A Study on Generic Structure of Narrative Text and Interpersonal Metaphors in Eka Kurniawan’s “Kitchen Curse Stories”

Abstract

This study examines the generic structure of narrative text and interpersonal metaphors in three short stories by Eka Kurniawan taken from one of his works, “Kitchen Curse: Stories”. This study is aimed to identify the generic structure of narrative text, analyze the interpersonal metaphors in the generic structure of narrative text, and to explain the reasons behind the structure of narrative text and the use of interpersonal metaphors in Eka Kurniawan’s “Kitchen Curse: Stories”. Qualitative method is used in this study and interactive model is applied in data analysis. The findings reveal that two story samples, namely Easing into a Long Sleep and Caronang, followed the complete five-stage in narrative text, orientation∧evaluation∧complication∧resolution∧reorientation, while Auntie lacked the optional reorientation stage without compromising narrative coherence. A total of 100 realizations of interpersonal metaphors were identified, comprising 30 realizations of mood metaphors and 70 realizations of modality metaphors, with the modality realizations predominantly consisting of modalization, particularly those expressing probability. The evaluation stage showed the highest representation of interpersonal metaphors due to Kurniawan’s distinctive storytelling style, characterized by extensive flashbacks and backward plots. This storytelling style extended the evaluation stage, enriching it with clauses and increasing the frequency of interpersonal metaphors. The study underscores the influence of narrative structure and storytelling style on the use and distribution of interpersonal metaphors in short stories.