THE REPRESENTATION OF BLONDE GIRL THROUGH ELLE WOODS AS THE MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE FILM “”

A Thesis Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Strata One Degree

CITRAMINARTI 104026000949

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

APPROVEMENT

THE REPRESENTATION OF BLONDE GIRL THROUGH ELLE WOODS AS THE MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE FILM “LEGALLY BLONDE”

A Thesis Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Strata One Degree

Citraminarti

NIM. 104026000949

Approved by

Innayatul Chusna, M. Hum NIP. 150 331 233 Supervisor

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

LEGALIZATION

The thesis entitled “The Representation of Blonde Girl through Elle Woods as the Major Character in the Film Legally Blonde” has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s Examination Committee on August 19, 2009. The thesis has already been accapted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Strata One Degree.

Jakarta, August 19 , 2009

Examination Committee

Chair Person, Secretary,

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

Members:

Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M.Pd Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum NIP. 150 299 480 NIP. 150 317 725

ABSTRACT

Citraminarti, The Representation of Blonde Girl through Elle Woods as the Major Character in the film “Legally Blonde”. Thesis. Jakarta: English Letters Department, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, July 2009 This research analyzes the of blonde girl in the film Legally Blonde. The aim of the study was to find the answers to the main research question: “How does this film represent the of Blonde girl through the major character Elle Woods?” The datas of this research are analyzed using representation concept. Representation is the way we think about ourselves and construct our own narration totally. The datas of this research are collected from the unit analysis and the other sources.

The research shows that the stereotype of blonde girl in the film Legally Blonde is still presented in this film through Elle’s beauty, appearance, life style and personality. While in this film, there is a special characteristic, which is not suitable with the stereotype that this film emphasizes. Elle Blonde is described as a blonde, who has a smart brain and good in education. So, her confidence of being a blonde girl makes her success.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

All praises be to Allah SWT, the lord of the Universe, Alhamdulillah, with his amazing guidance, the writer can accomplish the process of making this thesis. The blessing and salutation are delivered to the most honorable prophet and messenger Muhammad SAW, who has guided people to be a great follower in the way of Allah

The writer would like to say her gratitude to:

1. Mrs. Innayatul Chusna, M. Hum., the writer’s supervisor, thanks for her advices, ideas,

patience and suggestion in finishing this thesis.

2. Dr. Muhammad Farkhan, the Head of English Letters Department, Mr Abdul Chair, the

Dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty, Drs A. Saefuddin, M. Pd, the Secertary of

English Letters Department, and all Lectures and Staffs of Letters and Humanities Faculty.

2. The writer’s parents: Herfriadie, E.S. and Emi Aminah, the writer’s brother: Muhammad

Rizkie, the writer’s family, and Tesa. They always give support, help, affection, patience,

motivation, spiritual, material and pray to the writer in completing this paper.

3. All the writer’s classmates and friends who are not mentioned, who have given their

support and meaning of friendship.

May Allah bless us. Finally, the writer realizes that this thesis is far from being

perfect. Accordingly, the writer hopes any suggestion and criticism for this thesis.

Jakarta, August 19, 2009

Citraminarti

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT...... i APPROVEMENT...... ii

LEGALIZATION...... iii DECLARATION...... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...... v TABLE OF CONTENTS...... vii LIST OF PICTURES……………………...... ix LIST OF APPENDICES ………………………………………...……... x

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION...... 1 A. Background of the Study...... 1 B. Focus of the Study...... 3 C. Research Question...... 3 D. Significance of Research...... 3 E. Research Methodology...... 4 1. Objective...... 4 2. Method ...... 4 3. Data Analysis...... 4 4. Instrument of the Research...... 5 5. Unit of Analysis...... 5 6. Time and Place ...... 5

CHAPTER II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK..…………………… 6 A. Cultural Studies...... 6 1. Representation...... 8 2. Stereotype...... 10 3. Costume and Make-Up……………………………………… 12 B. Stereotype of Blonde in the Film…….………………………….. 14

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS...... 17 A. Introduction……………...... 17 B. Representation of Blonde through Elle Woods………..…….. 20

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION...... 29 A. Conclusion...... 29 B. Suggestion...... 31

BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 32 APPENDICES….…………………………………………………….... 34

LIST OF PICTURES

1. Picture I. Elle in the swimming pool. Page 21.

2. Picture II. Elle is bringing books. Page 22.

3. Picture III. Elle in the firm. Page 24.

4. Picture IV. Elle in the court. Page 26.

5. Picture V. Comparison of picture 1, 2, 3 and 4. Page 30.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Cover of Legally Blonde Film ...... 34

Synopsis of Legally Blonde Film...... 35

DECLARATION

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

Jakarta, August 19, 2009

Citraminarti

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Film is the illustration of the values that we hold in life, such as love and romance, hero and heroine, etc. It provides us with a giant mirror; a reflection of the values, the half-truths and the ideals of society. It does because the writers, directors and producers are successful at trapping into people’s personal emotional treasure crests and translating them into the film. Thus, a film plays a large part in formulating people’s attitudes, beliefs and ideals because they all incorporate perceived mediated reality back into their real lives.

Nowadays, film is considered to be an important art form and a source of popular entertainment that people mostly like. Many films that raise many theories and criticisms such as feminism, religion, political, representation of a group of people and others emerge around the world. Some of them have become popular worldwide attractions.

Talking about film, which raises representation of , there are several films that describes blonde stereotype, such as 27 Dressed, the Hunny Bunny, etc. 27 Dressed film presents a blonde girl who will get married. In preparing her wedding, she wants to have perfect appearance, especially in her dressing. By this film, we can conclude that blonde, in general, always makes their appearance perfect. Another example is the Hunny Bunny film. It shows a very stereotype blonde girl who gets joke by others because of her plain and innocent blonde. This film also shows people that others always underestimate blondes and blondes are often being a joke for them. Legally Blonde movie is adopted the idea of blonde girls stereotype. This movie is using blonde girl1 as main character named Elle Woods. Elle Woods is a

California blonde with couture clothes, fabulous friends, and the popular boyfriend and she is a blonde girl who wants to be considered as a serious person by entering

Harvard Law School. In Harvard, Elle gets many discriminative actions because of her Blonde label. Everybody treated her inappropriately because of her blonde and appearance. People in Harvard think that Elle is just like the stereotype of blonde girls. She is confirming the idea of blonde girls at the first time. But in the end, she challenges the blonde stereotype through some actions. She wants to change people’s opinion toward her by studying hard. She wants to prove that she is as smart as any other students. At first she gets rejection and denial toward her brain’s capacity. But then she can prove that she is as smart as any other students by winning a murder trial. She wins the murder trial because of her knowledge in hair care treatments. In the end, she gets all that she wants. She gets a smart handsome boyfriend named Emmet Richmond and friends named Vivian Kensington who at first becomes her rival in love and law school. She also gets a job offer from a

Prestigious Law Firm on Boston.

Through this film, we can see that a blonde girl can reach the acceptance by others in education quality, because blonde in reality is considered as women who have lack capacity in education, so the others are often underestimating them. So, by using representation2 concept, it will show how this film presents Blonde.

B. Focus of the Study

This research focuses on the study of representation on Robert Luketic’s film entitled

Legally Blonde, which analyzes the representation of Blonde’s stereotype through the major

1 See Chapter II. 2 Representation: Direct expressions or practices that represent an object or other practice in reality. character, Elle Woods in struggling herself in Harvard Law School community, who humbles her.

C. Research Question

Based on the background and the focus of the study above, there is an interesting question to be analyzed, “How does this film represent the stereotype of blonde girl through the major character Elle Woods?”

D. Significance of the Study

The writer hopes the result of the study can be used:

1. For other readers who are interested to study literature and film, so they can

increase the new and some significant information about them, especially

about ‘Legally Blonde’ film.

2. As one of the references in the English Educational Institution, especially for

the English Letters Department of Faculty of Letters and Humanities, State

Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

3. For other researches that want to do a study and get more knowledge about

Self-Identity, especially about the representation of Blonde’s stereotype in

struggling herself in Harvard Law School community, on ‘Legally Blonde’ film

by Robert Luketic.

E. Research Methodology

1. The Objective

The purpose of this research is to see the representation of Blonde’s stereotype in struggling herself in Harvard Law School community by reflecting her own self-narration on ‘Legally Blonde’.

2. The Method

This study uses the qualitative method, which tries to explore all phenomena that are related to the problems that appear in the story. It is mainly based on the verbal data that are taken from the film.

3. Data Analysis

In this analysis, the writer explains all data in film ‘Legally Blonde’ by analyzing the concept of ‘representative’. The steps are by analyzing the stereotype of blonde girl in the film and analyzing the actions that the major character does in making her new image that can be accepted by other people.

4. The Instrument

This qualitative method signifies the writer’s self as the instrument to get data about self-identity of Blonde’s struggle, which is shown in film ‘Legally Blonde’ by

Robert Luketic by examining the dialogues, the costumes and make up of the character in the film, and marking the important event entirely that are happened in the film.

5. The Unit Analysis

The unit analysis of this research is film ‘Legally Blonde’, which is directed by

Robert Luketic and written by Amanda Brown that is presented in 2001 by Metro-

Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.

Legally Blonde introduces a Blonde female who wants to adapt and struggle herself from the community who humbles her.

6. Place and Time of the Research

The writer starts this research on June 2008, and it is located in English Letters

Department, on Faculty of Letters and Humanities, State Islamic University (UIN)

Syarif Hidayatullah.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Cultural Studies

Cultural studies is the interdisciplinary or post-interdisciplinary that studies the making of maps of a definition.3

According to Bennet (1998), there are four elements of cultural studies definition:

Cultural studies are the interdisciplinary section, which use any perspective of discipline to analyze the relationship between culture and politics selectively. Cultural studies are interested in any kinds of practice, organization and classification system that concentrate with norms, beliefs, competencies, activities and specific actions in a population. Cultural studies explore any kinds of power, gender, race, class, colonialism, etc. It studies the relationship of power and ways to understand the culture and power that are usually used in a population to make changes. Cultural studies try to have connection with social, politics, workers in cultural organization, and cultural management.4

Cultural criticism or cultural studies does not offer a single way of analyzing

literature. No central methodology is associated with cultural studies. The term

cultural studies refers to a relatively recent interdisciplinary field of academic

inquiry. This field borrows methodologies from other approaches to analyze a

wide range of cultural products and practice.

To understand cultural studies, people have to know a bit about its origin. The

cultural critic, therefore, does not study fixed aesthetic objects as much as

3 Chris Barker, Cultural Studies Teori dan Praktik. Penerjemah Tim KUNCI Cultural Studies Center (Yogyakarta: Bentang, 2005), p. 515. 4 Ibid. p. 9 dynamic social processes. The critic’s challenge is to identify and understand the

complex forms and effects of the process of culture.

A chief goal of cultural studies is to understand the nature of social power as

reflected in “text”.3 For example, if the object of analysis were a sonnet by

Shakespeare, the cultural studies adherent might investigate the moral,

psychological, and political assumptions reflected in the poem and then

deconstruct them to see what individuals, social classes, or gender might benefit

from having those assumptions perceived as true. The relevant mission of cultural

studies is to identify both the overt and covert values reflected in a culture

practice. The cultural studies critic also tries to trace out and understand the

structures of meaning that hold those assumptions in place and give them

appearance of objective representation. Any analytical technique that helps

illuminate these issues is employed.

Theoretically, a cultural studies critic might employ any methodology. Practically,

however, he or she will most often borrow concepts from deconstruction, Marxist

analysis, gender criticism, race theory and psychology. Each of these earlier

methodologies provides particular analytical tools that cultural critics find useful.

What cultural studies borrows from deconstructionism is its emphasis on

uncovering conflict, dissent, and contradiction in the works under analysis.

Whereas traditional critical approaches often sought to demonstrate the unity of

a literary work, cultural studies often seeks to portray social, political and

psychological conflicts it masks. What cultural studies borrows from Marxist

analysis is an attention to the ongoing struggle between social classes, each

seeking economic (and therefore political) advantage.4 Cultural studies often

asks questions about what social class created a work of art and what class or

classes served as its audience. Among the many things that cultural studies

3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. p. 17 borrowed from gender criticism and race theory is a concern with social

inequality between the sexes and the races. It seeks to investigate how these

inequities have been reflected in the texts of a historical period or a society.

Cultural studies, is above all, a political enterprise that views literary analysis as a

means of furthering social justice.5

There are some key concepts of cultural studies, such as culture, representation,

power, text and reader, subjectivity and identity, etc. This research analyzes the

representation concepts.

Representation

Representation is direct expressions or practices that represent an object or other practice in reality.6 In literary, representation is commonly defined in three ways7:

1. To look like or resemble

2. To stand in for something or someone

3. To present a second time to re-present

Representation is a social process from ‘representing’ through the availble signing system: dialogue, paper, video, film, photography, etc. It means a process of the abstract ideological concepts’ changes in the concrete forms. So, our vision about love, war, etc. will appear in the practice things. In conclusion, representation is a definition production through the language.

5 X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, and drama, ninth edition (United States: Longman, 2005), p.2245-2246. 6 Chris Barker (2005), op.cit. p.523. 9 Anonymous, Dictionary, Representation. Accessed on October 29, 2008 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/representation,p.1.

According to Stuart Hall (1997), There are two processes of

representation. First, mentally representation that focuses on

’something’, which is in our mind (conceptual map). This

representation is still being abstract. Second, ’language’,

which has an important role in constructing the definition.

Abstract concept must be translated into lazim ’language’ in

order to relate the concepts and ideas about something with

the certain signs or symbols.8

The first process is to definite the world by constructing something with ’conceptual map’ system. In the second process, people construct the ’conceptual map’ with the language or symbol, which has function to represent the concepts about something. Relation between

’something’, ’conceptual map’ and ’language or symbol’ is center of definition product through the language.9 The process that is related to those three elements is called representation.

Stereotype

A stereotype (from Greek: stereo + týpos = "solid impression") is a generalized perception of first impressions: behaviors presumed by a group of people judging with the eyes/criticizing ones outer appearance (or a population in general) to be associated with another specific group.10 Stereotypes, therefore, can instigate prejudice and false assumptions about entire groups of people, including the members of different ethnic groups, social

8 Nuraini Juliastuti, Bagaimana Representasi Menghubungkan Makna dan Bahasa dalam Kebudayaan?, Representasi. Accessed on October 29, 2008. http://kunci.or.id/esai/nws/04/representasi.htm,p.1-2.

9 Ibid.

10 Anonymous, Dictionary, Stereotype. Accessed on October 29,2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype, p. 1-3. classes, religious orders, the opposite sex, etc. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image, based on the assumption that there are attributes that members of the "other group" have in common. Stereotypes are forms of social consensus rather than individual judgments. Stereotypes are sometimes formed by a previous illusory correlation, a false association between two variables that are loosely correlated if correlated at all. Though generally viewed as negative perceptions, stereotypes may be either positive or negative in tone.

Generally, stereotype divides someone become a group of behavior characteristics that becomes important and looked negative. Through its work, a stereotype becomes the signifier of grasps between “normal” and “a group of humbled”, between “us” and “them”. 11 This case shows the power work in giving stereotype and the role in excluding another group from social role, symbolic, and moral.

Stereotypes are not accurate representations of groups, rather they arise as a means of explaining and justifying differences between groups, or system justification. Social status or group position determines stereotype content, not the actual personal characteristics of group members. Groups, which enjoy fewer social and economic advantages, will be stereotyped in a way that helps explain disparities, such as lower employment rates. Although disadvantaged group members may have greater difficulty finding a job due to in-group favoritism, racism, and related social forces, the disadvantaged group member is unjustifiably characterized as

'unmotivated' (he could find a job if he looked hard enough), 'unintelligent' (he's not smart enough to have that job), and 'lazy' (he would rather take hand-outs than work).

Stereotypes focus upon and thereby exaggerate differences between groups.12

Competition between groups minimizes similarities and magnifies differences. This makes it

11 Chris Barker (2005), op.cit. 328. 12 Anonymous, Dictionary, Stereotype, loc.cit. seem as if groups are very different when in fact they may be more alike than different. For example, among African Americans, identity as an American citizen is a more salient categorization than racial background; that is, African Americans are more American than

African. Yet within American culture, Black and White Americans are often seen as completely different groups.

Since there has been a human species, individuals have been different from one another. Persons have gravitated to groups of other persons like themselves. People create and develop categories of qualities by which to classify the groups; some were based on ancestry. Many of these groupings have become the key factors in determining which groups have political, social, and economic power in the world.

For individual people there can be both positive and negative effects of a stereotype, which is seen to apply to them. The overall effects of stereotyping are seen by many to always be negative. Some people believe that stereotypes are generally based on actual differences. Others believe that they are always false generalizations (by definition). For some individual people the effects of this might be positive or negative - a separate issue to whether they are positive or negative for society. Simply because a feature of a character can be categorized as being typical, it does not make the entire character a stereotype.

Costume and Make-Up in the Film

Costume has specific functions in the total film, and the range of possibilities is huge. Erich Von Stroheim, for instance, was a passionately committed to authenticity of dress as of setting, and he was said to have created underwear that would instill the proper mood in his actors even though it was never to be seen in the film. In

Griffith’s Musketeers of Pig Alley Lilian Gish appears in a faded and threadbare dress, which summarizes the poverty in which her character lives.

On the other hand, costumes may be quite stylized, calling attention to their purely graphic qualities. Costume may furnish props for the film’s ongoing narrative system. Film genres make extensive use of costume props. The film director Guido in

Fellini’s 8.5 persistently uses his sunglasses to shield himself from the world. To think of

Dracula is to think of how his billowing cape enwraps him, unfolds, and closes decisively around the victim. In cinema any portion of a costume may become a prop: a pince-nez (Potemkin), a pair of shoes (Strangers on a Train, The World of Oz), a cross pendant (Ivan the Terrible), a jacket (Le Million).

As in the discussion of L’Argent and Play Time, costume is often closely coordinated with setting. Since the filmmaker usually wants to emphasize the human figures, setting may provide a more or less neutral background, while costume helps pick out the characters. Color design is particularly important here. Or the director may also choose to match the color values of setting and costume more closely.

All these points about costume apply equally to a closely related area of mise-en-scene13, the actors’ make-up. Make-up was originally necessary because actors’ faces would not register well on early film stocks. And, up to the present, it has been used in various ways to enhance the appearance of actors on the screen.

Over the course of film history, a huge range of possibilities has emerged.

Make-up can aim at complete realism. Women often wear make-up that looks like the ordinary street cosmetics currently in fashion, and most men’s make-up is designed to look as if they were not wearing any. Yet it is equally possible to use make-up in nonrealistic ways. And it fits in with a similar treatment of the other aspects of mise-en-scene.

In recent years the craft of make-up has developed in response to the popularity of fantasy, horror, and science-fiction genres. In this context, make-up,

13 Susan Hayward, Cinema Studies: The Key Concept 3rd edition, (New York: Routledge, 2006), p.253 like costume, becomes important in creating character traits or motivating plot action.14

Stereotype of Blonde in the Film

The dictionary defines blonde as of a flaxen golden, light auburn or pale yellowish or pale yellowish brown color of a pale white or rosy white color.15

Many characters in our everyday world remind us of how blondes are seen.

For example, the Barbie doll that is beautiful, blonde, shapely and has a wardrobe of every conceivable outfit. She also drives a pink Corvette, lives in a mansion and in the commercial she acts like a "stereotypical" blonde, dumb and empty- headed.16

Blonde jokes have been criticized as sexist by several authors, as most blondes in these jokes are female, although male variations also exist.17 Research indicates that because of this, men find blonde jokes significantly more amusing than women say they do.18

The stereotype of the "dumb blonde" may have emerged with the development of films, television and magazines as early as the 1920s.19 Some experts cite its first appearance in the 1920s novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, by , which was made into a silent film in 1928 and later into a 1953 movie starring (who was said to have had an IQ higher than Einstein). Released in 1953, this story is about two showgirls-a clueless

14 David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction (Mc Graw, Inc, 1993), p.150-152. 15 Anonymous, Dictionary, Blonde. Accessed on October 29, 2008. www.dictionary.com, p. 1 16 Anonymous, Blonde, Stereotype. Accessed on October 29, 2008. http://www.geocities.com/todd862002/expos6.html, p.1-2 17 Anna Blundy (2007-08-25). 'Blonde' jokes aren't funny - No other minority would stand for this cruel stereotyping. Spectator, the (Romford): 18–19. ISSN.00386952. Accessed on September 10, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_blonde. 18 D. Greenwood; LM Isbell (2002). "Ambivalent and the Dumb Blonde: Men's and Women's Reactions to Sexist Jokes". Psychology of Women Quarterly (Blackwell Publishers) 26 (4): 341–350. doi:10.1111/1471- 6402.t01-2-00073. Accessed on September 10, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_blonde. 19 Solorya, Dumb Blonde Stereotype – Myth or Fact, Accessed on October 29, 2008 http://hubpages.com/hub/Dumb-Blonde-Stereotype--Myth-or-Fact, p. 1. blondes and a sassy brunette. While perhaps highlighting the "fun" side of blondes (in fact, brunette women held a demonstration protesting the movie, showing that brunettes could be just as much fun), this certainly did nothing to showcase their intelligence.

As in the background of the study, there are two films that can represent the stereotype of blonde girl. They are 27 Dressed and the Hunny Bunny. Both of those films describes about blondes who always concern on their appearance without thinking about their intelligence.

Those are about all the things that blondes do, which obviously are also done by girls with every other hair color.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH FINDINGS

The writer divides this chapter into two parts. First, the writer will analyze the general description of Legally Blonde film. Then, the writer will analyze the changes that Elle made to get achievement in her new environment that cannot accept her label as a blonde at the first time.

Introduction Legally Blonde is a film in which a beautiful woman, Elle Woods, defies the

convention of the dumb blonde to become a top lawyer. Blondes do not have a

very good reputation; they are seen having lack intelligence. Legally blonde

portrays this image very well through Elle Woods. As the credits are being shown

at the beginning of the film, the first thing the audience is shown is a mane of

perfect golden blonde hair. This instantly shows the blonde theme to the

audience. Everything to start with is very stereotypical in this film.

As the other blonde, like Barbie, Elle Woods is beautiful and charming girl. She is a tall, thin, blonde haired, blue eyes girl, the typical female in which society sees as perfect. Along with these things, she also is in a sorority, and is portrayed as a dumb blonde with no common sense, and she always makes her appearance perfect.

Most of blondes like bright and girlie color, such as pink. So, blondes are often being boys’ attention because boys find blondes more attractive, whether they are natural or not. Blondes may have more fun, but apparently they don't always get promoted. A study by U.K. retailer Superdrug found that 62% of people think brunettes20 look more professional at work.21

As blonde, she also has unique personality. She does her activities and duties with her unique ideas and with no consideration of others’ estimations. She always be her real self and makes sure that she looks perfect in any appearance.

Elle comes from a rich family, who is proud with their blonde and often underestimate to brunettes and also law school. Elle's mother and father are both very wealthy and live in a large and impressive house with a swimming pool. Her father, also, is always seen holding a martini. This is a stereotypically upper-class drink.22 They also concern with their style. Being an actress or getting achievements in any beauty contests is a pride for them rather than being a politician or someone with formal and serious occupation, because they thought that Harvard Law School is only for boring and ugly people.

DANIEL: (frowning) Law school?

Sapphire puts a hand to her throat in distress. Elle is confused.

ELLE: It's a perfectly respectable place...

DANIEL: Sweetheart, you don't need law school. Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and Serious. And you, button/are none of those things.

Sapphire is in agreement.

SAPPHIRE: You were first runner-up in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest. Why throw all that away?

ELLE: Because this is what I want. I've worked hard for it. Don't you understand that this is important to me?

20 Women with , brown eyes. 21 Francine Huff, Can going from to Brunette really improve your career? Comparison. Accessed on May 25, 2009. http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/19/can-going-from-blond-to-brunette-really-improve- your-career/ p.1. 22 Anonymous, Deconstruction of Legally Blonde, Film. Accessed on May 25, 2009. http://www.coursework.info/AS_and_A_Level/Media_Studies/Films/Deconstruction_of_Legally_Blonde_L 833940.html, p. 1. One of the proofs that can show Elle is a rich girl is her lovely Chihuahua.

Chihuahuas were used in religious ceremonies and were pets to the upper class.23

Some people consider blondes as dumb girls. Blondes only think about having fun, spend their parents’ money and like many extravagant facilities. So, many people want to get closer with blondes only for playing or even deceiving them.

SALESWOMAN: (sot. to) There’s nothing I love more than a dumb blonde with daddy's plastic.

SALESWOMAN: Did you see this one? We just got it in yesterday.

Elle fingers the dress, then the new price tag, looking back at the saleswoman, excited.

ELLE: Is this a low-viscosity rayon?

SALESWOMAN: Uh, yes — of course.

ELLE: With half-loop top-stitching on the hem?

SALESWOMAN: (smiling a lie) Absolutely. It's one of a kind.

Elle hands the dress back to her, no longer pretending to be excited.

ELLE: It's impossible to use a half-loop topstitch on low-viscosity rayon. It would snag the fabric. And you didn't just get this in, because I remember it from the June Vogue a year ago, so if you're trying to sell it to me at full price, you picked the wrong girl.

The saleswoman slinks off, embarrassed.

The quotation above shows how people very underestimate Blonde about the update information of dressing. The saleswoman thought that Elle could be cheated and deceived by saying the high price of the old dress. But Elle is different from the Saleswoman’s assumption. She has smart brain. Actually, she is a

Homecoming Queen, the President of Delta Nu, the first runner-up in the Miss

Hawaiian Tropic contest, she has got a Bachelor Degree from USC with 4.00 in fashion major, and she gets a one-seventy-nine on her LSATs. So, she is able to enter

23 American Kennel Club, Article, Chihuahua. Accessed on May 25, 2009. http://www.akc.org/breeds/chihuahua/index.cfm, p. 2. Harvard Law School, honorable graduate and be a real lawyer. She gets these achievements with her skill, creativity, ability and smartness.

Those characters above are just little samples that can show the stereotypes of Elle as Blonde. Besides those characters, Elle has difference characteristic than other Blonde, that is rarely been in other Blonde’ self.

Representation of Blonde Girl through Elle Woods In this film, Elle is described as real blonde girl. It is seen from her physical appearance, style and also life style. She is beautiful and she very concerns on beauty, so she joins many activities and contests that are related to it, and it makes her proud. Her looks are always perfect in every moment. She uses bright color of her clothes with matching accessories. Her make up and hairstyle are always neat. She also often goes to the beauty corner to get her appearance perfect, from hair to toe. She spends her time reading fashion magazines and talking movie stars out buying "truly hideous angora sweaters. Not only in appearance, her room is also arranged colorful and uniquely. Her lifestyle is shown in the beginning of the film that she likes being relaxed, shopping, having party and doing something fun. Blondes are also attractive in everything. They always do something uniquely as themselves, so does Elle. In making her essay, which is one of Harvard Law School requirements, she does it in different way that cannot be thought by other students. She is sure that the Professors can accept it. She does not care with their formal requirements, she only does what she wants to do and be herself.

Picture 1

From the picture above, we can see her unique style in making her essay. She does it in swimming pool with her sexy bikini, but she looks so confident, even it will be submitted for a formal requirement. In that picture, she wears pink bikini. It can represent sexy and girlie blonde, but it is not suitable for the essay. The situation in the swimming pool is described for relaxing place. Here, she is described as a girl who still wants to enjoy her leisure time. However, she can be accepted at Harvard Law School.

At the first day getting in Harvard Law School, she is very confident with her performance. In fact other students pay a great attention to her, because they think her appearance is very weird and not suitable to be there, she brings her blonde attitude there and everyone begins to underestimate her abilities based on her looks.

With a beauty queen smile in place, she strides into the dorm as the other students watch in amazement.

In the middle of the film, since others underestimate her because of her blonde style and she feels that they reject her, she thinks she needs to change. So,

Elle begins to change her style step by step. She tends to get her new formal environment’s acceptance. It begins from her colorful style that is changed into the darker one, she changes her hairstyle into straight, becomes more active in class discussion, studies harder and does many other efforts.

Picture 2

From that picture, even though Elle wears dark blue jacket, she still wears purple t- shirt, red scarf and blue cap. It means she does not leave her fashionable characteristics. For the dark blue jacket, several people consider it is used for formal situation and serious people.

Besides dressing, her new straight hair means she wants to leave out unserious image in her education effort, because a person with wavy hair, for example, is typically thought to be nervous, energetic and impulsive. A stereotype, originating from the images of a sea or ocean: when there are waves in the sea, people tend to call it "raging" or "uncalm" due to it's dynamic nature. Hence, the more wavy the hair, the more nervous the person is considered to be.24 Her simple clothes, accessories, and hairstyle describe her as a simpler blonde who does not really concern with the appearance and she just wants to focus on her study.

The unique side of this picture is she brings many books. It is a very scarce view.

Blondes like having fun and never notice about study, so they are called as dumb blondes.

But in this picture, Elle shows the different sides of blonde that can make people amaze her.

The fact that she is carrying books whilst still appearing as stunningly beautiful engages the idea that her books are both a strong and important prop as they symbolically exchange her for intelligence. It begins to prove us that Elle is different with other blondes. She is a smart blonde and is able to be as well as other students in education.

After changing her style and her lifestyle, from going to beauty corner to go to

library, finally she feels acceptable there. She is able to do her lessons, active in

every class discussion and also work at her lecturer’s firm.

Since working at Mr. Donovan firm, she feels as part of the other employee and

begins to wear not only dark, but also formal clothes.

24 Jurgita, Hair and character, Hair stereotype. Accessed on May 25, 2009. http://www.jurgita.com/articles- id2319.html, p. 1.

Picture 3

We can see the difference between this picture and picture 1. In this picture, Elle leaves a part of her unique style. She thinks that she has to follow the office rules by using faultlessly and spruce up dressed. It means she really wants to prove her seriousness to join the firm and she really wants to be a part of them totally. But, again, she still shows her style by wearing a red brooch in her formal suit, and she also combs her hair tidily.

From the walking style, it shows us that she is very certain and proud of this condition. It is different with her friend behind her, Vivian. She is looked afraid and suspicious that Elle will be her real rival and she has not believed that Elle, who is a blonde, can be as good as her. Then, the arrangement of their walking also shows the victory of Elle by walking priory, and she hopes she can be number one in the future and accepted by other students.

In her certainty of being acceptable by everyone, suddenly she knows that her lecturer gives her chance to work at his firm is not because she is smart, but it because he still looks Elle as a sexy and charming blonde girl who wants to do anything to get what she wants.

OUTSIDE DONOVAN'S OFFICE

Sarah walks down the hallway, glancing in Donovan's office to see — HER POV — Donovan's hand sliding up Elle's skirt. She shakes her head in disgust, & heads off- NOT SEEING INT. DONOVAN'S OFFICE

Elle stares at Donovan in horror, then grabs his hand — stopping its journey upward.

ELLE: (upset) You're hitting on me?

DONOVAN: You're a beautiful girl, Elle.

ELLE: So everything you just said —? DONOVAN: I ‘m a man who knows what I want. Elle rises, stung. She stares at him for a beat.

ELLE: And I ' m a law student who's finally realized her professor is a pathetic asshole.

She walks out.

DONOVAN: (calling out) Too bad. I thought you were a law student who wanted to be a lawyer.

Elle keeps walking.

From that dialogue, it is seen that her lecturer still considers her as a common blonde, who can be deceived only with brighter career offer. It makes her feeling down and she is very disappointed with this situation that cannot make her to be an acceptable blonde in Harvard Law School. What she has done is all wasted away. She thought that no one could accept her by looking at her brain and skill. In fact, she is not more than a dumb blonde and blonde is still a blonde. All of her efforts are the wrong things. Being same with them cannot be seen as them totally. So, she decides to give up and return to her real comfort style.

ELLE: I ‘m quitting.

EMMETT: Whoa -- Why?

ELLE: Law school was a mistake. Getting this internship was a mistake.

EMMETT: What're you talking about? You earned it-

She snorts.

ELLE: I didn't earn anything. I got this internship because Donovan liked the way I looked. Which he made clear tonight when he tried to feel me up.

Emmett looks pissed as he processes this.

EMMETT: (mind reeling) So now you're —?

ELLE: Going back to LA. Maybe I can fulfill my destiny as a useless bimbo and join the Swedish Bikini Team. No more navy blue suits. No more panty hose. No more trying to be something I‘m not.

The dialogue above shows her disappointment very much. She regrets wasting her time only for being someone she does not like, someone that is boring. When returning to her real environment, she gets trusty from her client at her lecturer’s firm, Mrs. Broke, to be her lawyer. Everybody supports her, except Mr. Donovan. They are sure that she can do it. Then she becomes a real lawyer with her unique style. In fact, being herself makes her feel so confident and so comfort. She does not care about people estimation anymore. She feels so free to do everything as pleased as what she wants to act and what she wants to wear. So, she can express herself anymore and get the power from her real style.

Picture 4 The picture above shows us the very contrast condition. It is located in the court. Everybody wears dark clothes, but her. She wears her lovely pink dress with her real wavy blonde hair. She also brings her lovely Chihuahua to the court. Those really perform herself. She does not care whether it is in a court or any other formal place, because for her, she only wants to express herself as best as she can, better than in pretended style. Besides, her brunette boy friend follows her for bringing her things. It is amazing to look a smart man following the blonde and admitting her smartness. It means she begins to get success to prove to people that she can be more than them. Her success also can be seen from the moment when she can solve and win the case with her skill in beauty. ELLE: And wouldn't someone who's had — thirty perms? — throughout her lifetime, be well aware of this rule?

Chutney doesn't answer. She just glares at Brooke.

ELLE: (continuing) And if you, in fact, were not washing your hair, as I suspect you were not, since your curls are still intact, wouldn't you have heard the gunshot? Chutney continues to glare.

ELLE: (continuing) And if you in fact, heard the gunshot, then Brooke Windham wouldn't have had time to hide the gun before you got downstairs. Which would mean that you would've had to have found Mrs. Windham with a gun in her hand to make your story sound plausible. Isn't that right?

CHUTNEY: She's younger than I am. Did she tell you that? How would you feel if your father married someone younger than you?

ELLE: You, however, had time to hide the gun, didn't you, Chutney? After you shot your father?

Brooke looks at Chutney in horror, realizing.

CHUTNEY: I didn't mean to shoot him (to Brooke) I meant to shoot you!

Winning her case makes people amaze her wholeheartedly. She is not looked as an ordinary blonde anymore, finally she can prove to others that blondes are not all dumb. In the graduation event, she is trusted to be the representation of other students to speak. There, she notices “don’t judge anyone by their look!” She says that to represent the other blondes in getting the bright future and not being underestimated by people anymore. This is what the film represents about blonde girl. At first, the film presents a blonde girl with several stereotypes, such as concerns with beauty, pays more attention to appearance, likes having fun and has unique ways of life. However, there is one characteristic, which is not suitable with the stereotype that this film emphasizes. Elle Woods is described as a blonde girl, who has smart brain. She is a Homecoming Queen, the President of Delta Nu, the first runner-up in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest, she has got a Bachelor Degree from USC with 4.00 in fashion major, and she gets a one-seventy-nine on her LSATs. She is also able to enter Harvard Law School and graduate with honor and be a lawyer. She is very confident with her appearance and is not worry to show her blonde stereotype. By being blonde and less concern about what people think about blonde, she can achieve her success. Finally, it can make others more appreciate to blonde.

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

Conclusion In this research, the writer analyzes about the representation of Blonde. As we

know, literature reflects any social aspects, such as socio-economic condition in

a society, political, education, culture, history and religion aspects, even the

representation of group of people. So, in the film Legally Blonde, the writer shows

the representation of Blonde through the main character, Elle Woods. However,

literature as an imaginative work, does not take the history reality totally, it only

chooses the material existed in a society, and continues with the author’s

imagination and desire. That is why literary work is not precisely the same as

reality.

Film Legally Blonde describes the representation of blondes through its major character, Elle Woods, whereas this film is made in 2001. In this research, the writer focuses not only on the representation of blonde, but also on the efforts to be accepted in Harvard community by being a smart Blonde.

Like what have been said in previous chapters, the stereotype of blonde is described as beautiful but dumb girl. Elle is described as beautiful, sexy, and charming blonde, her activities and achievements also reflect her as a real blonde, but she is not as dumb as other blondes.

So, this film shows us about Elle’s efforts to get equality and acceptance from brunettes. It performs the steps that Elle experienced, the changes of her style and the result of those. 1 4

2 3

Picture 1 describes Elle as a common blonde, who still like having fun (it is seen from the place, her suit and other attributes). She also does not concern on study. What she wants to do are only for fulfilling the essay uniquely, entering

Harvard Law School successfully and getting back her boyfriend love.

In the picture 2, there is a change that we can see. She begins to concern on study and wear darker clothes as brunette. Similar with picture 2, picture 3 also shows her in differentiate. But here, she is looked surer, with tidy and formal performance. She is also looked more confidence feeling that she has already won.

And the last picture shows us the real her, but in a new situation. She gets back her style, but she is still a smart Elle as smart as in the picture 2 and 3. It is shown when she acts as the attorney in a court. She can solve and win the criminal case with her beauty knowledge.

From the description of the pictures above, we can conclude that there are some steps that Elle did to get her real self. She tries to make a new image of blonde without leaving her unique blonde stereotype and she wants to change people’s assessment about blondes. It means blondes are not always dumb, but they can be as well as brunette in intelligence. So, that is the representation of blonde that Elle made.

Suggestion In analyzing film or literary work, researches should use the right theory or approach in order to have the right comprehension of the film or literary work itself.

In this occasion, the writer uses representation concept in analyzing film Legally

Blonde, but it is possible for other researches to analyze this film with other aspects to get a broader comprehension of the film.

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APPENDIX

Summary of Legally Blonde Film