An Analysis of Gender Representation Through Women Characters' Utterances in Encanto 2021: Critical Discourse Analysis
Abstract
This research examines how Encanto represents women through the
female characters' utterances. Further, the study also analyzes how
heteronormativity is represented through the plays. Encanto, which is set in
Colombia, reflects how lifestyle, culture, and social practices enacted there. The
characters, which are the most played women, put them at a disadvantage, even
though they are gifted with magical powers. Therefore, researchers are interested
in finding out how heteronormative practices can be enacted in Encanto, as a
representative of the Colombian people, and how it influences the representation
of women in that society.
The analysis aims to find out what Disney's purpose in representing
women as shown in the movie, and what underlies the film production process
from several aspects including textual, discursive practice, and socio-cultural. The
study uses Fairclough's (1996) three dimensional theory of CDA, which consists
of textual analysis, discursive practice, and socio-cultural analysis. It is conducted
to find out what meaning is implied in the discourse, especially regarding gender
issues. In the textual analysis, Searle's (1979) speech act theory is used as a tool to
understand the purpose of the characters’ utterances. Warner's (2004) heterotheory
(2004) is also used in this research to investigate the interdiscursivity (the relation
between discourse and one another) in Encanto. This research also uses
Fairclough's (2010) dialectical-relational approach to analyze how socio-cultural
practice influences the production of the movie.
The research applies the descriptive qualitative method since it focuses on
the utterances of characters in Encanto. The data are the selected utterances which
are taken from the script of the movie based on the gender representation.
Therefore, documentary research strategy is used, as it is thought to be the most
appropriate method for the research. The analysis found 32 data regarding gender
issues, which are then categorized based on the type of illocutionary acts using
Searle's (1979) speech act theory.
It is found that the most used illocutionary act, from 32 data, is expressive
acts which are used 16 times (50%). Further, the analysis
found Encanto represents women as the ones who are being disadvantaged
because of the heteronormative practices enacted in society. It makes them not
free of themselves. Heteronormativity in Encanto is represented in several ways,
including how they set an ideal standard for women, differentiate gender roles
between men and women, and the exploitation of women’s power by representing
them as community servants.