THE SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS ON SELECTED SYMBOLS IN ERNEST HEMINGWAY’S THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Abstract

In the process of writing this thesis, the problem is addressed onto the reveals of the meaning on marlin, sea, shark, skeleton, bird and lion symbol in the novel. The scope in this study is about the revelation meaning of its symbol through the information inside the novel. In order to get an easier way to analyze the symbol, semiotics is the most appropriate theory to use. For getting the best result of this research, the method to use in this novel is qualitative and inductivemethod since the research uses description and it is begun from analyzing the specific to the general one, while the supported data are taken from the library research. The goal of writing this thesis is to discover the meaning of selected symbol in the novel. The analysis begins with the Peirce‟s triadic of sign implemented on the selected symbol, then I classify the information I collect from the novel, then the meaning of each symbol was concluded. Marlin is the representamen, and then I discovered some information about marlin and classified it as hard to catch, suffering, pride and happiness inside the novel. Based on these, I concluded that marlin is a struggle of life. The rest, other symbols reveal different meaning. The validity of classified information is supported by the quotation found in the novel. The end of the discussion in this thesis is offering back to the readers what they should believe having read the novel and this writing, since the data given are mostly fair from the related literal source.