Readers’ interpretation about the civil war in Spain potrayed in Sidney Sheldon’s The Sands of Time

ABSTRACT

Many people ignore the role of the reader so far. They think that a literary work is created only for reading. It is absolutely wrong because according to Mukarovsky (in Endraswara, 2008:119) the role of the reader is very important, that is in giving meaning of the text. In a reading process, the reader is understanding and interpreting it with his point of view that is influenced by many factors such as his knowledge, experience, religion, environment, etc. Even the reader’s participation is able to make a literary work get an award. It is known that there is a close relation between the reader and the text. They cannot be separated each other because they complete each other. A literary work cannot exist without a reader.

Based on the above reasons, this study discusses the relationship between the reader and the text. In this case, the topic discussed is the readers’ interpretation about the civil war in Spain portrayed in Sidney Sheldon’s The Sands of Time, it is not described clearly that the civil war is a good way or not to have a freedom in using own language, own flag, and own holiday for Basques. It makes the readers have different interpretation about it. In relation to the reasons, this study is aimed at answering the following two research problems. First, what is the readers’ interpretation about the civil war in Spain, and second, what are the aspects that influence the readers’ interpretation. In this study, the researcher applies reception theory to answer the research problems.

The result of the research shows different interpretations of the informants about the civil war in Spain. There are, at least, two interpretations about the civil war; the civil war is a good way to have a freedom in using own language, own flag, and own holiday for Basques and the civil war is not a good way to have a freedom in using own language, own flag, and own holiday for Basques. From all interviewed informants, the researcher also finds an informant who has multiple interpretations. Those all interpretations are supported by different reasons of the informants. Generally, the informants, who interpret the civil war is a good way to have a freedom, see that the government is not fair to Basques, and civil war is the only one choice to make their dreams come true. On the contrary, the informants, who interpret the civil war is not a good way, see that the civil war is a kind of violent action and it should not happen because many innocent people are being victims in that war. Besides, the different interpretations given by the informants are also influenced by some aspects such as their family, religion, race, gender, friend, and experience. These aspects directly influence the result of their interpretations.