SELAMAT MEMBACA

Jumat, Agustus 17, 2012

THE ASPECT OF HUMOR IN REVEALING THE MANNER OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE IN AUGUST BALDWIN LONGSTREET’S THE FIGHT

APPENDIX
(Summary of the literary Work)

This was story about two men named Billy Stalling and Bob Durham. Both of them were strong men, they handled different stage of battalions. People in the country often compared their physical strength. The good relationship between Bob and Billy was bothered by the appearing of Ransy Sniffle, a man with abnormal appearance who loves everything about fighting. Sniffle has set Bob against Billy. The fighting cannot be avoided after the
quarrel of Nancy Stallion and Betsy Durham in Mr. Atwatar’s store. When Nancy and Betsy quarreled, then Billy came to nurture his wife from the abusing of Betsy and he replied Betsy with vulgar language. Billy’s word had hurt Betsy’s heart, and this moment was known by Sniffle. Sniffle reported what was going on to Bob and he was angry directly. The fighting between Bob and Billy has attracted many people around the country, they discussed and predicted how would the fighting be going on. Bob and Billy had fought each other with full strength and people applauded and crowded around them. Finally, the fighting was won by Bob. After the fighting, Bob and Billy did not meet for two months. In their first meeting, Billy stepped up to Bob and offered his hand and both realized their mistake in solving their wives problem and they continued to be friend

HUMOR AND MANNER OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE

The Fight is included in Georgia Scenes which told about the relationship of two men, named Billy Stallion and Bob Durham. Both are described as the “Best men” in the country.
In the younger days of the Republic there lived in the country -- two men, who were admitted on all hands to be the very best men in the county; which, in the Georgia vocabulary, means they could flog any other two men in the county. Each, through many a hard-fought battle, had acquired the mastery of his own battalion; but they lived on opposite sides of the Courthouse, and in different battalions: consequently, they were but seldom thrown together (p.600).


In this opening paragraph, Longstreet exposed two best men which were in the Georgian language means that they often get in strong fight. They have balancing ability in defeating their foes and handling different stage of battalion.  It made them compete each other and it is difficult to determine which one is the best man, Billy Stallion (Stalling) or Bob Durham. Longstreet used the word best men in revealing two men who often get flogging otherwise both of them handled different stage of battalion. The choice of word “best men” can be included as the form of epigram humor, because Longstreet prefers to disappear the truly characters of Bob and Billy through his neat word.
Billy ruled the upper battalion, and Bob the lower. The former measured six feet and an inch in his stockings, and, without a single pound of cumbrous flesh about him, weighed a hundred and eighty. The latter was an inch shorter than his rival, and ten pounds lighter; but he was much the most active of the two. In running and jumping he had but few equals in the county; and in wrestling, not one. In other respects they were nearly equal. Both were admirable specimens of human nature in its finest form. Billy's victories had generally been achieved by the tremendous power of his blows, one of which had often proved decisive of his battles; Bob's, by his adroitness in bringing his adversary to the ground. This advantage he had never failed to gain at the onset, and, when gained, he never failed to improve it to the defeat of his adversary. These points of difference have involved the reader in a doubt as to the probable issue of a contest between them. (p.601)
 Longstreet has the highfalutin in characterizing between Bob Durham and Bill Stalling as shown in the quotation above. From that description, it can be inferred that Georgian people desired to discuss everything related to the fighting. They compared two different men from their physical strength rather than their intellectual quality. It also showed that Georgian life is closed to physical competition and primitive attitude.
The Georgian life was enriched by the appearing of trouble maker character, Ransy Sniffle. With Longstreet detailed description on Sniffle, we can catch one of the unique manners among Southern people.  The character of Sniffle can be representing native Georgian in general. As stated above, Georgian desired about fighting. It also found in Sniffle that there was nothing delighted him except fighting.
The aim of writing The Fight was for exposing the real manner of Georgian people. For showing the reality in such kind community like Georgian, Longstreet chose the way of humor, because by using this way, he could criticizes the community in the way of satirizing and humor. It also based on the assumption of Parrington who said that in depicting such a society realism was the only honest method; but to make it palatable it must be well seasoned with humor (Main current in American Thought, vol_2)
The humor type is also found in depicting Ransy Sniffle’s physical character. It is kind of sarcastic word used by Longstreet. He described Sniffle as the queer and nasty appearance which indicates his bad attitude of loving everything about fighting.
Now there happened to reside in the county just alluded to a little fellow by the name of Ransy Sniffle: a sprout of Richmond, who, in his earlier days, had fed copiously upon red clay and blackberries. This diet had given to Ransy a complexion that a corpse would have disdained to own, and an abdominal rotundity that was quite unprepossessing. Long spells of the fever and ague, too, in Ransy's youth, had conspired with clay and blackberries to throw him quite out of the order of nature. His shoulders were fleshless and elevated; his head large and flat; his neck slim and translucent; and his arms, hands, fingers, and feet were lengthened out of all proportion to the rest of his frame. His joints were large and his limbs small; and as for flesh, he could not, with propriety, be said to have any. Those parts which nature usually supplies with the most of this article - the calves of the legs, for example - presented in him the appearance of so many well-drawn blisters. His height was just five feet nothing; and his average weight in blackberry season, ninety-five. I have been thus particular in describing him, for the purpose of showing what a great matter a little fire sometimes kindleth. There was nothing on this earth which delighted Ransy so much as a fight (p.602).
Sniffle’s character was tricky; his desire in fighting made him find some causes which can burn people into fighting. It also conducted to two best men in country, Billy and Bob. Sniffle had set Billy against Bob through delivered issues between them. Sniffle had done this way for many time but unfortunately he never lucky and Bob and Billy always continue to have a good relationship. This Sniffle character shown in quotation below
 He had resorted to all his usual expedients to bring them in collision, and had entirely failed. He had faithfully reported to Bob all that had been said by the people in the upper battalion "agin him," and "he was sure Billy Stallings started it. He heard Billy say himself to Jim Brown, that he could whip him, or any other man in his battalion;" and this he told to Bob; adding, "Dod darn his soul, if he was a little bigger, if he'd let any man put upon his battalion in such a way." Bob replied, "If he (Stallings) thought so, he'd better come and try it." This Ransy carried to Billy, and delivered it with a spirit becoming his own dignity and the character of his battalion, and with a colouring well calculated to give it effect. These, and many other schemes which Ransy laid for the gratification of his curiosity, entirely failed of their object. Billy and Bob continued friends, and Ransy had began to lapse into the most tantalizing and hopeless despair (p.602).

    Ransy’s effort was successful in bothering the relationship of Stalling and Durham. It was said that a hundred gamecock will live in perfect harmony together if you do not put a hen with them.  One time the two battalions had met at the courthouse upon a regimental parade, the two men were there and were accompanied by their beloved wives. The trouble comes, when these two wives went to the store of Zephaniah Atwater as soon as the exercises of battalion had over.  The two of women, Nancy Stalling and Betsy Durham They rebut each other to be served first by Mr. Atwater.
"Have you any Turkey-red?" said Mrs. S.
“Have you any curtain calico?”
        "Have you any curtain calico?" said Mrs. D. at the same moment.
        "Yes, ladies," said Mr. Atwater, "I have both."
        "Then help me first," said Mrs. D., "for I'm in a hurry."
 "I'm in as great a hurry as she is," said Mrs. S., "and I'll thank you to help me first."
        "And, pray, who are you, madam?" continued the other.
        "Your betters, madam," was the reply.
        At this moment Billy Stallings stepped in. "Come," said he, "Nancy, let's be going; it's getting late."
"I'd a been gone half an hour ago," she replied, "if it hadn't been for that impudent huzzy.
 "Who do you call an impudent huzzy, you nasty, good-for-nothing, snaggle-toothed gaub of fat, you?" returned Mrs. D. (p.602)
       
From the conversation above, it also can be drawn that Georgian women also tend to have a fight related to trivial problem. Women of Georgian fought each other by quarreling something and complementing with crude word which was expressed to their foes. The crude world was used mostly by Georgian people, both of women and men to express their feeling to someone and something.
The quarrel of Nanncy Stalling and Betsy Durham in Atwater store was found by a trouble maker, Sniffle. He planned to report what the matter to Bob as soon as Betsy had mocked by Billy. Sniffle was in hurry to meet Bob with his tricky character and hard effort to make both two men fight each other. Later, Bob was in the store in minutes, he was in deep angry because of the Sniffle report about his wife.
"Bill Stallions," said Bob, as he entered, "what have you been saying to my wife?"
 "Is that your wife?" inquired Billy, obviously much surprised and a little disconcerted.
        "Yes, she is, and no man shall abuse her, I don't care who he is."
"Well," rejoined Billy, "it an't worth while to go over it; I've said enough for a fight: and, if you'll step out, we'll settle it!"
        "Billy," said Bob, "are you for a fair fight?"
"I am," said Billy. "I've heard much of your manhood, and I believe I'm a better man than you are. If you will go into a ring with me, we can soon settle the dispute." (603)
The fast reaction between Bob and Billy showed us the manner of Georgian, that they trust to issue or news easily without rechecking whether it true or not. The isolation society and culture made Georgian have primitive attitude and low class; they quarrel because of trivial problem, and they desire to see fighting between their friends.
The planned fighting between Bob Durham and Billy stalling had sensational news among people in the city. They have conjectures, doubts, oaths, and interest related to it everywhere. How they show their much interest for discussing, seeing, and predicting of the fighting. They have Thomas Logins, who never failed to predict the issue of the fighting all his life. At moment, one asked Logins how would the fighting of Bob and Billy be going and who will flog his rival first.
 The question immediately drew an anxious group around the squire. He raised his teeth slowly from the head of his walking cane, on which they had been resting; pressed his lips closely and thoughtfully together; threw down his eyebrows, dropped his chin, raised his eyes to an angle of twenty-three degrees, paused about half a minute, and replied, "Sammy, watch Robert Durham close in the beginning of the fight; take care of William Stallions in the middle of it; and see who has the wind at the end."

The humor also found here, Longstreet had amused the reader by the expression and the attitude of his character in the story.
At the word, Bob dashed at his antagonist at full speed; and Bill squared himself to receive him with one of his most fatal blows. Making his calculation, from Bob's velocity, of the time when he would come within striking distance, he let drive with tremendous force. But Bob's onset was obviously planned to avoid this blow; for, contrary to all expectations, he stopped short just out of arm's reach, and, before Billy could recover his balance, Bob had him "all under-hold." The next second, sure enough, "found Billy's head where his feet ought to be." How ht was done no one could tell; but, as if by supernatural power, both Billy's feet were thrown full half his own height in the air, and he came down with a force that seemed to shake the earth. As he struck the ground, commingled shouts, screams, and yells burst from the lower battalion, loud enough to be heard for miles. "Hurra, my little hornet!" "Save him!" "Feed him!" "Give him the Durham physic till his stomach turns!" Billy was no sooner down than Bob was on him, and lending him awful blows about the face and breast. Billy made two efforts to rise by main strength, but failed. "Lord bless you, man, don't try to get up! Lay still and take it! you bleege to have it!" (p.605)

The quotation above is the condition of the fighting between Bob and Billy. They attack each other with their full of strength and the loud and crowded of the people who didn’t want to miss this excellent fighting. The fighting was going so hot because it was between two strongest people in the country which had set against each other by a trouble maker, named Ransy Sniffle. They struggle hardly to survive their honor in front of their wives and for people in general. They want to show up their excellence and their strength, which one between them will be the winner and the best.
Finally, the fighting was taking the Bob Durham as the winner. He had defeated Billy as soon as Billy gave him up.   
That is language accommodate to the capacity of the person to whom he represent him self as speaking. The manner of Georgian is also related to rude dialect and ungrammatical language. The Georgian language had much influenced by the dialect of African-American. The rude language is usually expressed to other people who they dislike or the expression of their good or bad feeling. It was the expression of Mrs. Durham to Mrs. Stalling, when they met in the store Zephaniah Atwater.
"Who do you call an impudent huzzy, you nasty, good-for-nothing, snaggle-toothed gaub of fat, you?" returned Mrs. D. (p.602)
The other example was also found in the expression of the fighting audience. They were oaths, imprecations and uttered about the fighting between Bob and Billy.  Longstreet stated that the dialect used in his stories was the real language used by the people described in story.
"Look yonder!" cried the west; "didn't I tell you so! He hit the ground so hard it jarred his nose off. Now ain't he a pretty man as he stands? He shall have my sister Sal just for his pretty looks. I want to get in the breed of them sort o' men, to drive ugly out of my kinfolks." (p.606)
Language also represent the identity of someone and community because language is related to the culture. In the manner of Georgian language, it truly depicted the class status and culture of society at that time.
The type of humor related to the language and dialect in this story is the wise-crack. As the definition of Wise-crack, language used in Longstreet’s The Fight was meaningless and impolite, it just such kind of expression of the people. 
The tradition of fighting among Georgian people was closed to Barbarity. They made someone among them against each other, and made it as entertaining performance where they feel amused. They discuss, predict, and foment about fighting. This was caused of their isolation community which had difficulty to change their ways of life as the other develop country in United States.
But, Georgian people were not only representing the bad character only, they have balance in their attitude. In the end of story, after having excellent fighting Bill and Bob had bed rest for several weeks. Next time, they meet and Billy asks beg pardon to Bob. He really regretted the moment of fighting because of unimportant problem. They also realize that fighting was not the solution of problem, it rather kind of barbarity attitude which can invite others to do the same thing.
When they met, Billy stepped up to Bob and offered his hand saying, "Bobby, you've licked me a fair fight; but you wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been in the wrong. I oughn't to have treated your wife as I did; and I felt so through the whole fight; and it sort o' cowed me." "Well, Billy," said Bob, "let's be friends.

The sketch of Georgian life captured in Longstreet the Fight was also influenced by the romanticism spirit. Romanticism has definition as literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form. Romanticism was a cultural movement in the eighteenth century that had an impact on in many areas including music, `rt, and literature resulting in the avoidance of classical forms and rules, emphasis on the emotional and spiritual, representation of the unattainable ideal, nostalgia for the grace of past ages, and a predilection for exotic themes.
One of Romanticism characters which predominantly dealing to Longstreet’s The Fight is primitivism. Primitivism is one of the romanticism characteristics which can be defined as the pursuit of ways of life running counter to the development of technology, its alienating antecedents, and the ensemble of changes wrought by both.
The ideas of primitivism was rooted from the reaction of Enlightenment and the general tendency to idealize any social behavior judged relatively simple or primitive, The Romantics developed this idea further. They believed that modern society was moving away from its traditional roots, losing touch with its "true primitive condition".
    The condition of Georgian sketched the primitivism, it can be seen from the manner of people as the analysis above. The attitude of people showed the barbaric and low class in society.  The language of Southern also showed the natural of human in expressing the feeling. This manner depicted the spirit of romanticism which has one of the characters; primitivism.

CONCLUSION
From the analysis conducted, it can be concluded that Longstreet had showed the real color of Southern people, especially Georgian, through the humor varieties found in August Baldwin Longstreet’s The Fight. The type of humor used in Longstreet’s The fight is Satire, parody, The wise crack and the Epigram
The striking manner of Georgian people was the tradition of Fighting which was so immoral and barbaric. They fight because of simple case. Besides, Georgian has the crude dialect and ungrammatical language.
The romantic spirit on this literary work was primitive. The attitude and the moral values among Georgian, expressed in The Fight was closed to the alienating of forward changing in society. It means that Georgian people based on the Longstreet’s The Fight were still far in developing the civilization in their community when it was compared to other country. And this condition gave the effect to the Georgian manner which showed the low class in society.


BIBLIOGHRAPHY

Abrams, M. H. The Mirror and the Lamp. New York: Oxford University Press, 1979
Apte. Mahadev L. Humor and Laughter (An Anthropological Approach). London: Cornell University Press, 1985
Blair, Walter. Tradition of Southern Humor. http. www. Jstor. Org accessed on December 5, 2008
Earnest, Earnest. A foreword to Literature. New York: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1945
Hayes, Kevin J. “Early-19th – Century Literature”. http. www. Googlesearch.com. accessed on Oktober 19, 2008
Kramsch, Claire. Language and Culture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998
Parrington, Vernon Lewis. Main Current in American Thought vol_2. http. www. Googlesearch. Com. Accessed on December 5, 2008
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