JUDAS’ MOTIVES IN ASSISTING JESUS IN FULFILLING THE BIBLE’S PROPHECY AS SEEN IN MARTIN SCORSESE’ THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By
MARTINUS TOMMY NUGROHO Student Number: 991214125
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
i
ii iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my Lord Jesus
Christ. Without His blessing, I believe I would not have been able to finish this thesis and most of all, my study.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my major sponsor, Drs. A.
Herujiyanto, M.A., P.Hd. and my co-sponsor, A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A., who have devoted their time and energy to guide me in finishing my thesis. My appreciation also goes to all the lecturers of Sanata Dharma University. My special thanks go to Mbak Tari and Mbak Danik, the secretariat staff of the
English Language Education Study Program of USD.
I am sincerely grateful to my beloved mother, Ellies Endang, and my
‘father’, Om Yusuf, for their prayers, love, patience, support, and guidance in every second of my life. My greatest gratitude goes to my lovely wife, Hendri
Hastuti, for her understanding and to my daughters, Nael and Egan, who always cheer my life. I also thank my sister, Tenny, and my parents-in-law, Bapak Mur and Ibu Mur, for their support to finish my study.
I would like to thank to all my friends: all 99ers who have left me behind; they have inspired me to finish my study, to Tunjung and Aji for sharing their ideas and all 98ers, Anom (thanks for the correction), Brojo, and Yoseph. I will not forget thank my band mates, Gendel, Bruno, Tiyok, Didit, and Ponkq and also
Otto for the PC and Albert for the printer.
iv
v LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertandatangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Martinus Tommy Nugroho
Nomor Mahasiswa : 991214125
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
JUDAS’ MOTIVES IN ASSISTING JESUS IN FULFILLING THE BIBLE’S PROPHECY AS SEEN IN MARTIN SCORSESE’ THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (jika ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menympan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya mamupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 18 Juli 2008
Yang menyatakan
vi ABSTRACT
Nugroho, Martinus Tommy. 2008. Judas’ Motives in Assisting Jesus in Fulfilling the Bible’s Prophecy As Seen in Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation Of Christ . Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses The Last Temptation of Christ , a movie from Martin Scorsese. This movie tells about the journey of Jesus with his struggle to understand his deity and his effort to defeat temptation since He is also a man. In his journey, Jesus was accompanied by Judas who helps Jesus fulfills the prophecy as the Messiah. The objective of the study is to find out why Judas assists Jesus in fulfilling the Bible’s prophecy. In order to achieve the objective of the study, there are three problems to answer. First, how Jesus and Judas are depicted in the movie; second, what are Judas’s motives for assisting Jesus; and third, what are the motives behind Judas’ betrayal towards Jesus. The method employed in this thesis is a library research. The sources are obtained from the movie itself, the script, criticism, and other sources related to the movie. This thesis also uses some theories to conduct the analysis. They are the theories of character and characterization, motivation theory as part of psychological approach. From the analysis, it can be concluded that Jesus is critical, lovable, regretful, and he is also irritable, fearful, unpredictable. On the other hand, Judas is strong, patience, straight, faithful person and he is also demanding, irritable. Second, Judas’s motives for assisting Jesus are to free Israel and to exercise his belief that Jesus is a Messiah. Third, the reason behind Judas’ betrayal toward Jesus is that he has to help Jesus accomplish the prophecy. This study recommends that further researchers conduct their research on comparison between this movie and other Jesus movie such as The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson and the New Testament of the Bible using the formalist approach. As for English teacher, it is suggested that part of the script is used to teach Play Performance and Speaking class.
vii ABSTRAK
Nugroho, Martinus Tommy. 2008. Judas’ Motives in Assisting Jesus in Fulfilling the Bible’s Prophecy As Seen in Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation Of Christ . Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas The Last Temptation Of Christ , sebuah film karya Martin Scorsese. Film ini bercerita tentang perjalanan Yesus dalam perjuangannya memahami makna ketuhanannya dan usahanya untuk mengalahkan cobaan karena ia juga adalah seorang manusia biasa. Dalam perjalanannya, Yesus ditemani oleh Yudas yang membantunya memenuhi ramalan sebagai Sang Penyelamat Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui mengapa Yudas membantu Yesus memenuhi ramalan kitab suci. Untuk mencapai tujuan dari penelitian ini, ada tiga pokok permasalahan yang akan dibahas dalam skripsi ini. Yang pertama adalah bagaimana Yesus dan Yudas digambarkan dalam film ini, yang kedua adalah apakah motivasi Yudas membantu Yesus, dan yang ketiga adalah apa alasan Yudas mengkhianati Yesus. Untuk mencapai tujuan dalam penelitian ini, metode yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber-sumber didapat dari film itu sendiri, naskah film, kritik-kritik dan sumber-sumber lain yang berhubungan dengan film ini. Skripsi ini juga menggunakan beberapa teori untuk menuntun analisa. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori karakter dan karakterisasi, dan teori motivasi sebagai bagian dari pendekatan psikologis. Dari analisa yang dilakukan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Yesus adalah seorang yang kritis, mencintai sesama, dan penuh penyesalan, dan ia juga seorang yang memiliki keraguan, penuh ketakutan dan seorang yang tidak pasti. Sementara Yudas adalah seorang yang kuat, jujur dan beriman, penuntut tetapi memiliki kesabaran terhadap Yesus, dan mudah marah. Yang kedua, motif Yudas membantu Yesus adalah untuk memerdekakan Israel dan untuk menunjukan keyakinannya bahwa Yesus adalah Sang Penyelamat. Yang ketiga, alas an Yudas mengkhianati Yesus adalah ia harus membantu Yesus memenuhi ramalan Tuhan sebagai Sang Penyelamat. Direkomendasikan bagi para peneliti selanjutnya untuk melakukan penelitian dalam perbandingan film ini dengan film tentang Yesus lainnya seperti The Passion of Christ karya Mel Gibson dan dengan Kitab Perjanjian Baru. Dan untuk para guru bahasa Inggris, disarankan agar sebagian dari naskah film ini digunakan untuk mengajar Play Performance dan Speaking.
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE OF TITLE ……………………………………………………………… i
PAGE OF APPROVAL ………………………………………………………. ii
PAGE OF BOARD EXAMINERS ...………………………………………….. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...……………………………..…………………….. iv
STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ..………………...... v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI …………………….... vi
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………….…….. vii
ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………... ix
TABLE OF CONTENT……………………………………………………….. x
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………. 1
A. Background of the Study ………………………………………………. 1
B. Objective of the Study …………………………………………………. 4
C. Problem Formulation …………………………………………………... 5
D. Benefits of Study ………………………………………………………. 5
E. Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………. 5
CHAPTER II REVIEW ON RELATED LITERATURE……………………… 8
A. Theory of Critical Approach …………………………………………... 8
B. Theoretical Review ……………………………………………………. 10
1. Theory of Character and characterization ……………………... 10
2. Theory of Psychoanalysis ……………………………………... 14
3. Theory of Motivation ………………………………………….. 23
ix C. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………….. 25
D. Criticism ……………………………………………………………….. 26
E. The Context of The Last Temptation of Christ ……………………….. 30
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY …………………………………………… 33
A. Subject Matter ………………………………………………………… 33
B. Approach ……………………………………………………………… 34
C. Procedures …………………………………………………………….. 34
D. Sources ……………………………………………………………….. 35
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ………………………………………………….. 37
A. The Characterization of the Characters ………………………………. 37
B. Judas’ Motives in Assisting Jesus’ Journey in Fulfilling
the Prophecy as a Messiah ……………………………………...... 48
C. Why Judas Betray Jesus ……………………………………………… 51
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION 54
A. Conclusions ………………………………………………………….. 54
B. Recommendation for Next Researcher ………………………………. 56
C. Suggestion for Teaching and Learning Process ……………………… 57
BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………… 62
APPENDICES
A. Summary of The Last Temptation Of Christ ………………………… 63 B. Biography of Nikos Kazantzakis …………………………………….. 66 C. Biography of Martin Scorsese ……………………………………….. 67 D. Biography of Paul Schrader ………………………………………….. 68 E. Lesson Plan …………………………………………………………... 69
x CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the background of study, the objective of the study, the problem formulations, and the benefits of the study and the definition of terms.
A. Background of the Study
Movie, fiction or non-fiction, is a reflection of human life. A director must have purposes and messages when he/she made a movie. The messages carried out through movie are sometimes hidden and sometimes exposed clearly, and in its own way touches our human side deeply or just at the surface. Movie is a representation of human relationship; it could be relation with other human beings or society, with nature, and with God.
Some people watch movie for fun, some because the story is worth to follow, and some to satisfy their intellectual pleasure. For the movie, some are made just to give people fun, some to tell a story that is worth as a lesson for people’s life, some to share the idea of the director. The last reason of making a movie sometimes raises controversies among people in the society. If a director makes a movie that the value and the message are not go along with values that are commonly known, then society, or groups of society, will reject it.
Society is where people live together and share social values, laws, custom, and ideology, believes, and rules. In the community called society, people judge other by what they do, what they say, what they believe, and sometimes by what they think. People consider actions that are different from what the society normally performs as a disease and has to be cured. This idea has created values of life among the society to obey. They make rules and laws that are written or unwritten in order to protect their social needs or even their private needs.
According to the human -made rules and laws, an action that violates the rules and laws is judged as a crime and people tend not to consider the motives behind the disobedience. People make judgment without asking why one does or should do their action. Some people are unwilling or even tries to understand that sometimes some people commit a crime because they have or should do it in order to protect their lives and other people’s lives that depend on them. For example, a father with three hungry children was fired from his work. He has no income and the job is his only ability. At some point, he cannot stand to hear his children and wife crying because they have nothing left to eat. For the sake of his family, he stole some bread at the market. People judge him as a thief and send him to jail, and he left his family in hunger. He is a thief for the community but for his family, what he did is a noble action, sacrificing his dignity to feed his family.
This example shows that a criminal for a group of people could be a good person or hero for another.
Based on the background above, I am interested in discussing the movie
The Last Temptation of Christ . The movie shows what actually the motives behind Judas’ betrayal toward Jesus are. Judas, who by most Christians is considered as a traitor, is portrayed as a Jesus’ partner in accomplishing the prophecy that had been told before by Moses (Old Testament). In the movie,
Judas takes an important role as a controller of Jesus’ journey as a Messiah.
Although the Zealot sent Judas to kill Jesus at the first place, but he postponed his duty to understand God’s fate that he was sent to meet Jesus and to find out if
Jesus is really a Messiah. Therefore, it is important to understand Judas’ motives in order to understand this film.
I chose this movie as the subject of my study because the content of the movie has succeeded in portraying the other side of Judas. The Last Temptation of
Christ is based on the novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis that was published in
1951. Universal Pictures released the movie in 1988. Directed by Martin Scorsese,
The Last Temptation of Christ stars Willem Defoe as Jesus, Harvey Keitel as
Judas Iscariot, and Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene. The title tells us that until the day Jesus crucified, he was still tempted by evil to deny His fate as a
Messiah. The movie shows us that Jesus is completely a human being. Although
He is free from sin, still He was subject to every temptation that human faces. He fears the fate that He is a Messiah and He doubts that God is talking to Him.
God’s voice inside Jesus’ head is depressing Him. In addition, Jesus has His desire for Mary Magdalene. At the end of His day at His crucifixion, the most controversial scene, a small girl tells Him that Jesus could live as a normal man, that He could marry and have children, and that He could be free from burden of being crucified and being the salvation of mankind. Jesus falls and believes the little girl for He does not know the truth form of her, the Satan itself. Nearing the end of His life under Satan’s sham, His most devoted disciples, Judas Iscariot, which always stands besides Jesus from His first journey, awakes Him and tells
Jesus the reality. Finally, Jesus realizes that He has abandoned His duty and begs to return to His crucifixion.
In this movie, Scorsese presents Jesus as a true human being as Jesus is fallen into His last temptation. Jesus is portrayed as a human that has His own desire and needs assistance from His friend who is also His disciple to guards His journey. Moreover, this movie shows that what we believe about Judas as a traitor has been broken down. Judas plays a big role to send Jesus to His salvation to save humankind. Judas becomes a traitor, as we all know because he has to accomplish the tasks from God. In fact, Judas does not want to betray Jesus and sends Him to the trial because Judas believes that Jesus is a Messiah. However,
Jesus tells Judas that he must do that so the prophecy is fulfilled.
Therefore, I would like to focus the study on Judas’s motives in assisting
Jesus from the beginning to the end of his journey because it can give further understanding about Judas Iscariot and his betrayal. It is interesting to discuss because most of us do not understand why Judas should betray Jesus and we only see Judas as a traitor more than a hero of the salvation of humankind does. By knowing the motives behind Judas assistance in fulfilling the prophecy, we could see the other side of Judas Iscariot.
B. Objective of the Study
The aim of the study is to find out the motives of Judas in assisting Jesus and why Judas should betray Jesus, and also to change our perception toward Judas Iscariot as seen in Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation of Christ .
C. Problem Formulation
Based on the background, I state the problem formulation, which will be the major discussion of this thesis as follow:
1. How Jesus and Judas are depicted in the movie?
2. What are Judas’ motives in assisting Jesus’ journey in fulfilling the
prophecy as a Messiah?
3. What are the motives behind Judas’ betrayal toward Jesus?
D. Benefits of Study
There have been many discussions on Martin Scorsese’ The Last
Temptation of Christ in many various themes. Hopefully, this thesis can give more information about the theme of the movie, especially for PBI students or lecturers who want to do further discussion on Martin Scorsese’ The Last
Temptation of Christ and use the movie as their subject of study by using this thesis as their source and reference for their research.
I hope that this thesis can also be beneficial for all The Last Temptation of
Christ ’s audiences in order to give a deeper understanding about Judas’ motives so that it will be easier for the audiences to understand the movie, especially about the theme of this movie.
E. Definition of Terms
It is important to clarify the meaning of significant and important terms that are used in this study. The reason of doing so is to avoid any misunderstanding of the meaning itself and to give the right focus on the meaning of significant and important terms.
1. Character
The first important word in this study is character. Abrams in Glossary of
Literary Terms (1989: 20) defines that
Character is the person in a dramatic or narrative work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say e.g. the dialogue, and what they do e.g. the action. The ground in the character’s temperament and moral nature of his speech and action constitutes his motivation.
2. Motivation
The term motivation and motivations in the Longman Dictionary of
Contemporary English (2001) can be uncountable and countable. The first
meaning of motivation (v) is “eagerness and willingness to do something
without needing to be holding or forced to do it” (p 929). The second meaning
of motivation (c) is “the reason why you want to do something” (p 929).
3. Prophecy
From Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995), prophecy is countable
and uncountable noun. Prophecy (c) means a statement that tells what will
happen in the future. Prophecy (u) also means the power for saying what will
happen in the future. This thesis uses the first meaning of prophecy as a
countable noun. 4. Betrayal
Betrayal according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995) derived
from the word betray. Betray (v) means (1) to give or show somebody or
something to an enemy and (2) to show a lack of loyalty. Then betrayal (n)
means an action of betraying somebody or something. This study use the
terms betrayal that derived from the first meaning of betray.
5. Messiah
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995) states that Messiah (n) (also
Messiah) is a person expected to come and save the world. It also states that
the Messiah (sing) (religion) 1. (for Christians) Jesus Christ, 2. (for Jews) a
king to be sent by god. This thesis uses the meaning of the first and the last
term of Messiah since Jesus Himself is not sure whether he is the Messiah or
not.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW ON RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter discusses five parts. They are Theory of Critical Approach,
Theoretical Review, Theoretical Framework, Criticism, and Context of The Last
Temptation of Christ .
A. Theory of Critical Approach
The critical approaches provide the methods of analysis and the basis for the judgment on literary works. Using critical approach, we can understand the novel deeper.
There are five approaches proposed by Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. (1971:
3 – 15) used in conducting this thesis, they are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the socio cultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach. Those five approaches are function as the means to understand and to apprehend the aesthetic values of literary work.
The formalist approach insists on the total integrity of the literary piece.
This approach concentrates almost entirely on its aesthetic value. It concerns with demonstrating the harmonious involvement of all parts to the whole and with pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique determines structure. The formalist believes in the emphasis on the totality of the literary object itself and its aesthetic meaning without reference to the fact of the author’s life, without reference to the genre of the work or its place in the development of the genre or in the literary history, and without refereed to its social milieu. (1971:7).
To understand the literary objects, the biographical approach asserts the necessity for an appreciation of the ideas and personality of the author. This approach sees a work of art as a reflection of a personality that in the aesthetic experience the reader shares the author’s consciousness, and that at least part of the reader’s response is to the author’s personality. (1971:7). Biographical material can provide useful facts that can put us in a better position to understand and appreciate the author’s work.
The socio cultural-historical approach insists that the only way to locate the real work is in the reference to the civilization of which the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people become the subject matter (1971:9). Status as a member of a society and the society in which the author lives can influence him/her in expressing an idea. Analyzing of this kind hangs upon clear external evidence that the novel does use specific people and events from the author’s life.
The mythopoeic approach seeks to discover certain universality recurrent patterns of human thought that they believe find expression in significant works of art. The universality recurrent patterns are those that find first expressions in ancient myths and folk rites and are so basic to human thought that they have meaning for all men (1971:11).
The last approach is the psychological approach that involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain pattern but forms a different body of knowledge that is psychology (1971:13). This approach uses psychological theories to explain human motivation, personality and behavior patterns written in literary objects.
From those approaches, I use the psychological approach to analyze
Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation of Christ .
B. Theoretical Review
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
This study uses a movie script as the subject matter. We have to understand the character of the story in order to have a better understanding toward a literary work. I use the theory of Character and Characterization to help me in analyzing the character of the script.
Character can be simply considered as a person who has role in a story. In concordance, Abrams also explains that the person presented in a story is called the character. He adds that the readers interpret the character as having certain characteristic in the way they play their roles that are expressed by what they saw or their dialogue and what they do or their action (1981:20). In addition, Harvey states that playwright has a right to create and presents his or her fictional characters in the novel, whatever they look like, their personality, and what problem they might face (1968:32).
Foster introduces popular new terms in determining the character.
Character is defined as a flat character and round character. A flat character can be described fairly in a single phrase or sentence because it is built around a single idea or quality and it presented without much individual detail. There are two advantages of flat character, the first is that they are easily recognized whenever they come in, not only by the reader’s visual eye which merely notes the recurrence of a proper name but also by the reader’s emotional eye. Second is that the reader are easily remember the character afterwards. While in the round character, they are complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle partially. The character in round character is difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life is, and like real persons, he is capable of surprising (1974: 46-49).
Milligan defines the character based on performance. He says, “Major character appears more often that the others. They perform important roles in clarifying the theme of the novel, so the reader’s expectation depends on their idea”. According to him, secondary character appears in curtain setting, only necessarily become the background of the major character (1983: 115).
One character is distinguished from other characters by their particular personalities and physical attributes. Santon defines character as individual who appears in the story of the mixture of interest, desires, emotions, and moral principles that make up each of these individuals. Characterization, a process by which an author create characters, is needed by the author as a device to makes the reader believe a character is particular type of person he is (Rohrberger &
Woods, 1971: 20-21).
Rohrberger presents two principal ways of characterization. The first is the direct way, in which the author tells the reader the physical appearance of the character directly. The second is dramatic or indirect way in which the character’s behavior, personality, and values are revealed as he or she is giving opinion about the situation he or she faces (1971: 20-21).
Murphy (1972) stated that there are nine principles for the author to make their character understandable and come alive to their reader. They are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, conversation of others, past life, direct comment, reactions, thoughts, and mannerisms. a. Personal Description
In personal description, the author wants to tell us more about the character by giving a clear description of the character’s physical appearance
(such as the face, clothing, and skin). Psychological condition or personality often relates to the description. A personal description will also help the readers both to visualize and to understand the characteristic of the character. b. Character as Seen by Another
Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another character to help us to draw description. c. Speech
The author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the persons involved in the book through what the person says. Whenever the person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, or whenever he puts forward an opinion, the author is giving us a clue to his character. d. Past Life
The readers can learn something about the character’s past life through the events set by the author that also has shaped the characters. The author through his direct comment, the person thought, his conversation or the medium of another person could do this method. e. Conversation with Others
The author can also give the readers clues to a character through the conversation of other characters and the things they say about him. People talk about another people and they think that they say often give us a clue to the character of the person talked about. f. Reaction
How the character reacts to various situations and events can also give the reader a clue to a character. This reaction is as important as his speech, his gesture, and his movements. g. Direct Comments
The author can describe or give comments on a character directly. This kind of description leaves the readers no doubt to what sort of person the character is. h. Thoughts
The author can give direct knowledge of what a character in his novel thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He may tell us what different people are thinking. Readers are in privileged position.
We can hear the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel. i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell us something about description of his characters. 2. Theory of Psychoanalysis
In the theory of psychoanalysis, Freud (1925/1958: 213) as cited by
Cloninger (2004: 32) portrays that “human is driven by instinct that he or she is neither good nor evil but that have both kinds of effect”. Not only stimulate positive achievement of culture, these drives also lead to war, crime, mental illness and other human suffer. It is depends on how people exercise their instinctive drive to define people’s tendency to possess good or bad behavior.
Supporting the ideas above, Cloninger (2004; 32) says, “Freud suggested that the most important determinants of behavior are not available to our conscious thought.” In other words, what motivates an individual to behave in a particular way lies hidden on their unconsciousness thought. Further, Freud
(1925/1958: 8) as cited in Cloninger (2004: 34) states “What is in your mind is not identical with what you are conscious of; whether something is going on in your mind and whether you hear of it are two different things.” In this regard, the theory of psychoanalysis focuses more to the content to understand one’s behavior.
Cloninger (2004: 31-54) gives clear explanation of theory of psychoanalysis proposed by Sigmund Freud. The discussion on the theory of psychoanalysis covers four aspects; they are level of consciousness, personality structure, intrapsychic conflict, and defense mechanism. These concepts attempt to explain every individual difference through their thoughts, feeling, and behavior. The theory of psychoanalysis will be explained in the following segments: a. Level of Consciousness
The level of consciousness helps to understand the difference between some of our thoughts that are easily known and another part that remain hidden.
The first level is the consciousness, which refers to the experiences in which a person is aware, including memories and intentional action. In other words, the consciousness deals with the reality. In this regard, that person is aware and accepts the consciousness as the aspect of the self.
The pre-consciousness refers to the information that is not in awareness.
However, the information can be brought into awareness readily. The information of your date of birth can be brought into the awareness immediately if you have to answer that question in a particular time.
The unconsciousness is a repressed material that resist in becoming consciousness. Moreover, the unconsciousness is the thoughts, memories, impulses, and desires, which are traumatic and considered as evil since they are painful. The unconsciousness that is with forces that procedure symptoms and motivation.
Cloninger states that behavior is determined by a combination of conscious and unconscious force. For this reason, the rational and comprehensible behavior can be appeared if both unconscious and conscious act constantly.
However, unconsciousness force may block conscious intention. This conflict results in irrational thoughts and behavior. b. Personality Structure
Next is the personality structure that consists of three mental structures. Each of these structures portrays different aspect of personality. Vernon and
Huffman (1997) give explanation about Freud’s definitions of personality structure.
Personality structure is composed of three structures—the id , ego, and superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle, the ego operates on reality principle, and the superego is guided by the conscience and ego ideal. Note that each of this structure resides fully or partially, in the unconscious. (1997: 450)
For example, a person feels hungry. That motivational hunger belongs to id . Before satisfying the hunger, it is necessary to cook or go to restaurant. This planning belongs to ego. In addition, there are advices to be considered about nutrition, fattening, and dieting. Therefore, if id , ego, and superego are taken into account then the perfect action can be accomplished.
Cloninger (2004: 41-44) explains Freud’s theory clearly that people seek pleasure and avoid pain, which later Freud call this as hedonic hypothesis.
Sometimes this hedonic impulse is accompanied with painful thought, since pleasure violates moral restrictions. Therefore, it is repressed. In order to understand the powerful repression of unconscious, a tension between unconsciousness that demands expression, and consciousness that tries to repress unconscious force is describe through personality structure. The following section clearly explains the definition of personality structure, namely the id , ego, and superego:
1) Id
The first structure of personality is the id . This is the only structure of personality that is present at birth and unconscious. The id is the source of psychic energy named libido, which is sexual. This energy becomes the motivation of all aspects of personality. There are two kinds of psychic energy, namely eros refers to the life instinct and thanatos refers to death instinct. Eros is a kind of libido that motivates maintenance of behaviors and love. Besides, thanatos is a destructive force toward death. This instinct motivates all kinds of aggression, including war, murder, and suicide. Thus, it is known that all personality functions are motivated by instinctive energy.
At first, instinctive energy belongs to biological needs. However, this energy can be redirected into higher achievement, such as interpersonal relation and work. Moreover, the motivational quality of instinct corresponds to the instinctual drives, which is high when the drives is not satisfied and falls when meet the need. Therefore, instinct functions based on pleasure principle, which is to satisfy urges that bring pleasure by reducing tension, immediately, and regardless to reality constraints.
As a result, an instinct needs desired object, person or thing. These objects help to satisfy the instinct. For example, the object of sexually aroused adult is sexual partner. However, the id functions based only on primary process, which is primitive, is purely instinctive and not socialized. This instinctive impulse consequence is dangerously or deadly. Sometimes, reality does not satisfy its to force and people tend to instantly imagine the object, hallucinatory, to gratify their needs.
Overall, it can be concluded that the actions based on id are basic human instinct such as instinct of sexually (life-instinct), aggression (death instinct), and instant gratification. Therefore, if the id is the only part of personality, an individual might seek pleasure and avoid discomfort in immediate and dangerously impulsive way.
2) Ego
The second structure of personality is the ego, which refers to the ‘self’ as a person. The ego has the ability in planning, controlling, reasoning, problem solving, and understanding reality. Moreover, the ego operates in reality principle, which is secondary process that deals with real world. Therefore, the ego has to release and direct the id ’s instinctive energy in ways that are consistent with external environment. The ego is responsible in delaying gratification when necessary, which functions as secondary process. The id lies entirely in unconsciousness, whereas the ego lies in between consciousness and pre- consciousness. Thus, the ego can ensure that the id can be expressed in an acceptable manner of the real world.
In Freud’s theory, the ego mediates among the id , the super-ego and the external world. Its task is to find a balance between primitive drives, morals and reality while satisfying the id and super-ego. Its main concern is with the individual’s safety and allows some of the id ’s desires to be expressed, but only when consequences of these actions are marginal. Ego defense mechanisms are often used by the ego when id behavior conflicts with reality and either society’s moral, norms, and taboos or the individual’s expectations because of the internalization of these morals, norms, and taboos.
Although in his early writing Freud equated the ego with the sense of self, he later began to portray it more as a set of psychic functions such as reality- testing, defense, synthesis of information, intellectual functioning, and memory.
The word ego is taken directly from Latin where it is the nominative of the first person singular personal pronoun and is translated s “I myself” to express emphasis. Ego is the English translation for Freud’s German “Ich”.
3) Superego
The superego is a set of ethical standards or rules for behavior. It has two parts, the conscience and the ego ideal. The conscience lists the thing that should not be done in social life, while the ego ideal lists the thing that should be done to obtain proud feelings. The ego functions as morality principle. As a result, violating the rules may cause guilty feeling. In conclusions, the superego leads to perfection and is, therefore, unrealistic as the id .
Between the two extremes of superego and id lies ego, the balance of rationality. They must not only satisfy the id but also must not violate the standard of superego; therefore, the perfect action is accomplished. According to Kasschau
(1995: 272), “The id is concerned with what the person wants to do and the ego concerned with planning what the person can do; the super-ego is concerned with what the person should do.” In brief, the key to healthy personality is a balance between the id , ego, and superego. c. Intrapsychic Conflict
The id , ego, and superego do not always cooperate well. This happens when the id , which has immoral impulse, needs to expressed in reality, while the superego threats with guilty feelings if the expressions of the id is attempted.
According to Cloninger (2004: 44), the battle between the id and superego is termed as an intrapsychic conflict.
The role of the ego does not always succeed to reunite the intrapsychic conflict between the id and superego. Therefore, the ego needs a solution due to the conflict happened. It is important to note that this conflict may result in disturbed personality when the direct expression of the id impulse is unacceptable to the ego because it is dangerous consequence in real life. d. Defense Mechanism
A solution for intrapsychic conflict is how the ego is able to express the id into reality without the recognition of the superego. Therefore, a defense mechanism is used to disguise the unacceptable impulse by distorting its source, aim, and/or object of the impulse. Thus, the superego is not aware for the expressions of unacceptable impulse.
In this regard, people use many kinds of defense mechanism from the primitive ones to mature ones. The description of the defense mechanism, as follows:
1) Denial
This defense is the most primitive since an individual does not acknowledge any painful thought or anxiety by denying the reality or the self.
This defense usually happens to the most disturbed individual. For example, a person believes that smoking is good despite the fact of the effect of smoking for health.
2) Reaction Formula
People use this defense by twisting the unacceptable impulse to its opposite. Usually it is developed in exaggerated form. This defense is less primitive. For example, a sister unconsciously hates her brother. In contrast, she expresses it as a love feeling of her brother.
3) Projection
A person, who has unacceptable impulse, projects his/her fault to another person. His or her way in projecting fault to others is termed as a scapegoat. In society, the scapegoat often becomes the projective target of crimes or immoral act that are the accusers own the unacceptable impulse.
4) Displacement
The displacement defense distorts the object of the drive. Comparing a projective, this defense only distorts the object while the projection distorts the individual who has unacceptable impulse.
5) Identification
People who lack of adequacies or avoiding recognition usually adopts someone else identities. This defense sometimes is used to overcome feelings of powerlessness. A primitive defense of identification is termed identifications with the aggressor in which adapts one’s identity that has power over us, even if that power has no benefit in life. For example, a person adapts an identity of his or her favorite movie star. As a result, he or she appears with the same appearance with the same appearance and behavior as the movie star.
6) Isolation
A person who has unpleasant experience tends to isolate the memory of the experience to avoid emotional feeling related to the experience. For example, a person loosing a lover through death isolates a memory of the lover because of the grief feeling.
7) Rationalization
People give a false reason for an action to disguise its true motives. For example, a parent rationalizes spanking child as an education for the child to be more discipline. Rationalization defense involves little distortion once a person performs the action and believes that as a rational system.
8) Intellectualization
This defense prevents clear, undistorted recognition of an impulse through excessive explanation. In doing so, people intellectually convince that he or she does not want what they could not have. For example, a poor person does not want to have a car. The fact is that the person could not afford to have a car.
3. Theory of Motivation
We must understand the motives and the theory of motivation to understand and analyze Judas’ motivation in assisting Jesus to fulfill the Bible’s prophecy.
It is believed that humans are motivated to do something on their life.
Likewise, the motivation supports someone in performing either good or bad attitude. Maslow (1943: 7-30) states a theory of human motivation is only one of many classes that determine behavior. Maslow states the theory by constructing a hierarchy of needs which classifying human motives. It is starting from the basic biological needs to the more complex psychological motives that become important only after the basis needs have been satisfied. Those needs are divided into five namely, physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
The needs at one level must be at least partially satisfied before those at the next level become more determiners of action.
Maslow’s hierarchy provides an interesting way of looking on the relationship among human motives and the opportunities afforded by the environment.
The psychological needs refer to the homeostasis term. This term means to maintain a biological steady state of the body. This needs include food, water, sexual desire, sleep, and sensory pleasure. People have a need from the moment of conception of birth for basic substance. These are fundamental survival matters.
These needs can be very strong because if dispossessed over time, the person will die.
The second is safety needs that relate to the individual’s need for protection, security, stability, reliance on order, freedom from fear and anxiety, need for certainty, structure and predictability. It emerges after the psychological needs are satisfied.
With psychological and safety needs in equilibrium with no chronic deficiency, there is scope for expression of higher social needs. The third is belongingness and love. This fits in with or general notions of human development from childhood into adulthood. This need involves giving and receiving affection in relationship with other. When it is not satisfied, he or she may feel separate, isolate, distanced from other friends, colleagues, lover, and family. The need to be socially wanted or accepted may drive behavior to this end.
This need for affection is real, necessary, and important for many and lack of fulfillment may bring loneliness, rejection, and friendlessness.
The fourth is esteem. This deals with self-respect (self-value) and esteem of others (other-value). Maslow argued that a need exist for stable, terrified self- respect. The need references recognition by it self and others of self confident, strength, competencies, achievements, personal adequacy. These enable confidence within the domain of action that involves other reputation or prestige
(respect or esteem from others). This need is met by being valued by other who gives attention, attributes status, offer recognition, and appreciation. People feel and care are recognized by others as worthy as important. The lack of self-esteem needs produces feelings of being snubbed, ignored, degraded, and inferior and powerlessness.
The last need is self-actualization. In order to satisfy this need, an individual needs to find self self-fulfillment and realize their potential. Therefore, an individual has a tendency to become a person they want to become and to reach the peak of their potential.
Maslow states that the theory of human motivation is emphasized to basic goal of needs. This emphasis implies more central place for unconscious than for conscious. He adds that basic level of needs is unconscious. Maslow saw that lower needs might be satisfied but that discontent and restlessness may remain for the individual. What humans can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. In conclusions, unconscious motivation is more important when it is closely relate to the basic needs.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this part, I explain some theories used in this study. I also explain why those theories are needed and how this study applies those theories in the analysis process.
The nine principles of theory of character are committed to be devised in analyzing the character of the main characters of The Last Temptation of Christ .
Those principles could reveal their character. It is undeniably that The Last Temptation of Christ is an unconventional movie of Jesus Christ and hides disguised message that lay randomly in the character’s speech and from the narration. Speeches and narrations that define Jesus as a very human and reluctant to Satan’s temptations.
The psychological approach involves various theories of psychology to explain the character’s personality in a story. This approach is applied to see the psychological background and the motives of Judas in assisting Jesus fulfill the bible’s prophecy.
The biographical approach is used to describe the director’s state of mind when he put Kazantzakis’ novel onto film.
The theory of motivation is needed to understand what is trigger the action of Judas in assisting Jesus and then betray Him.
The context of The Last Temptation of Christ that states the dual nature of
Christ is used as an explanation of how human Jesus’ character is and how as a human He needs Judas to help Him accomplished His fate.
D. Criticism
Martin Scorsese and his movie The Last Temptation of Christ has been a famous movie and receives many criticisms by some religion groups because of the controversial theme and how it portrays Jesus and Judas. In this part, I would like to present those criticisms and proves that any other writer has not discussed the topic of this thesis.
The Last Temptation of Christ is a very interesting and popular movie since it presents a different point of view on the life of Jesus comparing to any other Jesus movies. In this movie, Jesus is presented as a real human who suffers from pain, fear, desire, doubt, and denial as any other men have. Therefore, some experts try to give their criticism towards Martin Scorsese’ movie The Last
Temptation of Christ .
Jeffrey M. Andersen on his review, The Mean Street of Jerusalem, states that despite many protests from Christian community, this movie makes more sense than the story we all know about Jesus and none of His messages that has been abandon.
Moreover, he also states that the movie gives more understanding about
Jesus as a man, with all temptation man had to receive, and why He had to sacrifice Himself to save human being.
The most obvious effect of this more human approach is that it allows us to identify with Jesus, see his plight, and understand why he had to die for us. If Jesus were only a deity and not a man, it would not have made any difference to us if he died on the cross or not.
Although the language in this movie is using modern-day language, which seems quite different from the language we read on the bible, Scorsese and his scriptwriter are intended to put this movie closer to the audience rather than preaching with long and dull language.
However, he purposely chose to make his low-budget film different, to speak directly to his audience instead of preaching at them from above. It is content to work from ground level, reveling in the dirt and sun. Of the people who actually saw the film, the biggest complaint was the modern- day language and New York accents of actors like Harvey Keitel (who plays Judas). Again, Scorsese and his writers did this on purpose to find a connection with the audience. Hearing Jesus speaks in "thees" and "thous", or whatever, would have put us to sleep.
Christianity teaches that Jesus is a man and He is a God. As a man, Jesus experiences temptation and receives the undeniable gift from God that is freewill.
According to Roger Ebert, the theme of this movie is about how Jesus manages to survive the temptation.
Christianity teaches that Jesus was both God and man. That he could be both at once is the central mystery of the Christian faith, and the subject of "The Last Temptation of Christ." To be fully man, Jesus would have had to possess all of the weakness of man, to be prey to all of the temptations--for as man, he would have possessed God's most troublesome gift, free will. As the son of God, he would of course have inspired the most desperate wiles of Satan, and this is a film about how he experienced temptation and conquered it.
Still refers to Roger Ebert, the controversy rises because there are some conservatives minds that believe that their point of view toward Jesus is the most correct and could not accept if there is another portray that could be seen to understand Jesus as both human and God.
That, in it, makes "The Last Temptation of Christ" sound like a serious and devout film, which it is. The astonishing controversy that has raged around this film is primarily the work of fundamentalists who have their own view of Christ and are offended by a film that they feel questions his divinity. But in the father's house are many mansions, and there is more than one- way to consider the story of Christ--why else are there four Gospels? Among those who do not already have rigid views on the subject, this film is likely to inspire more serious thought on the nature of Jesus than any other ever made.
Roger Ebert states that the movie really presents Jesus as what he should be. Jesus receives temptation from Satan from the very first moment of His life until the very last. It includes the temptation to leave His cross and live as a common people, here He was tempted to imagining marriage and grows old with
His children. Scorsese and Schrader have not made a film that panders to the audience-- as almost all Hollywood religious epics traditionally have. They have paid Christ the compliment of taking him and his message seriously, and they have made a film that does not turn him into a garish, emasculated image from a religious postcard. Here he is flesh and blood, struggling, questioning, asking himself and his father which is the right way, and finally, after great suffering, earning the right to say, on the cross, "It is accomplished." The critics of this film, many of whom have not seen it, have raised a sensational hue and cry about the final passages, in which Christ on the cross, in great pain, begins to hallucinate and imagines what his life would have been like if he had been free to live as an ordinary man. In his reverie, he marries Mary Magdalene, has children, and grows old. But it is clear in the film that this hallucination is sent to him by Satan, at the time of his greatest weakness, to tempt him. And in the hallucination itself, in the film's most absorbing scene, an elderly Jesus is reproached by his aging Apostles for having abandoned his mission. Through this imaginary conversation, Jesus finds the strength to shake off his temptation and return to consciousness to accept his suffering, death and resurrection.
The movie also brings some new perceptions of Jesus. By portraying Jesus as a human being, the effects among audiences are varying. Bruce Babington states that for nearly three hours long, this iconoclastic movie is not the same with another Jesus movie that has been made before. He said, “In no other Hollywood film about Jesus has it really been possible for audiences so forcefully to feel that, for all His charisma and inspirational heroism, Jesus may simply not have been the Son of God”.
Rob Nelson writes harsh critic about this movie. He writes that this 6 million dollar movie is a waste.
What does it take to make a $6 million movie in which Jesus Christ is shown coming off the cross to have sex with Mary Magdalene? And what does it take to get that movie shown in America? Does it require the filmmaker to spill his own blood, sweat, and tears? To have himself crucified? Apparently so. Among other magnificent obsessions, Voyager/Criterion's 10th-anniversary laserdisc of The Last Temptation of Christ drives home director Martin Scorsese' tack of self-punishment as part of the process. "Even when I was doing it, I knew I was never going to be satisfied with it," he explains on the disc's supplemental audio track.
Rob Nelson also states that the film tries to define “God as an ultimate headache” and Jesus as a “metaphor for the human condition” since every time
God spoke to Jesus, He felt a very strong headache and Jesus was described as a very human since He tries to deny His deity. Nelson said that the right-wing fundamentalist stated Scorsese as Judas himself since he sold Jesus as the way he wants to the film industries. Nelson believes that this movie will not be found in mainstream video stores.
Most of the critics above deal with the portrayal of Jesus, His two faces as a human and as the Son of God. Most of the critics states that the movie has succeeded in bringing the really picture of Jesus, but most of conservative
Christians do not agree with it. They even state that the portrayal of Jesus in this movie is blasphemous. In this thesis, I bring a new discussion of the movie, highlighting Judas role in supporting Jesus’ mission.
E. The Context of The Last Temptation of Christ
The dual natures of Jesus Christ have been full of controversies among His believers as they struggle to define exactly who Jesus was. The Council of
Chalcedon in 451 A.D. produced a compromised formula that expected to define who Jesus was (Laughlin 126). This doctrine, known as the Chalcedonian formula, declared that Jesus was 100% God and 100% human. According to the formula, humanity and divinity were miraculously brought together in the person of Jesus, “at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man… recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” (Council of Chalcedon quoted in Christian
183).
The formula has been described as one that is “believed by all and understood by none” (Christian 184). However, just because Christ’s simultaneous humanity and divinity are not easily to explain does not mean that the notion is erroneous. C. W. Christian writes of the formula, “There is no explanation. It is only a way of stating the mystery of something that did in fact happen”. It could be stated briefly that this believe in things unseen and unexplainable is the definition of faith itself.
Laughlin stated that Jesus was fully human; He is as every one of us in every ways except for one-He is without sin. The problem arouses in question,
“Could He still be really human if he did not sin?” Shirley C. Guthrie explains that sins are not part of what it means to be human. It is the corruption or contradiction of true humanity (240). Guthrie stated that Jesus remain sinless not because He escaped a biological defect everyone else has, the heretic sin of Adam and Eve, but because He lived without sin. Jesus was sinless because, unlike
Adam and Eve, and all other human beings, He fulfilled His true humanity in the image of God. He lived always, without exception, in perfect love for God and other people” (Guthrie 241).
Only when we hold on into account that Jesus was fully human do we really appreciate His earthly example of how to live as well as His ultimate sacrifice. Indeed, Laughlin states that the focus on His human side makes the incarnation of God all more real, profound, miraculous, and relevant to our lives and us.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter deals with the methodology of the study used in this thesis.
This chapter consists of four major discussions. They are subject matter, approaches, procedures, and sources. The subject matter discusses the focus of the analysis. The approach deals with approaches that are used analyzing the novel.
The procedures deal with the stages in analyzing the novel. Moreover, the last part of this chapter, the sources, discusses the sources that I use to conduct this study.
A. Subject Matter
The subject matter of this study was the movie The Last Temptation of
Christ directed by Martin Scorsese. Universal Pictures released the movie on
1988. Martin Scorsese first attempt to make this movie started in the early 1980’s but for some reasons the project had to place on hold. He finally finished the movie and released it in 1988. The movie itself was based on the novel with the same title written by Nikos Kazantzakis. The novel was first published in 1951 and became a subject of a great deal of controversy due to its subject matter. In
1960, the novel was translated into English and unfortunately appears regularly on the list of banned books. The central thesis of the novel is that Jesus, while free from sin, was still subject to every form of temptation that human faces, including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance, and lust. Kazantzakis’ arguments in the novel preface that by facing and conquering all man’s weaknesses, Jesus became a perfect model for our lives; he sacrificed not only on the cross, but also throughout His life. He struggled to do God’s will without ever giving in to the temptations of the flesh. With faithful adaptation of the novel, the movie shares the same thesis and the same controversy.
Martin Scorsese was once again working with Paul Schrader as the screenwriter. The collaboration between them could be seen in another serious movie such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull that tell about sin, guilt and redemption.
B. Approach
In order to understand Judas’ motives in assisting Jesus, we need to understand motives. To understand motives we have to know psychological approach.
Rohrberger and Woods state that psychological approach is the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent pattern. This approach draws a different body of knowledge. We can apply certain psychological theories in analyzing the content of the story in a work of literature (1971: 13). Here I use Psychoanalytic theory, which designed by Sigmund Freud. That is the important theory to analyze the human personality. The psychological approach insists that each character could be explored deeper.
C. Procedures
The procedures of the study consist of steps taken in doing the analysis, so that I can find the solution for the problem formulated and achieve the aim of this study. I take some steps that I take in order to answer the questions stated in problem formulation. Firstly, I watch the movie many times in order to understand the content of the story. I focus on parts where Judas takes part so I can focus my attention on him. I make notes of the important description of his character, his betrayal and any other important points that might help me to understand the content of the movie, such as the location or place, the situation or condition at that time. I also pay attention on certain dialogues or description from the director, which can help me to understand Judas’ motives and his betrayal better.
Secondly, I read some references related to the theory of literature concerned with problem formulation. I also find some criticism on Martin
Scorsese and his works from books and internet websites.
On the third step, I analyze his assistance. In analyzing Judas’ assistance to
Jesus, I focus my attention on the reasons of his assistance and the motives of his betrayal. In this part, I try to answer the problem
In the last step, I draw conclusions from the analysis and the suggestions for future research. I also add some suggestions for English teachers to teach Play
Performance or Speaking using the novel.
D. Sources
There are two sources used in this study, primary and secondary sources.
The primary sources is the movie it self, entitled The Last Temptation of Christ directed by Martin Scorsese and the script written by Paul Schrader (taken from http://sfy.ru/sfy.html?script=last_temptation_of_christ_1988 , accessed on
November 13, 2007). The secondary sources are books used to support the study, literary theory books, psychology theory books, and theory of character books. I also use the internet websites to find some related information.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter discusses the description of Judas and Jesus in the film;
Judas’ motives for assisting Jesus’ journey in fulfilling the prophecy as a Messiah; and the reasons why Judas betrayed Jesus.
A. The Characterization of the Characters
A character is an essential element in the work of literature. Characters are the persons who are life-like, portrayed in a story and interpretable by the reader from their speeches, dialogues and action (Abrams, 1981: 20). Further, characters are classified into major and minor characters, and flat and round characters.
Henkle (1981: 88-97) states that major character is created to carry out ideas or message in a story to readers through the characters’ feelings, thought, actions, and reactions. Minor or secondary characters are those who appear in a certain setting as the background to support the major character.
In Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation of Christ , the major character is
Jesus Christ and Judas. Many minor characters support His appearance from the beginning until the end of the story such as Mary Magdalene, the Disciples, John the Baptist, and Saul. These minor characters have their own significant roles in describing how Jesus is characterized.
1. Jesus
This movie has revealed Jesus very differently from any other Jesus movie ever made. His dual nature, God and man, has been intensely examined. We could see how Jesus as a human being has our very human nature and it collides with
His God’s side. The movie challenges our traditional point of view and understanding of what Jesus is all about. Paul Schrader (1998) wrote the script based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis.
As a human being, Jesus at first tries to deny the voice of God inside His head. He tries to deny it by feast for three months and whip Himself. He even tries to deny it by asking who the owner of the voice is and why the voice keeps following Him.
Jesus. The feeling begins. Very tender, very loving. Then the pain starts. Claws slip underneath the skin and tear their way up...... just before they reach my eyes, they dig in. And I remember. First, I fasted for three months. I even whipped myself before I went to sleep. At first it worked. Then the pain came back. And the voices. They call me by name. Jesus. Who is it? Who are you? Why are you following me? (1)
Jesus also wants to deny God’s voice by trying to makes God angry. He collaborated with Roman and makes crosses to crucify every one of God’s messiahs so God will hate Him.
Jesus. God loves me, I know he loves me. I want him to stop. I can't take the pain. The voices and the pain. I want him to hate me. I fight him. I make crosses so he'll hate me. I want him to find somebody else. I want to crucify every one of his messiahs. (2) Jesus denials of God continue when He meets Jeroboam. Jesus says that the other night the Master meets and sends Jesus to rest at a tent. Then Jeroboam tells Jesus that the Master has recognized Jesus for something, that Jesus is not an ordinary person. Jesus denies it and He says that He just come here to serve God.
Jesus denies the fact that God talks to Him is a blessing. He denies it because He is afraid that He is just a sinner (p. 4-5).
Jesus has His moments of doubt about the voice He hears inside His head.
In His conversation with His mother, Maria, Jesus says that He is not sure, whether the voice He hears is the voice of God or the voice of Satan (2). He also feels His doubts when He had His speech for the first time. After He saves Mary
Magdalene from being thrown by rocks because she was working on the Sabbath,
He takes the people who gather to the hill and trying to make His speech. Jesus is doubt whether what He is going to say is the right or the wrong thing. Although
He finally speaks, we could hear from the tone of His voice that Jesus is still having His doubt on Himself (7).
Jesus has a feel of love toward His opposite sex. He is in love with Mary
Magdalene when they were on their younger year. It is reflected in their conversation in Magdalene’s room after He waits Magdalene as a prostitute serves many men. Jesus has an imagination of being on the bed with Magdalene while
He waits (censored on the VCD, the most provocative scene according to many
Christian groups). Jesus thinks that Magdalene is one of God’s angels. Then Jesus asks Magdalene to forgive Him for what has happened before. He confesses to
Magdalene that she is the one He wanted to stay besides her (3). In His conversation with Jeroboam, Jesus says that Jesus loves Magdalene but He does not take her because of God and that makes Him proud. However, His pride has ruined Magdalene’s life (5).
Jesus. Magdalene. Magdalene. Thank you, Lord...... for bringing me where I did not want to go. He must be one of God's angels. He came down to show me the way. (3)
Jesus. I want you to forgive me. I've done too many bad things. I'm going to the desert, and I need you to forgive me...... before I go, please. (3)
Jesus. When I see a woman, I blush and look away. I want her, but I don't take her, for God, and that makes me proud. Then my pride ruins Magdalene. (5)
Jesus feels anger. He is angry to people who try to stone Magdalene and at the same time He also feels doubt for Himself (9). Jesus feels disappointed when
He knows that John the Baptist has been murdered. He then comes to His disciples and invites them to have a war with the devil (13-15). When Jesus comes to Nazareth and tells the people there that God has come and Jesus asks them to join Him but the people of Nazareth deny Him and accuse Him of being possessed, Jesus is disappoint and angry with them (15-16).
Jesus. How do we know? How could I be the Messiah? When those people were torturing Magdalene, I wanted to kill them. And then I opened my mouth...... and out comes the word "love." Why? I don't understand. (9)
Jesus. I'm not inviting you to a celebration. I'm inviting you to a war. (14)
Jesus. If I could touch every stone...... if I could breathe on every branch, they'd get up and follow me! So what's wrong with you? Come with me to Jerusalem! Jerusalem is falling! I feel it. I know it. (15-16)
Jesus is furious when He comes to the temple and finds that so many traders are doing business there. He is disappointed because the place that should be used to pray and worshiping God has changed its function into a market. He shows His anger by kicking one of the moneychanger’s booths and then He goes ruin the entire market (17-18).
Jesus. This is my Father's house! It is a place of worship...... not a market! (17)
Jesus has His fear. He fears for God and the destiny of what will he become. He exposes His fear literally to Jeroboam at the conversation. Jesus confesses His fear to God by saying that deep inside His heart he longing for a woman but he could not take her because of His fear of God. He also says that he does not do any bad things because he does not want to but because he is afraid of
God. Jesus wants to rebel against everything, against God, and again He is afraid of God (4-5).
Jesus. I'm a liar. A hypocrite. I'm afraid of everything. I don't tell the truth. I don't have the courage. When I see a woman, I blush and look away. I want her, but I don't take her, for God, and that makes me proud. Then my pride ruins Magdalene. I don't steal, I don't fight...... I don't kill. Not because I don't want to, but because I'm afraid. I want to rebel against you, against everything...... against God, but...... l'm afraid. You want to know who my mother and father are? You want to know who my God is? Fear. (5)
In His dream, Isaiah met Jesus and He tells Jesus about His prophecy that
Jesus has to die willingly to save the human kind. Jesus then discusses it with
Judas. Judas seems to annoy by His change of plan, first Jesus is talking about love, then about axe and now about He has to die on a cross. Jesus says that He finally understands even God speaks to Him a little at a time, the prophecy is meant to Him. The voice and the shadow that follows Him tries to tell Jesus that
He is the Messiah and Jesus is afraid of what could happen to Him (19).
Jesus. Now I finally understand. All my life I've been followed...... by voices...... by footsteps...... by shadows. And do you know what the shadow is? The cross. I have to die on the cross and I have to die willingly. (19)
Jesus is an uncertain person, it is revealed by the conversation of disciples. The disciples are worried that Jesus will change His mind again as He did before.
They are confused with Jesus and afraid of what will happen to them. The disciples feel uncertain with their fate if they keep following Jesus while He often changes His mind (19).
When Jesus arrives to Jerusalem, people are cheer for Him and call Him
King of the Jews. Although Jesus smiles and waving His hands, He begs to God to die at that time while He still have His strength. He refuses to die on the cross,
Jesus wants to die fast and leave unbearable pain with an axe. Jesus shows us how much He was frighten to the prophecy that He must die on the cross although He loves God and willing to sacrifice His life for the sake of human (20-21).
Jesus. Lord, I hope this is what you want. Let me die here. Please let it happen fast while I have the strength. Please! I'm waiting, too. Give me an axe, Not the cross. Let me die like this. (20)
When He speaks to the people of Jerusalem about the coming of God and there is nothing happen, again Jesus feels fear and looking for Judas and begs him to stay with Jesus. From the scene, we could see how Jesus relies with other people as man does. He still needs Judas to comfort Him and to make Him strong to face the prophecy (20-21).
The feeling of frighten of Jesus that strongly depicted is when He prays to
God at Gethsemane. Jesus says how beautiful and how He really loves the world that could be seen that God have create and about the beauty of the world that have been created by God that could not be seen. Jesus is afraid to decide which is the most beautiful between those two worlds because Jesus has a doubt and fear to face them both. He compares miracles that God have made for other, that God have open the Red Sea for Moses, that Noah being saved, about Elijah that was taken to heaven by fiery chariot, and about the miracle that is going to happen to
Him, to be crucified. Jesus begs to God to release this miracle because it is something He is afraid of (21-22).
Jesus. Please, Father. I've been with you for so long. I never asked you to choose me. I always did as you said. You made many miracles for others. You opened the Red Sea for Moses. You saved Noah. You took Elijah to heaven in a fiery chariot...... and now you're asking me to be crucified. Can I ask you...... one last time? Do I have to die? Is there any other way? You're offering me a cup, but I don't want to drink what's in it. Please, take it away. Please, stop. Please, Father. Father. Please. (20-21)
When Jesus finally crucified, He asks God why He had forsaken Him. He is afraid that God has abandoned Him for nothing. Jesus has His doubt because
He is afraid that He is crucified for vain (23). When Jesus falls into temptation to imagine that the crucifixion is not meant to happen and He could have a normal life as many men have, He regrets it so much and begs to God to bring Him back to the cross. He regrets to believe Satan’s words and He regrets that He has not devote Himself to God completely (29). Jesus. Will you listen to a selfish, unfaithful son? I fought you when you called. I resisted. I thought I knew more. I didn't want to be your son. Can you forgive me? I didn't fight hard enough. Father...... give me your hand. I want to bring salvation! Father, take me back! Make a feast! Welcome me home! I want to be your son! I want to pay the price! I want to be crucified and rise again! I want to be the Messiah! (29)
Jesus personality is a collision between His desire as a human (the id ) and
His deity nature since God talk directly to Him and His destiny to be the Messiah
(the superego). According to Cloninger (2004: 44), what Jesus has is termed intrapsychic conflict. In this case, the ego then expresses the id into reality without the recognition of the superego and it results on defense mechanism.
Jesus’ first defense mechanism is denial. When Jesus hears the God’s voice, the id rejects it because Jesus does not want to feel the pain it brings and the consequence of being the Messiah. Jesus tries to deny it by making cross to crucify all God’s Messiah. By making cross, Jesus also performs defense mechanism of displacement. He tries to stop all of God Messiah by making cross since Jesus could not stop God’s voice.
In His younger year, Jesus falls in love with Mary Magdalene. When He finally realizes what He destines to be, He abandons His feeling. Here, from Jesus imaginary thoughts with Magdalene and their conversation we could see that
Jesus actually still in love with Magdalene (5). Jesus’ id is still longing for Magdalene. Jesus interprets His superego that He is not supposed to be with her.
His ego reacts on asking Magdalene to blame Himself instead of blaming God.
When Jesus hears that King Herod murdered John the Baptist, He asks the disciple to take an axe to fight demons. When Jesus has His first speech, God as the superego has guided Him to love, but His id provokes a war and to take the axe instead of love. Again, Jesus builds a defense mechanism of rationalization since He considers His action as what God’s demand.
Jesus falls into His last temptation is also a form of defense mechanism.
When He hung up on the cross, a little child comes to Him and says that God wants Him to come down and that this is not what actually wanted by God. Jesus’ fall is not because Satan cheats Him; it is merely because Jesus’ id does not want to feel the pain and He wants to escape the reality of being Messiah. This id is very clearly seen from Jesus speech. Although the superego convinces Him that
He is the Messiah, the ego makes an action to deny it and presumes that what
Jesus do, to come down from the cross, is what God really want.
The depiction of Jesus character above shows us how human is Jesus and
He is inseparable from the character of Judas that always stand besides Jesus when He feels all the human nature that collides with His God side.
2. Judas
What we commonly know about Judas for all this time could be questioned when we see Judas character on this movie. Like how this movie depicts Jesus, Judas is also depicted from sides that are probably we could not imagine before. Although Judas is a minor character in this movie, but he takes the biggest part and most influencing character toward Jesus’ life, Judas holds the key of Jesus crucifixion.
Judas has known Jesus before all the disciples did. In fact, Judas was always besides Jesus throughout His entire journey and Judas has become Jesus’ closest and strongest friend. Jesus always relies on Judas for assurance of psychological and physical strength against Jesus own weaknesses.
Judas is a demanding person; we could see that from the first scene when he met Jesus. Jesus is making cross for the Roman and Judas comes and throws
Jesus to the floor. Judas looks down on Jesus as he verbally and physically attacks
Him and calls Jesus as a disgrace. Judas forces Jesus to answer his question and demand that this struggle, that is to understand about Messiah, is his, not Jesus (1-
2). It also shows that Judas is an irritable person.
Although he is a demanding person but he is the most patience among other disciples. Judas is a member of zealot and he was ordered to kill Jesus.
Judas decides to postpone his duty because somehow he believes that Jesus is the
Messiah. We still can see how demanding Judas is to understand Jesus by how he gives Jesus a chance to prove it and until he could understand about Jesus by threat to kill Jesus if he strays from the path (5-6).
Judas’ patience toward Jesus also could be seen from the scene when all the disciples were waiting for Jesus return from the desert and they were all have no patience enough to wait for Jesus, Judas is the only one who decide to stay and he makes all the disciples stay there to (14). Judas is a straight person and it reflected from his conversation with Jesus.
He will kill people he hates and willing to die for the people he loves, he even will kill people he loves when they do wrong thing (8-9).
Judas. Look at me. If I love somebody, I would die for them. If I hate somebody, I'd kill them. I could even kill somebody I loved If they did the wrong thing. (8)
Judas. The other day you said, if a man hit you, you'd turn the other cheek. I didn't like that. Only an angel could do that, or a dog. I'm sorry but I'm neither. I'm a free man. I don't turn my cheek to anyone. (9)
Judas is also depicted as reminder of Jesus’ superego in his final moment of temptation. When Jesus falls into Satan’s temptation that says that he is not a messiah, Jesus has a life as a normal man. In his last moment, Judas came with
Peter and John. Judas reminds Jesus that Jesus is the New Covenant, and he is not supposed to be there (p. 28-29). Judas’ words are reminder of Jesus’ superego to remind what Jesus’ ego should do.
We could conclude that Judas has his faith on Jesus and he will protect and struggle for his faith. His faith on Jesus led him to postpone his duty from zealot to kill Jesus and to stand besides Him throughout the journey, although at the end he must betray Jesus to fulfill the prophecy.
B. Judas’ Motives in Assisting Jesus’ Journey in Fulfilling the Prophecy as a
Messiah
As stated in the previous chapter, Maslow constructs motivation by the hierarchy of needs. It is started from the basic biological needs to the more complex psychological motives that become important after the basic needs have been satisfied. The needs at one level must be at least partially satisfied before at the next level becomes important determiner action.
At first, Judas motivation is to stop Jesus from making cross for the
Roman because Jesus is a Jews and Jesus making cross to hang another Jews. He considers it as a disgrace and an act of betrayal towards His own nation (1).
Then Judas as a zealot has an order to kill Jesus. Judas has his chance and he is so surprised when Jesus just lets him to do it. He is questioning what kind of man is Jesus and he demands an understanding when Jesus said that it was God’s plan. Judas decides not to kill Jesus because he wants to understand what God is trying to say through Jesus. He then follows Jesus because Jesus says that it could be God’s fate that they were meeting each other (5-6).
He then follows Jesus and comes to place where people start to stone Mary
Magdalene. After Jesus could stop the people and starts His first speech, Judas has better understanding of the power God has given to Jesus because people are starting to follow Jesus (6-8).
Judas motivation becomes stronger when he has a conversation with Jesus after that. Judas and Jesus have the same purpose with their struggle. They both want freedom. Only the perception of freedom is different. While Jesus wants freedom for the soul, Judas wants the freedom of Israel. Judas believes that freedom of the body is more important than the freedom of soul because he sees it as the foundation of a house. After Jesus explains that freedom of soul is the most important, Judas begins to expand his motivation of helping Jesus. He thinks that
Jesus is the One that God sent to free Israel and he does not want to destroy it. If he kills Jesus then he would not have the answer to his question. Then he decides that they will go to Judea to see John the Baptist to look for the answer (9).
Judas’ motive has developed and it begins to effect on his faith toward
Jesus. From the first, he has just thought that Jesus could be the Chosen One, and then he starts to have faith that Jesus is Messiah. When Jesus has an argument about who he is with the rabbi at the synagogue and thing is getting uncontrolled,
Saul pulls Judas from the crowd and ask why Judas has not kill Jesus yet and why he is now following Jesus. Judas’ answer is a show of faith on Jesus. He says that
Saul does not listen enough that he could not see who Jesus is. On the chaos at the synagogue, Judas also shows how he must protect Jesus to secure his motivation
(18).
Judas also gains his faith by seeing the miracles that Jesus does on their journey. Jesus, after went back from the dessert, is starting to cast out evil from people. Jesus also makes blind man see. Then in the wedding ceremony, he changes water into wine (15). Back to Nazareth, Jesus hears that Lazarus has been dead for three days. He then goes and resurrects him, the greatest miracle that
Judas sees on the journey (17).
When Saul kills Lazarus, that have been brought back to life by Jesus after he died for three days, Judas again confirm that Jesus is the only one he follows now. Judas becomes angry when Jesus explains about how he must die on the cross as he dreamed of Isaiah. He could not believe that Jesus as the Messiah should die. He thinks that if Jesus dies then he is not the Messiah that he is expected to free Israel, and it means that his motivation will lead him to nothing
(19).
Although Judas angry, it does not decrease his faith to Jesus. As stated by
Maslow, a man should have his basic need that is hunger, affection, self-esteem, and the like, before he could obtain his meta-needs. The basic need, freedom, is something that Judas could not have since Israel is still under authority of Roman
Emperor. He needs to find his way to reach for his basic needs. Judas sees it on
Jesus, the Messiah that struggle for freedom, although at first they have different conception on freedom itself. Judas’ need motivates him to follow Jesus, moreover, assisting Jesus’ journey to become Messiah.
C. Why Judas Betrays Jesus
For most Christian, the answer of this question is that because Judas loves gold better than he loves Jesus. This movie reveals very contradict answer. The bible leaves many gaps to people to interpret and Judas’ betrayal toward Jesus here is could be a point of view from Judas since there are only four Gospels that we know. It is far from what the bible told but somehow it is very acceptable.
Judas’ motivation to follow and assist Jesus to fulfill the prophecy plays a big role in answering the question above. His faith on Jesus that he is the Messiah sent Judas to betray Jesus. When Judas first decides to follow Jesus, he promises to watch how Jesus working and he swear that if Jesus strays even if only a little,
Judas will kill Jesus (6).
On the journey, Jesus has made so many changing plans that sometimes
Judas could not understand. When Jesus reveals His dream of meeting Isaiah,
Jesus tells Judas that to become the Messiah, Jesus has to be sacrificed. Judas cannot believe it and he is sure that the Messiah should be alive. Jesus tries to explain to Judas that to be the Messiah, he has to take the cross. Judas seems not believe it but his faith on Jesus makes him realize that the sacrifice should be done, and Jesus tells him that he has to believe it (19).
When they come to Jerusalem, Jesus leads people to take their freedom. In the middle of His speech, Jesus begs to God that he chooses to have an axe rather than the cross. When the Roman army surrounds the people, Jesus waits for God to give Him an axe but God does not answer. Jesus then realizes that the only way to safe humankind is by die willingly on the cross. Jesus then fails to give an order to attack the Roman army although Judas has back Him up.
Judas then drags Jesus to a quiet place. Jesus begs Judas to help Him and to stay with Him, and Jesus tells Judas how he wishes to have another way. To fulfill the prophecy, Jesus says that Judas is the key to the redemption. It means
Judas has to return Jesus to the temple guards so there will be a trial that leads to
Jesus crucifixion. At first Judas refuses it; he wants Jesus to get someone who is stronger. Jesus reminds him that he has a promise to kill Jesus if he strays from the path. Judas still refuses to do it and asks if Jesus were he, would Jesus kill His master. Jesus says he would not and that is why God gives Jesus easier job, to be crucified (20-21). The story then leads to scene that shows Judas returning Jesus to the temple guard by kissing his cheek (22). Most of us see it as an act of betrayal.
Since Judas believes that he meets Jesus because God meant to, he then believes what Jesus have said and decides to follow and assists Jesus. Although
Jesus is the one who will face the crucifixion, Judas holds the responsibility to make it happen. Judas loves Jesus very much and he is very upset with what he must do to fulfill the prophecy. His faith on Jesus leads him to betray Jesus.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION
This chapter deals with conclusions of the study and suggestions for the next researcher and teacher for teaching English using this movie in play performance and speaking class.
A. Conclusions
By using theory of character by Murphy, we could answer the first problem formulation that is how Jesus and Judas are depicted in the movie. The theory from Foster and Milligan also helps to answer the problem. Rohrberger and
Woods provide the theory of characterization.
By Murphy’s theory, character as seen by others, speeches from the disciples reveal that they see Jesus as an unpredictable person. This is because
Jesus likes to change His mind about how Messiah should come to earth. Jesus likes to change His mind because God only tells Him what he needs to know,
Jesus describes that he at first doubts the owner of the voice and they never have a long conversation enough. Jesus sometimes fails to translate the message and take a wrong path. The depiction of Jesus mostly could be seen by His act and speech.
Jesus acts and speeches show that Jesus is a person with denial, doubt, fear, anger, and regret. It is reveal the quality of a true man. Jesus is a man with limited knowledge who is struggling to identify the voices inside His head as he endures the overall struggle between the flesh and the spirit. Judas, by his act, shows that he is a strongest and closest person among all the disciples. Judas’ speech reveals that he is still struggling to understand Jesus.
Judas act also shows us that he is an irritable person, demanding character, but somehow he has his patience toward Jesus and biggest faith of Jesus as a Messiah.
Theory by Milligan describes that Jesus is a main character as he appears in most of the scene. Jesus also shares His idea that makes viewer depend on it.
Judas consider by the theory, as a minor character because of his appearance is lesser. However, Milligan’s theory could also describe Judas as a major character because he performs an important role to the redemption of humankind.
According to Foster’s theory, both Judas and Jesus are round characters.
They are complex in temperament and motivation. Jesus character is capable of surprising as a real man is because the director wants to show how human Jesus is instead of Jesus’ God side.
Theory of motivation by Maslow is used to answer the second and third problem. Judas has his motivation of following and assisting Jesus in the journey because he needs to have freedom for Israel. He sees that Jesus could reach it somehow with His own way. His motivation makes Judas protect and serve Jesus as his master and give his unquestionable loyalty to Jesus.
Maslow’s theory also gives the reason of Judas betrayal. Judas has strong faith to Jesus and he believes that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus said that in order to fulfill the prophecy, he has to die on the cross and Judas will help Him accomplish it. Jesus asks Judas to betray Him and return Him to the temple guards so Jesus will face the trial and be crucified. At first, Judas cannot and unwilling to do that but he believes if that is God’s way, he will do it. It answers the question that
Judas betrays Jesus because he has to and Jesus asks him to do it. It is never an act of betrayal from Judas’ own mind but from the conspiracy between him and Jesus.
When Jesus was tempted to go down from the cross and has a normal life as a normal man, Judas was the one who dare to speak angrily to Jesus and makes
Jesus realize that he has fallen into Satan’s temptation. He did that because he still has his faith in Jesus as a Messiah, not a common person, and Judas wants to secure his need, that is free Israel.
B. Recommendation for Next Researcher
The writer realizes that there are many aspects from the movie that could be discussed. Because of the limited times and spaces, writer only specified the discussions on the character and their motives.
The analysis of the movie uses psychological approach to examine Jesus and Judas character that determine the story. To reveal Judas motivation in assisting and following Jesus, writer uses theory of motivation by Abraham
Maslow. Writer also uses the theory to reveal the reason behind Judas betrayal toward Jesus.
For the next researcher who intends to write further study about this novel, writer suggests to compare this movie to the New Testament of the Bible and to other movies such as works from Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ . Therefore, the formalist approach from Rohrberger is the approach that could be used since it insists on the total integrity of the literary piece and concentrate almost entirely on its aesthetical values. Writer hopes these suggestions are useful for those who are interested in analyzing Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation of Christ .
C. Suggestion for Teaching and Learning Process
Utilizing literature and movies as one of the sources for teaching language and culture can cover many beneficial aspects. Literary works and movies done in the target language encourage the students to read and watch a lot and thus enhance their exposure to the language. A statement whish says that literature is useful to assist the development of competence in the language is supported by
Brumfit and Carter (1986: 25). They say many teachers use literature to assist the development of competence in language. Although the text being used as literary, and some of the responses of reader will discuss the literary terms, the prime intention is to teach language not literature, and the text may be used as contexts for exemplification and discussion of language items which have no bearing on the value of the work of literature. The statement also goes well with movies since movies also provide the script to read.
Lazar also mentions some responses of using literature in the language teaching. First, literature can become a motivating since “Literature expose students to complex themes and fresh, unexpected uses of language” (1993: 15).
Furthermore, according to her, literature is an access to cultural background.
Besides, it is also means of encouraging language acquisition expanding student’s language awareness, and it can be used for educating the whole person. In addition, literature can develop student’s interpretative abilities (p. 15-19). In this chapter, the writer is going to discuss the literature that serve as a source of language teaching in its application as the material of teaching speaking and play performance.
a. Play Performance
English Education Study Program has a subject named Play Performances.
In this subject, the students are taught to be able to express themselves and build their self-confident. In the beginning of the subject, the lecturer gives a monologue to be memorized and after few weeks, the students should be able to perform it before their friends with gesture and facial expressions. After the monologue, lecturer then gives a dialogue to be performed by the students with their friend.
For the dialogue, this movie can also be quite useful. The lecturer can pick some dialogue of some conversation said by the characters on the movie, as the alternative besides the usual dialogue. The possible steps are:
a. The teacher selects two or more dialogue parts from the movie, for
example dialogue between Jesus and Judas or between Jesus and Mary
Magdalene.
b. The teacher copied selected dialogue and then distributes the copy to the
students.
c. The teacher explains how to understand and memorize the dialogue to the
students.
d. The teacher asks the students to choose one out of three dialogues and choose their partner.
e. The teacher asks the students to understand and memorize the dialogue.
f. In the few weeks, the teacher asks the students with their partner to
perform the dialogue before their friends.
After distributing the copies, the teacher should explain the way to understand the dialogue and explain how to memorize it easily. The step is quite important because to memorize the dialogue, the students should understand the character of the speaker. Therefore, the teacher should explain about the source of the source of dialogue.
b. Speaking
For speaking, we could use this movie for two activity that is story telling and debate contest.
1. Story Telling
Conversation from this movie is quite easy because Scorsese choose to have modern dialogue instead of dialogue derived from the original book by
Nikos Kazantzakis. The teacher can use the activity of “story telling” in which the student should learn how to make the outline of the play. They must not memorize the lines and they have to practice telling the story aloud. By doing the activity, students can improve their ability in speaking and develop their self-confidence.
Before the activity begins, the teacher can explain some difficult words that occur in the movie. For teaching speaking for advance level through the activity of story telling, these are the steps:
a. The teacher selects part of the scene from the movie and watches it
together with students.
b. The teacher gives difficult words and explanation.
c. The teacher makes some copies of the movie script and the vocabulary list
then gives it to the student.
d. The teacher asks the students to skim the scene and asks them whether
there are some question on the scene and the notes given.
e. The teacher explains how to retell the story of the movie.
f. The teacher asks the students to read the script at home and make the
outline of the scene
g. In the following meeting, the teacher asks them to submit the copy of the
outline of the scene.
h. The teacher asks some of them to retell the story without memorizing and
to use facial expressions and gestures or tell the story naturally.
In doing this activity, the teacher should explain the technique to become a storyteller before asking them to retell the story, so that they understand about what and how to be a storyteller. This activity is aimed to improve student’s skill and arouse their spontaneity in telling story.
2. Debate Contest
The movie script could be use as a source for language learning in the teaching-learning activity especially in Public speaking class for fourth semester of English language program. By using the script, students will be encouraged to be involved, share their opinion, and defend their opinion with good reason and in a good manner. It is recommended to have debate as an activity to motivate the students to speak English. Therefore, the students are able to practice themselves through debating activity. Further, the procedures are recommended as follows:
a. The teacher draws out the students’ knowledge on the passage and asks
their opinion about the passage.
b. The teacher shares knowledge with the students to measure their
understanding of the topic discussed.
c. The teacher distributes handouts about debates and explains debating
procedures clearly and understandably.
d. The teacher divides the students into groups and gives the tasks to be
discussed.
e. The teacher asks the students to prepare the discussion.
f. The teacher asks them to perform their debates in class.
Bibliography
Abrams, M.H. 1981. A Glossary of Literary Terms . New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Cloninger, Susan. 2004. Theories of Personality: “Understanding Person” . New Jersey, Pearson Education Company.
Foster, E.M. 1974. Aspect of the Novel and Related Writing . London: Edward Arnold Ltd.
Hornby, A.S. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary . New York: Oxford Publisher, Inc.
Kasschau, Richard A. 1973. Understanding Psychology. New York: Glencoe Division of Macmillan/McGraw Hill Publishing.
Lazar, Gillian. 1993. Literature and Language Teaching, A Guide for Teachers and Trainers . Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Maslow, A.H. 1943. A Theory of Human Motivation . India: E-text Conversion of Nalanda Digital Library. (http://www.ebookpars.com/ebook/motivation/pdf, accessed on May 9, 2008)
Murphy, M.J. 1972. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students . London: George Allen and Unwin, Ltd.
Nordby, Vernon J and Calvin S. Hall. 1974. A Guide to Psychologist and Their Concepts . San Francisco: W.H. Freeman.
Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods. 1971. Reading and Writing about Literature . New York: Random House.
Schrader, Paul. 1980. The Last Temptation of Christ. (http://sfy.ru/sfy.html?script=last_temptation_of_christ_1988 accessed on November 13, 2007)
Stanton, Robert. 1965. An Introduction to Fiction . New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc.
Zahn, Gordon C. 1964. What is Society? . London: Burns and Oates.
Summary of The Last Temptation Of Christ
Jesus (Willem Dafoe) is a carpenter in Nazareth who is troubled by inner voices and is unsure whether he is hearing messages from God, the devil, or His own pride. He has tried to reach God by fasting and self-mortification. Now as he struggles to accept the demands upon him, he rebels for a time by collaborating with the Romans, making crosses for the crucifixions of resisters. The two people closest to Jesus do not understand His struggle with God. Judas (Harvey Keitel), a Jewish zealot who believes in violent overthrow of the Romans, charges that he is a coward. Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey), a prostitute who has loved Jesus since their childhood, is angry that he has rejected her. Searching for God's plan for him, Jesus retreats to a desert monastery. There he comes face-to-face with His fears and desires. A young monk, Jeroboam, senses this stranger's special relationship with God and urges him to share His heart with the world. Judas, who has been assigned by the zealots to assassinate Jesus, finds his chance at the monastery but puts away his knife when he realizes that his friend may indeed be a messenger of God. After rescuing Mary Magdalene from a crowd that is stoning her, Jesus preaches for the first time. However, his message about love is not grasped by most of those present. Still a few men, including Peter, John, and Andrew, decide to follow him. Jesus tries to understand his role and the message he is meant to share. After a heated discussion with Judas about their mission, Jesus decides to speak to the prophet in the wilderness. John the Baptist (Andre Gregory) baptizes him and then advises that love is not enough; he must take up the ax and root out evil. Jesus goes again to the desert, vowing not to leave until God speaks directly to him. There a serpent who offers him the companionship of a woman, a lion who promises worldly power, and an archangel in the form of a flame who tells Jesus he is God and suggests they rule side by side, tempts him. Recognizing Satan, Jesus rejects him. He leaves the desert, stopping to recuperate at the home of Mary and Martha where he learns that John the Baptist is dead. Back with his disciples, he invites them to join him in a war against the devil. In a whirlwind of action, Jesus casts out demons, cures the sick, and proclaims that the world of God has arrived. He raises the brother of Mary and Martha, Lazarus, from the dead. He preaches and is rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. In Jerusalem, he attacks the merchants and the moneychangers in the Temple. Jesus now confides to Judas that he has seen a prophecy from Isaiah and knows what he is to do. He must go to Jerusalem and die willingly on a cross. With his disciples, Jesus returns to the Temple, but as the crowd waits for him to lead them in an attack on the Romans, he refuses to give the signal. Later he tells Judas to turn him over to the authorities. At the Passover meal, Jesus shares his spirit with his followers as they eat bread and drink wine together. That evening in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asks God to release him from his mission, then prays for strength. Taken into custody by the Romans, Jesus is questioned by Pontius Pilate (David Bowie), scourged, and sent to Golgotha where he is crucified. The last temptation of Christ comes as a vision when Jesus is dying on the cross. A "guardian angel" in the form of a young girl appears and tells Jesus he has already suffered enough; he does not have to die. Instead, he can live like a normal man, marry Mary Magdalene, father children, and grow old in the comfort of a family. Jesus sees played out before him the life he could have if he is not crucified. After Mary Magdalene dies, he continues to raise a family with Mary and Martha. Satan, in the form of his "guardian angel," soothes his doubts about moving from one woman to another. Near the end of his life, Jesus encounters Paul (Harry Dean Stanton) who makes him realize how much humanity needs the crucified and resurrected Messiah. Peter, Nathaniel, and John, who tell him that the Temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed and the Ark of the Covenant stolen visit him. Judas appears and reminds them that Jesus was supposed to be the "New Covenant." Instead, Judas says, Jesus is betraying his mission by dying like a man. Recognizing his true vocation, Jesus gets up from his deathbed. Mustering all his courage and conviction, he prays for the opportunity to fulfill God's plan. He overcomes the last temptation and awakens. On the cross, he is triumphant: "It is accomplished." (http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/films.php? id =15625)
Biography of Nikos Kazantzakis
One of the most important Greek writers, poets and philosophers of the 20th century, was born in Iraklion in 1883. In 1906, he graduated from the Athens Law School and continued his studies in Paris (1907-1909). During the Balkan Wars, he fought as a volunteer in the Greek Army. After the Wars, he traveled to many European and Asian countries, publishing travelogues from his trips (Spain, Egypt-Sina, China-Japan, What I saw in Russia, England etc.).
Kazantzakis, much more of a philosopher than a writer, was deeply influenced by the writings of Nietzsche and Bergson, and the philosophies of Christianity, Marxism and Buddhism. In his work, he attempted to synthesize these different worldviews.
In 1927, he published the book Askitiki , the main work of his philosophy. In 1938, after constantly revising it for 13 years (1925-1938), he publishes his epic poet Odyssey: A modern sequel , continuing Ulysses's story form the point where Homer leaves off. This huge poetical work comprises of 33.333 verses. He became famous, however, during the last years of his life, when he turns to pezography. During that time he published, among others, Zorba the Greek (Vios kai politeia tou Alexi Zorba ), The Last Temptation of Christ (O teleutaios peirasmos ), Freedom and Death (O Kapetan Mihalis ), The Greek Passion (O Hristos ksanastauronetai ), and his autobiography Report to Greco (Anafora ston Greco ). His book, The Last Temptation of Christ, was considered quite controversial when first published in 1955, and prompted angry reactions from both the Roman Catholic Church that banned it, and from the Greek Orthodox Church that tried to excommunicate him!
In 28th of June 1956, in Vienna, he was awarded the International Peace Award. He died in 1957 in Germany and is buried on one of the bastions of the Venetian fort surrounding Iraklion, Martinego.
In the Historical Museum of Crete, there is a room devoted to Nikos Kazantzakis. His desk, library, some of his personal belongings as well as manuscripts of many of his works are displayed. A complete picture of Nikos Kazantzakis life and work can also be acquired by a visit to the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum in Myrtia.
To honor the 40th anniversary from his death, a whole range of cultural events were scheduled in Greece and abroad for 1997.
(http://www.answers.com/topic/nikos-kazantzakis?cat=entertainment )
Biography of Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese's films about mobsters, mean streets and the violence of modern life made him one of America's most respected modern filmmakers. Scorsese studied film at New York University, and, like Francis Ford Coppola, got his start directing movies for producer Roger Corman. After directing Corman's Boxcar Bertha (1972), Scorsese was able to make the more personal Mean Streets the next year. That movie launched the careers of actors Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro and earned critical raves for Scorsese himself. He had further success with Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974, starring Ellen Burstyn) and then Taxi Driver (1976, with DeNiro and Jodie Foster). Taxi Driver , with DeNiro as crazed assassin-wannabe Travis Bickle, became an iconic film of the 1970s and put DeNiro on the map for good. Following in the distant footsteps of Coppola's Godfather films, Scorsese has made a number of films exploring the rush and despair of organized crime, including Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995, with Sharon Stone), Gangs of New York (2002, with Leonardo DiCaprio), and the Boston undercover drama The Departed (2006, with Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon). His many other movies include Raging Bull (1980, with DeNiro as boxer Jake LaMotta), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, starring Willem Dafoe as Jesus of Nazareth), The Color of Money (1986, with Paul Newman in a sequel to The Hustler ), and The Aviator (2004, with DiCaprio as Howard Hughes). The Departed won the Academy Award as the best picture of 2006, with Scorsese also winning the Oscar as the year's best director. Scorsese and DeNiro have made eight movies together. Scorsese' mother, Catherine, has appeared in several of his movies; she played Joe Pesci's mom in Goodfellas . Scorsese directed the Michael Jackson video "Bad."
(http://www.answers.com/topic/martin-scorsese?cat=entertainment )
Biography of Paul Schrader Raised in a strict religious household in Michigan, writer/director Paul Schrader studied theology at Calvin College and did not see a movie until he was in his late teens. His stern background would fuel many of the themes throughout his career: downbeat stories of characters that violently break down in oppressive situations. Transfixed by the cinema and encouraged by critic Pauline Kael, he moved to Los Angeles and became a film scholar at UCLA He wrote movie reviews for newspapers, edited the magazine Cinema, and wrote the highly influential critical essay "The Transcendental Style: Ozu, Bresson, Dryer." After a period of heavy drinking and serious depression, he sold his first screenplay, The Yakuza , a Japanese thriller co-written with his brother, Leonard, and Robert Towne. The next year, Schrader wrote Taxi Driver , the grim tale of urban alienation. Taxi Driver started his successful collaborative relationship with director Martin Scorsese, another so-called "film school brat" who was also raised in a religious household. After writing the screenplays for Obsession and Rolling Thunder , Schrader made his directorial debut with Blue Collar in 1978, a forceful exposé about autoworkers. The following year he directed Hardcore , a poorly received but shocking account of a Midwestern girl escaping her family for a porno career in L.A. He would continue to explore the seedy underbelly of the sex industry in American Gigolo , a glossier look at another troubled hero that gained Schrader some attention. He teamed up with Scorsese for the second time with the emotionally brutal Raging Bull , one of the most acclaimed American films of the '80s, and a good example of Schrader's reoccurring destructive male protagonists suffering from violent desperation. This high point in his career was followed by a sporadic period during which he returned to evocative sexual themes with the remake of Cat People and won a Cannes prize for Mishima . Never ceasing to address controversial subject matter, he scripted The Last Temptation of Christ in his third collaboration with Scorsese, and then went on to write Patty Hearst , based upon the real-life terrorist-kidnapping plot. Light Sleeper , which he wrote and directed in 1992, can be thought of as the last entry in a trilogy of films -- together with Taxi Driver and American Gigolo -- investigating self-destructive urban loners driven to near madness. For many of his other directorial projects in the '90s, Schrader turned to literature adaptations. The Comfort of Strangers was based upon the Ian McEwan novel , Touch, on an Elmore Leonard novel, and Affliction, on a Russell Banks novel. The latter enjoyed critical success for Schrader's abilities, in addition to a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for James Coburn. Unfortunately, the writer's fourth pairing with Scorsese for Bringing out the Dead did not do as well as hoped, compared with their triumphs in the past. After writing and directing Forever Mine , which debuted on cable, Schrader switched gears and worked only as a director for Auto Focus in 2002. This dark biopic of television star Bob Crane combines his frequent themes of sexual discrepancies and inevitable breakdowns. (http://www.answers.com/topic/paul-schrader?cat=entertainment )
THE EXAMPLE OF LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING SPEAKING USING THE METHODS OF DEBATE
I. General Instructional Objectives
At the end of the courses, students are expected to:
- Understand the procedures of debate contest.
- Use their speaking ability in a debate contest.
II. Specific Instructional Objectives
At the end of the courses, students are expected to be able to:
- Do correct debates contest.
- Express their opinion express by the topic given.
- Defend their argument based on the topic given
- Conclude their ideas based on the topic given.
III. Teaching Learning Activity
No Teacher’s activity Student’s activity Time . allocation
1. Greeting the students and Responding and paying attention 5’ introducing the new topic to the teacher 2. Giving some warming up Responding and paying attention 5’ questions related to the to the teacher topic while distributing the handouts 3. Explaining the Listening and following 10’ procedures of debate and teacher’s explanation dividing the students into groups consists of three people 4. Asks the students to read Read and discuss the topic 15’ and discuss the copy 5. Asks groups to express Expressing their opinion 14’ their opinion 6. Asks groups to defend Defend their opinion 14’ their opinion 7. Asks groups to conclude Conclude their idea 20’ their idea 8. Closing the lesson by Listening and responding to the 7. giving conclusion teacher
IV. Material
Martin Scorsese’ The Last Temptation of Christ
V. Method
Debate
a. instruction for affirmative groups
You agree with Judas to betray Jesus because Jesus asks him to do
so.
b. instruction for negative groups
You agree with Judas not to betray Jesus because he loves Jesus
and it will give Judas a bad effect.
THE EXAMPLE OF LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING
PLAY PERFORMANCE
I. General Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
- understand the dialogue
- memorize and act in front of their friend
II. Specific Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
- read the dialogue given correctly
- understand the dialogue given
- memorize the dialogue given
- act the dialogue with their partner in front of the class
III. Teaching Learning Activity
No. Teacher’s activity Student’s activity
1. Greeting the students and Responding and paying attention to introducing the new topic the teacher
2. Giving some explanation about Responding and paying attention to the dialogue while distributing the the teacher handouts 3. Read the dialogue correctly while Listening and repeating the dialogue give the explanation of difficult after the teacher with the right words pronunciation and intonation
4. Asks the students to find partner Find their partner to act the dialogue 5. Asks students to memorize the Memorizing the dialogue dialogue during two weeks 6. Asks students to act the dialogue Act the dialogue with their partner one by one
IV. Material
Dialogue:
Jesus: I have a terrible secret from God. You know why I came to Jerusalem? Judas: Yes. This is where the revolution is going to begin. Jesus: Last night Isaiah came to me. He had a prophecy. I saw it written. It said: "He has borne our faults... "...he was wounded for our transgressions... "...yet he opened not his mouth. "Despised and rejected by all... "...he went forward without resisting, like a lamb led to the slaughter. " Judas: I don't understand. Jesus: Judas, I am the lamb. I'm the one who's going to die. Judas: Die? You mean you're not the Messiah? Jesus: I am. Judas: That can't be. If you're the Messiah, why do you have to die? Jesus: Listen. At first, I didn't understand... Judas: No, you, listen! Every day you have a different plan! First it's love, then it's the axe, and now you have to die. What good could that do? Jesus: I can't help it. God only talks to me a little at a time. He tells me as much as I need to know. Judas: We need you alive! Jesus: Now I finally understand. All my life I've been followed...... by voices...... by footsteps...... by shadows. And do you know what the shadow is? The cross. I have to die on the cross and I have to die willingly. We have to go back to the temple. Judas: After you die on the cross, what happens then? Jesus: I come back to judge the living and the dead. Judas: I don't believe you. Jesus: You have to.
V. Method
Instruction for the students:
Read the dialogue repeatedly; try to find the meaning of the dialogue.
Pay attention to how to read the dialogue. The student will act as Jesus
whiles the partner as Judas. After one finish, the student will change
role with their partner.
Instruction for teacher:
Give the students enough explanation about the dialogue, such as
pronunciation, intonation, and expression.