OPPRESSION AGAINST THE POOR IN DANNY BOYLE’S SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE MOVIE (2008) : A MARXIST CRITICISM
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement
for Getting Bachelor Degree of Education
in English Department
by:
BERNA DETA KURNIASARI
A 320070138
SCHOOL OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA
2011
OPPRESSION AGAINST THE POOR IN DANNY BOYLE’S SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE MOVIE(2008) : A MARXIST CRITICISM
A. Background of the Study
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British romantic drama film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A (2005) by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup. Set and filmed in India, the film tells the story of Jamal Malik, a young man from the Juhu slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Kaun Banega Crorepati in the Hindi version) and exceeds people's expectations, thereby arousing the suspicions of the game show host and of law enforcement officials. After its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival and later screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and the London Film Festival, Slumdog Millionaire initially had a limited North American release on 12 November 2008, to critical acclaim. It later had a nationwide grand release in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2009 and in the United States on 23 January 2009. It premiered in Mumbai on 22 January 2009.
The film opens with a police inspector (Irrfan Khan) in Mumbai, India, interrogating and torturing Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), a former street child from the Dharavi slums. At the opening scene four options are written as possible answers on how Jamal Malik won 20 million rupees: A) He cheated, B) He's lucky, C) He's a genius, D) It is written. In 2006 Mumbai, eighteen-year-old Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), a former street child from the Juhu slum, is a contestant on KBC (the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), and is one question away from the grand prize. However, before the Rs. 20,000,000 question, he is detained and interrogated by the police, who suspect him of cheating because of the unlikelihood that a simple "slumdog" could possibly know the answers. Jamal recounts, through flashbacks, the incidents in his life which provided him with each answer. These flashbacks tell the story of Jamal, his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), and Latika (Freida Pinto). The story of Jamal's life includes his managing, at age five, to obtain the autograph of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, which his brother then sells, followed immediately by the death of his mother during the Bombay Riots. Soon after, Salim and Jamal meet Latika, another child from their slum. Salim is reluctant to take her in, but Jamal suggests that she could be the third musketeer, a character from the Alexandre Dumas novel, whose name they do not know. The three are found by Maman (Ankur Vikal), a gangster who tricks and then trains street children into becoming beggars. When Jamal, Salim, and Latika learn Maman is blinding children in order to make them more profitable as singing beggars, they flee by jumping onto a departing train. Latika catches up and takes Salim's hand, but Salim purposely lets go, and she is recaptured by the gangsters. Over the next few years, Salim and Jamal make a living travelling on top of trains, selling goods, picking pockets, working as dishwashers, and pretending to be tour guides at the Taj Mahal. At Jamal's insistence, they return to Mumbai to find Latika, discovering that she has been raised by Maman to become a prostitute whose virginity is expected to fetch a high price. The brothers rescue her, and Salim draws a gun and kills Maman. Salim then manages to get a job with Javed (Mahesh Manjrekar), Maman's rival crime lord. Arriving at their hotel room, he orders Jamal to leave him and Latika alone. When Jamal refuses, Salim draws a gun on him, and Jamal leaves after Latika persuades him to go away.
Years later, while working as a tea server at an Indian call centre, Jamal searches the centre's database for Salim and Latika. He fails in finding Latika but succeeds in finding Salim, who is now a high-ranking lieutenant in Javed's organization, and they reunite. Salim is regretful for his past actions and only pleads for forgiveness when Jamal physically attacks him. Jamal then bluffs his way into Javed's residence and reunites with Latika. While Jamal professes his love for her, Latika asks him to forget about her. Jamal promises to wait for her every day at 5 o'clock at the CST station. Latika attempts to rendezvous with him, but she is recaptured by Javed's men, led by Salim. Jamal loses contact with Latika when Javed moves to another house, outside of Mumbai. Knowing that Latika watches it regularly, Jamal attempts to make contact with her again by becoming a contestant on the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He makes it to the final question, despite the hostile attitude of the show's host, Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor), and becomes a wonder across India. Kumar feeds Jamal the incorrect response to the penultimate question, and when Jamal still gets it right, turns him into the police on suspicion of cheating. Back in the interrogation room, the police inspector (Irrfan Khan) calls Jamal's explanation "bizarrely plausible" and allows him to return to the show. At Javed's safehouse, Latika watches the news coverage of Jamal's miraculous run on the show. Salim, in an effort to make amends for his past behaviour, quietly gives Latika his mobile phone and car keys, and asks her to forgive him and to go to Jamal. Latika, though initially reluctant out of fear of Javed, agrees and escapes. Salim fills a bathtub with cash and sits in it, waiting for the death he knows will come when Javed discovers what he has done. Jamal's final question is, by coincidence, the name of the third musketeer in The Three Musketeers, a fact he never learned. Jamal uses his Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call Salim's cell. Latika succeeds in answering the phone just in the nick of time, and, while she does not know the answer, tells Jamal that she is safe. Relieved, Jamal randomly picks Aramis, the right answer, and wins the grand prize. Simultaneously, Javed discovers that Salim has helped Latika escape. He and his men break down the bathroom door, and Salim kills Javed, followed by Salim's death at the hand of Javed's men. With his dying breath, Salim gasps that God is great. Later that night, Jamal and Latika meet at the railway station and kiss. The movie ends with a dance scene on the platform to "Jai Ho." It is then revealed that the correct answer to the opening question is: D) it is written.
A few critics outright panned it. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle states that, "Slumdog Millionaire has a problem in its storytelling. The movie unfolds in a start-and-stop way that kills suspense, leans heavily on flashbacks and robs the movie of most of its velocity. The whole construction is tied to a gimmicky narrative strategy that keeps Slumdog Millionaire from really hitting its stride until the last 30 minutes. Slumdog Millionaire has been a subject of discussion among a variety of people in India and the Indian diaspora. Some film critics have responded positively to the film. At the same time, others objected to issues such as Jamal's use of British English or the fact that similar films by Indian filmmakers have not received equal recognition. Slumdog Millionaire has stirred controversy on a few issues including the welfare of its child actors and its portrayals of Indians and Hinduism.
Slumdog Millionaire was nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 2009 and won eight, the most for any film of 2008, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also won seven BAFTA Awards (including Best Film), five Critics' Choice Awards, and four Golden Globes. The film was dubbed in Hindi for Indian release as "Slumdog Crorepati". Following the film's success at the 81st Academy Awards, the film topped the worldwide box office (barring North America), grossing $16 million from 34 markets in the week following the Academy Awards. Worldwide, the film has currently grossed over $377 million. Release and box office performance. In the Australia, North America, Europe, India and Asia – Pacific.
There are four points that make the writer interested in analyzing this movie. Firstly, from the characters in the film Slumdog Millionaire. There are many interesting characters in the film Slumdog Millionaire.
Jamal has characters who never gave up. He willingly and struggling to get their love of his childhood. Salim has a bad character, the heart to hurt Jamal, with Latika seized from him. He is also cunning, always making trouble with Jamal. here is an interesting character Salim. From children to adults he was always evil, but when Jamal follow the quiz Who Wants To Be Millionaire and get to the last question, Salim changed his mind, he sent Latika meet Jamal, because Salim realize they both love each other. But after that Salim suicide in the bathtub.
Jamal has characters who never gave up. He willingly and struggling to get their love of his childhood. Salim has a bad character, the heart to hurt Jamal, with Latika seized from him. He is also cunning, always making trouble with Jamal. here is an interesting character Salim. From children to adults he was always evil, but when Jamal follow the quiz Who Wants To Be Millionaire and get to the last question, Salim changed his mind, he sent Latika meet Jamal, because Salim realize they both love each other. But after that Salim suicide in the bathtub.
Secondly, in this movie there are wonderful experience about struggle and love. He tried to change his life with follow the quiz “Who wants to be a Millionaire, and he hope to find her love. This movie also shows the flashback of Jamal’s life.
Thirdly, based on the movie Slumdog Millionaire, we can see conflict, it tells about discrimination in social class. The plot was jumping up and down, the police interrogated Jamal and Jamal tells the story of the past when they met Amitabachan, yet but the flow remains attractive until finally Jamal can find love Latika. With a fight following the quiz Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in order for Latika watch the event, and they can be together like before as a child.
Fourth, the message the author is, that the gloomy side of experience which bring a fortune. The movie has an interesting setting. Slumdog Millionaire movie is a Hollywood movie, but the setting of the movie in the India. It is a good setting because to join some different movie cultures in a movie. From the setting, we can find the other side of Mumbai’s life.
Based on the background above the writer chooses the title of this research “ Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire Movie (2008) : A Marxist Criticism”.
B. Literature Review
The first study about Slumdog Millionaire movie conducted by Najjahul Immtihan entitled “Representations of Brotherhood and Equal Opportunity in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire movie (2008): A Semiotic Approach” assumed that the writer finds the kinds of representation of brotherhood and equal opportunity in Slumdog Millionaire movie. The study belongs to the qualitative study. There are many representations of brotherhood and equal opportunity in Slumdog Millionaire movie.
The second study written by Budiasih Wulan Nugroho entitled “Globalization of Pop culture in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire movie (2008): Sociological Approach” assumed that writer find example of Pop Culture in entertainment that is “Who Wants to be Millionaire”. It seems that Pop Culture especially who wants to be a millionaire quiz gives influence for Indian people surrounding, because this program became famous. The writer sees this movie in social condition of the influence pop culture in social behavior occurred in India during twenty century.
Based on literature studies, the writer who analyzed Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire movie by using Marxist Criticism.
C. Problem Statement
Knowing that the problem is the important part of research, the writer proposes, “How is Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie?
D. Limitation of the Study
The writer focuses this research in analyzing the Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie based on Marxist Criticism.
E. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem that has stated above, the writer formulates the objective of the study as follow:
1. To analyze Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire movie based on the structural element of the movie.
2. To describe the Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie based on Marxist Criticism.
F. Benefits of the Study
1. Theoretical Benefit
This study is purposed to give additional information to literature research especially those dealing with Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie.
2. Practical Benefit
This study can develop the writer‘s skill and ability in applying the Marxist Criticism in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie.
G. Research Method
The writer will describe the methods that use on research. There are five elements to support in research method, there are:
1. Type of the Research
The type of this research is a qualitative research in which the writer does not need statistic to collect, to analyze, and to interpret.
2. Type of the Data and the Data Sources
The types of data of this study are the images and the text which forms such like words, phrases, and sentences in a dialogues or monologues.
The writer takes two kinds of data:
a. Primary data source
Primary data is the main data obtained from all the worlds, dialogues, phrases, and sentences occurring in the movie related to the topic.
b. Secondary data source
Secondary data is the supporting data taken from the literary books, criticism, and sentences occurring in the movie related to the topic.
3. Research Object
The object of this research is the movie Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle and Written by Simon Beaufoy.
4. Technique of Collection
The technique of collecting data in this study is note taking, image, and capturing. The steps of collecting data are as follows:
a. Watching the movie for the several times.
b. Searching the script of the movie from internet.
c. Reading the script repeatedly.
d. Marking the point in the script to make easy analyzing it.
e. Taking notes of important in both primary and secondary data.
f. Classifying and determining the relevant data.
g. Taking notes from the material and some other resources related to the movie and the analysis.
5. Technique of Data Analysis
The technique used in analyzing the data is descriptive analysis. It concerns with the structural analysis of the movie and Marxist Criticism.
H. Underlying Theory
In order to know the Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie, the writer uses Marxist Criticism. This approach is appropriate because it is closely related to oppression and class social. To make this study easy to be understood, the writer divides this into two parts, namely Marxist of criticism and the major principles of Marxist Criticism. They are as follows:
A. Nature of Marxism
According to Suseno, “Marxism is the term for ideology about the relation between economic, social and political concept”(Suseno, 2001:5). “Of the criticism contained in this guide, Marxist has a long history. In 1850an Karl Mark makes an important statement about the culture and society. The basic principle of Marxism is not easy to summarize the essential Christian doctrines”( Raman Selden, 2005:82). Two well-known statement from Mark provide sufficient starting point :
It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness. The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.
“Both reports are deliberately provakatif. Mark berusuaha reversing people's minds. First time was involved with the real world. Both Hegal and his followers believe that the world is governed by the mind. People are required to believe that the ideas, life, culture, legal system and their religion is a creation of human and divine, which is considered as the guide of human life. Mark believes that all systems of ideology is the real result of social and economic existence. Material interests of the dominant social class determines how people see existence, individual and collective human” (Raman Selden, 2005:82).
“Marxism is scientific system of proletarian thought. From different angles we could give different answers on what is Marxism. From its creators, understanding results of inheritors, Marxism is founded by Marx and Engels, it is the system of ideas and doctrines which are enriched and developed by various ethnic groups of Marxists at later ages” (www.textetc.com/theory/marxist-views.html).
From several definition above, Marxism is scientific world view and methodology of proletarian, it is about the universal law of the natural, social and development of thought, relates to capitalist development and transition to socialism as well as the universal law about development of socialism and communism. Marxism is scientific system composed of a series of basic theory, opinion and basic methods, it’s a complete whole. Among them, the Marxist philosophy, Marxist political economy and scientific socialism are three inseparable main components in Marxist theory system.
Marxism began with Karl Marx, the nineteenth-century German philosopher best known for Das Kapital (1867; Capital), the seminal work of the communist movement. Marx was also the first Marxist literary critic, writing critical essays in the 1830s on such writers as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and William Shakespeare. Even after Marx met Friedrich Engels in 1843 and began collaborating on overtly political works such as The German Ideology (1846) and The Communist Manifesto (1848), he maintained a keen interest in literature. In The German Ideology, Marx and Engels discuss the relationship between the arts, politics, and basic economic reality in terms of a general social theory. Economics, they argue, provides the base, or infrastructure, of society, from which a superstructure consisting of law, politics, philosophy, religion, and art emerges.
Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820 - 1895) were both born in the same area in Germany, the Rhine Province. The importance of their upbringing in the Rhineland during this time period speaks for itself: Marx and Engels were heavily influenced by the French Revolution (1789 - 1793). In fact, citizens of the Rhine Province sympathized with, and actually took part in Napoleon's initial victories in Germany. Marx and Engels were also heavily influenced by the Industrial Revolution in England (commonly seen as beginning in 1760 and ending around 1830).
In narrow sense, Marxism is system of basic theory, basic ideas and doctrines founded by Marx and Engels. In broad sense, Marxism is not only refers to system of basic theory, basic ideas and doctrines founded by Marx and Engels but also includes successor to the development of it that is developing Marxism in practice. “Karl Mark remains one of Palin controversial figure in the Western world, although his death was more than a century. critique of capitalism kept coming and as promised future, apparently with the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe-the dream of Marxist and firmly taken root in the first half of the twentieth century” ( David L. Prychitko 2004: 416).
B. Major principles of Marxist Criticism
1. Dialectical Materialism
Dialectical is a process that builds reality that presence non existence and has steps to understand movement. It is started by the appearance of thesis that will formulate anti-thesis to encounter thesis. Finally, synthesis integrates thesis and anti-thesis to find out the absolute correctness (Markonina and Abadi, 2001:6).While, materialism means belief that only money, possessions, etcetera are important. Thus, dialectical materialism can also means a process that builds reality of materialism and understand of its movement.
Schopenhauer and Kierkegaard both derived their philosophical impetus from a reaction against the system of Hegal. But the most violent and most influential rejection of Hegelianism was that of Karl Mark, who described his own philosophical mission as ‘turning Hegel upside down’. The dialectical idealism of Hegel was in his vision to be replaced by a dialectical materialism.
2. Historical Materialism
Historical in historical materialism here concern with the description of past event or experiences. While, materialism means that only materials are important. From both definitions, historical materialism in Marxist theory is a system of thought that emphasizes on the change of economic and the societies associated with them.
Generally, belief that all that matters is material welfare, as opposed to spiritual or other ideals. Specifically Mark and Engels developed what they called ‘historical materialism’. Materialism developed, possibly independently, in several geographically separated regions of Eurasia during the Axial Age. In ancient Indian philosophy, materialism developed around 600 BCE with the works of Ajita Kesakambi, Payasi, Kanada, and the proponents of the Carvaka school of philosophy.
3. Alienation
Alienation means isolated or separated from the environment. While Karl Marx in Fromm:Based on 2001, argues:
Alienation means the existence of world is strange for human being. The world stands in above and against human as an object, although the world can be the creation of human’s object. So, basically alienation happens both in world and human in passive and receptive as subject which is separated from the object.
Based on the assumption, it can be known that alienation has specific meaning. There is more to Marxism, however, than the labor theory of value and Marx’s criticism of profit seeking. Mark wove economics and philosophy together to construct a grand theory of human history and social change. His concept of alienation, for example, first articulated in his Economic and Philosophic Manuscript of 1844, plays a key role in his criticism of capitalism.
Mark believed that people, by nature, are free, creative beings who have the potential to totally transform the world. But he observed that the modern, technologically developed world is apparently beyond our full control. Mark condemned the free market, for instance as being “anarchic,” or ungoverned. He maintained that the way the market economy is coordinated-through the spontaneous purchase and sale of private property dictated by the laws of SUPPLY and DEMAND- blocks our ability to take control of our individual and collective destinies.
4. Class Struggle
As a part of Marxist theory, class struggle is focuses on the struggle of the oppressed class against the oppressor. Mark believe that the identity of a social class is derived from its relationship to the means of production (as opposed to the notion that class is determined by wealth alone, that is, lower class, middle class, upper class).
Mark describes several social classes in capitalist societies, including primarily;
· The proletariat : “those individuals who sell their labour power, (and therefore add value to the products), and who, in the capitalist mode of production, do not own the means of production.” According to Mark, the capitalist mode of production establishes the conditions that the worker’s labour power generates an added value greater than the worker’s salary.
· The bourgeoisie : those who “own the means of production” and buy labour power from the proletariat, who are recompensed by a salary, thus exploiting the proletariat.
The bourgeoisie may be further subdivided into the very wealthy bourgeoisie and the petit bourgeoisie. The petit bourgeoisie are those who employ labour, but may also work themselves. These may be small proprietors, land-holding peasants, or trade workers. Mark predicted that the petit bourgeoisie would eventually be destroyed by the constant reinvention of the means of production and the result of this would be the forced movement of the vast majority of the petit bourgeoisie to the proletariat.
Mark also identified various other classes such as the ;
· The lumpenproletariat : criminals, vagabonds, beggars, and so on. People that have no stake in the economic system and will sell themselves to the highest bidder.
· The landloards : as a class of people that were historically important, of which several still retain some of their wealth and power.
· The peasantry and farmers : this class he saw as disorganized and incapable of carrying out change. He also believed that this class would disappear, with most becoming proletariat but some becoming landowners.
5. Revolution
The result of class struggle is revolution. Mark states that “all societies are progressing; believing progress is reactionary or revolutionary” (Bressler, 1999: 212). The revolution anticipated by Marx and Engels did not occur in their century, let alone in their lifetime. As Hornby (1995:108) defines that “revolution as a complete or dramatic change of method or condition”. According to Marx and Engels in the Class Struggle in Franc, 1848-1850 (1895:9) states that “a new revolution is possible only in the wake of crisis, however, just as certain as this crisis”. Revolution is the way for proletariat to sweep the class stratification, stop the exploitation and to make a new society, which in Marxist called a classless society. Revolution is the way to reach the equal prosperity in society.
C. Structural Elements of the Movie
1. Narrative Elements
a. Character and characterization
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art (such as a novel, play, or film). Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr (χαρακτήρ), the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of "a part played by an actor" developed. Character, particularly when enacted by an actor in the theatre or cinema, involves "the illusion of being a human person." In literature, characters guide readers through their stories, helping them to understand plots and ponder themes. Since the end of the 18th century, the phrase "in character" has been used to describe an effective impersonation by an actor. Since the 19th century, the art of creating characters, as practised by actors or writers, has been called characterisation.
A character who stands as a representative of a particular class or group of people is known as a type. Types include both stock characters and those that are more fully individualised. The characters in Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (1891) and August Strindberg's Miss Julie (1888), for example, are representative of specific positions in the social relations of class and gender, such that the conflicts between the characters reveal ideological conflicts.
The study of a character requires an analysis of its relations with all of the other characters in the work. The individual status of a character is defined through the network of oppositions (proairetic, pragmatic, linguistic, proxemic ) that it forms with the other characters. The relation between characters and the action of the story shifts historically, often miming shifts in society and its ideas about human individuality, self-determination, and the social order.
b. Casting
The casting process sometimes involves a series of auditions before a casting panel, composed of individuals such as the producer, director and or choreographer. In the early stages of the process, performers often may present prepared audition pieces such as monologues or songs. Later stages may involve groups of actors attempting material from the work under consideration in various combinations; the Casting Director considers both the talent of the individual actors and the chemistry of their combination.
Briefly, casting is one of the movie elements in which it is a process of selecting actors, dancers and others, so those actors can form breathtaking performance because of their acting.
c. Plot
Plot refers to the series of events that give a story its meaning and effect. In most stories, these events arise out of conflict experienced by the main character. The conflict may come from something external, like a dragon or an overbearing mother, or it may stem from an internal issue, such as jealousy, loss of identity, or overconfidence. As the character makes choices and tries to resolve the problem, the story's action is shaped and plot is generated. In some stories, the author structures the entire plot chronologically, with the first event followed by the second, third, and so on, like beads on a string. However, many other stories are told with flashback techniques in which plot events from earlier times interrupt the story's "current"events.
All stories are unique, and in one sense there are as many plots as there are stories. In one general view of plot, however and one that describes many works of fiction the story begins with rising action as the character experiences conflict through a series of plot complications that entangle him or her more deeply in the problem. This conflict reaches a climax, after which the conflict is resolved, and the falling action leads quickly to the story's end. Things have generally changed at the end of a story, either in the character or the situation; drama subsides, and a new status quo is achieved.
All stories are unique, and in one sense there are as many plots as there are stories. In one general view of plot, however and one that describes many works of fiction the story begins with rising action as the character experiences conflict through a series of plot complications that entangle him or her more deeply in the problem. This conflict reaches a climax, after which the conflict is resolved, and the falling action leads quickly to the story's end. Things have generally changed at the end of a story, either in the character or the situation; drama subsides, and a new status quo is achieved.
The ending of the story is giving the problem solving all events in society or resolution. In this stage the characters present the way out for resolving their problem and giving the satisfaction to audience through the story. Finally, plot is sequence of events so the story is composed. Plot is a linking of the exposition of the beginning , the middle and the end.
d. Setting
Setting, quite simply, is the story’s time and place. While setting includes simple attributes such as climate or wall décor, it can also include complex dimensions such as the historical moment the story occupies or its social context. Because particular places and times have their own personality or emotional essence (such as the stark feel of a desert or the grim, wary resolve in the United States after the September 11th attacks), setting is also one of the primary ways that a fiction writer establishes mood. Typically, short stories occur in limited locations and time frames, such as the two rooms involved in Kate Chopin’s "The Story of an Hour," whereas novels may involve many different settings in widely varying landscapes. Even in short stories, however, readers should become sensitive to subtle shifts in setting. For example, when the grieving Mrs. Mallard retires alone to her room, with "new spring life" visible out the window, this detail about the setting helps reveal a turn in the plot. Setting is often developed with narrative description, but it may also be shown with action, dialogue, or a character’s thoughts.
e. Point of View
Point of view in fiction refers to the source and scope of the narrative voice. In the first-person point of view, usually identifiable by the use of the pronoun "I," a character in the story does the narration. A first-person narrator may be a major character and is often its protagonist. A first-person narrator may also be a minor character, someone within the story but not centrally involved, as in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," which is told by a member of the town who is not active in the plot but has observed the events. The author's choice of point of view has a significant effect on the story's voice and on the type of information given to the reader. In first-person narration, for example, what can be shown is limited to the character's observation and thoughts, and any skewed perceptions in the narrator will be passed on to the reader. Third-person point of view occurs when the narrator does not take part in the story.
There are three types of third-person point of view. In third-person omniscient, the narrative voice can render information from anywhere, including the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters. This all-knowing perspective allows the narrator to roam freely in the story's setting and even beyond. In third-person limited, sometimes called third-person sympathetic, the narrative voice can relate what is in the minds of only a select few characters (often only one, the point-of-view character). In third-person objective, the narrator renders explicit, observable details and does not have access to the internal thoughts of characters or background information about the setting or situation. A character's thoughts, for example, are inferred only by what is expressed openly, in actions or in words. This point of view is also known as third-person dramatic because it is generally the way drama is developed. While the second-person point of view exists, it is not used very often because making the reader part of the story can be awkward: "You walk to the end of the road and pause before heading towards the river."
f. Theme
Theme is the meaning or concept we are left with after reading a piece of fiction. Theme is an answer to the question, "What did you learn from this?" In some cases a story's theme is a prominent element and somewhat unmistakable. It would be difficult to read Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" without understanding that the institution of nineteenth-century marriage robbed Mrs. Mallard of her freedom and identity. In some pieces of fiction, however, the theme is more elusive. Too much focus on pinning down a story's theme can obscure the accompanying emotional context or the story's intentional ambiguity (especially for contemporary fiction). In fact, the function of some contemporary short stories, such as Donald Barthelme's "In the Tolstoy Museum," is in part to make us confront the limitations of traditional processes of establishing meaning and coherence. In most cases, though, theme is still an important element of story construction (even in its absence), providing the basis for many valuable discussions.
2. Technical Elements
According to Boardwell and Thompson (1990:1260) technical elements movie consist of Mise-en-Scene, cinematography, sound, and editing.
a. Mise-en-Scene
Mise-en-Scene is the one of with which we are most familiar. In original French, mise-se-scene (meez-ahn-sen) means “staging an action” and it as first applied to the practice of directing plays (Boardwell and Thompson, 1990:127). Mise-en-scene sometimes can be the entire major of scenes that use only visual to convey moods, characterizations, and meanings (Philips,2005;11). Mise-en-scene includes those aspects that overlap with the art of theatre: setting, lighting, costume, and the behavior of the figures.
1) Setting
Setting, quite simply, is the story’s time and place. While setting includes simple attributes such as climate or wall décor, it can also include complex dimensions such as the historical moment the story occupies or its social context. Because particular places and times have their own personality or emotional essence (such as the stark feel of a desert or the grim, wary resolve in the United States after the September 11th attacks), setting is also one of the primary ways that a fiction writer establishes mood. Typically, short stories occur in limited locations and time frames, such as the two rooms involved in Kate Chopin’s "The Story of an Hour," whereas novels may involve many different settings in widely varying landscapes. Even in short stories, however, readers should become sensitive to subtle shifts in setting. For example, when the grieving Mrs. Mallard retires alone to her room, with "new spring life" visible out the window, this detail about the setting helps reveal a turn in the plot. Setting is often developed with narrative description, but it may also be shown with action, dialogue, or a character’s thoughts.
2) Lighting
When we record using photographic instruments we record light. We do not record objects, people, buildings or anything at all - we record light. Image is what the mind does to the light once it is recorded and played back. Cinematographers strive to have control over lighting conditions. The most experienced ones have full control over lighting and work with the director to create mood and effect as well as consistent continuity throughout the film.
Lighting should provide a sufficient level of illumination because lighting quality refers to the relative intensity of the illumination. The source of lighting can be formed as fire, sun, lamp, candle, and so on. Lighting is clearly as a key building block of the photographic image.
3) Costumes
The term costume also includes accessories, such as the shoe foot covering, usually of leather, consisting of a sole and a portion above the sole called an upper. In prehistoric times skins or hides may have been tied around the foot for protection and warmth; studies of the foot bones of ancient humans suggest that some.
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Stage clothes is a term for any clothes used by performers (singers, actors, or dancers). A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.
Movie makeup is a combination of art and science. It is both corrective, covering flaws and emphasizing attractive features, and creative, enabling actors to inhabit almost any type of character. Movie makeup that is used to hide pores, wrinkles, and other facial imperfections must withstand close scrutiny when magnified on screen. Makeup and hairstyles must look natural, but be durable enough to last for long hours under hot lights while actors fight, kiss, and sweat. Good makeup design requires research, experimentation, and sometimes inventing makeup products or appliances.
Fashion makeup is used in magazine photography as well as on the fashion runway. Avant Garde Makeup is also an applicable technique used for projects that require experimental themes. Fashion makeup is also commonly used in television and film ranging for the natural prime look to more sophisticated applications such as color balance.
b. Cinematography
In the film industry, the cinematographer is responsible for the technical aspects of the images (lighting, lens choices, composition, exposure, filtration, film selection), but works closely with the director to ensure that the artistic aesthetics are supporting the director's vision of the story being told. The cinematographers are the heads of the camera, grip and lighting crew on a set, and for this reason they are often called directors of photography or DPs.
Directors of photography make many creative and interpretive decisions during the course of their work, from pre-production to post-production, all of which affect the overall feel and look of the motion picture. Many of these decisions are similar to what a photographer needs to note when taking a picture: the cinematographer controls the film choice itself (from a range of available stocks with varying sensitivities to light and color), the selection of lens focal lengths, aperture exposure and focus. Cinematography, however, has a temporal aspect (see persistence of vision), unlike still photography, which is purely a single still image. It is also bulkier and more strenuous to deal with movie cameras, and it involves a more complex array of choices. As such a cinematographer often needs to work co-operatively with more people than does a photographer, who could frequently function as a single person. As a result, the cinematographer's job also includes personnel management and logistical organization.
Cinematography is an art form unique to motion pictures. Although the exposing of images on light-sensitive elements dates back to the early 19th century (Canadian Geographic), motion pictures demanded a new form of photography and new aesthetic techniques.
In the infancy of motion pictures, the cinematographer was usually also the director and the person physically handling the camera. As the art form and technology evolved, a separation between director and camera operator emerged. With the advent of artificial lighting and faster (more light sensitive) film stocks, in addition to technological advancements in optics and various techniques such as color film and widescreen, the technical aspects of cinematography necessitated a specialist in that area. Cinematography was key during the silent movie era - no sound apart from background music, no dialogue - the films depended on lighting, acting and set.
c. Sound
Sound is not essential to a motion picture however sound is so common in film that it is included as an essential element. For the first 30 years of cinema motion pictures did not have sound tracks; sound technology evolved more slowly that the motion picture technology. Since films had no sound track, an organist, pianist or small ensemble would accompany the film. The score was played live. Now sound is an integral part of the film and it has been since 1928. For a few years, sound technology, since it lagged behind photo technology, forced cinematographers to return to more primitive filming styles. Many of the camera motions had to be abandoned because the microphones could not record sound at a distance. Microphones were awkwardly hidden in props close to the actors but out of necessity, the sound technology quickly advanced to meet the needs of the dynamic film styles that were developed in the 1920's and even earlier.
Most films now include dialogue recorded on the sound stage, sound effects that are included during post production, music scores, narrations and voice overs. The explosions, gunshots, car crash sounds, wind, rain, and thousands of other sounds are all added during post production by sound designers called "foley artists."
Believe it or not, professional film productions do not use the built in microphones included with consumer camcorders. Professionals use expensive sound equipment that is beyond the financial reach and technical know-how of most amateurs. The quality of the built in mikes is poor and acceptable results can only be achieved in a indoors in a well "padded" room without a fan, air-conditioning or electric motors. Like the camera, the microphone does not differentiate and separate the good sound from the bad sound. For this reason it is very difficult to do a good dialogue with the built in mikes and often you will need to resort to a narrative voice over to tell your story.
d. Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media. A person who edits is called an editor. In a sense, the editing process originates with the idea for the work itself and continues in the relationship between the author and the editor. Editing is, therefore, also a practice that includes creative skills, human relations, and a precise set of methods. Like sound technology, lighting is expensive and requires knowledge to use it effectively.
There are various editorial positions in publishing. Typically, one finds junior editorial assistants reporting to the senior-level editorial staff and directors who report to senior executive editors. Senior executive editors are responsible for developing a product to its final release. The smaller the publication, the more these roles run together.
I. Theoretical Application
In this research, the writer uses Marxist Criticism to analyze the movie. The writer focuses on analyzing the Oppression Against the Poor in Danny Boyle’s in Slumdog Millionaire Movie. There are some steps in analyzing the film. Firstly, the researcher begins from the structural elements of the movie which consist of characters and characterization, casting, plot, technical elements, point of view, and theme. Secondly, the writers researchers the Marxist Criticism that appropriate to analyze the social background of literary works since it analyzes the social class condition. The previous technique will be applied in the next chapter to get the deeper understanding about social background of such literary work.
J. Research Paper Organization
This research paper consists of six chapters. The first chapter is introduction, which contains the background of the study, literary review, problem statement, objective of the study, limitation of the study, benefit of the study, research method, and the last is research organization. Second chapter is underlying theory. The third chapter deals with Social background of Slumdog Millionaire movie. Fourth chapter deals with the structural analysis of Slumdog Millionaire movie. Analysis and discussion of Slumdog Millionaire movie is presented in fifth chapter. Finally, the sixth chapter consist conclusion and suggestion.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bressler, Charles E. 1999. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and
Practices.USA: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Bunnin, Nicholas. 2004. Background of Western Culture. Australia : Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Hornby, A.S. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English.
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Immtihan, Najjahul. 2008. Representations of Brotherhood and Equal Opportunity in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire movie, A Semiotic Approach. Unpublished Research Paper. Surakarta: Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
Knowles. Dudley. 2002. Hegel and the Philosophy of Right. New York. Routledge is an imprint of the Tylor & Francis Group.
Murfin, Ross. 1988. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Bedford Books.
Selden, Raman.1985. A Reader’s Guide to Contamporary Literary Theories. Great Britain: The Harvester Press Limited.
Suseno, Franz Magnis.2001. Pemikiran Karl Marx: Dari Sosialis Utopis sampai ke Perselisihan Revisionism.Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Wulan. Budiasih. 2008. Globalization of Pop culture in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire movie A Sociological Approach. Unpublished Research Paper. Surakarta: Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
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