An Analysis of Gadamer Hermeneutics Toward the Tagline Text on Crash Film and Its Support to the Theme

AN ANALYSIS OF GADAMER HERMENEUTICS TOWARD THE TAGLINE TEXT ON CRASH FILM AND ITS SUPPORT TO THE THEME

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Strata One Degree (S1)

YOGA SUDARISMAN 104026000942

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA 2009

ABSTRACT

Yoga Sudarisman, An Analysis of Gadamer Hermeneutics toward the Tagline text on CRASH film and Its Support to the Theme. Thesis, Jakarta: College, State Islamic University, Faculty of Adab and Humanities, January 2009.

The goal of the research is to find and understand the tagline’s meaning that is reflected in the CRASH’s film and American condition. This research discussed the tagline of CRASH (2004) film. Here, the writer studied the CRASH film as the unit analysis. Intrinsic theory and hermeneutics are used as the theoretical framework of the research. The method of the research is descriptive qualitative, which tries to explain about the intrinsic and extrinsic element of the film. At first, the research focuses on intrinsic element of the film; the subplot analysis, then followed by analyzing tagline’s text through hermeneutics as the extrinsic element of the film.

The research has found new meaning considered by the fusion of horizon analysis; historical horizon and present horizon, intolerance defined as the prejudice of historical horizon and arrogance or supremacy as the prejudice of present horizon, and the writer concludes that arrogance is the meaning of CRASH tagline.

APPROVEMENT

AN ANALYSIS OF GADAMER HERMENEUTICS TOWARD THE TAGLINE TEXT ON CRASH FILM AND ITS SUPPORT TO THE THEME

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Strata One Degree (S1)

Yoga Sudarisman No. 104026000942

Advisor

Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum Supervisor

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA 2009

LEGALIZATION

The thesis entitled “An Analysis of the Tagline Text on CRASH Film through Gadamer Hermeneutics and Its Support to the Theme” has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s Examination Committee on March 05, 2009. The thesis has already been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of strata (S1).

Jakarta, March 05, 2009

Examination Committee

Chair Person, Secretary,

Dr. M. Farkhan. M.Pd Drs. Asep Saefuddin, M.Pd NIP. 150 299 480 NIP. 150 261 902

Members

Drs. H. Abdul Hamid, M.Ed Innayatul Chusna, M. Hum NIP. 150 181 922 NIP. 150 331 233

iii

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Jakarta, February 17, 2009

Yoga Sudarisman

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the Name of Alláh, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Who has taught Adam all the names (of everything). Peace and blessings of Allah be upon the noblest of the

Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad who has said, “The best of you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it”. (Thanks God. May the writer be in

Your help and guidance).

The writer would like to thank his beloved parents - Mr. Oding Suhendar

S.Pd and Mrs. Opur Purwasih S.Ag – for gave him their full-financial and spiritual, during his study and the process of making the paper. (Thanks Mom, thanks Dad. May God bless you and give you the health and prosperity).

Then, the writer would like to thank Mrs. Elve Oktaviyani, M.Hum, his advisor for always guides him during the process of the paper. The writer fully realizes without her help, this paper will not be better. (May she be in God’s help and gives her all what she has been prayed).

The writer would like to thanks to the following people who have contributed many helps in writing this paper, they are:

1. Dr. H. Abd. Chair, MA the Dean of Faculty of Adab and Humanities,

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University.

2. Dr. M. Farkhan, M.Pd the Head of English Letters Department.

3. Drs. A. Saefuddin, M.Pd, the Secretary of English Letters Department.

4. All lecturers of English Letters Department for teaching the writer

during the time he studies at this Faculty.

5. All English Letters Students 2004 period. Special thanks to Class B for

gave the writer best experiences; you are my greatest friend, the writer

never has the best experience than ever. The writer really misses the

togetherness we felt at college. For Rahma, thanks for the support.

6. Sanggar Ayu members; the place where the writer lived, people who

have great responsibility each other. Special thanks to my roommate;

the writer appreciated what you gave.

To the people that writer listed above, the writer really wants to say thanks for everything. (may God give you the goodness and help you all the time).

Finally, the writer hopes this paper will be useful especially for the writer and those who are interested in it. Amen.

Yoga Sudarisman Writer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ...... i APPROVEMENT ...... ii LEGALIZATION ...... iii DECLARATION ...... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... vii LIST OF APPENDICES ...... ix

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 A. Background of the Study ...... 1 B. Focus of the Study ...... 3 C. Research Questions ...... 3 D. Objective of the Study ...... 3 E. Significance of the Study ...... 3 F. Research Methodology ...... 4 1. The Method of the Research ...... 4 2. Data Analysis ...... 4 3. The Unit of Analysis ...... 4 4. Place and Time ...... 4

CHAPTER II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ...... 5 A. History of Hermeneutics ...... 5 B. Gadamer’s Hermeneutics ...... 8 1. Prejudice and Tradition ...... 8 2. Historical Consciousness ...... 9 3. Fusion of Horizon ...... 9 4. Hermeneutics as Dialogue (Gesprach)...... 11 5. The Application of the Theory...... 11 C. The Significance of Title and Tagline on the Film ...... 12 D. Plot and Story ...... 14 E. Theme ...... 17

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS ...... 18 A. Data Description/Corpuses ...... 18 B. Hermeneutic Analysis ...... 20

vii

1. Prejudice ...... 21 2. Historical Consciousness ...... 35 3. Fusion of Horizons ...... 36

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION ...... 41 A. Conclusion ...... 41 B. Suggestion ...... 42

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 43 APPENDICES ...... 45

viii

LIST OF APPENDICES

1. CRASH Dvd Cover...... 45

2. CRASH Synopsis...... 46

3. Gadamer’s Biography ...... 48

4. Figures Description ...... 49

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

One of intrinsic elements in literary work is theme, the existence of theme is very important. Theme is a broad idea, a message or lesson in a story or literary work conveyed by a written text.1 The clear themes are required for getting the ideas and intentions which are wanted to be conveyed by the author. The theme is different from the superficial of the text; it is normally the meaning of the text on a more abstract level.

The clear theme relates to the clarity of meaning text. The text that has meaning ambiguity could become an obstacle for getting the idea and author intention totally. Texts have been created with the meaning that being the aid for explaining the idea and intention of the author directly or indirectly way.

Tagline was created by film maker for catching the attention of spectators; it is also created for summing up the plot, tone or theme of the film.2 For example in the Lost in Translation (2003) film; the tagline is ‘sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to come full circle.’ In Memento (2000) film; the tagline is ‘some memories are best forgotten.’ And in The Blair Witch Project (1999) film; the tagline is ‘everything you've heard is true.’

1Wikipedia, Theme (literature), accessed on December 7, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Theme_ (literature) 2 Tim Dirk, Great Film Taglines, accessed on May 9, 2008. http://www.filmsite.org/ taglines1.html

1 2

CRASH (2004), the film created in 2004 that reflected the impact of extreme prejudices resulted from the incident of September 11, 2001 in United

Stated of America.3 It gives message about the influences of bigotry and the importance of tolerance among the people. The film that the duration length is about 112 minutes, has a great tagline; ‘you think you know who you are, you have no idea’.4

The tagline is not part of the literary work, nevertheless, the writer tries to explain the meaning comprehensively, because it still relates to the film’s dialogue that writer noticed as the literary work.5 Thus the aim of tagline’s existence is for summing up the plot, tone, theme in film. The CRASH’s tagline has interesting matters to be analyzed that correlates with theme of the film.

The writer applies hermeneutic theory as the theoretical framework for explaining the meaning of the CRASH’s tagline and also as the extrinsic element that supports the intrinsic analysis, or on the contrary. The writer assumes that

CRASH’s tagline has other meaning as the writer has analyzed with the present period according to the data’s writer through the hermeneutic theory and it will be supported as a new theme of the film. Here, interpreting the meaning through the hermeneutics is a scientific way to find the other meaning correlating the intrinsic analysis with the extrinsic analysis. Furthermore, it will be gained the new meaning that supports to the theme of this film.

3 Kitt Brown, Crash Movie Review | Hollywood.com, accessed on May 9, 2008. http://www.hollywood.com/review/Crash/2440195 4 CRASH DVD cover. 5 Joseph M. Boggs, the Art of Watching Films 5th ed (London: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000), p. 2

B. Focus of the Study

In accordance with the description above, the writer will focus the research for recovering the other meaning of CRASH’s tagline and its contribution to film’s theme with analyzing plot as the intrinsic element and also using of the Gadamer’s hermeneutic theoretical framework as the extrinsic element that supports the analysis going to be more comprehensive and objective meaning.

C. Research Questions

1. How does the intrinsic element (plot analysis) strengthen the theme

of CRASH film?

2. How does the tagline meaning strengthen the theme of CRASH

film?

D. Objective of the Study

The objective of the research is to get the description and explanation concern:

1. The theme on the CRASH film that was strengthen by plot analysis

2. The contribution of the CRASH’s tagline meaning to strengthen the

theme

E. Significance of the Study

Hopefully the research could provide broader knowledge in literary field and the literary critiques could become more variable. The output of this research can gives the scientific information concerning the meaning of CRASH’s tagline.

F. Research Methodology

1. The Method of the Research

The writer uses descriptive qualitative as the method of the research.

Descriptive qualitative method sees that the correlation between the word and sentence that determines a certain and comprehensive meaning.6 In this research, the writer will analyze the hermeneutic for gaining the meaning.

2. Data Analysis

The data that would be gained are analyzed using Gadamer’s hermeneutic as the theoretical framework and as the extrinsic analysis for determining the meaning of CRASH’s tagline that supports the plot analysis as the intrinsic element on the film. The correlation between the intrinsic and extrinsic analysis hopefully could be categorized the output of this analysis more scientific.

3. The Unit of Analysis

The unit of analysis is CRASH’s film that released on September 9, 2005 with Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito, Karina Arroyave, Dato

Bakhtadze, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Matt Dillon as the players. The story wrote and directed by Paul Haggis. The film produced by Lions

Gate Films and Bob Yari Productions and DEJ Productions.

4. Place and Time

The research has studied in several libraries in Jakarta. It has begun from

June 2008 and ended in February 2009.

6 Muhammad Farkhan, Proposal penelitian bahasa & Sastra (Jakarta: Cella, 2007), p. 119

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. History of Hermeneutic

Hermeneutic derived from Greek; hermeneuin (verb) or hermeneia (noun) means interpretation. Hermeneutic has a length root of the Greek philosophy history. In the tradition of Greek mythology, the etymology of the term hermeneutics carries an obvious relation to Hermes, the God of messenger of the

Greeks, and suggests a multiplicity of meanings.7 In order to deliver the messages of the God, Hermes had to be conversant in their idiom as well as in that of the mortals for whom the message was destined. He had to understand and interpret for himself what the God wanted to convey before he could proceed to translate, articulate, and explicate their intention to mortals. To describe the different facets of Hermes’ task, modern mortals have at their disposal a whole set of terms such as linguistic competence, communication, discourse, understanding, interpretation. Looking at Hermes’ task may give us a clear warning as to the complexities underlying the term hermeneutics and the hermeneutic enterprise itself. Therefore, hermeneutics mean as a process change something or move from the ignorance to understanding situation.

According to W. Poespoprodjo, hermeneutic is an interpretation that considers the totally words context and even the cultures context. In contemporary situation, the process of analysis concerns the people considering the statistic data

7 Kurt Mueller-Vollmer, The Hermeneutics Reader: Texts of the German Tradition from the Enlightenment to the Present (United Kingdom: The Continuum Publishing Co., 1986). p. 1

5 6

view only (non personal information) such as technical and economical.8 This way is risky, because the human personality does not relate with the existence; it loses the life spiritual meaning. Note, that the human culture is more than the entire data.

Culture is an expression field through the depth symbols of religion, art, hope and human dread. In this case, the hermeneutics philosophy topics give the practical meaning for interpreting the cultural symbols (the expressions from the daily activity) in order to keep the wide perspective of human responsibility.

Hermeneutic is a new technique to interact with the language. The hermeneutic basically interrelates with the language.9 Thinking, chattering, writing, understanding and interpreting are through the language, even the arts that specifically did not use the language, they communicate with the other arts using the language also. Any kinds of art that showed visually such as sculptures or the paintings were also appreciated by using the language.

Language reflects the human culture. Henri Bergson explained that if the people understand the language of a country, undoubtedly they did not hate that country. When people understand the language, it is just same as understanding anything. The language is unlimited medium that carried everything in it –not only the culture that has conveyed through the language, but also the rest things in this world with no exception– because they were contained in comprehensive area. In other words, process of understanding the language is allowed people to participate in the using of language in the future. The language is a real mediator

8 W. Poespoprodjo, Hermeneutika (Bandung: CV Pustaka Setia, 2004), p. 5 9 E. Sumaryono, Hermeneutik: Sebuah Metode Filsafat (Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kanisius, 1999), cet. Ke-10, p. 26

for mankind’s relationship. The tradition, the culture, and every ancestor heritages were revealed by the language.

Hermeneutic was expanding by the early 16th century. Since the field of the research related to the language, in the 19th century; hermeneutic used for any disciplines, such as the laws, politics, literatures, and it even applied to the text generally.10

Laws interpretation is always interrelated with the contents. It has two types; written and implied laws. Both of these types were becoming the popular discussion’s topic between the law experts. The language was very important in this situation. The accuracy of understanding and explaining are most relevant for the laws. Hermeneutic was very required for explaining the laws documents. In the literature’s field, the existence of hermeneutics was very required. With no interpretation, the readers might misunderstand or did not catch the idea of the time when the literature was created. For example Shakespeare’s work, this work has been interpreted among the periods differently.

Wilhelm Dilthey, a philosopher of hermeneutic (1833-1911), stated that hermeneutic can also apply in Geisteswissenschaften –any humanity studies– or study about life sciences. If the human experience that has been expressed through the language was so odd for the reader in the period after, it would be required to be interpreted properly. Furthermore, the aim of text understanding is not about the objective recovery of the author intention, but about the emergence of new information that applicable with the subject. In this case, the situation is changed

10 Ibid. p. 29

to be aware for some probabilities of new existence and responsible for the future of the subject itself.11

B. Gadamer’s Hermeneutics

1. Prejudice and Tradition

In hermeneutics field, Scheielmacher and Dilthey denied the prejudice concept in order to understand the text. On the other hand, some people considered the tradition - that always connected with the authority concept - as a negative thing, the authority and tradition were considered as an obstacle for getting the truth of common sense (reason) and freedom.

Here, Gadamer was the opponent of ‘the bright philosophers’ who had denied the tradition and prejudice concept. Gadamer reconstructed both of those concepts. Gadamer illustrated the definition of prejudice from some foreign languages which have meaning ‘an estimation that has presented before the evaluation of aspects which deciding a situation’. In Germany law terminology, the prejudice was defined as a decision of temporary law before getting the final decision. 12 The definition has a consequence that should be differentiated between valid prejudice and invalid prejudice. The invalid prejudice should be omitted and the valid prejudice should be maintained before getting the final decision.

Gadamer considered that omitting the prejudice and the tradition contradicts with human historicity itself. Every person was produced by their culture and tradition that has been set, oftentimes the prejudice influences the way

11 Gayle L. Ormiston and Alan D. Schrift, The Hermeneutic Tradition (New York: State University of New York Press, 1990), p. 101 12 Hendrik A. Boli Tobi, Teks Sarinah Karya Soekarno: Sebuah Kajian Hermeneutika; A Thesis, (Jakarta: Universitas Indonesia, 2003) p. 17

of understanding the text. For Gadamer, the valid prejudice is not an obstacle for getting the truly knowledge, but that will enrich researchers knowledge in understanding their relation with the meaning of the text from the past.

2. Historical Consciousness

According to Gadamer, human beings are part of the past, present and future. The present cannot be separated from the past and the future. The present is visible and understandable just through the preconceptions of the past.

Gadamer sees that the past is an instrument for taking a part of understanding process and it will emerge Wirkungsgeschichtliche Bewusstsein or historical consciousness that conscious of history which is always creates the future.13 Gadamer refers to concept of Wirkungsgeschichtliche (historical consciousness) that proved the knowledge has effect in history, because the critical researcher is also a history actor that becomes a part of history process continuity.

3. Fusion of Horizon

The important thing from Gadamer’s hermeneutics is Fusion of Horizon.

(Horizontverschmelzung). In order to get explanation about the fusion of horizon,

Gadamer differentiated the historical horizon from the present horizon. The historical horizon is the prejudices that create expectations about the past, and the present horizon is the prejudices of researchers. A hermeneutic situation was decided by researcher prejudices. Furthermore, the prejudices create present

13 W. Poespoprodjo (2004), op.cit,. p.99

horizon because they represent the reality that is without the prejudices the researcher couldn’t interpret the future.14

The entire prejudices were not instrument of fixed evaluations or several views which decided and limited the present. The present horizon is created and the researchers have to test their prejudices. The most important thing of testing is

‘meeting’ the past and understanding the tradition that becomes source life.

According to Scheielmacher and Dilthey, when a hermeneutic researchers were talking about the understanding process (verstehen), they should melt into the text of past in order to show the meaning of that text.15 Gadamer is against of that method. He sees that every comprehension about the past will always correlate with researcher’s individuality and happen on their experience horizon.

Thus the researchers no need to melt into the text of past just what Scheielmacher and Dilthey said. The understanding hermeneutic of researchers will be formed when their horizon is related to the text of past. In that relation, there is a feedback; they get something new (new meaning) and better comprehension than before.

The present horizon can never be formed without the past. Both of them— the present and the past horizon—are continuity. The comprehension is fusion of both horizons. And that is possible because there is a horizon that works at the historical consciousness form.

14 Ibid. p. 101 15 E. Sumaryono (1999), op.cit,. p. 41

4. Hermeneutics as Dialogue (Gesprach)

According to Gadamer, the researcher’s understanding of the past meaning will be formed if they have made the dialogue or “conversation” with the text. On the dialogue, all of the comprehensions of researchers and the texts have an equal position that joints each other. They bring the entire of experience horizons such as the prejudices and traditions for dialogue with the horizon of the past.

On the dialogue, the researchers’ understandings were brought into the rich experience where all of their understandings have been created. Their prejudices and traditions were evaluated, the text of the past were also evaluated.

From the evaluation process, the understanding will be richer.

5. Application of the Theory

According to E. Sumaryono in his book, Hermeneutik: sebuah metode filsafat; there are three elements of hermeneutic that Gadamer held. They are

Subtilitas Inteligendi (understanding), subtilitas explicandi (interpreting), and subtilitas applicandi (apply).16 Those elements are not a method; they are capabilities that need an accuracy examination.

Gadamer sees that those elements could not be separated. Gadamer took an example of hermeneutic in the law usage. There is the difference between the written laws that has created in the past with the more complexity reality today.

This challenge should be answered by hermeneutics that is not only by process of

16 Ibid. p. 82

reinterpreting the meaning, but also its application that can be applied in every moment, in particular condition, and with the different and new way.

All interpretations cover the understanding. To make an interpretation, people firstly have to understand or comprehend. Nevertheless, the situation in understanding process is not based on the time limitation, but it is natural. In fact, if someone understands, he actually has done the interpretation. On the contrary, if someone has interpreted, he actually has understood it. Understand and interpretation generate the hermeneutic circle.

Thus, an interpreter may not passive, he must comprehend the meaning. In this case, the tools are intellectual horizon interpreter, the past experience, life at this time, culture and history background of the interpreter.17

In accordance with Gadamer concept at the previous point, the knowledge or horizon that the writer stated as the part of ‘fusion of horizon’ concept; the writer knowledge or history about culture, the writer continues to the step of

Prejudice concept.

C. The Significance of Title and Tagline on the Film

In most films, viewers can understand full meaning of the film title only after seeing the film. In many cases, the title has one meaning to viewers before seeing the film and will become a totally different, richer, and deeper meaning after seeing the film. Titles are often ironic, expressing an idea exactly the opposite of the meaning intended, and many titles allude to mythology, biblical

17 Ibid. p. 101

passages, or other literary works. For example, the title All the King’s Men is taken from “Humpty Dumpty” and serves to remind us of the nursery rhyme, which provides a nutshell summary of the plot. All the King’s Men concerns a southern dictator (king) who rises to a position of higher power (sat on a wall) but is assassinated (had a great fall).

On another area, the title of literary work tells viewers what the story is about. Some titles may call attention to a key scene that becomes worthy of careful study when viewers realize that the title of the film has been taken from it.

Although the title seldom names the theme (as it does in Sense and Sensibility and

Good Will Hunting), it is usually an extremely important clue in identifying it.18

A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product.

Taglines usually followed by a brand. In 1960, tagline also called as a slogan, marketing line or trademark line, but now that name was replaced by tagline. Terminologically, tagline is a phrase or a short sentence that convey a message or the intention from the brand.

Taglines are catchy, enticing short phrases used by marketers and film studios to advertise and sell a movie, and to sum up the plot, tone or themes of a film. Many films have multiple taglines. Composing ad copy for posters and trailers is generally the first step in marketing a film and setting a strategic

18 Joseph M. Boggs, the Art of Watching Films 5th ed (London: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000), p. 43

direction for the product. These 'sound-bite' epigrams are often placed on either film posters (above or below the film's title) or on the merchandise itself (DVD or video cassette box, etc.), to reinforce what the film is all about. Some films do not have a tagline at all, and instead choose to provide evocative images to convey the meaning, mood, symbolism, or setting of the film. Some taglines are quite obscure, unrecognizable and forgettable. Often, the best taglines are for very inferior films.19

D. Plot and Story

When the viewers of film speak of “going to the movies,” they almost mean that they are going to see a narrative film – a film that tells a story. Since most of the narrative films they see are fictitious, they will concentrate on fictional narratives. Much of what follows, however, also applies to factual narratives – for example, documentary films that choose narrative form rather than rhetorical form.

A narrative film should consider as a chain of events in cause effect relationship occurring in time and space. A narrative is thus what usually means by term “story”, and later the using of that term should be in a slightly different way. Typically, a narrative begins with one situation; a series of changes occurs according to a pattern of cause and effect; finally, a new situation arises that brings about the end of narrative.20

19 Tim Dirks, Great Film Tag lines. accessed on May 19, 2008. http://www.filmsite.org/taglines4.html 20 David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. Film Art. An introduction. 4th ed (Wisconsin: McGraw-Hill, 1993) p. 65

The viewers make sense of a narrative, then, by identifying its events and linking them with cause-effect, time, and space of the film. As viewers, they do other things as well, they often infer events that are not explicitly presented, and they recognize the presence of material that is extraneous to the story world. In order to describe how viewers perform such activities, viewers can draw a distinction between story and plot (sometimes called “story” and “discourse”).21

Since this distinction is basic to understanding narrative form, they need to examine it in little more detail. Viewers often make many assumptions and inferences about events in a narrative. The total world of the story action is sometimes called the film’s diegesis (the Greek word for “recounted story”).

The term plot is used to describe everything visibly and audibly present in the film before us. The plot includes, first, all the story events that are directly depicted. Secondly, the film’s plot may contain material that is extraneous to the story world such as the film’s credit and hear orchestral music. Neither of these elements is diagetic, since they are brought in from outside the story world. Credit and such extraneous music are thus nondiegetic elements. Notice that the film’s plot – the totality of the film – can bring in nondiegetic material.

In summary, story and plot overlap in one respect and diverge in others.

The plot explicitly presents certain story events, so these events are common to both domains. The story goes beyond the plot in suggesting some events which viewers never witness. The plot goes beyond the story world by presenting

21 Ibid. p. 65

nondiegetic images and sounds which may affect viewers understanding of the story. A diagram of the situation would look like this:

Story Explicitly presented Added nondiegetic Inferred events events material Plot

Viewers can think the differences between story and plot from two perspectives.22 From the standpoint of the storyteller, the film maker, the story is the sum total of all the events in the narrative. The story teller can present some of these events directly (that is, make them part of the plot), can hint of the events that are not presented, and can simply ignore other events.

From the perceiver’s standpoint, things look somewhat different. All viewers have before them is the plot –the arrangement of material in the film as it stands. Viewers create story in their minds on the basis of cues in the plot.23 They also recognize when the plot presents nondiegetic material.

The story-plot distinction suggests that if the viewer wants to give someone a synopsis of a narrative film, he can proceed in two ways. He can summarize the story, starting from the earliest incident which the plot cues him to infer and running straight through to the end. Or he can tell the plot, starting with the first incident he encountered in watching the film.

22 Ibid 23 Ibid

E. Theme

A theme is a broader idea, a message or lesson in a story or literary work conveyed by a written text. This message is usually about life, society or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas. Most themes are implied rather than explicitly stated. The theme is different from the superficial outlay of the text; it is normally the meaning of the text on a more abstract level.

Themes arise from the interplay of plot, setting, character, conflict, and tone.24

Themes are often interpreted in diverse ways by different people or critics, regardless of whether or not the theme discussed was the original intent of the author. The same story can also be given very different themes in the hands of different authors.25

24 Anonymous, Theme (literature), accessed on December 7, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_ (literature) 25 Ibid.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH FINDINGS

A. Data Description/Corpuses

Below, the writer will determining the data description that will simplify the explanation of the writer’s research findings in this chapter.

No Issue Detail Corpus 1 Intolerance The word Osama used The GS : Yo, Osama! Plan a as rude word to jihad on your own interrupt their time. (interrupt) discussion because this Farhad : What do you word valued as an want? Are you Arabic infamous making insult at terrorist that assumed as me? the suspect of September 11, 2001. Farhad insisted the LS The LS : I replaced the lock. to fix the lock but But you got a real Farhad did not trust him problem with that

when the LS told that door… the problem is the door. Farhad : …just fix the Not the lock. lock!! Jane held her husband’s Anthony : See what that hand and Anthony woman just did? - thought that Jane was You see that? afraid of him, until he Peter : She's cold. hijacks the car by Anthony : She got colder as pointing the gun to soon as she saw us. them Peter : Ah, come on, don't start.

America’s atmosphere The statement of film post - September 11 directors that states the aim 2001 of film at CRASH official site. 2 Arrogance When Hansen requests …Just like I'm sure you to change his racial understand how hard partners, Lieutenant a black man has to work to states that doing so get to,

18 19

because of Officer say, where I am, in a racist Ryan's racism will fucking organization like the reflect poorly on their L.A.P.D. and how easily that unit; and he worries can be taken away that he will be fired. There was supremacy Police: Mercedes (Lewis) between the white takes a shot at him. people, Rick, and Detective Conklin Graham as the black, returns fire. One shot. Rick wants to blame Conklin, but the evidence showed that Lewis is the truly suspect. And Graham followed Rick. Ryan, as a policeman Christine : …And you keep discriminated your filthy fucking Cameroon and wife hands off me!... (Christine) with bad …Fuck you! That's

action, extremely; he what this is all slides his hands over about, isn't it?... the sides of Christine’s breasts. History of America America’s superpower in post- the Aggression to leading the world, secured Iraq. the terrorist, until they

aggressed Iraq as the dangerous country.

In this chapter, the writer applied the hermeneutics theory to analyze the text of CRASH tagline. The discussion begins by applying the concept of

Gadamer hermeneutic; first, the writer discussed about the prejudice that is a part of historical horizon and it was supported by the plot analysis. Next, the writer also applied the concept of historical consciousness that it was supported by the statement of the film director that has been displaying at CRASH official site, this statement explains about the short information of film’s story. And last, the important thing of the analysis is applying the concept of fusion of horizon. Here,

the writer got new meaning of CRASH tagline by the present horizon analysis.

The way that was used by the writer is correlating the data from the hermeneutic analysis as the extrinsic element for supporting the theme of CRASH film.

B. Hermeneutic Analysis

Gadamer’s work which titled Wahrheit und Methode (Truth and Method) contains of main idea concerning the philosophy hermeneutic that not only related with the text, but also related with the whole social discipline object and humanity; including the literary.

Gadamer said: “Alles Schriftliche ist in der Tat in bevorzugter Weise

Gegenstand der Hermeneutik” (All the written is the hermeneutic object actually).26 Gadamer’s hermeneutic theory is able to use for strengthening interpretation and comprehension method an object, including the written text.

According to the main point of Gadamer which has narrated in the previous chapter, the writer will analyze the important elements of Gadamer’s hermeneutic theory as the extrinsic element for understanding the meaning of

CRASH tagline and correlating with the intrinsic elements.

1. Prejudice

A hermeneutic situation was decided by researcher’s prejudices. The historical horizons are the prejudices that create expectations about the past, and the present horizons are the prejudices of researchers. Furthermore, the prejudices

26 Hans Georg Gadamer, Wahrheit und Methode: Grundzüge einer philosophischen Hermeneutik (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1990 [1st edition 1960]), p. 398.

create present horizon because they represent the reality that without the prejudices, researchers could not interpret the future.27

Prejudice is one important thing that should be emerged when the researcher using the hermeneutic through Gadamer concept for understanding the text meaning in the past. Gadamer convinced that the emergence of prejudice on the text research process can be enriched comprehension to the text that will be analyzed.

In the writer’s analysis that concerning with the text of CRASH tagline, the writer tries to use the data about American condition that got from some references as a first prejudice (historical horizon) concept in understanding

CRASH tagline. The writer tries to correlate the result of hermeneutic analysis with the intrinsic data that the writer has analyzed below concern the subplot in determining the theme.

As Gadamer illustrated the definition of prejudice as an estimation that has presented before the evaluation of aspects which deciding a situation, the writer puts the intolerance as the writer’s prejudice, the intolerance as the theme of the

CRASH film.

Here, the writer will analyze subplots of the film for supporting the writer’s prejudice; CRASH film has four subplots. The writer will discuss each subplot that assumes as an important part that builds the theme.

The writer will first make list of CRASH film events (plot segmentation/sequence)28 as the first step of film plot analyzing process.

27 Ibid. p. 102

1. Second Day, a Negroid (Peter) was dead shot by the White officer (Hansen). (Flashback) into the first day. 2. A Persian named Farhad with his daughter, Dorri, bought a gun for their store safety. 3. Farhad got the rude action from the store owner caused by Farhad and Dorri conversed in Farsi concerning gun varieties and the qualities, the store owner considered as the Afghan Jihad plan. 4. Farhad was angry of that humiliation because he has same rights with the American, he was American 5. Security guard was getting Farhad out of the store and Dorri had a transaction as his father replacement, she bought a gun and a red-box of bullets that she won’t buy them actually. 6. Two Negroid (20-aged), Peter and Anthony, were out of the restaurant, not like Peter, Anthony felt that there was discrimination between himself and the White people caused just by simple thing, they did not get a cup of tea when they are waiting. 7. In front of them, Anthony saw a White woman (Jean) hold her husband (Rick, LA District Attorney), Anthony felt that the woman was afraid of his existence and Peter, but Jean and Rick conversed about Karen, Rick’s secretary. 8. And finally, they hijacked the car that Jean and Rick was drove in with point out them the gun. 9. Detective Graham (Negroid) and his partner, Ria (Mexican) investigated the shooting incident between officer Conklin (White) whose the car was bumped by Lewis (an officer too, Negroid) 10. Lewis was dead shot by Conklin because he was dangerous, Lewis pointed the gun toward Conklin and finally Conklin shot him directly. 11. Jean did not trust the locksmith who was repairing her door-lock because his performance like a gangster, she was afraid of duplication the lock and something worse will happen with the house after her car was hijacked by Negroid. 12. Rick was District Attorney, he gets into Lewis shooting incident by Conklin and Rick wants to intense blame Conklin as a suspect because he needs black vote for his business. 13. Two Korean had a deal concerning the Asian’s (China and Thailand) trade.

28 David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. Film Art. An introduction. 4th ed (Wisconsin: McGraw- Hill, 1993) p. 87

14. An officer (Ryan) called medical center for confirmed that his father had digestion problem and he was checked up him for three times but there was no different. 15. Ryan got the report that there were two Negroid hijacked a car, his partner (Hansen) reaffirmed that they were following the wrong car, Ryan stopped a TV director-wife (Cameroon-Christine). And Ryan have discriminated them because the TV Director was dark skin. 16. Farhad’s store had a broken door 17. Conversation between the TV director and his wife concerning White officer discrimination. 18. A locksmith who loved his daughter and he assured that no more violence, clashed and fearful as they experienced at their place before they had move. 19. Anthony and Peter who hijacked Jean car hit a Korean that had an Asian trade. 20. Conversation between Hansen and the Chief concerning his partner action who were too racialist, it seems when the discrimination of the TV director. 21. Anthony and Peter let the Korean in front of the hospital. 22. A locksmith who were repairing Farhad door-store, but he did not repair it because the door was broken, not the lock. 23. Anthony and Peter tried to losing a Korean blood over the car, so they went to Garage Center to clean up it. 24. Farhad’s store was robbed. 25. Rick DA began to look for the information about what detective Conklin has done toward Lewis, he wants to really blame Conklin because he tried to get the good image from the black community. While Lewis was assumed as dangerous man. 26. Jean’s housemaid (Maria) annoyed her. Jean thought that Maria did not have a good job. 27. Farhad informed lock-repair bureau that his store was robbed and Farhad accused the locksmith of his bad service. 28. Detective Graham got much money from Mercedes car; it indicated that the driver (Lewis) was a bad guy because he was not the Mercedez’s owner actually. 29. An accident occurred, TV director’s wife was trapped in the car and in some minutes, the car will blow up. There was no body else except Ryan (a racialist cop) who helped her 30. Flanagan (Rick’s partner) met Graham, and he asked Graham for cooperating with Rick, deciding Conklin as a truly suspect.

31. Finally, Graham informed Rick that Conklin was wrong guy, it seems from Conklin’s history, and Conklin shot the Negroid twice. 32. Farhad got place where the locksmith lived, and he prepared a gun that he had bought, he knew that the locksmith has a daughter. 33. Anthony and Peter tried to hijack a car again, they got the TV Director’s car and they pointed out a gun toward him. 34. Polices arrived, the pursuit of them began, when Anthony tried to hijack the car, the Director tried hard to retake the steer. Peter escaped. 35. Car stopped, the police surrounded it, the Director stepped out of the car, and an officer knew him, the officer is Hansen, Ryan’s partner who discriminated the Director, so Hansen announced the polices that the Director was innocence, he was not dangerous. Hansen wants to help him although the director rejected the assistance. Hansen did not know that the director had a gun taken from Anthony. 36. Farhad tried to get on toward the Locksmith who has just arrived, and Farhad pointed out the gun, Elizabeth, Locksmith’s daughter, ran toward his father tried to cover him. 37. Farhad shot Elizabeth on her back and got the child was fine, he did not realize that the bullet which Dorri had bought was a set of rubber-bullet. 38. Jean called psychiatrist concerning her condition and she slipped down of the stair accidentally. 39. Peter sought a car free-fare in the night that will snow fall. He got a car that officer Hansen drove in it, Ryan’s partner that was anti-racialist. 40. In fact, when Peter saw that the officer had a ‘mascot’ as what he had, Peter laugh at him, it was very rare to collect that ‘mascot’. Hansen felt that Peter embarrassed him, Hansen was so furious. Peter tried to take out his mascot of the pocket, but Hansen thought that Peter will take out a gun, Hansen shot Peter. 41. Second Day, Graham investigated a Negroid (Peter) was dead shot by the White officer (Hansen), Peter was Graham’s brother. 42. Anthony got the van that the Korean was hit by him. Anthony drove it toward the garage. Anthony and his friend knew that inside of van there were Thailand and Cambodian, Anthony’s friend want to buy the van and the people in it. 43. Last scene: the action that showed a whole regret of the characters. 43.1 Dorri went to home, she startled when her father hold the gun. Her father told her that he shot an angel, the little angel. 43.2 Ryan kept on help her father. 43.3 The TV Director was called by his wife, she missed him

43.4 Anthony liberated the Thailand and Cambodian people, Anthony did not sell the van to his friend.

First subplot begins with a Persian named Farhad who had a store with his daughter, Dorri, went to the gun store for purchasing a gun for their store safety.

Farhad wants to select a gun, he asks Dorri with Farsi language about the kind of guns and bullets, Farhad discussed with Dorri over some minutes in front of the gun seller (GS) while the GS did not understand with their language until he interrupts their discussion with rude words.

The GS : Yo, Osama! Plan a jihad on your own time. (interrupt) Farhad : What do you want? Are you making insult at me? The GS : Am I making insult "at" you? Is that the closest you can come to English? Farhad : Yes, I speak English! I am American citizen. The GS : Oh, God, here we go. Farhad : I have right like you. I have right to buy gun. (Figure 01 - CRASH DVD, min. 00:06:19)

The quotation above describes an inharmonious situation between the gun- seller (GS) with Farhad. The word Osama used as rude word to interrupt their discussion because this word valued as an Arabic infamous terrorist that assumed as the suspect of September 11, 2001.

Still with a Persian’s story, Farhad has a broken door of his store; he calls someone to repair the door, and then the locksmith (LS) comes repairing it, but the LS notices Farhad that the problem is not with the lock, but the door.

The LS : I replaced the lock. But you got a real problem with that door… Farhad : …just fix the lock!! The LS : sir, sir, sir. Listen to me. What you need is new door…

Farhad : … You try to cheat me, right? You have a friend that fix door? The LS : Nah, I don't have a friend that fix doors, bro. Farhad : Then go and fix the fucking lock, you cheater. (Figure 02 - CRASH DVD, min. 00:35:40)

From the dialogue above, it can be seen that there is second inharmonious situation. Farhad insisted the LS to fix the lock but Farhad did not trust him when the LS told that the problem is the door. The condition described Farhad did not want to accept ways of the LS’s thinking. He still accused the LS as the cheater.

And the end of Farhad’s story is when Farhad’s store was robbed; he thought that the LS was a robber. Farhad thought negatively, without the clear evidence; he accused the LS as the robber.

The LS : What's up? Farhad : Give me my money! The LS : What? What money? Daughter : Daddy! Farhad : To pay for my store. Give me my money! The LS : Honey, stay inside. Elizabeth! Farhad : Give me my money! I want my fucking money! Give me that truck! The LS : That's not my truck! Daughter : Daddy? The LS : Elizabeth! The LS : Hey, you know what? Hey, I got $50. Here.

Farhad : Fifty dollars?You took everything! Daughter : I'm coming, I'm coming! BANG… (Figure 03 - CRASH DVD, min. 01:21:01)

From the dialogue above, the problem is more complicated when

Elizabeth, the LS’s daughter ran out of home, Farhad shot her. The condition

above also described the accusation to the LS by Farhad without the valid evidence.

From the subplot’s description above, the writer concludes that every condition happened based on the intolerance. There is negative prejudice that provoked the radical action even the criminal deed. The situation on every scene is a form of extreme sensitivity.

Move into the next story, the second subplot is narrating about the cop stories; it begins when Ryan, a white cop, got a car-hijack case on the street with his partner, Hansen. Ryan followed them because he saw Christine pops up in the passenger seat, or maybe she may have been doing something else.

Cameron : Wait a minute, Officer. I haven't been drinking or anything… Ryan : …Step onto the sidewalk, sir… …I want you to stand on your right foot. Touch your nose with the index finger of your left hand… Christine : …And you keep your filthy fucking hands off me!... …Fuck you! That's what this is all about, isn't it?... Ryan : …My partner and I just witnessed your wife performing fellatio on you… …We could charge your wife with lewd conduct and performing a sexual act in public. (Figure 04 - CRASH DVD, min. 00:18:38)

From the dialogue above, the writer sees that Ryan discriminated them with bad action, extremely; he slides his hands over the sides of Christine’s breasts, then Ryan runs his hands up the sides of Christine’s torso whether any guns or weapons on the body or not. Ryan argued that they did sexual act in public while they drove in the car, but the writer assumes that was race

discrimination, it can be seen from the beginning pursuing of the vehicle, he got the wrong car.

Hansen : That's not it. That's not the vehicle, John. The plates don't match. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:16:48)

Despite Ryan argued that they did sexual act in public area, the writer argues that it was not his business; this is Christine’s privacy. And if Ryan wants to investigate them, as an educative person, he should consider the civil rights of the people; not discriminated them impolitely. Ryan should be followed the right car which was hijacked and that is responsibility as a cop. Actually, Ryan was a racialist person; it can be seen from the dialogue with clinic supervisor, Shaniqua

(black) for helping his father who get urinary tract infection.

Ryan : I can't look at you without thinking about the five or six more qualified white men who didn't get your job. Shaniqua : It's time for you to go. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:47:39)

The dialogue above is quoted from Ryan’s conversation with a clinic supervisor, when he should pay for his father’s surgery but Ryan did not want to pay it, because his father helped many black people to get a job when he was working. He thought that was not a fair condition.

Different from Ryan, Hansen complained about Ryan’s deed to the lieutenant (black), and he requested for new partner. He disagrees with Ryan’s deed and the writer considered that Hansen was anti racialist.

Hansen : I don't wanna cause any problems, Lieutenant. I just want a new partner…

Lieutenant : …You just don't want him to ride in your car... Hansen : …If you need me to go on record about this, sir, I will… Lieutenant : … I'm anxious to understand how an obvious bigot could've gone undetected in this department for 17 years. Eleven of which he was under my personal supervision. Which doesn't speak very highly of my managerial skills… …Just like I'm sure you understand how hard a black man has to work to get to, say, where I am, in a racist fucking organization like the L.A.P.D. and how easily that can be taken away. (Figure 05 - CRASH DVD, min. 00:33:12)

The quotation above describes that Lieutenant did not want to do much discussion on the case because he worried about his lack management and he will be fired from the office.

There are something should be quoted from the two cop’s stories, concerning about Ryan’s condition, the writer argues that is ethnic intolerance or colored skin sensitivity specifically, and the other one story, that is form of authority using for self interest, and the supremacy is positioned for resolving the problem.

Change into the new story, the third subplot is narrating about two black car-hijackers; the story begins when two Negroid, Peter and Anthony were out of the restaurant disappointedly because Anthony feels that there was discrimination between them and white people.

Anthony : Man, that woman poured cup after cup to every single white person around us. But did she even ask you if you wanted any? (CRASH DVD, min. 00:07:58)

What the writer will describe of the dialogue above is about the disappointment feeling, Anthony who felt was discriminated by a white woman who has a good service to another white people, did not accept her ways in servicing the customer.

Together with his friend, Peter, Anthony tried to re-discriminate white people who have been facing by them directly.

Anthony : See what that woman just did? - You see that? Peter : She's cold. Anthony : She got colder as soon as she saw us. Peter : Ah, come on, don't start. Anthony : Man, look around you, man. You couldn't find a whiter, safer or better-lit part of this city right now. But yet this white woman sees two black guys who look like UCLA students strolling down the sidewalk, and her reaction is blind fear? Look at us, dawg. Are we dressed like gangbangers? Anthony : - Get the fuck outta the car! - Gimme the keys! - Hurry up! Get down! Jean and Rick : - Okay, okay, okay, okay. (Figure 06 - CRASH DVD, min. 00:08:58)

From the dialogue above, there was misunderstanding of Anthony with

Jean’s action; this is form of verbal action because Anthony felt discriminated by white people in restaurant, and he forced his partner, Peter to re-discriminate white people. Jane held her husband’s hand and Anthony thought that Jane was afraid of him, until he hijacks the car by pointing the gun to them. Here, the writer also decided this action as a criminal action because they hijacked the car.

They have faced other story; start with Jean and Rick’s car hijacking above. They crash the Chinaman and Anthony did not want to help him.

Anthony : You grab his arm, it's gonna fall off. Then you gonna be standing in the street holding a Chinaman's arm. Then what your ass gonna do, huh? Peter : If we leave this man here, he dies. Then we're up for murder charges. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:32:51)

From the dialogue above, the writer sees that Anthony was unwilling to help the Chinaman just because the different ethnic. Anthony was racialist. It can be seen also from the story when he becomes sensitive concerning the white waitress in the restaurant who did not give him a cup of coffee. That is dialogue described Anthony’s racialism.

Anthony : You actually expect me to get on a bus?... …You have no idea why they put them great big windows on the sides of buses, do you? Peter : - Why? Anthony : - One reason only. To humiliate the people of color who are reduced to ridin' on 'em. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:49:29)

The dialogue above tells about Anthony who has wrong idea about his argument toward the existence of bus; that is racist perspective person.

Until the end of the story of hijackers, Anthony and Peter were separated by a condition. Peter was narrated on Hansen’s car, but in the car, there is misunderstanding situation.

Peter : Come on, man, keep drivin'. I said I'm not laughing at you. Hansen : And I'm not telling you to get the fuck out of my car. Peter : Why you bein' a fucking jerk? Just drive the car. Hansen : I've got a better idea. Get out now. Peter : Fine. You want me to show you? I'll show you. Hansen : Get your hands out of your pocket. Put your hands where I can see 'em.

Peter : Who the fuck you think you're talkin' to? Hansen : Put your hands where I can see! Peter : You wanna see what's in my hands? I'll show you what's in my fuckin' hands! BANG!! Oh, God. (CRASH DVD, min. 01:28:49)

From the dialogue above, Peter laugh at Hansen, and Hansen felt that he was embarrassed by Peter. Peter wants to show a plastic St. Christopher that

Hansen also put it on the dashboard, Peter wants to show a ‘plastic patron’ out of his pocket and Hansen thought that Peter wants to point out the gun until he shot

Peter.

The writer concludes that Anthony was a criminal; it can be seen from the analysis above that Anthony felt was discriminated by a trifle problem. Looking to the next story, when Hansen also too sensitive for making a decision toward

Peter’s action. Both stories described about misunderstanding and extreme sensitivity.

Looking into the last subplot, it is narrating about Jean and Rick’s problem, Jean found the locksmith (LS) who was repairing her door-lock after their car hijacking. She informed Rick that their door-lock should be changed,

Jane did not trust the LS just because his performance; the shaved head and tattoo.

Jean : I would like the locks changed again in the morning… …if next time they didn't send a gang member. Rick : - A gang member? You mean that kid in there? Jean : - Yes, yes. Yes. The guy with the shaved head, the pants around his ass, the prison tattoo. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:13:03)

The dialogue above described about the Jean’s fear toward the LS who were repairing the lock, she afraid of the LS’s relation with another gang member.

Jean supposed that the shaved head and the tattoo is a bad guy. If the lock did not replace with another lock, Jean afraid of her house robbery.

Jean : I just had a gun pointed in my face. Rick : You lower your voice! (CRASH DVD, min. 00:13:29)

The writer puts the dialogue above as the evidence for another reason of

Jean’s suggestion to change the lock. It is because her fear about bad night that she have experienced with the Negroid car hijacker, she shocked with that moment and at last she did not trust the LS.

While Rick confused with his wife’s condition concerning the lock, as the

District Attorney, Rick gets into the cop shooting case; Lewis as a black cop and another one is Conklin, a white cop. Conklin shot Lewis, and absolutely the suspect is Conklin. But Detective Graham and his partner, Ria, investigated the case and found Lewis as the suspect. The car which was drove by Lewis and the money $300.000 inside the car.

Graham : We found $300.000 in the trunk of the car that Detective Lewis was driving… Karen : …I thought that wasn't his car. Graham : The car's registered to a Cindy Bradley. We haven't been able to get in touch with her. (CRASH DVD, min. 01:06:50)

The dialogue above is conversation between Graham and Karen, Rick’s secretary. The money is the evidence that Lewis is the wrong guy; he brings the money on the car that was not registered to him. And moreover Conklin shot

Lewis just for self defended after Lewis shot Conklin; the story begins when

Conklin’s car cuts in front. Lewis got pissed, pulled a gun.

Police : Mercedes (Lewis) takes a shot at him. Detective Conklin returns fire. One shot. (CRASH DVD, min. 00:10:50)

Rick wants to really blame Conklin because he tried to get the good image from the black community before the DA’s squad replacement of lead investigator; Rick wants to be a person of color for the replacement.

Flanagan : The D.A.'s squad loses its lead investigator next month. Rick is quite adamant that his replacement be a person of color. (CRASH DVD, min. 01:09:29)

The quotation from Flanagan, Rick’s coworker narrated Rick’s desire for his interest only; he did not think of the truth. He wants to provoke Graham for blaming Conklin as the suspect. Rick commands Jack Flanagan (Rick’s coworker) to talk with Graham for getting the good message that will be informed in the next day at Press Conference.

From the story of the last subplot, the writer found many extreme sensitivities among every situations; Jean’s prejudice toward the locksmith, she has negative thought because locksmith’s performance. In the last case, there was supremacy between the white people, Rick, and Graham as the black. Rick who has authority controlled Graham for omitting the truth just for his interest.

From subplots narration above, the writer concludes that the theme of film is about an extreme sensitivity of intolerance. Intolerance appears when the characters did not believe other people or did not accept the situation.

2. Historical Consciousness

The importance of historical consciousness concept is correlation between the past, present, and the future about the history. According to Gadamer, human beings are part of the past, present and future. The present cannot be separated from the past and the future. The present is visible and understandable just through the preconceptions of the past.29

Here, the historical consciousness that the writer used is concerning

American history that there is correlation with the analysis.

The film was made for reflecting the impact of September 11, 2001; the hermeneutic analysis process should be begun with separating author’s background life with the text.30 After the incident of September 11, 2001, United

States of America experienced many crises; military crisis, economic crisis,31 even the crisis of trusting another people.

The condition of America at crisis period makes a significant impact of

America society, there is an agree action with government to fight against terrorism, but it is also disagree with the government; they only want ended by respecting peace values.

29 W. Poespoprodjo, Hermeneutika (Bandung: CV Pustaka Setia, 2004), p. 99 30 Bambang Hendarta, Pendekatan Hermeneutik Dalam Penafsiran Teks Sastra Islam Melayu. Accessed on December 11, 2007. http://melayuonline.com/articles/ 31 Jenny Baxter and Malcolm Downing, The Day that Shook the World; Understanding September 11th (London: BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2001), p. 188

However, the influence that distinctively appears is about the negative atmosphere from American to other American, the arising of protective attitude it is natural by looking the condition of America that still in crisis, but there are some of protective attitude appeared with some anarchic actions. The tensions until the fear of every situations influenced of emerging intolerance.

The director of the film has commented at CRASH official site about the film:

“My aim with this film is to explore how intolerance is a collective problem after September 11th. I did not set out to offend or to ignite controversy, but to look at many different people, each with his or her unique perspective.…”32

The explanation concerning the theme of this film can be seen from some proofs above, the intolerance decides as the theme of this film. The writer assumes that the film categorized as high quality film –can be seen from the success of

Academy Awards achievement in 2005– should be reanalyzed concerning the theme through the Fusion of Horizon.

3. Fusion of Horizons

Gadamer differs between the historical horizons and the present horizons through his Fusion of Horizons concept. As the writer narrated above, the historical horizons are the prejudices that create expectations about the past, and the present horizons are the prejudices of ours.

32 Accessed on May 9, 2008. http://www.hollywood.com/review/Crash

Horizon that was meant by Gadamer is spread of vision that includes everything that can be seen from a special starting point. Hermeneutics researchers are always at certain point and wherever they are, it will influence on what they see. That is need to be conducted is extending their horizon and accepting to the new horizon.

Due to the effort of interpreting the past tradition, researchers will comprehend with the present knowledge. Here, the distance of past not only facing by reconstruct it's meaning but also comprehend it with present horizon. In fact, historical horizon correlates with the historical consciousness.

In this chapter, the writer discussed the text of CRASH tagline. The writer placed the American history as the data of historical consciousness concept, and the historical horizon is the prejudice concerns about intolerance. The writer limits historical horizon to the time when America is in 2001.

The writer considers the theme of the film is about intolerance of

American people toward the September 11, 2001 incident and some crises. In this case, the writer conveys some facts; in American economic, after the incident of

September 11th 2001, some conditions in America were going to be worse, according to Jeff Randall, an observer of economy from BBC expressed that economic problems in America was increase sharply and America was in disadvantage level.33 And this case makes America as a superpower country had pushed them into the difficulty and uncertainty period.

33 Jenny Baxter and Malcolm Downing, (2001), op.cit, p. 193

Intolerance as the meaning of tagline that used for describing the theme of

CRASH film was appeared by American tension. Oxford dictionary defined intolerance word as: not willing to accept ideas or ways of behaving that are different from your own.34 “You think you know who you are, you have no idea,” this sentence is description of bigotry and it is kind of unwilling to accept ways of people thinking, they more like to have negative thinking toward the actions of the other people. They did not realize every good action around them; at last they did not accept the way of other thinking or ideas.

After discussing about the historical horizon, the writer tries to discuss the present horizons; the present horizon is about the researcher’s prejudices, in this case the writer. The writer limits the present horizon to the time when America in

2008. And now the writer placed the arrogance as the prejudice for present horizon.

Since the September 11, 2001 incident, America tries to return the

'superpower' image that they had it. With the reality of this incident, America seems like not having strong security system. America's image is concerning about the modernity of technology that make all areas in America grow rapidly, including the security area. Now, American government tries to give contributions in the security area to the world.

America brings back the power of military, security, and social condition that less got after the incident of September 11th. As the “world police”, America secures terrorism cases; moreover America announced that the war in 21st century

34 A S Hornby. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (New York: Oxford University Press)

was begun.35 The arrogance of America can be seen from the world history about the aggression to Iraq, America aggressed Iraq without deep process of investigating concerning the truth of existence of mass weapon destroyer, the writer also quoted Bush’s speech concerning the incident of September 11th, 2001; he promised that America will ‘lead the world to victory’ over terrorism.36

America as an icon of countries in the world, America is center of technology, security, even the entertainment area that influenced people life-style in the world.

In the military field, America conquered Iraq until the President; Saddam

Hussein was executed by American. Look for many changes from the difficulty moment into the controlled situation. As the writer narrated above that the distance of past not only facing by reconstruct the meaning, but also comprehend it with present horizon. The writer assumes that the meaning of CRASH tagline should be attached with another meaning that correlating with the present horizon.

The current information of American condition and many changes; the American people way of thinking, the superpower country degree, the writer argues to determine arrogance or supremacy as the second meaning of CRASH tagline.

The writer emphasizes the analysis of tagline’s meaning, You think you know who you are, you have no idea, as Oxford dictionary defined toward the word ‘intolerance’ is not willing to accept ideas or ways of behaving that are different from your own. America aggressed Iraq. And the following sentence you have no idea seems as the judgment of arrogance action; people considered

35 Jenny Baxter and Malcolm Downing (2001), op.cit. p. 9 36 Ibid. p. 9

themselves as in the right position. In present horizon, the writer used history of

America that aggressed Iraq as the arrogance action.

The writer determined arrogance or supremacy as the second theme in

CRASH film, and the writer assumed that arrogance is the meaning of CRASH tagline.

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

A. Conclusion

In chapter III, the writer firstly determined the theme of CRASH film discussed about intolerance; having an extreme bigotry and negative thinking. The writer’s decision was supported by the plot analysis and the writer also considered the Haggis’s statement for supporting the analysis of historical consciousness that discusses about American history.

The next discussion is about fusion of horizon that writer used in this research for getting the data about CRASH tagline’s text scientifically. The

American condition after the incident of September 11th, 2001 was categorized as the prejudice of the past or historical horizon. Today, the writer placed the arrogance as the writer’s prejudice or present horizon.

The condition of America in 2001 that has limited by the writer as historical horizon is discussing about the intolerance, the condition of America after the incident of September 11th, 2001 has anxiety atmosphere and people like to judge that another people’s thinking is wrong. But after the writer analyzed in the previous chapter, the other meaning that used as present horizon or the writer’s prejudice is about arrogance or supremacy, it can be seen from the

American domination toward the other country (e.g. Iraq).

As the writer narrated in the previous chapter, the writer analyzed of tagline’s meaning, You think you know who you are, you have no idea, as Oxford

41 42

dictionary defined toward the word ‘intolerance’ is not willing to accept ideas or ways of behaving that are different from your own. America aggressed Iraq. The following sentence you have no idea seems like the judgment of arrogance action; people considered themselves as in the right position. In present horizon, the writer used history of America that aggressed Iraq as the arrogance action.

The writer determined arrogance or supremacy as the second theme in

CRASH film, and the writer assumes that arrogance is the meaning of CRASH tagline.

B. Suggestion

Due to the fact that literary works are so fascinating, for those who are interested in films, novels, poems could do better analyzing hermeneutics by using the other relevant theory and using the accurate references to support the analysis.

The writer expects to the student who wants to analyze the literary works using hermeneutics theory, could use another hermeneutics theorist such as

Schleiermacher or Paul Ricoeur. Schleiermacher involved the psychological of the author for interpreting the meaning of the text, so the other researchers reconstruct or reproduce the meaning based on the background of the author.

The research would be more varied also if other researchers are using the other relevant theory, hopefully, it can give more information about the literary field and give a broader amazing knowledge more than what the writer has done.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anonymous, Academy Awards. Microsoft® Encarta® 2006 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005.

Anonymous, Crash 2004. http://www.mooviees.com/7252-crash/movie, 2008.

Anonymous, Theme (literature). http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Theme_ (literature), 2008.

Baxter, Jenny, Malcolm Downing, The Day that Shook the World; Understanding September 11th. London: BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2001.

Bleicher, Josef. Contemporary Hermeneutics. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1980.

Bleicher, Josef. Hermeneutika Kontemporer, Hermeneutika sebagai metode, filsafat, dan kritik. Yogyakarta: Fajar Pustaka, 2007.

Boggs, Joseph M. The Art of Watching Films 5th ed. London: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000.

Bordwell, David, Kristin Thompson. Film Art. An introduction. 4th ed. Wisconsin: McGraw-Hill, 1993.

Chossudovsky, Michel. America’s War for Global Domination. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5428.htm, 2008.

Dirk, Tim. Great Film Taglines. http://www.filmsite.org/ taglines1.html, 2008.

Endraswara, Suwardi. Metodologi Penelitian Sastra. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Widya Tama., 2003.

Farkhan, Muhammad. Penulisan Karya Ilmiah. Jakarta: Cella, 2007.

Hendarta, Bambang. Pendekatan Hermeneutik Dalam Penafsiran Teks Sastra Islam Melayu. http://melayuonline.com/articles, 2001.

Hornby, A S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

Howard, Roy J. Pengantar Teori-teori Pemahaman Kontemporer Hermeneutika; Wacana Analitik, Psikososial, dan Ontologis. Yayasan Adikarya IKAPI dan the Ford Foundation, 2000.

Ormiston, Gayle L., Alan D. Schrift, The Hermeneutic Tradition. New York: State University of New York Press, 1990.

Poespoprodjo, W.Hermeneutika. Bandung: CV Pustaka Setia, 2004

Sumaryono, E. Hermeneutik: Sebuah Metode Filsafat cet. Ke-10.

Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kanisius, 1999.

APPENDICES

? CRASH DVD Cover

? Synopsis of Film

CRASH is an Academy Award-winning drama film directed by Paul

Haggis. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2004, and was released internationally in 2005. The film is about racial and social tensions in Los

Angeles.

The film depicts several characters living in Los Angeles during a 36-hour period and brings them together through car accidents, shootings, and carjackings.

Most of the characters depicted in the film are racially prejudiced in some way and become involved in conflicts which force them to examine their own prejudices. Through these characters' interactions, the film seeks to depict and examine not only racial tension, but also the distance between strangers in general.

CRASH was nominated for six awards in the 78th Academy Awards37

(2005), and won three of them, including a win for Best Picture. It was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: one for Best Supporting Actor (Matt Dillon) and the other for Best Screenplay (Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco). Other awards include Best Ensemble Cast at the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards; Best

Original Screenplay at the Writers Guild of America Awards 2005; Best Original

Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Thandie Newton) at the BAFTA

Awards; Best Writer at the Critics' Choice Awards; Outstanding Motion Picture and Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role (Terrence Howard) at the Black Movie

37 Academy Awards, prizes given annually in the United States by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence in the creation and production of motion pictures. First presented in 1929 for films shown in 1927 and 1928, the Academy Awards, commonly known as Oscars, are among the film industry’s most coveted prizes.

Awards; Best First Feature and Best Supporting Male (Matt Dillon) at the

Independent Spirit Awards; Best Acting Ensemble and Best Writer at the

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards; and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Terrence Howard) and Outstanding Motion Picture at the

NAACP Image Awards.

? Gadamer’s Biography

Hans-Georg Gadamer was born in 1900 at

Marburg. He learnt philosophy to Nikola Hartman and

Martin Heidegger at the university where he lived, and he attended another subjects to Rudolf Bultmann, a famous protestant theologian.

In 1922, Hans-Georg Gadamer acquired the philosophy doctorate. In 1929, he was “Privatdozent” at Marburg. In 1937, he was going to be a professor at the same place. From 1938 to 1947 he taught at

Leipzig and from 1947 to 1949 at Frankfurt. In 1949, he moved to the University of Heidelberg where he taught until his retirement in 1968.

Gadamer, a personal student of Heidegger’s combined his work that mostly interest in Greek study and its culture with a strong inclination toward the tradition of German idealist in its different facets. In hermeneutics, his work grew out of his historical and philosophical studies and he has an abiding interest in literature and poetry, both ancient and modern.

Before the end of his pension in 1960, Gadamer’s carrier of philosophy reached the great position, he has published the book which entitled “Truth and

Method” (Wahreit und Methode). This work was a significance support for

Heidegger’s work titled “Sein und Zeit” (Being and Time). And furthermore,

Gadamer’s concept influenced the humanity discipline such as sociology, literature theories, history, theology, laws and philosophy of natural science.38

38 Kurt Mueller-Vollmer (1986), op.cit,. p. 256

? Figures Description

Figure 01. Farhad and Gun-Seller inharmonious conversation.

Figure 02. Farhad accused the locksmith as the cheater.

Figure 03. Farhad pointed the gun over the locksmith without the clear proofs.

Figure 04. Ryan (Officer) discriminated the Christine impolitely.

Figure 05. Lieutenant (Black) disagreed with Hansen’s request for replacing his racial partner.

Figure 06. Two teenagers (Black) hijacked Rick’s car with pointed them a gun.

statement Director’s Historical consciousness consciousness Tagline Intolerance

Prejudice Plot Analysis (historical horizon) (historical horizon)

Arrogance Arrogance Present Horizon Present Horizon The writer’s prejudice: writer’s prejudice: The

American History

Fusion of Horizon Fusion of Horizon line American History Intolerance Intolerance Historical Horizon