PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY: A SOCIO-HISTORICAL STUDY OF DAVID S. GOYER’S BATMAN BEGINS AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters By SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO Student Number: 034214041 ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY: A SOCIO-HISTORICAL STUDY OF DAVID S. GOYER’S BATMAN BEGINS AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters By SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO Student Number: 034214041 ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008 i PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI Why do we fall? So that we might better learn to pick ourselves up. (Alfred Pennyworth) WHAT DOESN’T KILL US ONLY MAKES US STRONGER It’s not who I am underneath. But what I do that defines me. (Batman) iv PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to: - my beloved parents - my little brother - my red_diva v PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to thank Allah SWT for His blessing and grace He give me every time. He is the One who could make all of this happens. My deep gratitude is for my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum., for his time and guidance in helping me finish this undergraduate thesis. My gratitude is also for Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini, M.A., my co-advisor, in helping me by giving me some corrections and advises to complete my thesis writing. This thesis will not be complete without her suggestions. My deepest gratitude is especially for my parents for all love, time, patience, support, and prayer all the time. Thank you for always loving me. Of the superheroes I know, they are my real superheroes. I also thank my brother for the support he gives. Keep on fighting, bro.... I would like to thank my lovely Red_Diva, for the love we share. She’s always been there in my happy and hard time. For Anto, thank you for your support and motivation. Let’s rock the world, bro..!! And show who the boss is. Thanks to Anggie, for your help and kindness. I could not make it without you. I like to thank F2 Community, especially Guspay, Jambrong, Soejab, Simbah, Bemby, Andy, Budi, Iqbal and late Emon. Let’s prove we are harder than the rock. Hail the pain, guys.... I like to thank to the people who underestimate me, to the people who see me as a small stone among the rock. I have proven you are wrong. vi PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI I like to thank to Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, limpbizkit, koRn, Story of the Year, and Captain Jack for the music they made that accompany me finishing this thesis. They are my sucking fhit. I am a big fan of you, guys... Thank you for all the people who I cannot mention one by one who have helped me in writing this thesis. God bless you all. Last but not least, to 2003 English Letters: Dodi, Wedhuz, Yerri, Bendhol, Sushit, Boim, Nitnot, Bayu, Cosmas, Kosep, thank you for all the memories. Setio Putro Mardiko vii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………… i APPROVAL PAGE…..................................................................................... ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE…………………………………………..………...... iii MOTTO PAGE…………………………………………..………………...... iv DEDICATION PAGE……………………………………………..…….…... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…...………………………………..………...… vi TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………... vii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………... viii ABSTRAK……………………………………………………………………. ix CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION……………………………………......…. 1 A. Background of the Study………………………………………..... 1 B. Problem Formulation……………………………………………... 6 C. Objectives of the Study…………………………………………… 7 D. Definition Terms………………………………………………….. 7 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW……………………………...… 9 A. Review of Related Studies……………………………………….... 9 B. Review of Related Theories………………………………………. 12 1. Theory on Character and Characterization……………………... 12 2. Theory of Symbolism…………………………………………... 14 3. Theory of American Dream…………………………………….. 16 C. Review on the Life of American Society in 1920s – 1930s……... 19 D. Theoretical Framework……………………………………………. 22 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………………………………………... 24 A. Object of the Study……………………………………………….. 24 B. Approach of the Study………….………………………………… 26 C. Method of the Study…………………………………….………… 26 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS………………………………………………… 28 A. The Characteristics of Batman……………………………………. 28 B. The Significance of Batman in American Society………………... 39 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………………………………………..……. 51 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………. 56 APPENDIX: Summary of Batman Begins……………………………….…. 59 viii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ABSTRACT SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO. The Significance of Batman in American Society: A Socio-Historical Study of David S. Goyer’s Batman Begins. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008. Batman Begins is the 5th Batman movie since 1989. The character of Batman is based on its comics strips. The story of Batman Begins was written on its movie script tells about a man who turns himself to be a crime fighter named Batman after he witnesses the murder of his parents which takes place in front of him when he was a child. In this thesis, which analyzes Batman Begins movie script, there are two questions formulated as the guidelines in the research. The first question is to explore the characteristics of Batman. The second is to find out the significance of Batman in American Society. The writer applies the socio-historical approach in analyzing Batman Begins movie script as the object of the study. This library research is supported by the books, articles, and other related sources. The analysis shows that the characteristics of Batman are built from his childhood memory of the murder of his parents that took place in front of him. This incident makes Bruce Wayne has a will to fight the crimes and injustice in Gotham City. Bruce turns himself to be a crime fighter named Batman as the symbol of his will. Talking about the representation of Batman in American society is also talking about Bruce Wayne as Batman’s alter ego. The significance of Batman in American Society is the representation of hopes and dream of the Americans which is well known as the American Dream and we can see them through Batman and Bruce Wayne. In this thesis, American Dream is described as a successful and satisfying life which is translated as economic prosperity, having the technology and gadgets, and automobiles. ix PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ABSTRAK SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO. The Significance of Batman in American Society: A Socio-Historical Study of David S. Goyer’s Batman Begins. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008. Batman Begins adalah film Batman kelima sejak 1989. Karakter Batman berdasarkan komik tentang Batman. Cerita dalam Batman Begins yang tertulis pada naskah filmnya bercerita tentang seseorang yang berubah menjadi seorang pembasmi kejahatan setelah dia menyaksikan pembunuhan kedua orang tuanya yang terjadi di depan matanya saat dia masih kecil. Di dalam skripsi ini, yang menganalisa naskah film Batman Begins, ada dua pertanyaan yang dirumuskan sebagai panduan dalam penelitian. Pertanyaan pertama adalah untuk menggali karakteristik Batman. Pertanyaan kedua adalah untuk menemukan arti dari keberadaan Batman di dalam masyarakat Amerika. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosio-historikal dalam menganalisa naskah film Batman Begins sebagai obyek studi. Studi pustaka ini didukung dengan buku – buku dan artikel – artikel sebagai sumber kedua. Analisis menunjukan bahwa karakteristik Batman terbentuk dari kenangan masa kecilnya akan pembunuhan kedua orang tuanya yang terjadi di depan matanya. Peristiwa ini membuat Bruce Wayne mempunyai keinginan untuk membasmi kejahatan dan ketidakadilan di kota Gotham. Bruce mengubah dirinya menjadi seorang pembasmi kejahatan bernama Batman sebagai sebuah simbol dari keinginannya tersebut. Berbicara tentang keberadaan Batman juga berbicara tentang Bruce Wayne sebagai alter ego dari Batman. Arti dari keberadaan Batman di dalam masyarakat Amerika adalah sebagai sebuah simbol dari harapan dan impian dari mayarakat Amerika yang dikenal dengan American Dream dan kita dapat melihat hal tersebut melalui Batman dan Bruce Wayne. Di dalam skripsi ini, American Dream dijabarkan sebagai sebuah kehidupan yang nyaman dan sukses yang diartikan sebagai kesuksesan di bidang ekonomi, memiliki teknologi dan peralatan yang berguna, dan kendaraan bermotor. x PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Literature cannot be separated from the life of human beings. Generally, literature describes the reality of human life. In other words, literature is an imitation of human life. Literary works usually tell about politics, economy, social life, and culture which are happened in the era when those works are written. Literary works contain many things which can be analyzed or studied. There must be some things which we can learn about in them. Literature itself is any kind of writing that,