i
THE PLIGHT OF BEING BLACK REFLECTED IN
TATE TAYLOR’S THE HELP
MOVIE (2011):
A MARXIST APPROACH
RESEARCH PAPER
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Getting Bachelor Degree of Education
in English Department
by:
DINA MAULIDA A320090255
SCHOOL OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA
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MOTTO
“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”
(Kahlil Gibran)
“Do not think of todays failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow.”
(Helen Keller)
“Sesungguhnya Allah tidak akan mengubah nasib suatu kaum kecuali kaum itu sendiri yang mengubah apa yang ada pada diri mereka.”
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DEDICATION
With my deepest heart, as a final step to be a bachelor degree I
dedicate this research to:
My Beloved
Ibu
and
Ayah
My Two Sister
(Mb’dian and Dek Inna)
and my One Brother
(Dek Addin).
My special one in my heart.
My best friends
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Bismillahirrohmanirrohim,
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarokatuh,
First of all, the writer wants to say Alhamdulillahirobbil’alamin and so
many thanks to Allah SWT who has given the writer guidance, blessing and helps
in the way to complete the research paper entitled THE PLIGHT OF BEING
express her special and deepest thanks to:
1. Drs. H. Sofyan Anif, M. Si., as the dean of School Teacher Training and Education of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, for approval to carry
out this research paper.
2. Dr. Phil. Dewi Candraningrum, M. Ed., as the first consultant who has given her guidance, support, suggestion, corrections and useful information
for completing this research paper tolerantly and earnestly.
3. Drs. Abdillah Nugroho, M.Hum., as the second consultant who has given her guidance, support, suggestion, corrections and useful information for
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4. Titis Setyabudi S.S., as the chief of English Department in Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
5. All lecturers in English Department for teaching and giving knowledge, and
meaningful advices, so that the writer can comprehend about English well.
6. Her lovely parents, Ayah and Ibu, who always give for loves, prayers, supports and meaningful advice so that the writer can complete her research
paper fluently.
7. Her lovely sister and brother, mb’ Dian, dek Inna and dek Addin, who always give motivation for her in completing the research paper.
8. Her lovely grandma, mbah Pat, who always gives prayers for her in completing the research paper.
9. Her lovely uncle and aunt, om Alul, tante Ana and many my lovely uncle and aunt, who give motivation for her in finishing the research paper.
10. Her special one in her heart, Dita Tri Sambodro, who always gives support for her in finishing the research paper.
11. Her beloved friends in Rumah Coklat’s boarding house: Oching, Kimbul, dek Putri, dek Dzuzu, mb’ Sari, mb’ Ika, mb’ Mery, mb’ Amy, dek
Mir, dek Ririn, dek Nad, dek Tya, dek Jeje and othersfor the motivation, jokes, and togetherness.
12. Her beloved friends: Oching,bu Sus, Desy, mb’ Dhilla, mb’ Mia, mb’ Ely
for jokes and togetherness.
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LIST OF SCREEN CAPTURED ... xiv
LIST OF ABBREVIATION………xvii
ABSTRACT ... xviii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION……….1
A. Background of the Study ... 1
B. Previous Study ... 7
C. Problem Statement ... 7
D. Objective of the Study ... 7
E. Limitation of the Study ... 8
F. Benefit of the Study ... 8
G. Research Method ... 8
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CHAPTER II UNDERLYING THEORY ………11
A. Notion of Marxism ... ... .11
B. Major Principle of Marxism ... .12
1. Dialectical Materialism...12
2. Aspects of Being Black...17
a. Materialist Orientation...17
D. Structural Elements of the Movie……… ... .21
1. Narrative Elements... 21
2. Technical Elements...23
E. Theoretical Application ……….30
CHAPTER III SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF AMERICAN SOCIETY IN THE EARLY TWENTY FIRST CENTURY…...… ....31
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g. Science and Technology Aspect...41
B. Life of Tate Taylor...41
CHAPTER IV STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS...45
CHAPTER V MARXIST ANALYSIS OF THE HELP MOVIE ...86
A. Marxist Analysis...86
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2. Historical Materialism...90
3. Class Struggle ...93
4. Revolution ...96
5. Alienation...98
B. Concept of Being Black...101
1. Materialist Orientation...102
CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION...119
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LIST OF SCREEN CAPTURED
SC 1 (TH, 1st VCD, 00:04:25) Skeeter is driving. 46
SC 2 (TH, 1st VCD, 01:03:08) Skeeter’s Face 46
SC 3 (TH, 1st VCD, 00:01:23) Aibileen When Interviewed by Skeeter 48
SC 4 (TH, 1st VCD, 00:09:00) Aibileen as the Colored Maid in Elizabeth’s House 48
SC 11 (TH, 1st VCD, 01:06:45) Celia Foote While Having Lunch with Minny 55
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SC 48 (TH, 2nd VCD, 00:03:29) Medium Close-Up 78
SC 49 (TH, 1st VCD, 01:03:44) Close-Up 78
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LIST OF ABBREVIATION
SC : Screen Captured
TH : The Help
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ABSTRACT
DINA MAULIDA. A 320090255. THE PLIGHT OF BEING BLACK
REFLECTED IN TATE TAYLOR’S THE HELP MOVIE (2011): A
MARXIST APPROACH. RESEARCH PAPER. MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA.
In this study is primarily proposed to analyze how the plight of being black reflected in Tate Taylor’s The Help movie (2011) viewed from Marxist approach, and to analyze the movie based on its structural elements.
The writer uses Karl Marx’s Marxism theory to answer the problem of the study. In analyzing The Help movie, the writer conducts the study by using a descriptive qualitative study that it has data in the form of written or oral from observing people or behavior and Marxist approach. There are two data source in this study, primary and secondary data. The primary data source is the play of The help movie itself and the secondary data source are the sources that relate to the primary data, such as author’s biography, books or e-books, journal, internet or any information relate the issue of this study “the plight of being black” and social background of American society in the middle twentieth century. The data are collected by using two kinds of technique, the first is note taking and the second is image capturing.
