CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of The Research

Humans are created by God with their own uniqueness. They are different from one
another. They have different physical appearance and characteristic. They can choose their
characteristic, but they can not choose their physical appearance because it is a gift from God.
The differences of physical appearance like the colour of skin, hair or else that can be seen
raise a thing called race. Race is a grouping of humans are based on physical or biological
characteristics (Widiati,2009:14).
Human is designed equally and has the same right and diversity in society. It should
make life more balance. Unfortunately, this diversity cause human treats other human
differently because their racial differences. Furthermore, this act is fundamentally caused by a
stigma. This is called prejudice. According to Stolley, prejudice is explained as a
preconceived and irrational attitude toward people based on their group membership
(2005:141). Prejudice can take a form either positive or negative, but the term is often used as
a negative connotation.
Prejudice can lead human to feel more superior than others. The feeling of superiority
will eventually create racism. Racism often used in a loose and unreflective way to describe
the hostile or negative feelings of one ethnic group or “people” toward another and the
actions resulting from such attitudes (Fredrickson, 2002:1). The term racism was first used in
1930 to represent racist theory. Nazis exploited this theory to kill Jews under Hitler’s
leadership. Before the term racism exist, the phenomena of racism already exist.
Fredrickson explained that racism come up from Spanyol. In the 12th and 13th
centuries, Moslems, Jews and Christians can live together, but in the end of 14th and
beginning of 15th centuries, conflict with the Moor appeared and occur discrimination
againts Moslems and Jew. The sectarian hatred turn into racial hatred in the form of
expulsion. Then, the explorer found a new differences in America which is said as new
world, that is primitive people. The explorers thought that it is impossibble to live together
with those primitive people. From that thought, a belief as a superior nation developed in the
form of racializing uncivilized and underdeveloped people as slaves.
 In that time, racism based on biological is not applied to Jews in Germany until it is
used to rationalizing the attitude of Americans to white people. Then Americans believe that
they are superior and racializing other people, especially black people. This is called white
supremacy. Many Americans made black people as their slave and did not give them any
right to vote. The climax of racism in America happened in South America from 1890 until
1950 when the law of Jim Crow was authorized. This law made the movement of black
people limited.
The effort to remove racism in America was done from Abraham Lincoln era. The
biggest result of that effort is when Barack Obama selected as the first president of America
who has black skin. This moment shows that black people has same right with white people,
but it does not mean racism in America is ended. The life of black people in America gets
better, but the racism still exists in another way. It is reported from Detik news that in Obama
era, there are many shooting terror in Ferguson, Missouri and strangulation black people in
New York (November, 24th 2014). In his speech in Charleston, Obama said that the
relationship between race in America will not get better in short time regardless of any
solution proposed.
When Trump was selected as the president of America, the rate of racism in
America has increased. It is reported by CNN Indonesia on November, 12 th 2016. There are
some statements from Trump that showed racism. Trump said that black people were too
stupid to vote him, also he called black people as shithole (Metro News, February, 27 th 2019).
It indicates that racism might be will arise like the old times.
In modern times, representation of this issue can be done in many ways. One of
them is through the film. Film can be said as the most effective and interesting way to show
the reality. It can bring the audience’s emotion into the message that the film wants to tell.
Get out become one of the film which shows racism in America. Even it is a horror mystery
thiller film, Get Out still can represent how modern racism in America. This film presents a
sensitive issue,but not complicated and unique.
Get out achieved positive responds and get 28 awards. Several of the awards are
winner of Academy Awards,USA as the best original sceenplay, nominee as best motion
picture of the year, best performance by an actor in a leading role and best achievement in
directing. Winner of Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA as best
horror film. Winner of AFI Awards, USA as movie of the year. Winner of African-American
Film Critics Association (AAFCA) as best picture, best director, best actor and best
screenplay.
 Because of that, the writer uses Get Out as source of data. The writer is interested
in analyzing film because it uses audio visual technique which makes the writer easier to
analyze the data, and the writer chooses Get Out because it has storyline that related to reality
of racism that happen in America. The writer undertakes to describe what kind of racism that
represent in Get Out film and how racial practices are showed in the film. For example in the
scene where Rose drive the car and hit a deer, the police does not ask Rose’s driving license
but ask Chris’s driving license because Chris has black skin. This act shows that racism can
lead to racial discrimination. Based on the reasons above, the writer chooses
“Representation of Rasicm in Get Out Film Using Semiotics Approach” as the tittle of this
research.
1.2 Previous Research

1.2.1 Sawitri (2009)

Her research tittle is “Semiotic Analysis About Racism Representation in the Multi
Races Country on the Crash Movie”. It is taken from thesis of Faculty of Social Science and
Political Science in Sebelas Maret University of Surakarta. The aim of her research is to
know more about the symbols that are used to interpret racism on Crash movie. By
understanding both hidden and unhidden symbols which show racism phenomenon, we are
expected to anticipate its negative impact. The method of this research is descriptive
qualitative.
The writer draws conclussion that “racism occurs because of prejudice,
stereotype, and discrimination that lead to racial violence”. This film can send various
messages or symbols that show the more complex racism. By learning about this film we
may find that although white and black skin conflict occurs in the high portions of level,
racism is not always about them. The racism that is described on this film occurs in
various levels, stages of life, also occupations; from people in the lowest level to the
highest level.
1.2.2 Hirzi et al(2017)

Their research tittle is ”Rasis dalam Film Ngenest”. It is taken from journal of
Communcation Faculty in Islam University. The aims of this research is to know how signs
represent racism in Ngenest movie. This research uses descriptive qualitative analysis with
semiotics from Roland Barthes.
 The results that is obtained from this research is racism. It occurs from negative
prejudice and stereotype to minority race that cause violence, insult, etc. For example in this
movie, Meira’s father thought that everyone that has Chinese race is crafty, deceiver and
stingy. It makes him does not let Meira too close with Ernest. This example shows that
racism happened from the negative prejudice and strereotype.

1.2.3 Maengkom (2017)

Her research tittle is “Representation Racial Discrimination Value in Twelve Years a
Slave Film by Steve McQueen”. It is taken from journal of Faculty of Social Science and
Political Science in Mulawarman University. The aims of this research is to identify the racial
discrimination and to understand the meaning of racial discrimination in Twelve Years a
Slave film. The method that is used in this research is descriptive qualitative.
The result of this research is Twelve Years a Slave delivers racial discrimination
clearly by using history and characters development. This film uses symbols which are the
character representation. This film makes the audience realize that we can not treat people
differently just because they look different. Everyone has same rights to live in peace in this
world.
1.2.4 Prayuda et al (2018)
Their research tittle is “Representation of Black Racial Discrimination in Glory Road
Movie”. It is taken from journal of Faculty of Social Science and Political Science in
Udayana University. The aims of this research is to find the representation of black racial
discrimination in Glory Road movie. The method that is used descriptive qualitative research.
The theory that is used is semiotic by Roland Barthes.
The result of this research is racial discrimination shown by the black race being
underestimated by statements from the white race. Not only that, the black race while on the
field was seen to be treated differently when on the field or harm the black race. This research
also divided discrimination into direct discrimination and indirect discrimination.
1.2.5 Riwu et al (2018)
Their research tittle is “ Roland Barthes’s Semiotics Analysis in 3 Dara Film”. It is
taken from journal of Faculty of Indonesian Literature in Pamulang University. The aims of
this research is to describe the form of denotation meaning, connotation meaning and myth
that found in 3 Dara film. This research is using descriptive qualitative as the method
research. This research also using Roland Barthes’s theory to describe the meaning of
denotation, connotation and myth that contained in 3 Dara film.
 The result is denotation and connotation meaning give us the understanding that being
polite and shows respect to another person, especially woman is really important. Myth in
this film illustrated in the scene when Affandy, Jay and Richard came to psycologist and they
are diagnosed have a Gender Diasyphora Syndrome. It is a symptom when a man slowly
changes his attitude and behave like a woman.

1.3 Position of the Research

This research has some similarites and differences with the previous research above.
The similarities can be found in the source of data as in Sawitri, Hirzi, Maengkom and
Prayuda. They used film that show racism. Another similarities can be found in theory that is
used in five previous research. They also used Roland Barthes theory to analyze the data.

This differences can be found from Prayuda’s and Riwu’s research. The research that
made by Prayuda discusses about the discrimination. Riwu’s research discusses about all the
meaning of denotation, connotation also myth that contained in the film. The differences also
can be found from all previous research is this research also find the kind of racism that occur
in the movie. All of the previous researches do not discuss the kind of racism.

1.4 Scope of the Research

The writer focuses on analyzing the scene that has racism meaning. The unit that analyze
by the writer is audio and visual. Audio contains of dialog/monolog and music. Visual
contains of angle, setting and gesture. Monolog is a speech presented by a single character.
Dialog is a speech presented by more than one character. Setting is both the time and place of
the story. Angle is the point of view to shot the film. Gesture is a movement of part of the
body. This research using Roland Barthes’s theory because it can explain the racism that
happened in the film and every meaning of signs related to myth. Denotation and connotation
meaning in this film lead us to the myth in society.
1.5 Problems of the Research

From the background of the study above, writer formulated the following problems:

1. What kind of racism that represented in Get Out film?

2. How the representation of racism in Get Out film using semiotic approach?
 1.6 Objective of the Research

1. The objective of the research is to find out kind of racism that represent in Get
Out film.
2. The objective of the research is to know the representation of racism in Get Out
film.

1.7 Significance of the Research

Theoritical contribution is expected to be given as complement for students of English

and Culture Department who study semiotics especially theory of semiotics by Roland
Barthes and wish to conduct similar research or improve this research. The result of this
research is hoped to give practical contribution in helping student of English and Culture
Department, especially in Gunadarma University to consider in choosing and enjoying
films so they are not trapped in choosing the film that does not have benefit. This research
also wants to make every part of society aware that racism become one of the biggest
problem in life that still exist around us with different way and attempt to relieve racism.