IMAGERY ANALYSIS IN SELECTED CHILDREN’S POEMS

THESIS PROPOSAL
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Sarjana
Humaniora in English and Literature Department of Adab and Humaniora
Faculty Alauddin State Islamic University of Makassar

By
Name: Hairummufli
NIM: 40300117006

ADAB AND HUMANITY FACULTY

ALAUDDIN STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR
2022
I. Introduction

A. Background 

Language is a means of communication for mankind’s. It is regarded on both

spoken and written forms, which is used to deliver messages, ideas, information, and

feeling. It also enables people to communicate with their society. It differs from other

form of writing, and elicits more the mental picture of reader and listener, because

literature evokes imagination and as the aesthetic form of language, they are such as

novel, poem and play.

Poem is one of the literary works which colors with selective beautiful and

artistic words in its form. The words in structure poem are selected to find best

dictions, so the poem has strength and even trigger to evoke imagination and feeling

from the poet and also the reader or listener. There are lots of elements of poem

which evoke the mental picture and bring emotions of the poet and reader. Poetry can

be many things; it can be philosophical, sentimental, or emotional. It can paint a

picture, poetry can also political, satirical, or funny, and even just informative; it

makes differs from other kinds of speaking and especially writing (Wolosky, 2001:

3).

Imagery is one of the most elements of poetry which contains mental picture

in every word that poet uses to evoke the experience of reader and elicit imagination.

Imagery is constructive element which contains in all types of poems. It is the

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language use that gives us medium to hear, see, and think as long as poet thinks and

paints the poem. Perrine defines imagery as representation of several experience and

imagination through language as medium (1984), and Daniel also affirmed imagery is

words and phrases which produced the experience to the readers and poet (1973).

Imagery obviously stimulates reader to think and sense what is being transfer in

reader or listener mind through poem by the poet.

In this research, the researcher analyzes selected poems of children’s poems.

The researcher chooses the poems for children because many types of children’s

poems do not use simple language for children to understand. The researcher uses

Imagery analysis by Perrine and Thomas (Damanhuri, 2011). Few of selected

children’s poems are I Love the Earth, Thanks Mom, Thanks Dad, Summer Day,

and More than ever.

B. Research Questions

Based on the background above, the research questions of this research are:

1. What types of imagery are used in selected poem of children’s poems?

C. Research Objectives

Based on the research questions, the objectives research are as follows:

1. To know the types of imagery in selected poems of children’s poems

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D. Research Significance

Theoretically the researcher hopes that the analysis and finding of the research

will serve the scientific reference in study of imagery contain in poems and kinds of

image in study of poem and also will enrich science treasure and study of poetry in

literary studies. Practically the researcher hopes that this research will serve

understanding of how the use of implicit words or sentences especially imagery used

in poems and also in our interaction live, the miscommunication of message of poem

can be reduced since the using of imagery in poem and children will understand more

of the poems that they read

E. Research Scope. 

This research focused and emphasized on find the types of in selected poems

of children’s poems. The poems will analyze are I Love the Earth, Thanks Mom,

Thanks Dad, Summer Day, and More than ever.

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II. Literature Studies

A. Previous Studies

Muhammad Syarif Hidayatullah’s thesis (2019) Imagery Found in Kahlil

Gibran’s Selected Poems. This thesis discusses the imagery in Kahlil Gibran‟s

selected poems. The objectives of the research are to find out the use of types of

imagery and to describe the purposes conveyed through the use of imagery in Kahlil

Gibran‟s selected poems. This research used qualitative descriptive method. The data

were analyzed based on Laurence Perrine‟s theory.

Imagery and Figurative Language Analysis in Two Poems by Robert Pinsky,

by Nursyal (2009) In order to identify the imagery and figurative language in Robert

Pinsky's poetry, the writer employed the qualitative technique and carefully read,

explained, and paraphrased each poem. Two poems—In Berkeley and The Unseen—

were examined by the author. The author used many figurative language and

imagery. These include simile, personification, symbolism, metaphor, hyperbole,

irony, and paradox. They also include visual and olfactory imagery.

B. Pertinent Ideas  

A. Imagery

Perrine defines imagery as representation of several experiences and

imaginations through language (1984), imagery is words and phrases which produced

the experience to the reader’s and poet’s mind (1973). We create mental picture

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through words that has spoken or written so we image the word in daily experience

(Smith, 1985: 86). Poetry directly appeals to our sense through rhythm, and its music

when it read loudly by the reader.

Imagery however, the word suggests with visual sense, eyesight or things we

can be seen in our mind’s eyes; usually this definition used in the past and was not

broadened. Nowadays imagery is not only visual sense which directs our eyesight,

but also includes all the senses. As Perrine in Sense and Sense said that but imagery

may also represent sound (auditory imagery); a smell (olfactory imagery); a taste

(gustatory imagery); a touch (tactile imagery); an internal sensation (organic

imagery); or movement (kinesthetic imagery). Although images predominate by

eyesight, but usually followed by another images, the main point of imagery is

evoking the reader mind and form mental picture in order to suggest meaning without

poet directly uses denotative meaning or explicitly conveys the true meaning. The

image can be movement, smell, a taste, hearing, or followed by other images. It lies

on every poem and be an element of its structure.

Further classify images into seven types, as follows:

1) Visual imagery is such an imagery which relates to the visual imagination

and it is a kind of imagery that appears mostly in the poem because almost words

represented in the poem are basically seeable. For instances: “Continuous as the stars

that shine”, “And twinkle in the Milky Way”

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 2) Auditory imagery is like an imagery which relates to the auditory that

represent sounds, like words “buzzling”, tinkling, chiming, and others related to the

sound. For instances: “Hear the sledges with the bells”, “How they are tinkle, tinkle,

tinkle”.

3) Tactile imagery is viewed as an imagery which relates to tactile sense, like

cold and warm. It has something to do with temperature like heat and cold or our

touch sense. For instances: “A dungeon horrible on all side round”, “As one great

furnace flamed”.

4) Olfactory imagery is confessed as an imagery that relates to olfactory or

smelling sense, like “fragrant”, unpleasant smell and others related to aroma. For

instances: “The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard”,” Sweet scented stuff when

the breeze drew across it”.

5) Gustatory imagery is considered as an imagery that relates to the taste such

as sweet and briny and others relate to the flavor. (i.e. she is as sweet as red apple),

the word “apple” represents sweet taste to our imagination. For instances: “She is as

sweet as red apples”, “Night glow touched the heart inside”.

6) Organic imagery is known as an imagery that relates to internal sensation

of human body, such hunger, thirst, pain, etc. For instances: “Where gat ye your

dinner, Lord Randal my son?”,” For I’m weary for hunting and fain wald lie down”.

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 7) Kinesthetics imagery is called as an imagery which conveys a sense of

movement, or tension in the muscles or joints. Like in the haunted house, can be

studied how the poet describes the kinesthetic imagery. (i.e. the black bats tumble and

dart) which impresses us about it sense of movement or tension in the muscles or

joint of ours. For instances: “Hanging on the ceiling waiting for preys”, “The black

bats tumble and dart”.

B. Poem

Poetry is the ancient form of literary work that always exists in human

civilization and social lives. As one of the genres of literary, poem had been used as

medium aesthetic and expression. Poem is expression, thought and feeling that

awakening and stimulating human imagination sense with rhythmic arrangement,

they recorded and expressed with interesting memorable in such as many ways

(Pradopo, 1997: 7). The word Poetry comes from Greek language, “Poieo or Poises”

meaning as “making, forming, creating (the words), or the art of poetry, or a poem”.

(Halim, 2017: 15).

Every poem has structures and images that coloring their form, the image of

poem comes from the poet in order to create (as the meaning of poem) and make

several particular effects to the reader, so meaning as purpose and its articulation can

be understand by the reader and of course it brings also the aesthetic in the poem both

for the poet or reader.

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C. Selected Poems

I Love the Earth

I love the earth
And the beauty each obe gives
I love the animals
And the fishes at sea
For i am a part of mother earth
And it's a part of me.

Thanks Mom, Thanks Dad

Thank you, mom.
Thank you, dad.
Three small words.
So much to add.
For all your love
And your support
A million words
Would be too short.
The words, "i love you"
Seem too few
To express the love
I have for you.

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Summer Day
It's a summer day,
But not without you,
When you are away,
When it's not us two
My sadness uplifts,
My love for you,
My feelings kick in,
When it's not us two

More than ever

I love you mum,
More than ever,
Your heart's like a drum,
Stop beating never,
Goodness vibrates,
Just from you,
Give me your love,
It will make me bloom

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III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Research Method

In order to achieve a maximum result of study, it needs research method

which supports problem solving. Here the researcher uses qualitative descriptive

research method. Meanwhile the theory by Perrine and Thomas (Damanhuri, 2011) is

Imagery.

B. Data Source

In this research, the source of the data are 4 selected children’s poems from

various authors.

C. Instrument of Collecting Data

In this research, the researcher picked 4 selected children’s poems form

various authors

D. Data Collection Procedures

In collecting the data, the researcher uses the following procedure:

1. The researcher reads the poems several times.

2. The researcher identifies imagery in selective poems.

3. The researcher classifies types of imagery in selective poems.

4. The researcher interprets each of imagery in selective poems.

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E. Technique of Data Analysis

The data were analyzed by Laurence Perrine’s theory (1992) about types of

imagery. Perrine stated types of imagery are visual imagery, olfactory imagery,

auditory imagery, gustatory imagery, organic imagery, tactile imagery, and

kinesthetic imagery.

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 BLIBIOGRAPHY

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Winston, Inc. 1970.
Baharuddin, Nahdhiyah. Spiritual Values in Khalil Gibran‟s “The Prophet”. Makassar: State
University of Makassar. 2004.
Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University
Press. 1997.
Erfan, Mohd. Representation of Jewish as Subaltern in Yehuda Amichai‟s Selected Poems.
Makassar: UIN Alauddin Makassar. 2018.
Fajar, Putra. The Analysis of Imagery, Figurative language, and Theme in Modern English
Poetry. Jakarta: Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University. 2007.
Fayyad, S. The Study of Qutb‟s Thought and his Literature. University of Manchester.
Unpublished Ph. D thesis.
Hancock, B. An Introduction to Qualitative Research. Nottingham: University of
Nottingham. 2002.
Imadudin. Impressions Reflected in Roger‟s and Deby‟s Selected Poems. Makassar: UIN
Alauddin Makassar. 2011.
Klarer, Mario. An Introduction to Literary Studies. London: Routledge. 2005.
Knicbocker, K.L. & William Reninger H. Interpreting Literature. USA: Holt. 1963.
Llorens, Didac. The Analysis of Poetic Imagery.
Mahfouz, Safi Mohmoud. Painting with Words: Imagery in Selected Poems by Robert Frost.
Jordania: Dirasat, Human and Social Sciences, Vol. 39, No. 1. University of Jordan.
2012.
Nursyal. Imagery and Figurative Language Analysis in Two Poems by Robert Pinsky.
Jakarta: State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah. 2009.
Rahman, Asyraf ab. Etc. Quranic Literary Study: Sayyid Qutb‟s Thought and Orientation.
Malaysia: Asian Social Science, Vol. 11, No. 4. Canadian Center of Science and
Education. 2015.
Retnayanthi, Putu Ayu. The Analysis of Figurative Languages in Adele‟s Song Lyrics.
Denpasar: Udayana University.

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Richard and Winston Lestari. My Heart Leaps Up by William Wordsworth. Denpasar:
Udayana University. 2006.
Rosmaidar & Wijayanti, Rina. Imagery in Langston Hughes‟s Poetry. Palembang: Jurnal
Imiah Bina BAHASA Vol. 5 No 2. 2012.
Setiawati. The analysis of Robert Browing‟s poetry “Life a love”. Denpasar: Udayana
University. 2008.
Smith, Sybille. Inside poetry. Victoria: Pitman Publishing Pty Ltd. 1985.
Teeuw, A. Sastra dan Ilmu Sastra Pengantar Ilmu Sastra. Bandung: PT Dunia Pustaka Jaya.
1984.
Wolosky, Shira. The Art of Poetry: How To Read A Poem. New York: Oxford University
Press. 2001.

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DAYS by BRIAN MOSES
Days fly by on holidays,
They escape like birds
Released from cages.
What a shame you can’t buy
Tokens of time, save them up
And lengthen the good days
Or maybe you could Lear out time
From days that drag, then pay if back
On holidays, wild days,
Days you wish would les forever,
You could wear these days with pride,
Fasten them like poppies to your coat,
Or keep them in a tin, like sweets
A confection of days
To be held on the tongue
And tasted, now and then.

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At the playground by Brian Moses
When we went to the playground
I swung on the swings,
I said on the slide,
I hung from the rings.
I raced over to mum
For a kiss and a cuddle,
But as we were leaving,
I fell in a puddle!

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 To be dried by the morning sun
Mrs. Driver from next door
Was a witness at the scene
When aliens snatched my underpants
I’m glad that they were clean!
It seems they were quite choosy
As nothing else was taken
Do aliens wear underpants
Or were they just mistaken?
I think I have a theory
As to what they wanted them for,
They needed to block off a draught

Aliens stole my underpants by Brian Blowing in through the spacecraft door

Moses Or maybe some Mars museum
To understand the ways Wanted items brought back from space
Of alien begins is hard Just think my pair of Y-fronts
And I’ve never worked it cut Displayed in their own glass case
Why they landed in my backyard And on the label beneath
And I’ve always wondered why Would be written where they got ‘em
On their journey from the stars And how such funny underwear
These aliens stole my underpants Once covered an Earthling’s bottom!
And took them back to mars
They came on a Monday night
When the weekend wash had been
done
Pegged out on the line

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The Budgie Likes to Boogie  - Caboodle Books
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The budgie likes to boogie,
the budgie likes to rock.
He wakes us every night,
when he rocks around the clock

The budgie likes to jive,

to spin around, to twirl.
His body full of rhythm,
his head is in a whirl.

The budgie boogie-woogies,

along the table top.
The budgie disco dances,
the budgie likes to bop.

He's just about the best,

his moves are really neat.
You should see the budgie boogie,
you should see his flying feet!

In front of the dangly mirror,

he plays his air guitar.
The budgie likes to boogie,
the budgie is a STAR!

The Great Galactic Ghoul - Caboodle Books

----------------------------------------------------------------
Don't fool around with the great galactic ghoul,
it's not the sort of creature to play by the rules.
For any spaceship sent its way
will not return to Earth someday.
It will simply bat it out of the sky,
splat it hard just like a fly

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This ghoul was never taught right from wrong,
it lives by its muscles, is incredibly strong.
It's ugly as Medusa whose snakes have just woken,
with a nose like a boxer's that's regularly broken.
Eyes like saucers, the flying kind,
acts like a creature that¹s lost its mind.

And the great galactic ghoul

does very little but slobber and drool
as it shuffles about on the edge of Mars
and anyone flying in from the Stars
should beware the ghoul, stay clear of its lair
or it might just swing you round by your hair.
then squeeze you betwen its loathsome jaws
till it swallows you, rubs its belly and roars.

P.S. It lives a long way away from you

and that's where it usually stays.
but something's wrong, the ghoul has gone,
now it hasn't been seen for days..

Billy's Coming Back - Macmillan

----------------------------------------------
Word is out on the street,
Billy's coming back.

There's a sound outside of running feet,

somebody, somewhere's switched on the heat,
policemen are beating a swift retreat
now Billy's coming back.

Only last year when he went away

everyone heaved a sigh,
now news is out, and the neighbourhood
is set to blow sky-high.

Words are heard in the staff room,

teachers' faces deepen with gloom,

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can't shrug off this feeling of doom,
now Billy's coming back.

It was wonderful when he upped and left,

a carnival feeling straightaway,
no looking over shoulders,
each day was a holiday.

And now like a bomb, no one dares to defuse,

time ticks on while kids quake in their shoes
no winners here, you can only lose,
now Billy's coming back.

It's dog eat dog on the street tonight,

it's cat and mouse, Billy's looking for a fight,
so take my advice, keep well out of sight
now Billy's coming back.

Behind the Staffroom Door - Macmillan

---------------------------------------------------------
Ten tired teachers slumped in the staffroom at playtime,
one collapsed when the coffee ran out, then there were nine.

Nine tired teachers making lists of things they hate,

one remembered playground duty, then there were eight.

Eight tired teachers thinking of holidays in Devon,

one slipped off to pack his case, then there were seven.

Seven tired teachers, weary of children's tricks,

one hid in the stock cupboard, then there were six.

Six tired teachers, under the weather, barely alive,

one gave an enormous sneeze, then there were five.

Five tired teachers gazing at the open door,

one made a quick getaway, then there were four.

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Four tired teachers, faces lined with misery,
one locked herself in the ladies, then there were three.

Three tired teachers wondering what to do,

one started screaming when the bell rang, then there were two.

Two tired teachers thinking life really ought to be fun,

one was summoned to see the Head, then there was one.

One tired teacher, caught napping in the afternoon sun,

fled quickly from the staffroom, then there were none.

I Go Ape
------------------------------------------------------------------
When I hang upside down, I’m orang-utang,
when I climb a tree, I’m chimpanzee,
when I’m tough as Attila, you can call me gorilla,
but to keep in shape, I go ape.

I go, I go, I go ape,

I go, I go, I go ape.

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo!

I’m with people of every size and shape

looking for adventure and going ape,
leaving the streets and leaving the town
for the joys of hanging upside down.
I wanna let all my energy escape,
like a marathon runner reaching the tape,
show everybody how fit I can be,
I wanna release the hidden monkey in me
and go ape.

I go, I go, I go ape,

I go, I go, I go ape.

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oo oo oo oo oo oo oo!

If there’s no pain, there can be no gain,

maybe I could be Tarzan, you could be Jane,
swinging so high we could hang from the stars,
slide Saturn’s rings and cartwheel on Mars.
When I hang upside down, I’m orang-utang,
when I climb a tree, I’m chimpanzee,
when I’m tough as Attila, you can call me gorilla,
but to keep in shape, I go ape.

I go, I go, I go ape,

I go, I go, I go ape.

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo!

The Monster Sale

------------------------------------------------------------------
Monsters that wait behind your door,
monsters that slither across the floor.

Monsters that moan and groan and wail,

buy your monsters at the Monster Sale.

Monsters that bite and leave a mark,

monsters that shine and glow in the dark.

Monsters that look like you and me,

buy one monster get one free.

A box of monsters to put under beds,

a sack of monsters with two or three heads.

Monsters with chipped and blackened teeth,

monsters with baby monsters beneath.

Out-of-date monsters from the bargain bin,

monsters that fit inside a tin.

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Monsters that tap on your window at night,
monsters that whisper, ‘You’re in for a fright.

Monsters that hide in your teacher’s drawer,

such silly offers you can’t ignore.

But our monsters need feeding to help them grow,

so step this way to our basement below.

Such knock down prices you just won’t believe.

Pity you’ll never be able to leave........

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