Literary Works: A Grave Problem

A novel entitled "A Grave Problem" is analyzed by Lilis Faridah and Anik Zahrah. They tell more about the mystery of a grave and its secret. They argue that the novel is compatible for scondary students.

ANALYSIS OF A SHORT STORY

A GRAVE PROBLEM

BY TERUKO HYUGO

1. SETTING

Setting of place : Japan, Temple, Home, Kimono shop, Auto repair shop.

Setting of time : -

Socio-cultural setting : Modern society which hold traditional values strongly.

2. CHARACTER

Main/Major Character : Mrs. Hata Keizo. She is a lenient but strong woman. She is the major character because she dominate the story. She can be categorized as protagonist character because she was patient and tough in facing all problems.

Minor/Supporting Characte:

· Priest. He worked in a traditional temple. He was good but becoming greedy.

· Haruo, Mr. Keizo and Mrs. Hata’s son. He is young, smart, and diligent.

· Masako. She is Mrs. Hata’s good friend. She help her a lot in facing the problems.

· Mr. Akagi. He is a Kimono shop owner. He was Keizo’s friend, but he became mean after Keizo’s death.

· Mr. Noma. He is an auto repair shop owner. He was Keizo’s friend. The same as Mr. Akagi, he became mean after Keizo’s death.

3. PLOT

Exposition : Paragraph 1 (Introduction to the story)

Complication : From paragraph 2 (...an hour later Haruo came back)

Crisis : Mr. Noma wanted Mrs. Hata to pay right away.

Falling action : Mrs. Hata paid and thanks Mr. Noma.

Resolution : Mrs. Hata decided to face her new life (The last paragraph).

The end of this short story uses CLOSE PLOT, in this story Mrs. Hata realized that her life without her husband would be harder. Nevertheles, she would face it bravely with her son, Haruo.

The story used FLASHBACK. Many things can be revealed through flashback in this short story. They are:

· Keizo’s plan for his son

· How Keizo died

· Keizo when he was alive.

· Keizo’s friends when he was alive.

4. POINT OF VIEW : Editorial omniscience (I)

5. SYMBOL : Grave symbolising change of life, something frightening, sad and gloomy.

6. TONE : Symphatetic, Irony

7. THEME : Human relationship

8. MESSAGE : A friend in need is a friend in deed.

Good friend can change if we do not have good luck.

SUMMARY:

Mrs. Hata was bewildered when the priest of the temple where her family had been burried asked her to move her family bone to other temple. If she needed time to find new grave she had to pay 800¥ to the priest. She sold two of her kimonos to Mr. Akagi, one of her husband’s good friend. Much to her surpised Mr. Akagi gave her a very low price for her good kimono. She took the money and said to Mr. Akagi that she would take the kimono back when she got enough money. Her friend Masako took her to another kimono shere she could get high price for her kimono. Then she took back her kimono from the surprised Mr. Akagi. Masako accompanied her to the temple to pay the priest. She negotiated with the priest that . In the end Mrs. Hata had to pay 550¥. After dinner that night, Mrs. Hata accompanied her son Haruo to fix a TV of his first client. On the way home they got an accident. They took the car to Mrs. Hata’s husband’s best friend so that they could pay him at their easy time. Much to her surprise, Mr. Noma asked her to pay right away. She paid Mr. Noma. She realized that her life had changed a lot since her husband’s death and she had to be stronger from then on.