending Wall”. This poem tells about the arbitrary

separations that humans create between themselves. The poem “Mending Wall” is

linguistically unique poem because it does not separate by stanzas; it was a long

poem with 45 lines. After that, the researcher collected the data that is a poem

entitled “Mending Wall” from website poets.org.


34

Thirdly, the researcher selected the language features that would be

analyzed. The researcher analyzed the poem “Mending Wall” through each line.

The researcher had determined to analyze the poem “Mending Wall” in four levels;

those are phonological level, graphological level, grammatical level, and semantics

level. After that, the researcher elected the features from each level. In phonological

level, the researcher analyzed alliteration, assonance, and consonance. In

graphological level, the researcher analyzed the punctuation. In grammatical level,

the researcher analyzed the tenses occurred in the poem. In semantics level, the

researcher analyzed the figurative language.

2. Data Analysis

To analyze the data that had been shown, several phases must be done.

The analysis of this data related to the language features that covered in four levels:

phonological level, graphological level, grammatical level, and semantics level.

Those language levels were analyzed to answer the two problem formulations in

present study.

First, the researcher analyzed the language features in the data by

elaborating the four levels. In the phonological level, the researcher analyzed

alliteration, consonance, assonance, and rhyme because the poem “Mending Wall”

is a long lines poem and does not separate by stanzas. Therefore, the researcher

wanted to know whether a long lines poem has sound rhyming like poems that have

stanzas.

In alliteration, the researcher paid attention to the repetition of initial

consonant sounds per line. Consonance is the opposite of alliteration, which is the


35

repetition of the final consonant. Meanwhile, assonance is the repetition of a vowel.

In rhyme, the researcher paid attention to several types of rhyme which occurred in

the poem.

After that, graphological level was observed, the researcher focused on the

punctuations since poem “Mending Wall” uses many punctuations such as dash and

apostrophe. After that grammatical level, the grammatical level was observed by

looking at the tenses that were used in the poem. The tenses marked different kind

of timeline that could give a particular meaning of the poem. The last is semantic

level, the researcher found several rhetorical devices in poem that constructed the


Secondly, after finishing the analysis of the language features in the poem

“Mending Wall “, the researcher figured out the meaning of the poem by connecting

the sentences and the language features that were used in the poem. Moreover, to

able to answer the second problem formulation, the researcher had obtained the

result of the first problem formulation. The researcher analyzed the language

features in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall” to reveal the meaning of the poem. The

meaning of the poem was obtained after analyzing the language features.


36

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DISSCUSIONS

In this chapter, the researcher explains the analysis and discussion of the

poem “Mending Wall”. The first analysis is the language features of the poem

“Mending Wall”. The second analysis is how the language features used to figure

out the meaning of the poem.

A. Language Features in Poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost

This part answers the stylistic features used by Frost in the poem “Mending

Wall”. The language features are analyzed based on theory of Simpson that has

been introduced in the previous chapter. The features are analyzed from

phonological level, graphological level, grammatical level, and semantic level.

1. Phonological Level

Poem is constructed from words; the words are arranged specifically to

create a continuity between one word to another. In poem, the analysis of stylistic

features can be seen through the phonological level. As previously discussed,

phonology is the study of sound system. There are two sound features in

phonological level which are segmental and suprasegmental sound features.

Segmental features consist of alliteration, consonance, and assonance, while

suprasegmental features consist of rhyme and meter. In this present study, the

researcher only analyze the rhyme.


37

a. Segmental Sound Features

In the poem “Mending Wall” by Frost, the researcher finds alliteration,

consonance, and assonance. Therefore, those sound features are analyzed, the

analysis of the sound features helps the researcher to find the author’s purpose. The

analysis is presented in the following.

Firstly, the researcher analyses the alliteration in the poem. Alliteration is

the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in the same line of

poetry (Mahmood, 2019). Added, according to Bradford, alliteration is the

repetition of cluster of similar consonant sounds within individual lines and across

sequences of line (2005 , p. 16). They are called cluster because each of the sounds

in a cluster can be heared. In conclusion, alliteration occurs when the same initial

sound repeated in the same line of stanza of the poem. Alliteration that are found in

the poem are displayed below.

Table 1. Alliterations in the poem “Mending Wall”

No Alliteration Frequency Example

1 /ð/ 11 Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

(Line 1)

2 /h/ 7 He said it for himself. I see him there

(Line 38)

3 /w/ 7 And on a day we meet to walk the line

(Line 13)

4 /s/ 6 And spills the upper boulders in the sun;

(Line 3)

5 /t/ 3 We have to use a spell to make them balance:

(Line 18)

6 /m/ 3 Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder

(Line 28)

7 /b/ 2 Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

(Line 39)


38

Table 2. Alliterations in the poem “Mending Wall”

8 /ɡ/ 2 He only says, ‘Good fences make good

neighbors.’ (Line 27)

9 /n/ 2 I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;

(Line 12)

10 /k/ 1 Where there are cows? But here there are no

cows

(Line 31)

In the poem “Mending Wall”, the researcher finds that there are ten

alliterations occur. The consonants that undergo alliteration are /ð/, /h/, /s/, /w/, /t/,

/g/, /m/, /b/, /k/, and /n/. Alliteration /ð/ is the most frequent one, it occurs 11 times.

The phonetic features of alliteration /ð/ are interdental voiced fricative. The

example of alliteration /ð/ can be seen through the words “there” and “that” in the

first line. The second alliteration is /h/ it occurs 7 times. The phonetic features of

alliteration /h/ are glottal voiceless fricative. The example of alliteration /h/ can be

seen through the words “he”, “himself”, and “him” in the line 38. The third

alliteration is /w/, same with /h/ it occurs 7 times. The phonetic features of

alliteration /w/ are bilabial /velar voiced glide. The example of alliteration /w/ can

be seen through the words “we” and “walk” in the line 1.

The fourth alliteration is /s/, it occurs 6 times. The phonetic features of

alliteration /s/ are alveolar voiceless fricative. The example of alliteration can be

seen in the line 3 from the words “spills” and “sun. The fifth alliteration is /t/, it

occurs 3 times. The phonetic features of alliteration /t/ are alveolar voiceless stop

(oral). The example of alliteration /t/ can be seen from the word “to” which is

repeated two times in the line 18. The sixth alliteration is /m/, it occurs 3 times.


39

Line 28 is the example of alliteration /m/, it can be seen from the words “mischief”

and “me”. The phonetic features of alliteration /m/ are bilabial voiced nasal.

The seventh alliteration is /b/, it occurs 2 times. The example can be seen

in the line 39 from the words “bringing” and “by”. The phonetic features of

alliteration /b/ are bilabial voiced stop (oral). The eight alliteration is /ɡ/, it occurs

2 times. The phonetic features of /ɡ/ are velar voiced stop (oral). The example is in

the line 27 from the word “good” which is repeated two times. The ninth alliteration

is /n/, it occurs 2 times. The example can be seen through the words “neighbor” and

“know” in line 12. The phonetic features of alliteration /n/ are alveolar voiced nasal.

Finally, the last alliteration is /k/, it occurs once in line 31, it can be seen through

the word “cow” which is repeated two times. The phonetic features of alliteration

/k. are velar voiceless stop (oral).

Besides Alliteration, the researcher finds assonance in the poem “Mending

Wall”. According to Bradford, assonance is the repetition of clusters of similar

vowel within individual lines and across sequences of line (Stylistics , 2005 , p. 16).

In conclusion, assonance is the repetition of vowel in the same line of a poem. The

assonances that are found in the poem are shown below.

Table 3. Assonances in the poem “Mending Wall”

No Assonance Frequency Example

1 /ɪ/ 23 We wear our fingers rough with handling them.

(Line 20)

2 /ə/ 22 That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

(Line 2)

3 /ɛ/ 13 No one has seen them made or heard them

made,

(Line 10)

4 /ʌ/ 10 And some are loaves and some so nearly balls

(Line 17)


40

Table 4. Assonances in the poem “Mending Wall”

5 /æ/ 8 We have to use a spell to make them balance:

(Line 18)

6 /i/ 7 He said it for himself. I see him there

(Line38)

7 /ʊ/ 4 He only said, ‘Good fences make good


8 /u/ 4 He moves in darkness as it seems to me,

(Line 41)

9 /ɑ/ 3 Where they have left not one stone on a stone,

(Line 7)

10 /ɔ/ 3 He is all pine and I am apple orchard.

(Line 24)

In the poem “Mending Wall”, assonance /ɪ/ is the dominant one. The

phonetic features of assonance /ɪ/ are front high. It occurs 23 times, an example can

be seen from the words “fingers”, “with”, and “handling” in the line 20. Those

words have assonance /ɪ/ in the beginning, middle, and end. Second assonance is

the sound /ə/, it occurs 24 times. The phonetic features of assonance /ə/ are central

mid. One of the examples is line 2. It can be seen from the words “the”, “frozen”,

and “under”. Those words have assonance /ə/ in the beginning.

Third assonance is /ɛ/, which occurs 13 times. The phonetic features of

assonance /ɛ/ are front mid vowel. An example can be seen from the word “them”

which is repeated 2 times in the line 10. The words “them” have assonance /ɛ/ in

the middle. Fourth assonance is /ʌ/, it occurs 10 times. The phonetic features of

assonance /ʌ/ are central mid vowel. An example can be seen from the word “some”

which is repeated two times in line 17. The words “some” have assonance /ʌ/ in the

beginning.


41

Fifth assonance is /æ/, it occurs 8 times. The phonetic features of

assonance /æ/ are front low. An examples can be seen from the words “have” and

“balance in line 18. Those words have assonance /æ/ in the beginning. The sixth

assonance is /i/, it occurs 7 times. The phonetic features of assonance /i/ are front

high. One of the examples is words “he” and “see” from line 38. Those words have

assonance /i/ in the end.

Seventh assonance is /ʊ/, it occurs 4 times. The phonetic features of

assonance /ʊ/ are round back high. An example can be seen from the words “would”

and “out” in the line 8. Those words have assonance /ʊ/ in the middle. Eighth

assonance is /u/, it occurs 4 times. The phonetic features of assonance /ʊ/ are

rounded back high. One of the examples can be seen from the words “move” and

“to” in line 41. Those words have assonance /ʊ/ in the beginning and end.

Ninth assonance is /ɑ/, it occurs 3 times. The phonetic features of

assonance /ɑ/ are unrounded back low. One example is line 7, it can be seen from

the words “not” and “on”. Those words have assonance /ɑ/ in the middle and

beginning.

Last assonance is /ɔ/, it occurs 3 times. The phonetic features of assonance

/ɔ/ are rounded back middle. One of the examples is line 24, it can be seen from the

words “all” and “orchard”. Those words have assonance /ɔ/ in the beginning.

The last segmental features that is analyzed in the poem “Mending Wall”

is consonance. According to Cuddon, consonance is the close repetition of identical

consonant sounds after different vowel (2013, p. 153). Unlike alliteration,


42

consonance appears not only in the initial but also middle and end. The consonances

in the poem “Mending Wall” are presented below.

Table 5. Consonances in the poem “Mending Wall”

1 /n/ 22 That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

(Line 2)

2 /t/ 16 Where they have left not one stone on a stone,

(Line 7)

3 /z/ 16 He says again good, ‘Good fences make good


4 /d/ 15 But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,

(Line 8)

5 /r/ 15 We wear our fingers rough with handling

them. (Line 20)

6 /l/ 11 And some are loaves and some so nearly

balls

(Line 17)

7 /m/ 6 He said it for himself. I see him there.

(Line 38)

8 /s/ 4 And makes gaps even two can pass abreast

(Line 4)

9 /p/ 3 Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

(Line 39)

10 /ŋ/ 3 We wear our fingers rough with handling

them. (Line 20)

11 /v/ 3 Not of woods only and the shade of trees.

(Line 42)

12 /ʧ/ 1 To each the boulders that have fallen to each

(Line 16)

In the poem “Mending Wall” consonance /n/ occurs the most, it occurs 22

times. The example can be seen from line 2, consonance /n/ occurs in the middle

and end in the words “sends”, “frozen-ground”, and “under”. The phonetic feature

of consonance /n/ are alveolar nasal voiced. Second consonance is /t/, it occurs 16

times. The example can be seen from line 7, consonance /t/ occurs in the beginning

and end in the words “left”, “not”, and “stone”. The phonetic features of

consonance /t/ are alveolar voiceless stop (oral).


43

Third consonance is /z/, it occurs 16 times. The example can be seen from

line 45, consonance /z/ occurs in the end of the words “says”, “fences”, “neighbors”.

The phonetic features of consonance /z/ are alveolar voiced fricative. Fourth

consonance is /d/, it occurs 15 times. Line 8 is the example, consonance /d/ occurs

in words “would” and “hiding” in the middle and end. The phonetic features of

consonance /d/ are alveolar voiced stop (oral).

Fifth consonance is /r/, it occurs 15 times. The example is line 20,

consonance /r/ occurs in the middle and end from the words “wear” “our”, and

“finger”. The phonetic features of consonance /r/ are alveolar voiceless fricative.

Sixth consonance is /l/, it occurs 11 times. The example can be seen from the words

“loaves” “nearly” “balls” in line 17. Consonance /l/ occurs in the beginning and

end. The phonetic features of consonance /l/ are alveolar lateral liquid (voiced).

Seventh consonance is /m/, it occurs 6 times. Line 38 is the example, it can

be seen from the words “himself” and “him”, the words have consonance /m/ in the

middle and end. The phonetic features of consonance /m/ are bilabial nasal voiced.

Eighth consonance is /s/, it occurs 4 times. The example can be seen in line 4 from

the words “makes”, “gaps”, “pass”, and “abreast”. Consonance /s/ occurs in the end.

The phonetic features of consonance /s/ are alveolar voiceless fricative.

Ninth consonance is /p/, it occurs 3 times. The example can be seen in line

39 from the words “grasped” and “top”. Consonance /p/ occurs in the middle and

end. The phonetic features of consonance /p/ are bilabial voiceless stop (oral). Tenth

consonance is /ŋ/, it occurs 3 times. The example can be seen in line 20 from the


44

words “fingers” and “handling”. Consonance /ŋ/ occurs in the middle and end. The

phonetic features of consonance /ŋ/ are velar nasal voiced

Eleventh consonance is /v/, it occurs 3 times. Line 42 is the example,

consonance /v/ can be seen from the words “of” which is repeated 2 times. The

phonetic features of consonance /v/ are labiodental voiced fricative. Twelfth

consonance is /ʧ/, it can be seen in line 16 from the words “each” which is repeated

2 times. The phonetic features of consonance /ʧ/ are palatal voiceless affricative.

From the analysis, it is concluded that Frost applies the three segmental

features in the poem “Mending Wall”. The sound feature which is applied the most

is consonance, as the poem has 12 different consonants which are repeated in the

poem. Followed by alliteration and assonance which has 10 different consonants

and vowel repeated

b. Suprasegmental Sound Features

As mentioned before, suprasegmental sound features consist of rhyme and

meter. However, the suprasegmental sound feature that will be analyzed is only

rhyme. The poem “Mending Wall” only have one stanza consists of 45 lines. The

type of rhyme that are found in the poem is shown below.

Table 6. Rhymes in the poem “Mending Wall”

No Type of Rhymes Rhyme

1

Eye-rhyme

Something there is that doesn’t love a

wall

(Line 1)

There were it is we do not need the

wall:

(Line 23)

wɔl


45

Table 7. Rhymes in the poem “Mending Wall”

Something there is that doesn’t love a

wall

(Line 35)

And he likes having thought of it so

well

(Line 44)

wɛl

The poem “Mending Wall” does not have near rhyme, unlike other poems.

The rhyme only occurs once that separated with many lines. The monosyllabic

words “wall” and “well” in the line 1, 23, 35, and 44 are rhyming. From the table

above, it can be seen that the different of the words of “wall” and “well” is only in

the middle vowel that are /ɔ/ and /ɛ/. If /wɔl/ and /wɛl/ are broken down into phoneme

units will be:

Syllable Syllable

On Rhyme On Rhyme

Nu Co Nu Co

/w ɔ l/ /w/ ɛ l/

From these tree diagrams, it can be seen that both words are identical, but

they have different phoneme in the middle. The low back rounded /ɔ/ in “wall” and

front middle unrounded /ɛ/ in “well”. The words “wall” and “well” are pronounced

alike, exceptionally the vowel in the middle. Therefore, this type of rhyme is called

E.R or eye rhyme. Because the spelling is identical but differences phonetic


46

transcriptions. The poem “Mending Wall” is unrhymed poem; therefore, it is called

blank verse.

2. Graphological Level

This level analyzes the shape of the poem. The poem “Mending Wall”

consists of 45 lines, it is a long poem that does not separate by stanzas. In the poem

“Mending Wall”, the researcher notices that the poem has apostrophe to indicate

contraction and direct speech. The use of apostrophe in literature indicates the

arrangement of words addressing a nonexistent person or an abstract idea in such a

way as if it were present and capable of understanding feelings (Ahmed Mumtaz,

2015). The first graphological level is contraction; the contractions that occur in the

poem are shown below.

Table 8. Contractions Found in “Mending Wall”

No Contraction Representation Frequency Example

1 Doesn’t Does not 2 S Something there is that

doesn’t love a wall,

(Line 1)

2 I’d I would 2 Before I built a wall I’d ask

to know (Line 32)

3 Isn’t Is not 1 ‘Why do they make good

neighbors? Isn’t it

(Line 30)

4 Father’s Father is 1 He will not go behind his

father’s saying, (Line 43)

5 It’s It is 1 But it's not elves exactly,

and I'd rather (Line 37)


47

In the poem “Mending Wall” contraction occurs only four times. It can be

seen that the author applies contraction or shortening form for auxiliary’s verb “do”,

“is” and modal verb “would”. There are 7 contractions that occur in total.

Contractions are used to keep the number of syllables on each line since the poem

has iambic pentameter which consists of five set unstressed-stressed syllables.

Other than contraction, the researcher also find apostrophe to indicate direct speech.

The results are shown below.

Table 9. Direct Speech Found in “Mending Wall”

No Direct speech

1 ‘Stay where you are until our backs are turned!’ (Line 19)

2 He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 27)

3 ‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it (Line 30)

4 That wants it down.’ I could say ‘Elves’ to him, (Line 36)

5 He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 45)

In the poem “Mending Wall”, Frost uses apostrophe to indicate direct

speech. Apostrophe functions as quotation marker, it usually placed in the

beginning and end of a sentence. However as seen in line 30 and 36, Frost only uses

one apostrophe in the beginning of sentences. It shows that Frost flouts the rule of

direct speech to fulfil the essential of his poem.

Other punctuations that are analyzed are period, comma, semi colon,

colon, and dash. Period used when the idea of a sentence is complete while comma

used to indicate that the sentence is not finished yet. Comma placed to give a brief


48

pause or separate thought to the reader. In the poem “Mending Wall”, Frost uses

period at the end of sentences for 14 times and comma for 12 times. Uniquely, Frost

also uses semi colon and colon at the end of sentences. Semi colon shows a break

in sentences but stronger than comma, while colon acts as a pause to give

information that is related. Nor semi colon and colon act as a sign that the idea is

complete. Frost uses semi colon two times at the end of sentences and 4 times for

colon. The last graphological deviation is dash. Dashes are used to separate group

of words. Dashes that occur in the poem “Mending Wall” are shown below.

Table 10. Dashes Found in “Mending Wall”

No Direct speech

1 That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, (Line 2)

2 But at spring mending-time we find them there. (Line 11)

3 Oh, just another kind of out-door game, (Line 21)

4 In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed. (Line 40)

A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a

colon, and more relaxed than parentheses (Strunk William, 1999, p. 20). Dashes are

function to separate group of words. There are two type of dashes, en dash (-) and

em dash (—). In the poem “Mending Wall” Frost uses en dash (-) several times.

Specifically en dash is often used to indicate time spans or range of numbers and

denote a connection. Here, Frost uses en dash to denote a connection of group of

words. In line 2, Frost uses en dash to separate the words frozen (Adj)- ground (N)-

swell (V). In line 11, Frost uses dash to separate the words mending (V)-time (N).


49

In line 21, the words out (Prep)-door (N). In line 40, the words old (Adj)-stone (N)

are separated by dashes. The words which separated by dashes have differences part

of speech; however it still has a connection that creates a meaning.

3. Grammatical Level

In this level the researcher focuses on the tenses that are used in the poem

“Mending Wall”. According to Yule, tenses gives sign of the location of a situation

the time” (Yule, 1998, p. 54). Frost uses variations of tenses as listed below.

Table 11. Tenses in the poem “Mending Wall”

No Tenses

Frequency Example

1 Simple present tense

37 Something there is that doesn't

love a wall, (line 1)

2 Present perfect tense 4 I have come after them and

made repair (Line 6)

3 Simple past tense 3 Before I built a wall I'd ask to

know (Line 32)

4 Past progressive tense 1 What I was walling in or

walling out, (Line 33)

TOTAL 45

In this grammatical level, the researcher focuses on the tense that are

noticeable in the poem. Robert Frost uses variations of tense that are listed above.

In line 1, the structure of the sentence followed simple present tense.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall (Line 1)


50

Firstly, in the line 1, “Something there is” acts as the subject. Where “that”

acts as connecting word. Then “doesn’t love” acts as the predicate. “a wall” as the

object. The sentence follows the form of simple present tense which is s + v1 + o.

The proof that Frost uses simple present tense indicates that he has intention to tell

the reader that the poem “Mending Wall” is applicable in the present tense. It can

be concluded that Frost wants to give the moral value of the poem “Mending Wall”

to the reader without time limits.

I have come after them and made repair (Line 6)

In the sentence above, the word “I” acts as the subject. “Have come” acts

as the predicator where “have come” indicates that the action already happened and

it affects the situation in the future. The sentence above is parallel structure, the

original sentence is “I have come after them and have made repair”. However, to

make it shorter Frosts uses parallel structure. Thirdly, in the line 32, simple past

tense occurs.

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know (Line 32)

In the line 32, the subject is “I”. The predicate uses past form of “build”

which is “built”, it indicates the tense of simple past tense. The use of past tense is

to show that the action/situation already happened in the past time. Fourthly, in the

line 33, there is past progressive tense.


51

What I was walling in or walling out (Line 33)

In the line 33, the subject is still “I”. It uses the form of past progressive

tense, which is subject followed by to be + verb-ing. To be in here is “was” which

the past form of “is” followed by wall + ing, therefore; the line 33 uses simple

progressive tense. Progressive tense is used to show that the action still in process

and not yet finished.

From the analysis above it safe to say that Frost dominantly uses simple

present tense. Present tense is used to express general truth, fact, event that simply

exist, and things in present time. In the poem “Mending Wall”, Frost uses simple

present tense to make the readers feel like they exist in the poem; therefore, the

readers will be able to interpret the poem better.

4. Semantic Level

In this semantic level, the researcher analyses the figurative language in

the poem “Mending Wall”. According to Simpson, semantics is the meaning of

words and sentences (2004, p. 5). The figurative language that are found in the

poem “Mending Wall” are presented below.

Table 12. Figurative Language in the poem “Mending Wall”

No Type of rhetorical devices

1 Simile B Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

(Line 39)

In each hand, like an old-stone savage

armed (Line 40)


52

Table 13. Figurative Language in the poem “Mending Wall”

2 Symbolism Something there is that doesn’t love a wall

(Line 1)

He only says. ‘Good fences make good


3 Imagery He moves in darkness as it seems to me,

(Line 41)

The first figurative language is simile. Unlike metaphor, simile is indirect

comparison. Therefore, simile uses “as” or “like”, in the line 40 Frost uses the word

“like” to compare how bringing a stone grasped firmly is like bringing an old-stone

savage armed, here “an old-stone savage armed” is used to describe the

conservative neighbor. Frost illustrates the conservative neighbors as people from

stone age where they bring stones on their hands to fight.

Second figurative language is symbolism. Frost uses the “wall” as the

symbol. In the poem, the “wall” symbolizes the invisible barrier in the

neighborhood. The “wall” itself has two perspectives, the first one from the speaker

and the second from the neighbors. From the speaker side, the “wall” seems to be

something that he/she hates. The speaker considers the “wall” to be the barrier of

friendship in the neighborhood, as in the lines 13-16:

“And on a day we meet to walk the line

And set the wall between us once again.

We keep the wall between us as we go.

To each the boulders that have fallen to each. “


53

From the lines above the speaker tells that when she/he meets their

neighbors it does not seem good. When they meet it feels like there is wall between

them which means lack of friendship. Therefore, the speaker does not like the

“wall” because it makes him/her feels lonely. On the other side, the neighbor has

different perspective of the “wall”, here the neighbor says the “wall” as “fence” that

has something positive in the neighborhood:

“He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ ” (Line 27)

“He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ ” (Line 45)

Those two lines show the perspective of “wall” from the neighbor’s side,

the neighbor as mentioned as “he” considers that the “wall” portrays as fences

which can be a connection to one another. The neighbor believes that if people make

a good connection it would make the neighborhood good as well. Third figurative

language is imagery; it occurs in line 41:

“He moves in darkness as it seems to me,” (Line 41)

Frost uses “darkness” in the poem “Mending Wall” as the imagery. In

poetry the word “darkness” is related to something bad or evil. Thus, it can be said

that Frost wants to convey something deeper about the neighbor since the subject

“he” in line 41 refer to the neighbor.


54

B. Meaning Revealed from the Stylistic Features in Frost’s “Mending

Wall”

Frost wrote the poem uniquely and formed this specific poem with

meanings behind them. The researcher find out the meaning by connecting the

language features that have been analyzed in the previous subchapter. The existence

stylistic features that contribute meanings of the poem are shown below.

The poem “Mending Wall” deliver certain meanings, especially if the

readers know about the author which is Robert Frost. Frost was famous with his

works about nature and human’s life. According to Zhang, Robert Frost uses nature

to illustrate human’s psychology struggles in everyday life. His poems mostly start

with the observation of nature then proceed to the connection of human’s condition

such as loneliness, helplessness, confusion, and indifferent human’s relationship

(Analysis on Nature in Robert Frost’s Poetry , 2017 ). Some of his works mention

about his perspective of certain events that happen in life. The poem “Mending

Wall” shows about conflict and relationship in human’s life. In this poem Frost

applies on the real walls and figurative walls that divine us. Stylistic features which

are used to reveal the meaning of the poem are explained below.

In the segmental feature on phonological level, alliteration, assonance, and

consonance takes an important role to depicting meaning of the poem. Frost uses

them to emphasis certain words which concerns meaning of the poem. An example

of alliteration is line 28:

“Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder”


55

From the line above, alliteration occurs in the words “mischief” and “me”.

It means that Frost wants to emphasize those words. In literature, spring represent

a new beginning, hope, and joy, in short it shows positive vibe. Whereas, the line

says that spring is mischief in me (the speaker). It can be interpreted that the speaker

has difficulties during spring time. In spring time, people will go for new crops,

however the speaker sees spring season as something chaos, he/she does not enjoy

the feeling of meeting people while planting their crops. It is something that the

speaker faces in life. Undoubtedly, the speaker has conflict with her/himself.

Another segmental feature is assonance, line 13-15 in the poem “Mending Wall”

reveal the meaning of the poem:

“And on a day we meet to walk the line


We keep the wall between us as we go.”

The lines above explain the relationship in the neighborhood because it

shows the interaction between the speaker and the neighbor. The speaker and the

neighbor meet to walk, however while walking both of them also creating the wall

between them. From this, it can be concluded that those lines gives a portrait about

how the speaker and the neighbor interact. Humans are complex creatures; we

always adjust ourselves with our surrounding. However, it does not always have to

be like that, from the lines above it can be interpreted that people also have their

preference. Some people want to live by their own and it is natural. We have our

ego and none cannot stop us from it. The gaps between each other are created


56

unconsciously. Here, Frost wants to show the side of human’s nature. The last is

consonance, it occurs in lines 22-27:

“One on a side. It comes to little more:

There where it is we do not need the wall:

He is all pine and I am apple orchard.

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him

He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’”

From those lines, it can be seen that those lines have many consonances.

It can be said that Frost highlights those words for specific purpose. The lines above

tell how the speaker thinks about the times where they do not need the wall. After

all, the speaker and the neighbor have different corps; the speaker tells the neighbor

that his apple trees will not go into the neighbor’s yard. However, the neighbor only

said that ‘Good fence makes good neighbor’. From this, it can be interpreted there

is conflict occurs in the neighborhood about perspective and ego. The speaker

thinks there should not be any limit between the speaker and neighbor since he

knows that he will not go beyond the limit. However, the neighbor does not think

the same, the neighbor thinks that the wall is a good thing, therefore; it shows the

different perspective from both sides. , it also shows the ego from both side. Both

of them persist to hold their own perspectives about the existence of wall.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that here Frost wants to show the conflict

between human being happens daily life which is different point of view and ego.

As people who live in the same area, it is normal to have that kind of sense. We

may think that we should be close in order to have a good relation. However, not


57

everyone thinks like that. It is very selfish to ask other to agree with our opinion. It

is a fact that this kind of conflict happen in our lives, maybe in another

circumstances. Here, Frost wants to show the conflict in a simple way.

In suprasegmental, there is rhyme. In the poem “Mending Wall” there is

only one rhyme occurs which is eye rhyme. The rhyming words are “wall” and

“well, rhyme in the poem is used to give aesthetic sounds. The word “wall” occurs

three times ended with the word “well” as shown below:

“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall” (Line 1)

“There were it is we do not need the wall:” (Line 23)

“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall” (Line 35)

“And he likes having thought of it so well” (Line 44)

From those lines, it could be interpreted that Frost wants to make the poem

sound musical with words “wall” and “well” in the end. Other than that, it also

means that Frost emphasis existence of “wall” because it is being mentioned three

times. As stated before, Frost casts the wall on real and figurative ways. From the

rhyming lines, it shows the importance of “wall” in the poem. First, it mentions

about there are people who do not like the wall (the neighbor), then it says the fact

about speaker who thinks the wall is meaningless. Continuously, it mentions again

there are people who do not like the wall (the neighbor). After that, it is ended with

the neighbor’s side that he already thought about the wall so well.

From this, it could be interpreted that the “wall” in this poem acts as the

main cause of the conflict happens in the poem. The “wall” is depicted as an

invisible barrier created by human’s mind in neighborhood. Other than that, it


58

shows how the speaker and the neighbor react over the “wall” which affects the

relationship between each other. As shown above, the speaker thinks that the wall

is meaningless. On the other hand, the neighbor thinks that the wall is a good thing.

Another stylistic features that is analyzed is graphology. The first

graphology is contraction. Contractions are used to shorten the words, usually

contraction appears in informal writing including poetry. Contractions in here are

divided into two, contraction apostrophe (doesn’t, isn’t, and it’s) and contracted

pronoun (I’d and Father’s). Poetry uses contraction to lower the amount of syllable

in order to keep up with the meter composition. “Mending Wall” is a blank verse

poem, in other word it is a poem with unrhymed lines in iambic pentameter.

Therefore, contractions in this poem are used to adjust with the meter. However,

contractions in poem also contributes to construct meaning of the poem.

Contractions in the poem “Mending wall” can be seen as the speaker satires his

neighbor about their perspective upon the “wall”. The contractions are shown

below,

Something there is that doesn't love a wall, (Line 1)

Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it (Line 30)

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know (Line 32)

Something there is that doesn't love a wall, (Line 35)

But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather (Line 37)

He will not go behind his father's saying, (Line 43)

When all the lines with contractions are listed as above, it creates a new

group of lines. From those lines, it could be seen that it was the speaker who said

the lines. Therefore, it could be interpreted as the speaker satires to his neighbors

about their thinking. According to Webster, satire is a literary work holding up


59

human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn (Webster's New Collegiate

Dictionary, 1981, p. 1018). Satire is used as a way to criticize implicitly; usually it

includes humor or jokes In poem “Mending Wall” line 30, the speaker satires about

why the “wall” make good neighbors, the contraction isn’t it is used to strengthen

the question that is said by the speaker. Then, the speaker keeps mentioning the

fact that he does not like the wall (Line 1 and 35) with contraction doesn’t. The

speaker also says sarcastic joke that is not elves who hates the wall but the speaker

himself, the contraction I’d is also used to strengthen the fact it is the speaker who

hates the wall. In the end, the speaker alludes the neighbors’ conservative mind

which is following the tradition of their parent. The line, He will not go behind his

father’s saying, refers to the neighbors’ perspective to keep the wall because it is

already taught by their parent, here it mentions father. The contraction father’s is

used to give the information that it was his father who taught about keeping the wall

and the neighbor would not against his taught.

In conclusion, contractions in the poem “Mending Wall” are used to show

the speaker’s satire towards the neighbors and strengthen the sentences. From the

lines above, the satire can be interpreted that there is sense of negative sentiment of

the speaker to the neighbors. Thus, it shows what is happening in human’s relation

that we may dislike others’ acts or way of thinking that lead us to have the negative

sentiment towards the person.

The second graphology is direct speech. According to Wales, direct speech

itself represents thought, in so far as speech itself is assumed to be the result of

mental activity (2011, p. 120). Earland adds that direct speech focuses on creating


60

a mental representation of the described situation (The Influence of Direct and

Indirect Speech on Mental Representations, 2013). It can be concluded that Frost

uses direct speech to give illustration to the reader about how the situation happens.

The direct speech in the poem illustrates the situation of the speaker’s reaction

towards the neighbor’s decision of keeping the wall as in line 27, 30, and 45.

He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 27)

‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it (Line 30)

He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 45)

In line 27, the speaker shows the disappointment towards the neighbors’

saying about the fences that make good neighbors. The word “only” strengthens the

expression of disappointment. In line 30, the speaker questionings why the

neighbors want to make good neighbors by keeping the wall. Lastly, line 45

emphasizes the disappointment towards the neighbors once again. The word

“again” give an information that the speaker has hear what the neighbor’s saying

before. Therefore, direct speech in poem is used to support the meaning of poem by

giving the illustration of speaker’s reaction towards the neighbor’s decision of

keeping the wall. Other than that, the direct speech in the poem also used to show

the point of view about the wall from the neighbors’ side.

He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 27)

He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ (Line 45)

The direct speech above shows that the subject “he” refers to the neighbor.

Therefore, the lines above show the neighbors’ opinion that they see the wall as


61

something that is able to make good neighborhood. Thus, it can be interpreted that

direct speech helps to infer the meaning because it explains how both sides (the

speaker and the neighbors’) reaction towards the wall.

The third graphology is punctuations. Since poem “Mending Wall” only

have one stanza contains 45 lines, Frost uses many commas, semi colons, and

colons in sentences. As stated before that comma is place to give a brief pause and

separate thought, while semi colon shows a break in sentences but stronger than

comma and colon acts as a pause to give information that is related. As a blank

verse poem with only one stanza, punctuation in the poem “Mending Wall” can be

interpreted as a way to separate group of lines. Unlike other poems which separate

by stanzas. Frost uses comma, semi colon, and colon as a sign that some ideas is

not complete yet, on the other hand, when the ideas is complete he uses period as a

sign. An example is shown in lines 1-11 below:

“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

And spills the upper boulders in the sun;

And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.

The work of hunters is another thing:

I have come after them and made repair

Where they have left not one stone on a stone,

But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,

To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,

No one has seen them made or heard them made,

But at spring mending-time we find them there.”

From the lines above it can be seen that lines 1-3 Frost uses comma and

semi colon, then in line 4 he uses period. In lines 1-4, the poem tells about the


62

people who dislike the wall which is built to separate the properties between each

other’s. The people who dislike the wall put the frozen-ground-swell under the wall

to scrape the wall until it has gaps so it will collapse. As stated before that the “wall”

also acts in figurative way, these lines can be interpreted as Frost showing that

humans create invisible barrier with their mind that close themselves to interact

with others. However, there are people who actually dislike the barrier and want to

destroy it.

Continuously, lines 5-11 says about something different. It says about the

hunters which can be told as animal breaks the walls, but the speaker who dislikes

the wall come to repair the wall. None has seen or heard the neighbors make the

wall, but it is always there when the spring comes. Here, it can be interpreted that

even when the speaker dislikes the barrier he actively contributes in its preservation.

The speaker continuously acts to rebuild the invisible barrier between himself and

the neighbors.

Thus, the two group of lines can be interpreted as an irony. Wales states

that irony is a figure of speech or trope derived from Gk eironeia via Latin, and

meaning ‘dissimulation’ (2011, p. 240). Irony is found when the words are used to

contradict the sense that required in the context and presumably by the speaker’s

utterance. Irony is mostly sarcastic, it presents as a polite form of criticism. In poem

“Mending Wall”, the speaker who dislikes the barrier and wants to destroy it in the

other hand actively rebuild the barrier. As discussed in the review of related studies

by Zhang, Frost concentrates on the dramatic conflict in natural world which

involve human (2017 ). Here, the irony in the poem “Mending Wall” can be said


63

as the dramatic conflict of the poem because the poem sequentially tells about the

speaker who dislikes the existence of the wall and how the neighbors see the wall.

However, the speaker also enjoy the habit of meeting the neighbors while rebuild

the wall. Here, Frost shows how complicated human’s relationship is.

The last graphology that is analyzed is dashes. The poem “Mending Wall”

consists of en dash. As explained before, en dashes are used to denote connection

of two or three words. Therefore, Frost uses dashes to connect the words with

different part of speech. As in line 2, frozen-ground-swell, these words consist of

adjective, noun, and verb. It can be seen that those words have different part of

speech, however those words are still capable to be implied as unity to support


Grammatical level also contributes meaning of the poem. The researcher

notices that Frost uses present tense in most of the lines. The use of present time in

a poem can be inferred as a sign that the moral value of the poem is applicable for

anytime, depend on when the readers read the poem. The present tense in the poem

“Mending Wall” can be identify from the use of verb which is verb 1. Verbs are

used to tell what the subject of the sentences or clauses is doing (being). Here, it

can be interpreted that Frost uses verbs to show how the subject (the speaker and

the reader) reacts upon the wall. For example, as in line 23:

“There where it is we do not need the wall:”

The line above uses the negative formula for simple present tense, which

is Subject + Do/Does not +verb1+ Complement. The subject is “we” followed by


64

“do not” because it the subject is plural, then followed by the verb “need”, and

followed by complement which is “the wall”. From the line, it can be interpreted

that the subject refers to the speaker and other people who think the existence of the

wall is meaningless. From this it can be concluded that the speaker sees the wall as

something negative and useless. On the other than, line 45 says something different.

“He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’”

Following the formula of simple present tense which is Subject+ Verb+

Complement, the subject of this line is “he” followed by “says again” because the

subject is third singular person, and followed by subject complement “Good fences

make good neighbors.” From this, it could be interpreted that the neighbor thinks

there should be barrier between the neighbor and the speaker so one another can

have their own space. Thus, the neighbor sees the wall could bring them into a good

relation. In conclusion, the use of present tense in the poem “Mending Wall” is to

support the moral value and to give the reader explanation about how the subject

(the speaker and the neighbor) in the poem react towards the “wall”.

The last stylistic feature is semantics. In semantic level, the researcher

notices four rhetorical devices which contribute meaning of the poem, those are

metaphor, simile, symbolism, and imagery. Frost was renowned with his expertise

using rhetorical devises. Rhetorical devices are used to convey meaning in a simple

way, however it will still have the original meaning. First rhetorical device is simile.

Simile in the poem “Mending Wall” occurs in line 40:


65

“He said it for himself. I see him there” (Line 38)

“Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top” (Line 39)

“In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed” (Line 40)

The lines above show that the sentence “I see him there” refers to the

neighbor, therefore simile “like and old-stone savage armed” points out to the

neighbor as well. The sentence “like and old-stone savage armed” can be implied

as the speaker compares the neighbor as primitive being who cannot accept change.

The speaker in the poem wants a change in the neighborhood where both of them

can interact more without the invisible barrier created. Yet, the neighbor is someone

who stick to the habit which already been done before.

The second rhetorical device is symbolism. According to Wales, a symbol

is a sign, whether visual or verbal, which stand for something else with a speech

community (2011, p. 408). Different places with each culture develop their own

symbols or symbolism, such as cross symbolizes as Christian. In literature, they

drew on general symbols such as winter as death and rose as beauty; these symbols

can be categorized as literary heritage. However, poets also able to make their own

symbols for their poems. The symbols will be used to deliver meaning of the poems.

The symbol in poem “Mending Wall” is the “wall” itself. The “wall” is

used as the main conflict in the poem, the poem uses “wall” as the symbol because

“wall” in literal means vertical brick/stone structure that divide two areas in another

word “wall” is used as a barrier to separate properties. In figurative way, the “wall”

in the poem can be interpreted as an invisible barrier created by human’s mind.

Here, it can be said that Frost uses the figurative “wall” to convey the meaning of


66

the poem which is conflict and human’s relationship through how the speaker and

neighbor sees the “wall”.

The last rhetorical device is Imagery. Imagery in poem “Mending Wall”

occurs two times in lines 42:

“He moves in darkness as it seems to me,” (Line 41)

In line 42, the imagery can be seen from the word “darkness”. Originally, image

had a visual meaning, still common in semiotics, of a physical imitation of an

object, as in sculpture, painting, masque (Wales, 2011, p. 215). Both in prose and

poetry, imagery is not merely decoration, but to convey particular things such as

reveal the experience, to reinforce the theme, and characterization. The imagery

“darkness” in line 42 can be interpreted as the deep ego that the neighbor has. The

neighbor in the poem is the one who does not want to remove the wall, no matter

how much the speaker tries he always firm with his saying that good fences will

make good neighbor. Therefore, Frost uses the imagery “darkness” to shows the

ego of the neighbors.

From the three rhetorical devices, it can be concluded that rhetorical

devices in a poem are used to support the meaning of the poem. The simile and

imagery in the poem “Mending Wall” helps to show more about the characteristic

of the neighbor. The symbolism is used to show the main cast of the poem and how

the cast is used as the trigger of the conflict between the speaker and the neighbor.


67

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION

This chapter presents the results of the analysis that has been done in the

previous chapter. The research pursues acknowledgement to how the role of

stylistic through different language levels contribute to reveal the meaning of every

part of the poem. Although the ways of understanding a poem may be different for

every reader, the most important thing is to achieve the author’s message to the

reader. After all, the reason an author writes a poem is to deliver particular meaning

for the reader. In this research, the meaning of poem “Mending Wall” can be

achieved by breaking down the stylistic features and evaluating how the features

are used to construct meaning of the poem.

This research analyzes a poem by Robert Frost entitled “Mending Wall”.

The poem is about two rural neighbors that one spring day meet to walk along the

wall that separates their properties and repair when it need to be repaired. The

speaker of the poem the one who questioning the existence of a wall. However, the

neighbors were conservative and it looks like they do not have time for nonsense.

The first problem is to find the stylistic features in the poem. The problem is

answered by using four language levels; those are phonological level, graphological

level, grammatical level, and semantic level. In phonological level, it has segmental

and suprasegmental sound features. The segmental features cover alliteration,

assonance, and consonance. The sound features which is applied the most is

consonance, as the poem has 12 different consonants which are repeated in the

poem. Followed by alliteration and assonance which has 10 different consonants


68

and vowel repeated. Meanwhile suprasegmental features over only rhyme that is

eye rhyme. The sound features are not used only to create an aesthetic effect. It is

also used to help revealing the meaning of the poem. In graphological level,

punctuations are used to separate the lines since the poem does not have stanzas and

to highlight the important words in the poem. In grammatical levels, four tenses are

found. The most used tense is present tense, the use of present tense can be

interpreted that the messages of the poem is applicable for lifetime. The last is

semantic level, semantic level covers some rhetorical devices which are simile,

symbolism, and imagery. The rhetorical devices help to support the meaning of the

poem.

The stylistic features that are found in the poem “Mending Wall”

contribute to reveal meaning of the poem and it is answered in the second problem.

Altogether, the stylistic features in the poem deliver the meaning of the poem that

is conflict and relationship in human’s life.

As the conclusion of this research, Robert Frost as the author of the poem

“Mending Wall” utilizes such stylistic features that deliver the meaning of the

poem. This research also proves that the meaning of a poem can be successfully

obtained and understood by stylistic analysis.

Stylistic analysis should improve further analyses, therefore the research

would like to suggest other researchers to conduct similar analysis in different

object. The object of study can be other poems or other literary works such as

novels, and short stories that have not been analyzed before. The improvement of

the analysis can be done in exploring the language levels. As this research only


69

analyzed four language levels, the researcher suggests to analyze more language

levels. As a result, a through and wholesome analysis can be expected from the

researchers.


70

REFERENCES

Ahmed Mumtaz, I. A. (2015). Stylistic Analysis of Robert Browning’s Poem

“Patriot into Traitor”. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 6, 13.

Bari Khan Abdul, R. S. (2014). Stylistic Analysis of the poem "The Onset" by

Robert Frost. International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection,

121-126.

Bradford, R. (1997). Stylistics. London : Routledge.

Bradford, R. (2005 ). Stylistics . New York : Routledge.

Calhoun, D. (2015). A Grammar of Punctuation in Poetry. Elements vol. 11.

Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry & Reseach Design. California: Sage

Publication.

Crystal, D. (2008). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Oxford: Blackwell

Publishing.

Cuddon, J. (2013). A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. West

Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.

Earland Anita, E. J. (2013). The Influence of Direct and Indirect Speech on Mental

Representations. https://journals.plos.org/.

Eastwood, J. (1994). Oxford Guide to Grammar . Oxford : Oxford University Press.

Erhlich, E. (1977). Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Punctuation,

Capitalization, and Spelling. New York : McGram-Hill, Inc.

Fromkin, V. (2000). An Introduction to Linguistic Theory . Malden, Massachusetts:

Blackawell Publisher .

Gomez-Jimenez, E. (2015). An Introduction to Graphology: Definition, Theoritical

Background, and Levels of Analysis. A Journal of English and American

Studies 51, 71-85.

Hashmi, M. A. (2019). Stylistic Analysis of Robert Frost's Poem "Stopping by

Woods on a Snow Evening". International Journal of English Linguistics,

373-377.

Hornby, A. (2015). Oxfrod Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Oxford : Oxford

University Press .


71

Isti'anah, A. (2017). Stylistic Analysis of Maya Angelou’s Equality. Lingua

Cultura, 11, 85-89.

Leech. (1989). A Linguistic Guide to English Poetry. London: Longman Group UK

Limited.

Leech Geoffrey, S. M. (2007). An Introduction to English Fictional Prose 2nd

Edition. Pearson ESL.

Leech, G. (1981). Style in Fiction. London: Longman.

Mahmood, M. (2019). Stylistic Analysis of Robert Frost's Poem "Stopping by

Woods on a Snowy Evening". International Journal of English Linguistics,

9, 373-377.

Moody, H. (1984). Literary Appreciation: A Practical Guide to The Understanding

and Enjoyment of Literature. London: Longman.

Nordquist, R. (2016, October 27 ). Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms.

Retrieved from Symbolism : https://www.thoughtco.com/symbolism-

definition-1692169,

Simpson, P. (2004). Stylistics. New York: Routledge.

Simpson, P. (2004). Stylistics: A Resource Book for Students (Routledge English

Language Introductions). London: Routledge.

Strunk William, E. W. (1999). The Elements of Style 4th Edition. Longman.

Thomson, L. (1976). Robert Frost: The Later Years, 1938-1963. New York: Henry

Holt & Company.

Verdonk, P. (2002). Stylistics. Oxford: Oxford University press .

Verdonk, P. (2002). Stylistics . Oxford University Press .

Wales, K. (2011). A Dictionary of Stylistics 2nd Edition. Harlow : Pearson

Education.

Wales, K. (2011). A Dictionary of Stylistics 3rd Edition . New York : Routledge.

Webster, N. (1981). Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield,

Massachusetts, USA: G. & C. Meriamm Company .

Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary . (1981). Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A:

G. & C. Merriam Company .

Widdownson, (. (1975). Stylistic of teaching and literature. London: Longman.


72

Woodman. (1975). Stylistic and The Teaching of Literature. London: Longman.

Yuanli Zhang, W. D. (2017 ). Analysis on Nature in Robert Frost’s Poetry . English

Language, Literature & Culture, 26.

Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English Grammar. Oxford : Oxford University Press.


73

APPENDICS

“Mending Wall”

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

And spills the upper boulders in the sun;

And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.

The work of hunters is another thing:

I have come after them and made repair

Where they have left not one stone on a stone,

But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,

To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,

No one has seen them made or heard them made,

But at spring mending-time we find them there.

I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;

And on a day we meet to walk the line


We keep the wall between us as we go.

To each the boulders that have fallen to each.

And some are loaves and some so nearly balls

We have to use a spell to make them balance:

‘Stay where you are until our backs are turned!’


74

We wear our fingers rough with handling them.

Oh, just another kind of out-door game,

One on a side. It comes to little more:

There where it is we do not need the wall:

He is all pine and I am apple orchard.

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.

He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder

If I could put a notion in his head:

‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it

Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know

What I was walling in or walling out,

And to whom I was like to give offense.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

That wants it down.’ I could say ‘Elves’ to him,

But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather

He said it for himself. I see him there

Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top

In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.

He moves in darkness as it seems to me,

Not of woods only and the shade of trees.


75

He will not go behind his father's saying,

And he likes having thought of it so well

He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’


STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN ROBERT FROST’S “MENDING WALL” · 2020. 8. 5. · entitled “Mending...

Documents

Transcript of STYLISTIC ANALYSIS IN ROBERT FROST’S “MENDING WALL” · 2020. 8. 5. · entitled “Mending...