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perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id PRESERVING AMERICAN DOMINANCE THROUGH GLOBAL CULTURE CONSTRUCTION IN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER THESIS Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of Requirement for the SarjanaSastra Degree of the English Department Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts SebelasMaret University by: ARWAN WISNU PRADANA C0306001 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS AND FINE ARTS SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY SURAKARTA commit to user 2012 perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id commit to user ii perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id commit to user iii perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id PRONOUNCEMENT Name : ArwanWisnuPradana NIM : C0306001 Hereby, it is stated that this thesis entitled “Preserving American Dominance through Global Culture Construction in Avatar: The Last Airbender” is made and completed by the researcher. It is not plagiarism nor made by others. Everything related to other people’s works are written in quotation and mentioned within the bibliography. If it is then proved that this pronouncement is incorrect, the researcher will be ready to take the responsibility. Surakarta, 13 September 2012 The researcher ArwanWisnuPradana commit to user iv perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id MOTTO “Ora et labora” “Where there's a will, there's a way” “Today is always the most enjoyable day” (YotsubaKoiwai) commit to user v perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id DEDICATION The thesis is dedicated to: Myself, My beloved family, andAmerican Studies scholars commit to user vi perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I want to thank Allah SWT, for the blessing so that I can finish this thesis. Thank you for giving me strength and showing me the right direction in making a decision. So many support and helps are given to me so that this thesis can be finished well. Therefore, I would like to say my deepest gratitude for themall in this acknowledgement. I want to thank Drs. RiyadiSantosa, M.Ed., Ph.D, the Dean of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, and Drs. AgusHariWibowo, M.A., Ph.D, the Head of English Department, for giving me permission to write the thesis. I want to thank all English Department’s lectures, especially the American Studies’ lecturers, for giving me a lot of knowledge and understanding of American Studies. I give my deepest gratitude to FitriaAkhmertiPrimasita, S.S., M.A, as my thesis advisor who gives her full support and time helping me in writing this thesis. Thank you for being a patient advisor. Thank you for all knowledge and advices have been given. I thank the board of examiners: Dra. S.K. Habsari, M.Hum, Ph.D., Taufiq Al Makmun, S.S., M.Si., and KaruniaPurna K, S.S., M.Si.for sharing their precious criticism that contribute to this thesis. Thanks for my beloved family. My Mom and Dad, my “Mr. and Mrs Smith”, thank for always praying and caring for your silly boy. I also want to commit to user vii perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id thank my little sister, you can always cheer me up with your absurd and silly acts. After all, I am meaningless without them. I specially thank Chindy and Wulan. This thesis is finished for you, Lan. For Chindy, it has been finished then it is time to finish the other things. Both of you are extraordinary for me. Thanks for the support, care, time and everything have been given to me. I gratefully thank all of my friends in English Department 06. It was an amazing years with all of you guys. I want thank Kiki for the sharing knowledge, the discussion, and your sharp-tongue.It will need agreat effort to finish this thesiswithout your help. To Iyum, let get your thesisfinished. For Lala and Bimo, Vadila and Vendra, be a happy couple. To Vika, Dila, Hamid, Susi, Pondra, Rena, Herman,Fajar, and all my friends in ED 06 who I can not mention one by one, thank for the friendship. It is wonderful to know you all. I also want to say thank you to my friends in Cattleyaboarding house. For Hanif, Singgih, Fiqi, Naja, Fikri, and Arnaz, it is nice to be part of you all. Last but not least, I want to say thanks to everyone who has given contribution inthe writing of the thesis whose name can not be mentioned here one by one. Thank you very much. Surakarta, 13 September 2012 ArwanWisnuPradana commit to user viii perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE .......................................................................................................................... i APPROVAL OF THE ADVISOR .............................................................................. ii APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS ................................................... iii PRONOUNCEMENT ................................................................................................. iv MOTTO ....................................................................................................................... v DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ ix ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Research Background ............................................................................. 1 B. Scope of Study ....................................................................................... 6 C. Research Questions ................................................................................ 7 D. Objectives of the Study .......................................................................... 7 E. Benefits of the Study .............................................................................. 7 F. Research Methodology ........................................................................... 7 G. Theoretical Approach ............................................................................. 9 H. Thesis Organization ................................................................................ 14 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW A. Globalization and Global Culture ........................................................... 16 B. Asian culture…………...………........................................................... 20 C. Animation............................................................................................... 24 D. Semiotic Theory ..................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER III: DISCUSSION A. The Construction of Global Culture in Avatar: the Last Airbender ....... 35 1. The Construction of Global Culture in the Setting of Place of 37 Avatar: the Last Airbender................................................................ commit to user ix perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id 2. The Construction of Global Culture in the Main Characters of Avatar: the Last Airbender ................................................................ 42 3. The Construction of Global Culture in the Narration of Avatar: the Last Airbender ................................................................................... 61 B. The Domination of American culture in the Global Culture Construction in Avatar: the Last Airbender…..…………………......... 65 CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION A. Conclusion .............................................................................................. 77 B. Recommendation .................................................................................... 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 82 commit to user x perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id ABSTRACT ArwanWisnuPradana. C0306001. 2012. Preserving American Dominance through Global Culture Construction in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Undergraduate Thesis.English Department of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts SebelasMaret University. This research is purposed to explain how the global culture is constructed in the animation series and how the global culture construction preserves Americandominance, whether the creators respond to the changing course of global culture in construction of Avatar: the Last Airbenderortheypreserve the American culture in the construction of the global culture. This research is a descriptive qualitative research which uses several episodes of Avatar: the Last Airbenderanimation seriesas its source of data. The primary data consists of dialogues, characters and characterization, and setting of place. It is supported with secondary data taken from of journals, internet articles and another animation series. The research is conducted under the framework of American Studieswhich is an interdisciplinary study. Therefore, it involves some disciplines in the forms of theory and approach in analysing the animation series.In answering the research question, the researcher uses global culture theory, semiotic theory, and socio-cultural approach. After conducting the research, it is found that Avatar: the Last Airbenderis constructed with global culture value that combines American and Asian culture. The construction of the main characters, setting of place, and the story showtheglobal cultureasa combination of American andAsian culture influence. However,the animation series still preservesAmerican culture dominancedespite its rich Asian culture influence.It