Koda – Do you like reading fiction books or novels with beautiful stories, deep moral messages, and unexpected endings ? It turns out that there are indeed many novels and fictional stories that have all of these criteria. For example, stories written by top writers such as Tere Liye, Dee Lestari, Andrea Hirata, which have so many moral messages contained in each of their works.
Or other works by foreign writers such as Matt Haig, Stephanie Meyer, Cho Nam Joo, and Keigo Higashino who write a lot of dramatic to dystopia stories that always make the reader feel a roller coaster. Of all types and genres of writing, all of them have a moral message and stories that end beautifully.
So that makes us realize that there are so many interesting elements contained in it. In fact, if we pay attention to these talented writers, they really need a number of intrinsic elements that should be in a story. So that it can give birth to a beautiful story and leave an impression on the hearts of its readers.
Know the Code and Its Functions
When we are reading a story, whether it is a short story or a novel, we are aware that there are a number of intrinsic elements contained in it. Of the many elements that exist in a story, such as plot, characters, background and setting, there are also elements that we often forget.
Coda is an important part of the intrinsic elements of a story, which not many people are aware of its presence. The role of the coda itself is almost always present and can help us conclude a story.
You may have heard the term coda, but you still don’t understand what the definition of coda is and its application in a story. Let’s check out the following reviews!
Definition of the Code
Coda is an element contained in the story, which contains the message or message to be conveyed by the story. The coda is generally placed at the end of a story or novel.
The existence of this coda is also able to help the reader have a clear conclusion from the whole story. However, not all stories automatically have a coda with a clear ending. Some stories often deliberately end with plots that hang or still leave new questions. Where the reader must conclude for himself how the conclusion and the end.
But that doesn’t mean that this type of story doesn’t have a coda at the end, usually the coda remains to be the conclusion of the story as a whole, regardless of how it ends . Therefore, the role of this coda is important to give more value to the story, so that it can attract more readers.
Writers will also usually give a mandate or message about an issue that they raise in a story that is spread throughout the story. However, the essence and final conclusion of the message is contained in the coda.
The coda is also usually the answer to all of the readers’ questions that arise throughout the story. Especially in stories with the horror or detective genre that have a lot of suspense throughout the story, the answer will be given at the end of the story as well as the moral message that the writer wants to convey.
Code function
As with the definition of the coda itself, the function of the coda is to convey the moral message or message of the whole story. So that when reading the story, the reader is able to understand what the author wants to convey through his work.
The message contained in this coda is also the hope of the author who is expected to make the reader understand, so that he can take the positive side. So, it’s not surprising that many writers don’t hesitate to raise social issues, problems that have recently occurred, to satirize the political system, just to voice their ideas through writing.
It is this idea that the author brings up later that is expected to reach every reader so that other people understand it better.
We can take a simple example of the coda function from the fable that we used to read when we were little. As in the story of Si Kancil who likes to steal cucumbers belonging to the farmer, but in the end he gets rewarded for his actions.
We can understand one thing from the author of this deer story, namely about the meaning that stealing is not a commendable act. So what we do always has its own consequences, including when we steal.
From this simple story, the moral message about not stealing something that doesn’t belong to us has succeeded in getting into our minds until we grow up. So it means that the function of the coda as conveying morals and morals through the story of the deer is very successful.
So that this coda is also commonly found in short stories for children as a form of teaching morals and educating children from an early age. This has proven to be effective in shaping our mindset and character in the future.
Instead of having to dictate a child to act positively, telling stories with coda full of moral messages like this can actually be a more effective medium for shaping their character.
Position of Koda in Story Structure
The role of the coda is actually quite large considering that the coda is able to bind the reader’s feelings to a story or novel after reading it. Because, coda is able to leave a final impression that holds the hearts of its readers. Making these readers will always remember the story in that story because it is so deep and beautiful as a work.
However, in a story, the coda does not stand alone. There’s a lot of structure that needs to be in place in a story for coda to work well when applied to stories. Here are some important structures in the story that we need to know in order to understand the position of the coda in the story.
1. Abstraction
Abstraction or abstract in general is a brief description of a theme, event or idea in a story. This becomes the main structure that influences the course of the plot of a story.
Abstract can also be said as a premise that is taken to become the main idea of the story. For example, in a romantic comedy novel, the writer wants to raise the premise of a poor girl who is independent meets a rich man who is arrogant.
This is a brief abstract, which can then be developed more broadly, for example by the situation that brought the two together, the character’s background and so on.
2. Orientation
The next very important structure is orientation, which is the introduction of situations, characters in the story. Generally, every story written in fiction will have various types of orientation.
This introduction includes the introduction of characters, setting of place and time, situations, issues raised to the relationship between the characters in the story. The way of introduction also varies according to the theme of the story taken.
Usually the introduction of characters and their characterization will be described slowly and little by little. As the story progresses, several new characters will appear that have not been mentioned, or have been mentioned but have not appeared.
In contrast to the introduction of the background which is most often introduced from the start, because for setting the time and place there is always the possibility of changing according to the flow. Generally for certain genres such as detective, criminal, thriller there will be an introduction of characterizations that are scattered throughout the story.
So it is very likely that there is another side of the characters in the story that is only known after heading to the end of the story. This is often done in order to support the storyline and process the emotions of the readers.
3. Complications
The next structure is complication, where the conflict arises when entering the middle of the story to the climax. This conflict is important to exist and be made maturely so that it can bring a story to life.
A story that has no complications will feel very flat and boring. Therefore, the existence of various conflicts is able to present varied and complex colors, so that the story will always be interesting to follow.
The type of conflict that is embedded in a story is also very diverse and it all depends on the main idea or ideas that the author wants to raise. Conflicts can be in the form of conflict either between fellow characters or with oneself, a number of problems that seem to be starting to make it difficult for the main character in the story.
For example, in the famous novel Little Women, the four main characters begin to experience various internal and external conflicts. Where they have to struggle to become women who follow the wishes of society or against the stereotypes that are given to them as women.
So seeing the possibility of complications arising is what triggers character development, which in the end there will be a change in attitude. For example, from evil to a good person.
4. Rising action
The rising action or conflict achievement is all the piles of problems, events, and emotional turmoil that pile up into one. It is at this point that achieving conflict will feel so heavy and tiring for the main character.
This ultimately triggers the main character to bring the storyline to the highest level. Usually a story that has reached the conflict milestone will feel as if there is no way out.
Taking the example of the film Avengers: Endgame, the point of reaching the conflict is in the scene where all the Avengers and other superheroes have been repeatedly resisted by Thanos’ minions. The scenes that were shown many times also showed that they were all too tired, and almost wanted to give up.
This is what then prompted Captain America to take Thor’s hammer and not long after the storyline headed for the climax of the conflict or climax.
5. Climax
This section becomes the climax of the conflict or often referred to as the climax, which is the culmination of a story. After the story develops from what was originally only character introduction and conflicts begin to emerge, then a story will have its peak.
The climax of this story is the culmination of various problems that continue to arise, the inner conflicts of the main characters to all the circumstances and plots that support it. A story that has a climax like this makes readers increasingly unable to escape from the story they are reading.
A good conflict setting and choosing a climax in the right situation will be able to make the story in the story so memorable . Like when you watch the movie Avengers: Endgame, the climax in that story is when the Avengers ensemble scene.
At that point the audience is able to feel the power of a sentence that becomes so strong and meaningful, coupled with the continuous attacks that satisfy the audience’s thirst. This feels so right because of the correct choice of climax, and the well-plotted and successive conflict arrangements.
So that when the peak of the conflict comes, everyone who follows the story will feel that all the previous feelings and emotions have paid off well. This climax is also referred to as a turning point, which in some stories can change the entire plot.
6. Evaluation
In this evaluation section, the story has reached its final part which is the bright point of every conflict and problem experienced by the characters in the story. So that it can be said in this evaluation section, the main character in the story has found a solution or a way to solve their problem.
For example the part Thanos is finally able to defeat, with Iron Man again snapping his fingers to bring back the people who were hit by the blip .
7. Resolution
This resolution section can be said to be the end point of a storyline. In this last section is a number of explanations about the problem that has been completed. If it tells about a detective or criminal story, this part shows who the perpetrator is and the reasons why he committed the crime.
Therefore, this resolution becomes an explanation and explanation that clarifies and straightens out every question that has ever occurred to readers before. This section also explains what happened to the characters and what situations changed after the events happened.
8. Code
As previously explained, the coda is at the very end which contains conclusions and moral messages from the journey of the main characters after experiencing a number of events.
How does the writer want to convey a message so that we can take the best lessons from the experiences of the characters.
Application of the Coda in Stories
Actually the application of the coda in each type of story is fairly simple, but not all of the coda written in written stories are real. But there are several coda which are implicitly included at the end of the story.
For example, in a novel like Harry Potter, you may not find a message of moral mandate written firmly at the end of the novel. But by following the whole storyline, and reading it to the end, you can be sure that the story contains a very clear coda about the sincerity of parents’ love for their children.
Where in the story, true love is described as being able to defeat any evil power of magic because love itself is the most natural, magical, and powerful magic.
But if we look at some short stories such as in legends, fables, and others, we can easily find the coda of the story in question at the end of the story. Most coda are found prominently in fables because of their purpose for children’s learning.
For example, in the story of the mouse deer stealing the cucumber, it will be written at the end of the story that stealing is not a commendable act, so we should not be like the mouse deer who likes to steal things that don’t belong to him.
Conclusion about the Code
If reading a story with a plot full of tension is able to make us cry and laugh, plus a moral message that is so deep, it is indeed an interesting experience.
This is because the coda is a place for writers to convey the message they want to convey to readers. So reading the story is not a waste.
Through interesting media such as stories, it is hoped that the ideas and messages that the author wants to convey can be more easily understood by all readers from various different backgrounds.
So, do you have a favorite story with the best coda? If not, then find epic fictional stories and the best moral messages at sinaumedia, okay!