Analysis of a short story "Dark Dignum"

Indra is an English teacher from Binjae North Sumatra. He has analysed the story entitled

"Dark Dignum"

By

 Bernard Edward J. Capes

Synopsis

Dark Dignum short story is a legends fiction in narrative text. The story tells about the experience of main/major character that it argues the conflict of the two smugglers:  Exciseman Jones and Dark Dignum where Exciseman Jones passed away in still mystery. The story occurred in the main character’s grandfather life. The author set up the story dramatically and it has many thrills.The story contains metaphor (“It crumbles … like as frosted mortar ….” And “… a liquid vibrant sound, like muffled stroke of iron on an anvil” etc.) and connotation ( “… by the ingle-nook to taste a little the salt of life”.), and also jargons, even though it is still readable or understandable, so it is suitable to be the reading material by adapting and changing the level of language in improving the knowledge of literature.         

1.      Setting

Setting of place               : on the sea and in the old churchyard       

Setting of time                :   the short-story happened around 18^th century.  

Social-cultural setting     : fishermen and Christian communities.

2.      Character

Main/major character      : landlady’s father. He is an old man and he has

                                           restless behavior. He is as a round character.

                                         

Minor/support character   :  

Ø  The writer. He is as a static character, because he does not exhibit his capacity to develop or change as his experience.

Ø  Exciseman Jones. He is one of the smugglers which he died in still mysterious. He is a grim, sour-looking, brass-bound galloot; and incorruptible- -which was the worst.

Ø  Dark Dignum. He is also one of the smugglers. He is a young man, a great feat smuggler and wick. He is as a dynamic character.

Ø  Grandfather. He is as a flat character because he does not always appear to develop or change as his experience.

3.      Plot

Exposition                     : from paragraph 1 to paragraph 5

Complication                 : starting paragraph 6 (“It is a bell!” he cried--)     

Crisis                             : page 3 paragraph 9 (“He were murdered, sir, ….”)       

Falling                           : page 6 line 1 (“Now all these years the cliff ….”)          

Resolution                     : page 7 paragraph 1 in line 5 (The wear and tear      

                                         From the edge ….).

The end of this short-story uses OPEN PLOT, because the main character questioned to hisself what he told the story to the author.

The story used flashback. It contains one flashback, namely grandfather wished if he were turned thirty he never smiled agen.

  

4.      Point of view                : omniscient point of view.

5.      Symbol                         : Dark Dignum. He is symbolizes as the people has

                                        wickedness, profaneness, and audacity behavior.

                           

6.      Tone                             :  horrifying, thrilling           

7.      Theme                          : mystery          

                                        Exciseman Jones was murdered foully and horribly,

                                        for all they could never bring it home to the culprit.

8.      Message                       : people should do good works both to God and to

                                        human being because they are the key to gain a             

                                        peaceful life.