Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution · perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id By: commit2014to user Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution

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Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution

THESIS

Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of Requirement

for the Sarjana Sastra Degree of the English Department

Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts

Sebelas Maret University

By:

HAIKAL PRADANA

C0310028

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND FINE ARTS

SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY

2014


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MOTTOES

“Twenty years from now you will be more dissapointed by the things you didn’t

do than by the ones you did do. So throw of the bowlines. Sail away from the

safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore, Dream, Discover.” ---

Mark Twain

“Sometimes it’s good to Break the Rules!” --- Step Up Revolution

“Say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people” --- The

Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW, hadith narrated by Baihaqi


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DEDICATION

I dedicate this thesis to:

My beloved family,

My best friends,

American Studies scholars,

Postmodernists,

and My self,


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Finally, I have to say Alhamdulillahirrobil’alamin to express my biggest

and deepest gratitude for the blessing given by the Most Merciful and the Most

Beneficent, Allah SWT in relation to the accomplishment of my thesis as the

partial requirement for obtaining the degree. His Mercy and Beneficence have

given me enough passion, spirit, capability, and luck in finishing this thesis

project. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to the

people having supported me for this thesis arrangement.

I would like to express my biggest and deepest gratitude for the Dean of

Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, Mr. Drs. Riyadi Santosa, M.Ed., Ph.D in giving

me the opportunity to study in this faculty and also for the Head of English

Department, Mr. Drs. Agus Hari Wibowo, M.A., Ph.D in terms of my occasion to

study in this department.

I would like to express my gratitude to my thesis consultant, Ms. Fitria

Akhmerti Primasita, S.S., M.A for her priceless guidance and time to support me

in finishing my thesis. In every opportunity of the consultation, she provides me

the best parts on how to manage and compose the thesis well so that I can always

be on the right track in the process. Above all of those needs, she provides me the

constructive advices and insight continually to make my thesis in the state of

better understanding from time to time to meet the progress of development.

I also want to give my overall thanks to all of the lecturers in English

Department who have share the precious and beneficial knowledge that I have

obtained since I have entered the department. In relation to this matter, I would


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specially dedicate my thanks to Ms. Dra. Sri Kusumo Habsari, M. Hum., PhD

who has helped me in finding the topic as the main issue for my thesis and giving

some additional knowledge for its development since in the methodology and

seminar lecture. My special thanks are also given to my academic supervisor, Mr.

Prof. Dr. Djatmika, M.A for gradually tracking my lecture progress for each

semester. I also thank to the great lecturers: Ms. Dra. Diah Kristina, M.A., Ph.D,

Mr. M. Taufiq Al Makmun, S.S., M.A, Ms. Karunia Purna Kusciati, S.S., M. Si,

Mr. Yuyun Kusdianto, S.S., M.A,Ms. Dra. Zita Rarastesa, M.A and Mr. Yusuf

Kurniawan, S.S., M.A who for me, they have provided interesting and beneficial

knowledge in English Department which I consider as the priceless moment when

I study in their lecture.

My family also deserves this acknowledgement for always giving warm

support and love for me in my life. This special thank is dedicated to my father,

Handy Mulya, for having provided me tough lesson in facing harsh life which will

be experienced by me in the future. He is the toughest advicer for my better life.

My mother, Trisunu Lelyandari, is the one supporting me best. She always gives

me support to still keep my passion in finishing this thesis, to make sure that I am

in good condition in the process by providing me delicious food every day and

sharing some experential learning to face a lot of probabilities in this life. She is

the most incredible and dearest woman in my life. My little brother, Hanza

Setyawan, is the one who always provides me happiness in my leisure time. He is

the most ‘noisy’ member in my family, making my family’s life in emptiness

without him. The rest is for my big family who has also supported me in their


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prayer who I can not mention them one by one, thank you so much for all of your

supports.

Then, I owe my warm and special thanks to my friends in this university.

My thanks are expressed firstly for my besties: Dita Ikasari, Adhi Irnawan, Esty

Dyah Imaniar, Clara Ayu Paramitha, Qadriana Armaningtyas. Thank you for all

of the time we have during some last semesters. I really appreciate the moment

when we contacted each other to decide where and when we could meet to spend

our leisure time and carried out the interesting discussion about our lecture. Of

course, I can not forget the silly moment with all of you when we were at Dita’s

boarding house back then. It is so amazing for me. Also, I owe my thanks to Zein

Akbar Syah and Fariz Deonata Wibisono for having initiated something incredible

project some moments ago. Although our plan can not be realized, I still

appreciate the time when we decided to do culinary travelling after finishing

lecture during some last semesters ago. I thank to my American Studies friends,

Dita, Adhi, Esty, Qadri, Cahyo, Apin, Sheren, Dheo, Faqih, Erni, Reza. It is great

to be part of this mainstream with all of you guys. I owe my special thanks to my

seniors in ED: Mbak Sasa, Mas Qodir, Mbak Jeje, Mas Tori, Mas Abi, Mas Wika,

Mas Rifqi, Mas Tomi, Mbak Irma. Thank you so much for some discussion and

time you have given to me since I have been in this department. Also, I thank to

my all of ED’10 friends for having been my almamaters especially for Dita, Adhi,

Esty, Clara, Qadri, Zein, Dheo, Sheren, Cahyo, Apin, Faqih, Erni, Agam, Alfian,

Agus, Mifta, Erwin, Debby, Inti, Intan, Titis, Rian, Aya, Grace, Chacha, Pingkan,

Culay, Martha, and Dora.For my friends in this university: Nia, Rizal, Naji, Kiko,


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Dhita, Dini, Ifa, Aldora, Karin, Virina, Mbak Endah, Kak Pitra, and Yoga, I

express my big thanks to all of you for having given me special moment and

experience since I study in Sebelas Maret University. I have to say thank you to

every side having provided me some opportunities to learn many experiences,

especially for EDCOM Sastra Inggris and Rumah Hebat Indonesia. Thank you so

much for all of their respect. For the other persons or communities whom I can

not mention one by one, I also express my thanks for the experential learning I

have obtained from there.

Surakarta, August 19th, 2014

The Researcher

Haikal Pradana


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE............................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL BY THESIS CONSULTANT................................................. ii

APPROVAL BY BOARD OF EXAMINERS.............................................. iii

PRONOUNCEMENT..................................................................................... iv

MOTTOES....................................................................................................... v

DEDICATION................................................................................................. vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENT................................................................................ vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................... xi

ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION.................................................................. 1

A. Research Background...................................................................... 1

B. Scope of Research............................................................................ 12

C. Research Question............................................................................ 12

D. Research Objective........................................................................... 13

E. Research Benefit.............................................................................. 13

F. Research Methodology..................................................................... 14

G. Theoretical Approach........................................................................ 17

H. Thesis Organization........................................................................... 23

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................... 24

A. Postmodernism in American Society..................................................24

B. Socio-cultural Condition of Youth in America.................................. 31

C. American Youth in Hollywood Cinema............................................. 41


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D. Body Expression in Postmodern Era................................................. 46

E. Film Semiotics Theory....................................................................... 54

CHAPTER III: ANALYSIS............................................................................. 66

A. Postmodern Youth Body Constructions in the Film.......................... 72

1. The Youth Creative Body Design of Re-imagining Life Balance..... 72

2. Transgressing Cultural Boundaries: The Bodies of Youth in Fine

Arts and Technology.......................................................................... 88

3. The Adoption of Gothic Bodies: Re-modelling Power Relation in

Family and Adult Arena....................................................................101

4. The Terrorized Biological Masculine Traits under the Terrorizing

Male Youth Destructive Body.......................................................... 114

5. The Youth Bodies in Protest Arts: The Critique to Capitalism

Progress..............................................................................................129

5.1. The Mimicked Body of Patriarchal Capitalist Style........................ 132

5.2. The Youth Gang Body: The Cultural Dissatisfaction upon

Domination........................................................................................140

B. Politics of Construction Behind the Text...........................................153

CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.................. 176

BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................. 180


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Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution

Haikal Pradana1

Fitria Akhmerti Primasita, S.S., M.A2

ABSTRACT

2014. Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts. Sebelas Maret University.

This study specifically focuses on examining American contemporary youth

images in 21st century through postmodern body construction. It has two major

purposes: (1) to find out how postmodern youth body is constructed in the film

entitled Step Up Revolution (2012) and (2) to examine how the politics of

construction is revealed in the film.

This research is descriptive qualitative research that uses one primary source of

data: the film entitled Step Up Revolution (2012) directed by Scott Speer. The

primary data is in the form of cinematographic elements such as mise-en-scene,

camera angles, sounds, costumes, lighting, acts, and dialogues. This research also

uses secondary sources: the prequels (Step Up (2006), Step Up 2: The Streets

(2008), Step Up 3D (2010)), related books, journal articles, online documents, and

internet websites to provide the supportive data.

This study is under American Studies framework. It employs interdisciplinary

study by applying some theories and approaches. To answer the research

questions, this study applies film semiotics theory, socio-cultural approach,

postmodern theory, and posthuman bodies theory.

The analysis finally finds some results. Step Up Revolution (2012) clearly and

succesfully proposes that there are many possible youth bodi[es] which can be

constructed. They have been capable to break the Grand Narrative of youth body

which only shares about the culture of white working class male youth. The

postmodern youth bodies can be linked with the multidimensional perspectives

from gender, ethnic, class, and even the technology. They can be modified,

attached, and expressed by several factors so that they break biological flesh

without mind with. The youth body construction has reached the postmodern

conditions which cultural fragmentation and flexibility become the key concepts.

This postmodern idea can lead people to conceive contemporary American youth

in multiple understanding. As a consequence, the film seems to appropriate the

youth body construction based on the youth’s pluralism idea brought by Obama

since his first election in 2008 until his re-election in 2012 as its politics. The

body construction of The Mob as the main character becomes different political

project from the prequels and other youth texts in the past tending to be remained

in rebellious ones which are commonly darkened in passive stereotype.

Keywords: Step Up Revolution, American Contemporary Youth, Postmodern,

Youth Body,Posthuman Bodies, Millenials

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Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution · perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id By: commit2014to user Postmodern Youth Body Construction in Step Up Revolution