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The Burnham Family Crisis Depicted in the Film
American Beauty
THESIS
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of Requirement
for the Sarjana Sastra Degree of the English Department
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PRONOUNCEMENT
Name : Novinda Wahyu Hapsari
Number : C1307051
I certify this thesis entitled The Burnham Family Crisis Depicted in the Film
American Beauty is neither plagiarism nor written by the other researchers. Any
materials and theories used as references are written in direct quotations or in
paraphrases. I will be responsible for the pronouncement.
If this is proven to be cheating, I accept the consequences given by Faculty of
Cultural Sciences, Sebelas Maret University, including the withdrawal of the
degree.
Surakarta,
The researcher
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MOTTOES
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live
the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common
hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Your success and happiness lie in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and
you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
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DEDICATION
Mom and Dad.
My boy “Arfa” and My husband.
My Self.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Thank God, Allah SWT for belief, mercy, and health, so I can finish
writing this thesis. It takes a long time to finish it. There are many people who
contribute in my thesis and I give my deepest gratitude to all of them.
First of all, I would like to give my sincere gratitude to my Thesis
Supervisor, Drs. Hendarto Rahardjo, M.A, for your support, knowledge, patience,
and motivation given to me. It is been an honor to be mentored by him. I thank for
the attention for having sent me a short message service when I forgot to meet
him. His guidance gives me some knowledge when I get many mistakes in writing
my thesis. Thank you so much for your help, sir.
My gratitude presents for the board examiners: Dra. Sri Kusumo
Habsari, M.Hum Ph. D, Dini Amalia, S.S M.A, Drs. Hendarto Rahardjo, M.A,
and Dra. Susilorini, M.A. for sharing their precious criticism to this thesis.
I want to thank to the dean of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Drs. Riyadi
Santoso, M. Ed., Ph.D, Head of non regular program, Drs. Budi Waskito, M. Pd.
Head of the English department, Drs. Agus Hari Wibowo, M.A, Ph. D, my
Academic Supervisor, Dr. Sri Marmanto, M.A. I would like to thank to the
lecturers in the English Department. It is so much fun to have knowledge from all
of you. I learn about culture, history, society, government, philosophy, media,
and tourism from you all. Thanks a lot.
I thank for the librarian in UNS Central Library, ILC, SAC. I got many
references to accomplish my thesis, especially for UNS central library which
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I gratitude my parents who always give support and pray for me to finish
my thesis. I will never disappoint you, mom and dad. Your advice gives me spirit
to finish it. I would like to say thanks to my mom who always takes care of my
baby Arfa when I go to campus. I thank to my husband Hartanio Arie Budiarjo to
take me to campus although he has a lot of job. I give my gratitude to my
parents-in-law who always support me to finish my thesis. I love you all.
Secondly, I thanks to my classmate in American studies mainstreams
(Evi, Kezia, Mbak Puri, Eri, Fida, Dian, Bibi) for the fun and joy that we have had
in the class and in the out of class. I never forget you guys. I would like to offer
my special thanks to Kezia for her help in giving me some E-books, Special
thanks to Evi who becomes a one of my best friends since we enroll at Sebelas
Maret University. You are my best friend forever.
Finally, I would like to thanks to my friends in Non Reguler Program
2007 for giving so much joy in the class. I give my deepest gratitude for Cultural
Studies Club (DR. Titis Srimuda Pitana M. Trop Arch, DR. Wayan Sukarna,
Mbak Naomi, Mbak Husna, Mbak Riha, Rama, Kang Arip) for giving the cultural
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C. Semiotic Theory……….. 25
CHAPTER III: ANALYSIS A. Family Crisis Representation through American Beauty movie …..……… 30
B. The Construction of “Red Rose” as Represents of Burnham’s Family Character ……… 48
B. 1 Analysis on Carolyn Burnham ... 51
B. 2 Analysis on Jane Burnham ... 57
B. 3 Analysis on Lester Burnham ... 64
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION A. Conclusion ... 75
B. Recommendation ... 77
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ABSTRACT
Novinda Wahyu Hapsari. C1307051. The Burnham Family Crisis Depicted in
the Film American Beauty.
This research discusses about the Burnham family crisis depicted in the
film American Beauty. The family crisis happens in American family in the 20th
century. This research is to find out what are the factors that cause the destruction
of family value in Burnham family and how the construction of red rose represent
the destruction of family value in Burnham family.
This research is descriptive qualitative research. The main data of this
research are the script, character, and setting. The source of data is taken from the
VCD of American Beauty distributed by Dreamworks Pictures. The supporting
data of the research is taken by the journals, books, E-books, and online media
which related with the topic of the research.
This research is conducted in the frame of American studies. It used many
disciplines in the forms of theories and an approach to analyze the movie. The
disciplines consist of socio cultural approach and semiotic theory. It needs socio
cultural approach to analyze about the structure condition of social and culture in
America. The researcher also uses some figures in the movie to analyze this
research. It needs semiotic theory to analyze the figure.
The researcher analyzes family crisis based on the main character in the
American Beauty movie. The movie tells about the family which cannot keep the
value in the family. The family harmony doesn’t arise in this family. The
Burnham’s family type is contemporary family. This type arises in 20th
century.
One of the contemporary family types is dual worker family. It is related with
Burnham’s family type. Each of the spouses has a career. This research aims to
analyze about family crisis which cannot keep family value in the family. It
causes family disharmony.
KEY WORD: Family Value, American Family in 20th Century, Family Crisis,
