1107's

11o7's — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 06:58:56 +0000

Buanglah Sampah pada tempatnya

11o7's — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:09:10 +0000

Terinspirasi oleh seorang dosenku tentang ‘sampah’ yang menjadi masalah di setiap waktu.. Aku memang agak lumayan sensitif tentang membuang sampah apalagi terhadap orang yang membuang sampah di sembarang tempat, terkadang bisa sampai ‘naik pitam’ (lebay dikit ). Suatu saat ketika aku menempel pamflet di salah satu sudut kampusku (UPI, red). Aku menempelnya bersama teman-temanku satu tim di salah satu kepanitiaan. Aku ‘memaksa’ mereka untuk buang sampah pada tempatnya. Waktu itu tempat sampahnya sedikit agak jauh dari tempat kami menempel pamflet tersebut. Aku bilang walaupun tempat sampahnya jauh, kita tetap ga boleh buang sampah sembarangan, untuk sementara simpan dikantong jaketku aja dulu, kataku. Menurutku sebagian dari mereka mungkin selama ini belum membuang sampah pada tempatnya sehingga harus diingatkan beberapa kali untuk tidak membuang sampah sembarangan. Dan syukurlah, akhirnya berhasil . Tapi, yang menjadi masalah ‘berat’ adalah ketika seorang teman dekat mereka datang. Menurutku gayanya agak ‘high class’ dan juga gaya bicaranya yang agak ‘gaul’ pake ‘loe-gue’ gitu lho*. Si dia tiba-tiba berkata, “eh, apa yg lo pegang tuh?” “sampah” kata temanku. “sampah? Knapa ga dibuang?” “kata Tina (namaku Tina ) sampahnya harus dibuang di tempatnya, tempatnya itu di sana *tak terlalu jauh menurutku” “Owh, gitu ya, buang di sini aja kale, di sini kan juga banyak sampah berserakan ya sekalian aja kotor!!!” Dalam hati aku berkata ini orang otaknya benar-benar KOTOR ya, otaknya tidak dipakai percuma mahasiswa (orang berpendidikan, red), dasar MAHASISWA yang badannya aja dikuliahkan, OTAKnya ngga!!! Beruntungnya walaupun dia berkata seperti itu, teman2ku itu tetap membuang sampah di tempatnya. So, ga mau disebut mahasiswa yang badannya aja dikuliahkan sementara otaknya ga?? Buang sampah pada tempatnya dunks 

rasa

11o7's — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:55:54 +0000

aku akan membiarkan rasa ini
berkembang biak dalam tubuh dan jiwaku
meski kau tak pernah tahu
aku selalu mengikutsertakanmu dalam doaku
meski kau tak memintanya
aku selalu bercerita kepada angin tentang rasa ini
karna kau tak pernah tau
dan
aku hanya mengungkapkan rasa ini
melalui oksigen yang kau dan aku hirup
atau
haruskah aku memintaNya untuk memberitahumu?

A Report

11o7's — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:25:49 +0000

Sanata Dharma University is located in Yogyakarta. One of the majors in Sanata Dharma is English Literature. English literature is one of the good majors which got A accreditation. The number of active students in English Literature is about 584 students and the number of the lectures is about 20 lectures. The total of credit which should taken by students is 147 credits which 137 credits is a must and 10 credits is choice. It is different with English Literature in Indonesia University of Education (UPI). The students of English Literature in UPI should take 146 credits, less 1 credit than English Student in Sanata Dharma. The curriculum of English Literature in Sanata Dharma is planned 8 semesters which the study time maximal is 14 semesters. The session for final paper to get degree is open for public. I think it is different with English Literature in UPI, the session for final paper is closed for public. Actually, I do not know exactly because I never heard that the session for final paper is open for public or not, maybe I am wrong.
Besides, there is student community in English Literature Sanata Dharma. They are English Debate Society, Movie club, Literature Media, ‘Panggung Boneka’ and sport community. The uniqueness or the focus of English Literature Sanata Dharma is journalism and interpreting. I do not know what the focus of English Literature in UPI is. Maybe translating and interpreting.
The other differences with between English Literature in Sanata Dharma and English in UPI are the subjects. Some subjects are different such as journalism and interpreting. In English Literature Sanata Dharma, there are two subject of Journalism, Journalism I and II. And also the subject writing, there are 6 subjects of Writing, they are: Writing I focus on fluency and accuracy; Writing II focus on paragraph development; Writing III focus on stylistic; Writing IV focus on essay writing; Writing V focus on creative writing; and Writing focus on proposal writing VI. Meanwhile, in English Literature UPI there is no subject Journalism and the subject Writing just 3, they are Writing for General Communication, Writing in Professional Context and Writing for Academic Purpose. Besides, English Literature of Sanata Dharma has not the measurement to know the skill of students while in English Literature in UPI has Exit Level which should taken by students in the forth semester.
Another interesting difference I have got from the English student of Sanata Dharma is that the lecturer must give back the answer sheet to the students according the schedule. So, the students and the lectures have a must, the students should follow the exam and the answer sheet of the students should given back by the lectures. I think it is interesting because in English Literature of UPI has not a rule like that.
However, the comfortable place which I visited in Sanata Dharma is the library. It is the good and the neat library I ever seen. The books are arranged neat according to the topic, number, and types of book. The library is very clean, calm, and full Air Conditioner (AC). The library also completed by search engine. If we want to find a book, we just use the search engine. We can type the title of the book, the author, ISBN, etc. Besides, there is also the heritage books which given by the three professor in Sanata Dharma.
That is all the information which I can report from the study tour to Yogyakarta, 8th-11th December 2010. I hope the information that I got can use by English Literature in UPI or Library in UPI to make the better.

Attitude to A Miss

11o7's — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:23:02 +0000

Attitude to A Miss
By Vladimir Mayakovsky
That night was to decide
if she and I
were to be lovers.
Under cover
of darkness
no one would see, you see.
I bent over her, it’s the truth,
and as I did,
it’s the truth, I swear it,
I said
like a kindly parent:
“Passion’s a precipice –
so won’t you please
move away?
Move away,

Analysis:
From the title, I see that this poem tells us about a man who wants to show his attitude when he meet a girl. ‘Miss’ in the title means girl, I guess. If I glance over, the meaning of the poem is easy to understand. However, it is hard. Actually, the poet uses the simple phrases but some phrases are unfamiliar. Like “passion’s a precipice”, I can’t guess what the meaning is. I think that is defamiliarization concept. Vladimir Mayakovsky is one of the Russian formalists, so he creates a poem base on Russian formalism technique, I guess. One of the techniques is defamiliarization. Besides, the meaning of phrase ‘move away’ and ‘Move away’ is different, I think. ‘move away’ means go out and never come back, ‘Move away’, means died or go to hell.

They are same like Us

11o7's — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:21:05 +0000

In Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes tells about a man who has retarded mental. The name of the man is Charlie Gordon. In my opinion, this short story deals with ignorance of a man but he is happy with it. Actually, Charlie Gordon is a mentally retarded man 37 years old with an IQ sixty eight. He is struggle man and he happy with his condition. He also works as a janitor in Donner’s Bakery. Although he is a retarded mental man, he is unusually motivated. He takes night school classes at the Beekman University Center for Retarded Adults. His teacher, Alice Kinnian recommended him became a volunteer of the project of scientists. Before Charlie undergoes a surgery, he is assigned by Professor Nemur and Dr. Strauss to write progress reports. After that he also writes progress reports too. However, after the surgery he was changed. He feels that he is not like he before.
Actually, Charlie said to Miss Kinnian that he want to be smart. Then, Miss Kinnian told him that Professor Nemur and Dr. Strauss can make him smart. So he volunteered himself become an object of that scientists. The scientists also assign Charlie to make progress reports. In the hospital, the scientists compared him with a white mouse, named Algernon. The scientists make a race between Charlie and Algernon and the winner is always Algernon. Both of Charlie and Algernon undergo the surgery. However, after the surgery, Algernon died, Charlie is not.
In my opinion, from the progress reports we can see the character of Charlie. Before the surgery, his write is bad. He can’t write or spell some words well such as ‘should’ become ‘shud’, ‘write’ become ‘rite’, ‘scared’ become ‘scared’ etc. However, after the surgery, he becomes smart. His write and spell is excellent.
Besides, the character of Charlie also changes after the surgery. Before the surgery, he assumed that he is idiot and other people are smart. He also low profile and his work friends treat him like a stupid man. After the surgery, he becomes a critical person, sensitive, smart and genius. However, the effect of after surgery is worse. He is fired from his job because he is too genius. And other people look him like a crazy man. He was sad then he becomes unkind. At the end, his condition is worse than before the surgery.
In my opinion, this short story teach us how to treat other people especially they who are retarded mental. Sometimes, we feel that they unimportant to us but we should realize that they also have heart. We should respect them and treat them well. I think become Charlie before the surgery is nice because he can experience life with happiness. Other morals I can get from this short story are be yourself and always give thanks to our Creator.

Materialisme dalam Drama William Shakespeare yang berjudul King Lear

11o7's — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:35:15 +0000

King Lear adalah salah satu drama tragedi yang ditulis oleh William Shakespeare. Drama ini ditulis sekitar tahun 1603 dan 1606. Drama bermula ketika raja Lear yang sudah tua akan membagi kerajaannya kepada tiga putrinya. Raja lear adalah seorang raja di zaman Inggris kuno yang memiliki tiga orang putri. Putri pertama bernama Goneril, menikah dengan Adipati Albany. Putri kedua bernama Regan, menikah dengan Adipati Cornwall. Sedangkan putrid yang ketiga bernama Cordelia yang sedang diperebutkan oleh Adipati Burgundy dan raja Perancis. Karena usianya yang sudah semakin tua, raja Lear memutuskan untuk turun tahkta dan membagikan daerah kekuasaannya kepada ketiga putrinya tersebut. Pembagian wilayah kekuasaan itu didasarkan pada seberapa besar cinta mereka pada sang raja. Untuk mengetahui hal tersebut, raja Lear mengumpulkan ketiga putrinya dan menyuruh mereka mengungkapkan cinta mereka kepada sang ayah. Goneril dan Regan berhasil meyakinkan sang raja dengan mengatakan bahwa mereka mencintainya lebih dari segalanya. Namun, Cordelia tidak mau melakukan hal tersebut. Cordelia hanya diam saja. Ia sangat mencintai ayahnya tetapi karena Ia merasa bahwa ujian ini tidak benar, Ia tidak dapat memberikan sanjungan kosong seperti yang dilakukan kakak-kakaknya. Sang raja akhirnya marah kepada Cordelia dan Cordelia tidak mendapat sedikitpun wilayah kekuasaan kemudian Cordelia tidak dianggap dan dibuang ke Perancis. Earl of Kent yang memprotes tindakan raja atas Cordelia, dipecat dari kerajaan. Namun, ia berhasil kembali masuk ke kerajaan setelah menyamar sebagi pelayan raja. Adegan berikutnya diwarnai kekecewaan raja Lear terhadap kedua putrid tertuanya yaitu Goneril dan Regan yang memperlakukan raja Lear bagai orang tua yang pikun. Raja Lear pun pergi meninggalkan kerajaan tanpa membawa satupun barang berharga. Sementara itu cerita berkembang ketika Edmund, seorang tokoh antagonis, berhasil merebut hak sebagai putra mahkota Gloucester setelah memperdaya Earl of Gloucester dan menyingkirkan Edgar, putra mahkota yang asli. Earl of Gloucester yang buta tidak tahu bahwa putranya Edgar telah digantikan oleh sosok Edmund, yang sangat pandai menyamar. Edgar pun akhirnya diusir keluar kerajaan, dan terpaksa menyamar menjadi seorang pengemis gila untuk menghindar dari kejaran pasukannya sendiri. Adegan di mana Edgar, raja Lear, dan Earl of Kent bersama-sama mencari tempat yang aman untuk berlindung dari badai merupakan salah satu adegan paling mengguncangkan dalam drama Shakespeare. Akhirnya, Cordelia datang bersama suaminya (Raja Prancis) untuk membebaskan sang raja dan memerangi kedua saudaranya sendiri. Namun pasukannya takluk. Lear dan Cordelia pun ditawan. Cordelia kemudian meninggal di tiang gantungan, mengakibatkan Lear dirundung duka yang sangat dalam. Lear pun akhirnya meninggal dunia, menjadi korban dari rasa saling benci putri-putrinya.

Menurut saya dalam darama ini, harta dan kekuasaan merupakan satu hal yang sangat penting. Beberapa tokoh dalam drama ini gila harta dan kekuasaan. Goneril dan Regan misalnya, mereka pura-pura mencintai ayahnya hanya untuk mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan. Setelah mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan tersebut, mereka mencampakkan ayahnya bahkan berniat untuk membunuhnya. Betapa jahat dan sadis sekali mereka. Goneril, setelah menguasai setengah kerajaan, dia menjadi besar kepala. Ia mengabaikan janjinya untuk merawat ayahnya di hari tuanya. Regan juga berlaku tidak hormat kepada ayahnya. Dia malah bersekongkol dengan kakaknya, Goneril untuk melawan ayahnya. Menurut saya, dalam hal ini harta dan kekuasaan telah mengaburkan hubungan ayah dan anak. Si anak tidak memiliki rasa sopan, patuh dan hormat kepada orangtuanya. Mereka telah dibutakan oleh harta dan kekuasaan.

Selain itu, tokoh lain yang gila harta dan kekuasaan dalam drama ini adalah Edmund, putra termuda Gloucester dari gundiknya. Untuk mendapatkan tanah ayahnya, Edmund merancangkan perbuatan yang jahat untuk ayahnya. Dia berniat mengadu domba ayahnya dengan kakaknya, Edgar (putra Gloucester dari istrinya). Edmund membuat sebuah surat yang tulisannya mirip dengan tulisan Edgar. Dalam surat itu dituliskan bahwa Edgar berencana untuk mendapatkan warisan dan membuat siasat untuk membunuh ayahnya. Edmund masuk ke kerajaan dengan membaca surat tersebut. Setelah yakin bahwa ayahnya melihat, dia pura-pura menyembunyikannya ke dalam kantongnya Gloucester meminta untuk membacanya, namun dia berkata bahwa surat tersebut berisi hal yang tidak baik. Gloucester menjadi serius dan memaksa untuk membacanya. Akhirnya Edmund memberikan surat tersebut dan Gloucester membacanya. Dia sangat tertekan dan menyuruh Edmund untuk mematai-matai Edgar. Rencana Edmund pun berhasil, dia berhasil mengusir Edgar [Act I scene II]. Dalam kisah ini, Edmund juga telah buta harta dan kekuasaan, dia melakukan tindakan yang jahat hanya untuk mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan. Menurut saya, Edmund melakukan tindakan tersebut karena dia adalah anak seorang gundik Gloucester. Jika tiba saatnya pembagian harta dan kekuasaan, dalam pikiran Edmund, Edgar lah yang akan mendapat bagian yang paling besar karena Edgar adalah anak Gloucester dari istrinya yang sah. Mungkin, Edmund takut tidak kebagian harta tersebut dan dia pun mengkhianati kakaknya. Menurut saya, kekhawatiran berlebihanlah yang membuat Edmund melakukan hal itu. Dalam hal ini harta telah membuat seseorang memiliki kekhawatiran yang sangat besar dan membuat yang tidak benar menjadi benar.

Selain itu, kisah tokoh lain yang berhubungan dengan materialisme adalah kisah Cordelia dengan Adipati Burgundy. Dalam drama ini memang kisah mereka tidak dikisahkan secara gamblang namun menurut saya patut diperhatikan, khususnya tentang harta dan kekuasaannya atau materialistisnya. Setelah raja Lear memutuskan bahwa Cordelia tidak akan mendapat secuil warisan pun, raja Lear bertanya kepada Adipati Burgundy dan raja Perancis apakah mereka masih mau menikahi Cordelia. Adipati Burgundy langsung segera mengundurkan diri sedangkan raja Perancis terkesan akan kejujuran Cordelia dan berkata bahwa ia sekarang lebih mencintainya lagi dan akan menjadikannya sebagai ratu kerajaan. Dalam kisah ini, ada dua hal yang menarik untuk diperhatikan. Yang pertama, kematerialistisan Adipati Burgundy. Dia tahu bahwa Cordelia tidak akan mendapatkan apa-apa, dia langsung membatalkan lamarannya kepada Cordelia. Menurut saya cinta itu adalah harta dan kekuasaan bagi Adipati Burgundy. Tidak ada harta dan kekuasaan, maka cinta pun tidak ada juga. Yang kedua, kesetiaan raja Perancis. Meskipun Cordelia tidak memiliki apapun, dia tetap mencintainya. Menurut saya dalam hal ini, cinta itu bukan hanya sebatas harta dan kekuasaan saja, tetapi kejujuranlah yang paling penting.

Tidak hanya dalam dram King Lear, dalam kehidupan sekarang ini pun harta dan kekuasaan adalah hal yang sangat penting. Banyak orang tergila-gila akan harta dan kekuasaan. Segala hal dan cara dihalalkan untuk mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan tersebut. Rasa sopan, hormat, jujur dan adil itu susah ditemukan jika sudah bertemu dengan harta dan kekuasaan. Setelah mereka mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan tersebut, kebanyakan orang lupa diri dan lupa Tuhan.

Sebagai kesimpulan, harta dan kekuasaan bisa mengaburkan batas hubungan antara ayah dan anak, orang bisa berpura-pura baik untuk mendapatkan harta dan kekuasaan, harta dan kekuasaan juga bisa meyebabkan pengkhianatan. Selain itu, cinta juga berhubungan dengan harta dan kekuasaan, jika ada harta dan kekuasaan maka cinta juga ada atau tak ada harta dan kekuasaan tak ada cinta.

source:

wikipedia

Don’t Kill a Mockingbird

11o7's — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:31:14 +0000

In To Kill a Mockingbird (United States of America: Warner Books Edition, 1960) Harper Lee portrays racial problems and social injustice between white people and black people in Alabama. In my opinion, To Kill a Mockingbird deals with racism, prejudice, humor, courage and symbolism. The story begins when Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. He and his sister, Scout, try to remember why Jem got the accident. From that accident, they tell about their neighbor and social life in Maycomb. They also tell their father, Atticus, who always helps someone who needs his help.

The symbol of mockingbirds is explicitly explained in this book. For example, when Atticus told Jem and Scout, “Remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird,” [Chapter 9]. Scout did not understand what her father mean, so she asked Miss Maudie about it. Miss Maudie said,”Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” [Chapter 10]. From this part, I learn that mockingbirds are innocent; it is a sin if we kill or injure them. The symbolism of mockingbirds extends to human also. I think, Tom Robinson is an example of a mockingbird. He is a good person, he did not hurt anybody. However, because of the prejudice and racial injustice, he convicted by jury and the jury decided him guilty. In my opinion, Tom Robinson should not have been convicted because he did not do mistake.

Boo Radley is another example of a mockingbird. He did not do any harm to the other people. When Miss Maudie’s house in fire, Boo Radley gives Scout a blanket to make her warm. He also gives Scout and Jem toys, gum, medals and watch. Besides, he protects Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell, who try to kill them. If somebody wants to kill him, it is a big sin I guess because he do not hurt or disturb someone. However, he helps people in his ways.

Atticus, who is Scout’s father, is a brave and wise person. He always tells his children to be a brave person. Atticus said,” …what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what,” [p.116]. From that I learn that we must try to be a brave person. Another example of the courage of Atticus is when he defends Tom Robinson, who is black people. When his child asked why he defends Tom, he answered that we must help people who need our help regardless who they are. Besides, I think Scout is an innocent girl but she is actually smart. She can read before she enters to school. She also learns about the social situation at that time and she seems to be more mature compared to the other children at the same age.

In conclusion, we could not hurt someone who is innocent, just like a mockingbird. Besides, we must help the other people who need our help, just like Atticus.

Rebellions Never End

11o7's — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:28:12 +0000

Animal farm is a fable which was written by George Orwell. In Animal Farm (London: The Folio Society, 2002 edition) George Orwell portrays political situation and colonization between human and animals and animals between animals. The story begins when Old Major calls all animals to a secret meeting. In the meeting, he shared his dream of a revolution against the cruelty of Mr. Jones, Major wants rebellion. Three days after the meeting Major dies but the speech gives the more intelligent animals a new outlook of life. There are two pigs who want to continue the rebellion they are Napoleon who is big and not a good speaker and Snowball who is a better speaker, very vivid and has a lot of ideas. Both of them start their action to influence others animals but Napoleon does fraudulent act. In my opinion, there are two themes in Animal Farm. The first theme is the triumph from colonization and the second theme is “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton)

The first theme, the triumph from colonization, is clear portrayed in this novel. First, the colonization is done by Mr. Jones to the animals in Manor farm. One night, Mr. Jones comes home drunk and forgets to feed animals. Because of the spirit of speech which is given by the Old Major, the animals do the rebellion to fight Mr. Jones. They destroy all whips, nose rings, reins, and all other instruments that have been used to suppress them. The same day the animals celebrate their victory with an extra ration of food. The animals’ success to dominate Manor Farm and then they changes Manor farm become Animal farm. Besides, the pigs make up the seven commandments, and they write them above the door of the big barn.

They run thus:

Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill another animal.
All animals are equal. [chapter 2]

I think that is the first triumph; they are free from the Mr. Jones’s colonization. Second, the suppression which s done by Napoleon to the Animals is also clear explained in this novel. After Old Major died, Napoleon fight to dominate Animal farm. He successes with fraudulent ways. He also successes to throw away Snowball, who have ideas to build windmill, to produce electricity for others animals and to teach other animals how to read and count. All animals work hard every day except the pigs. A few years later, Napoleon becomes same as Mr. Jones. He colonies other animals. The animals can’t do more, if they do the rebellion, the dogs of Napoleon will kill them. At the end of the novel, the pigs cannot be distinguished from the humans. ”… Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs? The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” [Chapter 10] However, finally the animals do rebellion too. They try to defeat Napoleon and the others pigs. In my opinion, it is the second triumph; the animals try to defeat the pigs.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton) is another theme in Animal Farm. When the animals success to dominate Manor Farm, the leaders are corrupted by their power. The success which has reached by them is corrupted by Napoleon. Napoleon uses fraudulent way to dominate the Farm. He slanders Snowball. Slowly, he use his power to colonize others farm again. He acts like human also, he sleep in a bed, drunk, and live in Mr. Jones’s house. Silently, he and the other pigs change the seven commandments.

“But a few days later Muriel, reading over the Seven Commandments to herself, noticed that there was yet another of them which the animals had remembered wrong. They had thought the Fifth Commandment was “No animal shall drink alcohol,” but there were two words that they had forgotten. Actually the Commandment read: “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.” “[chapter 8]

Overall, theme of this novel is the sad triumph of evil. The animals have fight and fight but they still colonized. Another theme is the misuse of power. Napoleon uses his power to colonize other animals and also to kill his competitor.

The other side of an old town

11o7's — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:21:35 +0000

In To Kill a Mockingbird (United States of America: Warner Books Edition, 1960) Harper Lee portrays racial problems and social injustice between white people and black people in Maycomb County, Alabama. The story begins when Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. He and his sister, Scout, try to remember why Jem got the accident. From that accident, Scout tells about the neighborhood and social life in Maycomb County. Scout also tells her father, Atticus, a lawyer, who always helps someone who needs his help. In this story, Atticus defends a Negro, Tom Robinson. The setting in this book is Maycomb County that is an old, small, isolated town in Alabama, United States of America. In my opinion, the setting in To Kill a Mockingbird represents the attitudes of characters.

According to Scout, “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it . . . Somehow, it was hotter then . . . People moved slowly then.”[p.9] This quote tells us that Mycomb is an old town and the climate is hot and dry. I think it is not an interesting town because the town is dry and unclean, “…grass grew on the sidewalks..,” [p.9] In my opinion it is mean that the town it is not be well taken care of Mycomb’s people. The setting in this novel, Maycomb, also represents the character of the people, I guess. For example, when Atticus helped the Cunninghams, they do not pay him with money but they paid him with what they have such as radish, hickory, smilax and holly flowers and wood. Firstly, It is describes that the town is old because barter system still applied. Secondly, it represents the character of Atticus, who always helps someone honest and straightforward. When he helps someone, he does not make a standard price to pay his service. The Radleys’s house also represents the character of them, door and window of the Radleys’s house usually locks especially on Sunday. I think it represents their character, they are unsociable with their neighbor and they rarely go outside.

Besides, the setting in this novel also represents the racial injustice between white people and black people. For example, white people’s church is different with black people’s church. Black people or Negros cannot go to the white people’s church. Negros’ church is First Purchase African M.E. Church; it is an ancient paint-peeled frame building. They worshipped in it on Sundays and white man gambled in it on weekdays. The church is far from the town, it is in the Quarters outside the southern town limits; across the old sawmill tracks [p.120] In my opinion, the different church describe the prejudice of white people and black people. Although black people cannot go to the white people’s church, they still pride with their church, and vice versa.

The setting in the court also represents the racial injustice too. In the court, there is a difference of sitting place between black people and white people. White people sit downstairs and black people sit upstairs. I think, it means that social status between them is different. Besides, the courthouse also represents how old the town too. “..the Maycomb County courthouse was early Victorian…..Greek revival columns clashed with a big nineteenth-century….” [p.165] This quote explain that the style building of courthouse is old and in this quote is also explain although the place had been renovated, the people still preserve every physical scrap of the past.

Overall, Maycomb County is an old, dry, and ‘ancient’ town. Ancient means that the people sometimes use the ancient ways for pay something, for example the Cunninghams. The physical church of black people and the courthouse also describe how told the town is.