representation of women's body image in foster the people's ...

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN’S BODY IMAGE

IN FOSTER THE PEOPLE’S BEST FRIEND MUSIC VIDEO

An Undergraduate Thesis

Submitted to Faculty of Adab and Humanities

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

The Degree of Strata One (S1)

By

Ismaniar Nur Fajriah

NIM. 1113026000068

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

2018

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ABSTRACT

Ismaniar Nur Fajriah, The Representation of Women’s Body Image in Foster the

People’s “Best Friend” Music Video. An undergraduate thesis: English Letters

Department, Faculty of Adab and Humanities, State Islamic University Syarif

Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2018.

This research analyzes the representation of women‘s body image in Foster

the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video in 2017. This research aims to explain

representation of women‘s body image is depicted in Foster the People‘s music

video ―Best Friend.‖ This research uses qualitative method and descriptive

analysis technique to analyze the music video. This research uses two theories

which are theory of poetry by Laurence Perrine and theory of representation by

Stuart Hall. Based on the research, women‘s body image in the music video is a

developed idea from addiction which is implied in the lyric The representation of

women‘s body image is seen from the motion pictures that narrate the main

character who is addicted to the beauty and ideal body. She instantly absorbs other

women‘s beauty by eating them. A number of killing actions lead the main

character to the perfect body she wants but at the end of the day she is back to her

imperfect body. This music video represents the women‘s body image in today‘s

society that women tend to feel dissatisfied of their body so that they change their

body into ideal ones. However, this music video wants to bear on the viewer‘s

mind that having a perfect body does not defines someone as beautiful.

Keywords: Body image, women, music video, film, representation, poetry,

lyric, addiction, transformation.

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APPROVEMENT

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN’S BODY IMAGE

IN FOSTER THE PEOPLE’S BEST FRIEND MUSIC VIDEO

An Undergraduate Thesis

Submitted to Faculty of Adab and Humanities

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

The Degree of Strata One (S1)


NIM. 1113026000068

Approved by

Maria Ulfa, M.A., M.Hum.

NIP. 19821219 201503 2 002

(Day/Date: )

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

2018

iii

LEGALIZATION

Name : Ismaniar Nur Fajriah

NIM : 1113026000068

Title : The Representation of Women‘s Body Image in Foster the People‘s Best

Friend Music Video

The thesis entitled above has been defended before the Letters and

Humanities Faculty‘s Examination Committee on March, 28th

2018. It has already

been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of strata

one.

Jakarta, March 28th

2018

Examination Committee

Signature Date

1. Drs. Saefudin, M.Pd. (Chairperson)

NIP. 19640710 199303 1 006 _____________ _______

2. Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum. (Secretary)

NIP. 19781003 200112 2 002 _____________ _______

3. Maria Ulfa, M.A., M.Hum. (Advisor)

NIP. 19821219 201503 2 002 _____________ _______

4. Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum. (Examiner I)

NIP. 19780126 200312 2 002 _____________ _______

5. Pita Merdeka, M.A. (Examiner II)

NIP. 19830117 201101 2 009 _____________ _______

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of

my knowledge belief, it contains no material previously published or written by

another person nor material which is substantial extent has been accepted for the

award of any other or diploma of the university or another institute of higher

learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.

Jakarta, March 28th

2018


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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful.

In the name of Allah SubhanallahuwaTa‘ala, the Proprietor of life, the Lord

of universe. First of all, the writer reveals all praise and gratitude to Him for every

grace given from the beginning until the finishing of this research. Peace and

blessing be upon the prophet Muhammad SAW, his families, friends, and

followers.

Writing a thesis is not as smooth as the writer thought. It is neccessary to

gain support either in good times or hard times both from the beloved family and

closest friends. Therefore, the writer would like to express her deepest gratitude

to her mother, and her father, Rusli. Also, her two sisters Sumaya Karimah and

Kuntum Khairunnisa.

A highest apperciation is also extended to the writer‘s advisor, Mrs. Maria

Ulfa, M.A., M.Hum for her great patience, times, advices, and contributions in

finishing this thesis (despite of her hectic life of being a lecturer). May Allah SWT

bless her and her family.

The writer also would like to convey her sincere gratitude particularly to:

1. Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, M.A., the Dean of Faculty of Adab and

Humanities, State Islamic Uiniversity of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

2. Drs. Saefudin, M.Pd as the head of English Language and Literature

Department.

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3. Elve Oktaviani, M.Hum as the secretary of English Language and Literature

Department.

4. All Lecturers in English Language and Literature Department.

5. College sweetheart since 2013, HAPHAP: Dwi, Syanti, Desi, Jeanni, Ranie,

Ika, Zhafirah, April, Cingki, Ana, Ranny, Aurora, Febi, Lili, Sekar.

6. The writer‘s loveliest chicks on earth who never stops gives the writer open

arms, IPM Chicks: Fanny, Nurul, Ros.

7. The writer‘s dearest man, Matahari Semesta.

The writer hopes and prays that Allah SWT blesses, guides, and protects

them all. The writer realizes that this thesis is far from being perfect. Hence, the

writer will be very open to any suggestions and critics.

Jakarta, March 28th

2018


vii

TABLE OF CONTENT

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ i

APPROVEMENT ................................................................................................. ii

LEGALIZATION ................................................................................................ iii

DECLARATION .................................................................................................. iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENT ...................................................................................... vii

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

A. Background of the Study .......................................................... 1

B. Focus of the Study .................................................................... 4

C. Research Question .................................................................... 4

D. The Significance of the Research ............................................. 4

E. Research Methodology ............................................................. 5

1. Method of the Research .................................................... 5

2. Objective of the Study ....................................................... 6

3. Technique Data Analysis .................................................. 6

4. The Research Instrument ................................................... 7

5. Analysis Unit ..................................................................... 7

6. Time and Place of the Research ........................................ 8

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................. 9

A. Previous Research .................................................................... 9

B. Theory of Poetry ..................................................................... 11

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1. Figurative Language ........................................................ 12

a. Metaphor .................................................................. 13

b. Simile ....................................................................... 13

c. Personification .......................................................... 13

d. Symbol ..................................................................... 14

e. Irony ......................................................................... 14

2. Meaning and Idea ............................................................ 15

C. Theory of Representation ....................................................... 16

1. Reflective Approach ........................................................ 17

2. Intentional Approach ....................................................... 17

3. Constructive Approach .................................................... 17

a. Semiotic Approach ................................................... 18

b. Discursive Approach ................................................ 18

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS .......................................................... 20

A. Best Friend Lyric .................................................................... 20

1. The Paraphrase, Speaker, Audience, and Situation ......... 20

2. The Analysis of Meaning and Idea.................................. 21

B. Representation of Women‘s Body Image .............................. 26

1. Narrative of ―Best Friend‖ .............................................. 27

a. Envious Feeling ........................................................ 28

b. Horrifying Transformation ....................................... 29

c. Eating ....................................................................... 32

d. Imitative Transformation.......................................... 33

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e. Trashing Up .............................................................. 35

f. Triumph .................................................................... 37

2. Cinematography .............................................................. 38

a. Shot........................................................................... 38

b. Color ......................................................................... 42

c. Lighting .................................................................... 44

d. Camera Angle ........................................................... 46

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ................................ 48

A. Conclusions ............................................................................ 48

B. Suggestions ............................................................................. 50

WORK CITED .................................................................................................... 51

APPENDIX .......................................................................................................... 53

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Since a long time ago, body image has socially constructed the definition of

beauty in every cultures. The society accept that the women with ideal body has a

definite beauty. Hence, women believe that fulfilling the beauty standard will

make themselves gorgeous and attain social acceptance so they become blissful of

their own selves. As the result, the women do body projects or some efforts to

shape their body in certain ways.

Beauty standard comes in various form in every culture during particular

periods of time. The women in old time China, for example, were considered

beautiful if their feet were small. So, Chinese at that time folded their daughter‘s

feet with rope and wore them the small shoes for shaping their daughter‘s feet.

Moreover, In Victorian ages in Europe, women should wore a tight corset to get

the narrower shape of waist since the society thought that narrow-waisted women

were pretty.

As the time goes by, the beauty standard was changed. Globalization erased

the border among the countries all over the world, therefore today‘s beauty

standard seems alike in every culture. Take a look at Korea and United States as

two states which hold the parameter of international beauty standard. Nowadays,

we see that most of the Korean worship the white skinned girl who has a long leg

and slim body. This is reflected through their top-ranked girl bands and actresses.

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In United States, the society is attracted to tanned skin girls (some other prefer

white skinned) with the slim body.

In this information era, woman‘s body image is constructed through the

advertisement and the media such as magazine, billboard, television, and internet.

We can see that magazine most of the times prefer slim women for their cover

instead of the fatty ones. So does commercials, they pick the model with certain

body specifications like slim, full bottomed, and big sexy breast, to grab the

viewers attention for their products. As the result, the society unconsciously

accepts the fact that the ideal women are the ones with certain specifications.

Bodies are not only reflections of social norms and practices but also ―sites of

identity and self-expression” (Shaw and Lee 231). For instance, the people‘s skin

color, eyes, or hair, define their race and express their identity. However, it is

ironic to see that ―women often experience their bodies as source of despair rather

than joy and celebration‖ (Shaw and Lee 229).They dream an ideal body they see

in magazines, advertisements, and movies. For attaining such a perfect body,

many women do some efforts like diet, exercising, and even doing plastic surgery.

The issue of women‘s body image is depicted in many modern literary works,

one of them is music video. One of the music video portraying women‘s body

image is Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video. It is one of the song

released in 2014 from Foster the People‘s sophomore album ―Supermodel.‖

Music video packages the song in the more fascinating visual format so that

the people interest of the song raise. According to Oxford Online Dictionaries,

music video is ―a videotaped performance of a recorded popular song, usually

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accompanied by dancing and visual images interpreting the lyric‖ (―Music

video‖).

However, not all of the music videos interpret the lyric. According to

Andrew Goodwin, there are three ways which music video is related to the lyric:

Illustration, amplify, and disjunction. If a music video is illustrative or amplify

(which the lyric is related to the motion picture), the analysis of the music video

should involve the analysis of the lyric. On the other hand, it is fine not to analyze

the lyric while analyzing disjuncture videos since it totally has no relation with the

lyric.

As Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video is categorized as amplify,

this research should involve the analysis of ―Best Friend‖ lyric. The lyric tells

about the speaker whose best friend is addicted to something. By contrast, the

music video mainly focuses on the theme of body image. However, there is a red

line between the lyric and music video. The idea of ―addiction‖ in the lyric is

fixed into ―addiction of beauty‖ in the music video.

The writer decides to analyze Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video

because it represents and critics the issue of body image in interesting way. The

meaning of the music video is narrated through the dark-atmosphered motion

pictures like in horror movies. The motion pictures also grabs the viewers‘

attention by performing instant transfomations on the main character‘s part of

body (i.e expanding leg, narrowing waist, enlarging eyes, etc at a glance). The

issue appears in the music video would be analyzed by utilizing the theory of

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representation by Stuart Hall. This theory would be applied to see how women‘s

body image represented in the music video through the signs and symbol.

In identifying the problem, the writer firstly tries to investigate the song

lyric and music video in detail. It is found that ―Best Friend‖ lyric is about

someone who befriended a drug addict and he/she gave emotional support to

his/her best friend. The music video itself implies the addiction of beauty which is

indicated by the main character‘s effort to gain a perfect body. It tries to bear on

the viewers mind that shaping and transforming parts of body would not make

someone defined as beautiful.

B. Focus of the Study

Based on the background of the study, the research focuses on the

representation of women‘s body image in ‖Best Friend‖ Music Video including

its song lyric.

C. Research Question

The research question of this study is ―How is women‘s body image

represented in Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video?‖

D. The Significance of the Research

According to Creswell, significance of study appeared to deliver paticular

problem of the research for different groups which had been analyzed by the

researcher that may profit for future reading and future study (Cresswell 199).

5

Therefore, the significance of the research is to understand the music video which

depicts women‘s body image in the media of music video. The writer selects the

corpus since it clearly reflects women‘s body image in our society today. The

writer considers it as something fascinating because the topic of body image

becomes one of the commonly criticized issue today. The result of this research

hopefully would give advantageous knowledge to the writer and the readers of

this research. The writer hopes that this research can possibly contribute to the

richness of the topic of women‘s body image in literary study and film study.

E. Research Methodology

Methodology of this research is divided into five parts. There are: 1)

Method of the Research, 2) Objective of the Research, 3) Technique Data

Analysis, 4) Research Instrument, 5) Analysis Unit, and 6) Time and Place of the

Research.

1. Method of the Research

Creswell noted in his book, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting,

and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, there are two kinds of

reasearch method, including qualitative and quantitative method. According to

Braun and Clake, ―the most basic defintion of qualitative reseach is that it uses

words as data, collected and analysed in all sort of ways‖ (Braun and Clarke 3), in

contrast to quantitative method which use measurement or statistics as data.

This research utilizes qualitative method as the method of the reasearch

because this research relies on text and image data. Creswell states that in

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qualitative research method, the researchers might study individuals (narrrative,

phenomenology); explore the process, activities and events (case study, grounded

theory); or learn about broad culture sharing behavior of inividuals or group

(ethnography) (Cresswell 183).

2. Objective of the Study

This research aims to find out how body image is represented in Foster The

People‘s ―Best Friend.‖ Even though the lyric does not imply the issue of body

image but brings the theme of addiction instead, the music video clearly reflects

women‘s body image in our society today. The body image represented in this

music video resembles body image in the society today. The moving pictures in

the music video expose the slim body, long leg, and unwrinkled face of woman.

On the other side, it emphasizes the transformation of the main character‘s body.

3. Technique Data Analysis

In analyzing the data, the writer occupies descriptive analysis technique. It

means that the writer tends to describe facts that appear from the data collection.

The writer also gives their deep interpretation and deep understanding to

comprehend the meaning of their data (Santana K 53). The writer describes the

facts from both the lyric and the music video, then elaborates her interpetation and

understanding of the corpus.

The writer firstly analyzes the song lyric line by line by utilizing the

elements of poetry to find out the meaning and idea of the lyric. Then, she

watches the music video as the prime data many times by taking a look at

narrative and cinematography aspects. While watching the music video, the writer

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focuses on the issue of women‘s body image which is depicted in the music video.

The issue is being examined by Stuart Hall‘s theory of Representation. Lastly, the

anaysis is concluded.

4. The Research Instrument

A research instrument is a tool designed to measure knowledge and skills

(Parahoo 60). Since the instrument of the research in qualitative research is the

researcher, the instrument of this research is the writer herself as the subject to get

the data. Firstly, the writer collects the data. The process of collecting data is done

by reading the song lyric line by line and watching the music video

comprehensively. Then, the data is classified into: 1) Elements of poetry,

meaning, and idea of the lyric, 2) The representation of women‘s body image

depicted in the narrative and cinematography of the music video. Afterwards, the

data are interpreted and analyzed by the theory of English poetry and theory of

representation by Stuart Hall respectively. Lastly, the data is concluded.

5. Analysis Unit

The analysis unit would like to be used in this research is Foster the

People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video. ―Best Friend‖ music video was uploaded on

Youtube on Mei 29, 2014. The music video was directed by Ben Brawer. The

vocalist, Mark Foster, and Isom Innis are the writers of the song lyric. The music

video was published after the release of ―Pseudologia Fantastica‖ in the same

year.

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6. Time and Place of the Research

The research started from March 2017 in the Faculty of Adab and

Humanity, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In this chapter, the writer clarifies the previous researches and describes four

theories. The previous research are a powerpoint paper written by Georgia

Greaves and an undergraduate thesis by Fekky Noviyanti Rifani. Greaves uses the

same object as the writer does but has different way in analyzing the music video.

On the other hand, Rifani analyzes the different object but utilized two same

theories: Theory of English poetry and representation theory by Stuart Hall.

Since the unit of analysis is music video and the research deals with lyric,

the writer occupies theory of poetry to understand the meaning and idea of the

lyric. Moreover, the writer utilizes theory of representation by Stuart Hall to

examine the contextual aspect which is the represention of body image in the

music video. The explanation about all above will be described on the sub-

chapters below.

A. Previous Research

There are not many research regarding Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖

music video, especially for thesis, journal, and article. The only related discourse

that the writer finds is a power point paper written by Georgia Greaves analyzing

Foster The People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video. The paper consists of powerpoint

slides explaining the points of her analysis result. She explains the key koncepts,

depicted symbols, and technical aspects of the music video. However, she pays

more attention to the video (both the narrative and the cinematography of the

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moving pictures) than the lyrics itself in analyzing the music video. Greaves‘

analysis conludes that representation in this video is that women always wants to

be a perfect image or ‗ideal self.‘ It is clearly illustrated through the narrative and

cinematography of the music video (lighting, color, camera angle, etc).

What differs this research with Greaves‘ paper is that this research analyzes

the lyric by the theory of Poetry while Greaves‘ only analyzes the visual and

narrative aspects in the music video. Besides, the theories applied in this research

are the theory of poetry and theory of representation. Meanwhile, Greaves uses

two different theories which are theory of film (cinematography) and male gaze

theory.

Additionaly, the writer takes Fekky Noviyanti Rifani‘s undergraduate thesis,

The Representation of the Story of Adam and Eve in the Short-Music Film of

Tropico, as a model analysis. The research was published in 2016 by State Islamic

University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Rifani focuses on the representation of

the story of Adam and Eve in the short-music film. She analyzes the short-music

film ―Tropico‖ by utilizing the theory of poetry by Laurence Perrine and theory of

representation by Stuart Hall.

The distinctions between Rifani‘s research and this research is lied on the

unit of analysis and focus of the study. Rifani‘s unit of analysis is the short-music

film ―Tropico‖ meanwhile the unit analysis of this research is ―Best Friend‖ music

video. The focus of the study of Rifani‘s research is the story of Adam and Eve

depicted in the music video of Tropico while this research focus on women‘s body

image in Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ music video.

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In conclusion, there are two previous researches founded. The first one

analyzes the same corpus which is ―Best Friend‖ music video, and the second one

researches different corpus but occupies two same theories which are theory of

English poetry and theory of Representation by Stuart Hall. However, since the

first previous research does not utilizes any research method, this research might

be the first academic research that disscusses ―Best Friend‖ music video.

B. Theory of Poetry

Lyric is considered as one of the kinds of poetry. The word lyric comes

from Greece, ―lyre‖, the instrument that accompany the poetry performance at that

time. Therefore, Oxford Online Dictionary defines lyric as ―a poem composed to

be accompanied by the lyre‖ (―Lyric‖). In linguistic studies of prosody, lyric is

known as ―the mode of subjectivity — of self-reflexiveness, the mode in

which a solitary ―I‖ is overheard in meditation or conversation with an unnamed

other‖ (Perloff and Dworkin 2). In short, lyric poetry deals with ―I‖ as a subject or

the speaker of the poem, self-reflexiveness, and the musical device.

Since the oldest form of poetry is presumably sung and delivered orally,

lyric might be as old as the poetry itself (Perloff and Dworkin 5). This past-time

poetry usually talks about religious matters and functions in religious rituals as

the people believe it has magical power. In contrast, modern lyric talks more

about deep self-expression through the first person ―I‖ as the speaker in the poem.

Today, the lyric can be found everywhere in the shape of song, known as song

lyric.

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As poetry, lyric articulates a poet‘s experience, ideas, or emotion through

the words in certain ways. As a literature, ―poetry might be defined as a kind of

language that says more and says it more intensely than does ordinary language‖

(Perrine 3). It means that poetry has dissimilar language style to deliver the

message in contrast to any other literature such as prose, drama, and film. This

kind of language might rise some kind of sense to the reader.

Poetry consists of some elements that works together. Like parts of the

body, the elements of poetry are united and will have no function if works

separately. The elements of poetry includes denotation and connotation, imagery,

figurative language, and allusion, meaning and idea, tone, musical devices, sound

and meaning, and pattern (Perrine 38-236). However, this research only deals with

figurative language and meaning and idea.

1. Figurative Language

A poet normally utilize figure of speech in writing a poem. According to

Perrine, ―Figurative language -- language using figures of speech – is language

that cannot be taken literally‖ (Perrine 65). In other words, we cannot interpret the

meaning of a poem by interpreting only the way it is. ―A‖ in a poem may not

literally mean ―A,‖ it may be interpreted into other meaning.

Perrine states that there are some elements of figurative language, they are

including metaphor, simile, personification, apostrophe, synechdoce, metonymy,

symbol, paradox, understatement, overstatement, and irony (Perrine 64-112).

Since the lyric analysis only copes with metaphor, simile, persoification, symbol,

and irony, only those kinds of figurative language are described below.

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a. Metaphor

In real life, human tend to compare and relate people or things to other

people or things to make more vivid description. So does poetry. It often deals

with comparing and relating an object to one image. Comparing and relating may

occur the clearer image to the reader‘s mind. While the poet relating an object to

another and seeing the resemblance, it may be Metaphor or Simile. The word

―Metaphor‖ comes from Greek and means transfer. It happens that way

since“when using metaphor, we transfer one thing the identity of something to

something else that we associate with it‖ (Nims and Mason 20). For example, in

Shakespeare‘s ―Spring,‖ he writes ―merry larks are ploughmen‘s clock,‖ he

utilizes metaphor to identify larks with clocks (Perrine 65).

b. Simile

Another figure of speech which copes with resemblance and association is

simile. The word ―simile‖ comes from Latin and means ―alike.‖ Simile has

similarity with metaphor. However, there is certain distinction between them. It is

actually easier to distinguish simile than metapor since ―in simile, the comparison

is expressed by the use of some words or phrases such as like, as, than, similar to,

or resembles‖ (Perrine 65). For instance, ―I feel like a wreck‖ is simile, while ―I‘m

a wreck!‖ is metaphor as it omits the linking word (Nims and Mason 20).

c. Personification

It is not effortful to find personification in poetry. In other words,

personification is one of the favorite elements which is commonly used. While

personify an inanimate object, we see it ―as people, not only inanimate things but

14

also abstractions, movements, or events‖ (Nims and Mason 38). When someone

says ―friendly colors‖ it means that he/she utilizes personification (Nims and

Mason 38). In fact, colors are inanimate things and cannot show good manner like

politeness. But, the poet see the colors as if they are human beings who are

possibly annoying or friendly.

d. Symbol

Like most of the figure of speeech, symbol is ―an image that stands for more

that it denotes literally‖ (Nims and Mason 50). Symbol may seems like metaphor.

Nevertheless, metaphor works with A-is-B pattern while symbol works with A-

is-X pattern. Unlike B in metaphor which is identified, X in symbol is something

unidentified (Nims and Mason 50).

e. Irony

Not only a poet, sometimes, people unconsciously speak using irony in their

everyday‘s life. ‖Irony has meaning that extend beyond its use merely as a figure

of speech‖ (Perrine 104). It sounds like other figure of speech which has more

than literal meaning, but surely it has a difference. According to Nims and Mason,

Irony lead us to ―a play of opposites‖ (Nims and Mason 77). When the speaker

work with irony, there is contradiction between what the speaker says and the

reality. Irony is classified into verbal irony and dramatic irony. ―Verbal irony is

saying the opposite of what ones means,‖while ―in dramatic irony the discrepancy

is not between what the speaker says and what the speaker means but between

what the speaker says and what the poem means‖ (Perrine 104-106).

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2. Meaning and Idea

It is clear that meaning and idea underlie a poem. Perrine makes a

distinction between total meaning and prose meaning of a poem. A total meaning

is what a poem communicates in the way it is. By contrast, a prose meaning

stands for a meaning beyond the way a poem communicates. ―A prose meaning

will not neccessarily or perhaps even usually be an idea (Perrine 148).‖ The prose

meaning appears in many forms like story, description, statement of emotion,

presentation of human character, or combination of these types.

The idea of the poem is not directly stated. This unrevealed idea pleases the

reader, especially the one who is considered as message-hunter. The poem reveals

the experience, and the idea is the only part of the total experience. ―The value

and worth of the poem are determined by the value of the total experience, not by

the truth or the nobility of the idea itself‖ (Perrine 149). In other words, it is not

important whether the idea is wrong or right because a good poem concerns more

on the value of its total experience.

To sum up, lyric is considered as a kind of poetry that deals with ―I‖ as a

subject or the speaker of the poem, self-reflexiveness, and the musical device.

Poetry consists of some elements that works together. The elements of poetry

includes denotation and connotation, imagery, figurative language, and allusion,

meaning and idea, tone,musical devices, sound and meaning, and pattern. The

elements which are used to examine the unit analysis in this research are

figurative language, meaning, and idea.

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C. Theory of Representation

The concept of representation is firstly introduced by Plato and Aristotle.

They use term ‗mimesis‘ to define imitation of the nature in literature and arts.

Both Plato and Aristotle agree that a poet imitates nature, and the meaning of the

poem itself reflect the nature, therefore, literature is one form of representation.

Nevertheless, Plato and Aristotle has different perspective about the function of

‗mimesis‘ in literature and arts (Baktir 168).

In contemporary studies, the most commonly used theory of Representation

is presented by Stuart Hall. Hall is a Jamaican blood cultural theorist who settled

in United Kingdom from 1951. In contrast to Plato‘s and Aristotle‘s concept of

mimesis, Hall believes that the meaning of the text is not the reflection of the

nature, but constructed through the language (Hall 15). This concept of

representation is known as constructive theory.

According to Hall, there are two systems of representation. The first one,

known as shared conceptual map, is ―the 'system' by which all sorts of objects,

people, and events are correlated with a set of concepts or mental representations

which we carry around in our heads‖ (Hall 17). Then, this shared conceptual map

or shared meaning is articulated through the second sytem which is language.

With the work of language, this shared meaning is represented and exchanged by

the member of language. Language is operated with translating the conceptual

map to the written, spoken, or drawn language. This language with its varying

forms is called signs. People with the same culture share the same conceptual map

(Hall 17-18). For illustration, Indonesians agree that the arable land cultivated

17

with semiaquatic rice is called ‗sawah‘ whilst English call them ―paddy field‖ or

―wet rice field.‖ This may happen since Indonesians have the same culture and

language, so they can share the same shared meaning.

Stuart Hall in Representation: Cultural Representation and Signifying

Practices classifies representation into three different approach:

1. Reflective Approach

The concept of first representation, reflective approach, has been introduced

by Plato and Aristotle. They call it ‗mimesis‘ which means language imitates the

nature. Reflective approach claims that ―language simply reflect a meaning which

already exists out there in the world of objects, people and events‖ (Hall 15). It

means that language works like a mirror, reflecting the object just the way it is.

2. Intentional Approach

This approach believes that ―language express only what the speaker or

writer or painter wants to say, his or her personally intended meaning‖ (Hall 15).

Intentional approach denies that language imitates the nature, the person who

speaks the language is the one who creates the meaning of a language. So, an

apple as an object in the painting does not mean an apple if the painter says it is a

lemon. Even if it resembles an apple more than a lemon, the meaning of the

painting still depends on the painter, not the conceptual map that has been

accepted in a society.

3. Constructive Approach

Among three approaches of representation, Stuart Hall explores more about

constructive approach as it has significant contribution on cultural studies in

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recent years. Constructive approach argues that ―meaning constructed in and

through language‖ (Hall 15). Representation does not only reflects the reality,

because if representation reflects something just the way it is, the representation of

something will never change and the meaning is still fixed no matter how many

centuries pass by. The constructive theory itself devided into two major variants,

semiotic approach (influenced by Ferdinand de Saussure) and discursive approach

(affected by Michel Foucault).

a. Semiotic Approach

Swiss-French linguist, Ferdinand de Saussure who considered as the father

of modern linguistics states that the production of meaning depends on language

(Culler qtd. in Hall 31). Language is the system of signs and the signs can be

images, sounds, photograph, written words, painting, etc. This signs are used to

articulate ideas (Hall 31). Saussure believes that signs are build upon signifier (the

signs which carry the meaning) and the signified (the concept in mind which is

being represented). Besides, Saussure differ the language (langue) and the

utterance (parole). Langue is ―the rule of sign system‖ while parole is ―the

articulation of signs‖ (Fuller and Waugh 96).

b. Discursive Approach

Michel Foucault‘s discursive apporach introduces ―discourse‖ as a new

system of representation. ―Discourses are ways of referring to or constructing

knowledge about a particular topic of practice‖ (Hall 6). Discourse erases the

border between language as word and practices as action, and it consists of more

than a source and action.

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Among the three approaches of Representation explained, this research

occupies constructive approach since the writer believes that the issue of body

image is constructed through the language of the music video. Semiotic Approach

by Ferdinand the Saussure is applied because the analysis is done by reading the

signs to convey the meaning of the music video.

To conclude, Hall states that there are two systems of representation. The

first system is conceptual map and the second one is known as language. Hall

classifies representation into three different approaches, namely reflective

approach, intentional approach, and constructive approach. Reflective approach

claims that language simply reflects a meaning which already exists. Intentional

approach believes that the person who speaks the language is the one who creates

the meaning. Constructive approach argues that meaning is constructed in and

through language and it is devided into two major variants: semiotic approach and

discursive approach.

In closing, this chapter clarifies previous research and explains two theories

that are occupied in the third chapter. The previous researches are a powerpoint

paper written by Georgia Greaves and an undergraduate thesis by Fekky

Noviyanti Rifani. The theories are theory of poetry by Laurence Perrine and

theory of representation by Stuart Hall.

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH FINDINGS

In this chapter, the research question is answered through the analysis of the

lyric and the representation of women‘s body image in Foster the People‘s ―Best

Friend‖ Music Video. As the issue of women‘s body image is depicted in Best

Friend music video, the writer firstly analyzes the lyric, the relation between the

lyric and the music video, narratives and cinematography aspects of the moving

pictures, and lastly the representation of women‘s body image itself.

A. Best Friend Lyric

In this section, the lyric of ―Best Friend‖ is paraphrased, described, and

analyzed by using theory of poetry by Laurence Perrine. Firstly, the lyric is

paraphrased, then the speaker, audience, and situation of the lyric are identified.

Secondly, the meaning and idea are analyzed by paying attention to the figurative

language exists in the lyric.

1. The Paraphrase, Speaker, Audience, and Situation

In general, the song lyric talks about the speaker‘s best friend who suffers

addiction. Since lyric poetry often deals with first person as a subject/speaker, the

speaker in this lyric is the first person ―I‖. It is proved by line 7, ―But i can feel, i

can feel, i can feel it‘s beginning to end‖ (line 7). The listener is the other person

who is called ―you‖ by the speaker, mentioned in the first line, ―when you‘re best

friend‘s all strung out‖ (line 1). The speaker gives some advices to the listener and

his/her best friend regarding treating an addicted friend.

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In the beginning, the speaker preaches the listener that if he/she has a best

friend who is addicted to something, it would be better for the listener to prevent

his/her best friend from becoming worse as an impact of addiction. The speaker

has become a wiser person as he/she has recovered from addiction.

As the speaker‘s best friend becomes addicted, the speaker does various

attitudes towards his/her best friend, but it does not get rid of his/her best friend‘s

addiction. At the end of the day, the speaker believes that he/she just needs to let it

go since he/she has done the best he/she can. All the speaker can do is gives

his/her best friend emotional support.

2. The Analysis of Meaning and Idea

After the lyric being paraphrased, and the speaker, audience, and situation

identified, the lyric of ―Best Friend‖ is analyzed stanza per stanza. To get the

meaning and idea of ―Best Friend‖ lyric, the figurative language is identified,

interpreted, and analyzed.

In the first stanza of the lyric, the speaker gives an advice to the listener

concerning dealing with an addicted best friend. ―(When your best friend's all

strung out) / You do everything you can / 'Cause you're never gonna let it get 'em

down‖ (line 1-3). The word ―strung out‖ literally means ―strongly affected by an

illegal drugs‖ (―Strung out‖). But, as a metaphor, strung out in this lyric is pointed

to the condition where the speaker‘s best friend is addicted and affected to

something. It can specifically suggests materialisic things like popularity, wealth,

throne, or anything. The speaker says that the listeners should do anything to heal

his/her best friend from addiction in as much it is destructive.

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The speaker also mentions a characteristic of addiction which comes in

waves. ―Yeah, it comes in waves but it's hardest from the start‖ (line 5).

Addiction is a bad feeling which occurs more than once and comes in many times.

In the second stanza, the speaker flashes back to the time when he/she is

strung out. ―Feeling‘s sleeping, in the field again / But, I can feel, I can feel, I can

feel, it's beginning to end‖ (line 6-7). ―Feelings sleeping‖ that grammatically

should be ―feelings are sleeping‖ is classified as personification as feeling is a

non-living thing and cannot sleep. It indicates that the speaker‘s feeling does not

work anymore. Moreover, it is an irony to find that there is a contradiction

between line 1 and 2. In line 1, the speaker‘s feelings are sleeping, so he/she must

not feel anything. But, line 2 states that the speaker can perceives that his/her life

is started to end.

In the third stanza, the speaker describes his/her attitude towards his/her best

friend. ―It dries up / I've been a spoken word / I've been a river bed / I've been a

rabid force / And let it flow out from within‖ (line 11-15). The phrase ―dries up‖

indicates that the speaker flashes back and recalls his/her memories. ―I‘ve been‖

implies that the speaker is used to be ―a spoken word,‖ ―a river bed,‖ and ―a rabid

force.‖ Those dictions are recognized as metaphor. ―Spoken words‖ literally

means ―poetry that performed orally.‖ As in real life, poetry recitation brings

delight to the listeners, ―spoken words‖ suggests that the speaker smoothes his/her

words while giving advice to his/her best friend.

Nonetheless, his/her best friend may be comes to the speaker only in the

hard times. It is seen from the word ―river bed.‖ ―River bed‖ in literal meaning is

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the little flow that appears usually when the rain comes. It implies that the speaker

is a place where his/her best friend expresses his/her bitterness to or comes only in

the bad times. ―Rabid force‖ or the mad power refer to the speaker‘s anger to

his/her best friend. The speaker‘s madness is presumably caused by his/her best

friend‘s opposed action against the speaker‘s effort on healing his/her best friend‘s

addiction.

Regardless of all the efforts the speaker has done, in the end, the speaker

needs to ―let it flow out from within‖ (line 15). The speaker realizes that he/she

has given the best he/she can to heal his/her best friend‘s addiction. Now, it is

time for the speaker to let it flow. The speaker finally admits that the healing

proccess is depended on his/her best friend.

In the fourth stanza, the speaker reminisces about his/her best friend‘s

confessesion that something which his/her best friend is addicted to is necessary

for him/her. ―Yeah, you say it's what you need/ And hide your eyes when you're

close to me‖ (line 22-23). Nonetheless, the speaker‘s best friend always conceals

the truth that he/she is strongly addicted to this object. It is shown on ―hide your

eyes‖ in the sixth line. Hiding eyes implies denial. This form of self-defense is

taken by the speaker‘s best friend in order to conspires the speaker that he/she is

very addicted to the addictive thing. The speaker‘s best friend probably wants to

prevent the speaker from keeping the addictive thing away from his/her best

friend.

The speaker also describes his/her best friend‘s addiction by saying ―With

your feet up in the clouds‖ (line 21). It is a hyperbole that clearly illustrates the

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moment when the speaker‘s best friend is on the climax of his/her addiction.

Under the works of addictive stuff, someone‘s mind can fly and he/she feels like

landing on the cloud.

The fifth stanza is alike with the second stanza. It illustrates back the

moment when the speaker is under the control of his/her addiction. ―Waves in

theta, slipping into dreams/ Oh, I can feel, I can feel, I can feel the celestial

beings‖ (line 26-27). ―Waves in theta‖ means theta waves. Theta waves is one of

the brainwaves that is occured in the sleeping state. It stands for unconsciousness

which causes the speaker to slip ―into dreams.‖ ―Dreams‖ is a metaphor that

symbolizes the condition while the speaker is strung out. That is the reason why

he can feel the celestial beings, something that is not exist in the real life and only

emerges in his/her dream or hallucination. ―Celestial being‖ as a metaphor stands

for a joyfulness.

The speaker admits that his/her previous adddiction gives his/her an

excitement in life. ―Wilted pleasures leave you with a breath / I can see, I can see,

I can see the beauty in the mess‖ (line 28-29). ―Wilted pleasures‖ is a metaphor

that stands for the speaker‘s temporary happiness. It gives the speaker ―a breath‖

that means a life. The pleasure is wilted because it is not the real pleasure.

Besides, ―Wilted pleasures leave you with a breath‖ is known as personification.

Beyond the literal meaning, it means that the temporary joyfulness of addiction

gives the speaker excitement in life. Therefore, he/she ―can see the beauty in the

mess.‖ It is an irony which means that no matter how much the speaker‘s

25

addiction harms him/her, the speaker still thinks that it is something splendid for

him/herself.

In the sixth stanza, the speaker explains his/her attitude toward his/her best

friend. ―I tried to salt the wound/ I've carried more than I can/ I feel I've got a lot

to prove‖ (Best Friend 33-35). The speaker says in metaphores that he/she ―tried

to salt the wound.‖ ―Salt the wound‖ implies that the speaker used to worsen

his/her best friend‘s problem by doing something. The ―wound‖ stands for the

problem and ―salt‖ suggests the negative action he/she takes. The speaker does

something that makes his/her best friend‘s problem gets worse. The hyperbole ―I

carried more than I can‖ can be interpreted that curing his/her best friend‘s

addiction or problem is actually beyond the speaker‘s capability to handle, but

he/se still handles them.

The speaker starts to give his/her emotional support to his/her best friend

directly in the seventh stanza. ―You oughta know/ That I'm here no matter where

you go‖ (line 46-47). The speaker wants his/her best friend to know that the

speaker always be there to support his/her best friend even though his/her best

friend goes anywhere. The diction ―your‖ in ―with your head hanging upside

down‖ (line 48) refers to the speaker‘s best friend. And ―head hanging upside

down‖ as a symbol implies the opposite way of thinking. As the speaker‘s best

friend is very fond of something he/she is addicted to, it makes him/her think that

this addiction is good while other people definitely perceives his/her addiction as

a destructive thing.

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The eighth stanza is the part when the speaker totally gives an emotional

support to his/her best friend. ―I am here, no matter where you are/ I'm waiting

here with, open arms, no matter where you are/ Sometimes you have to wait,/

Until it passes by like a satellite or star‖ (line 50-53). It shows us that the speaker

accepts his/her best friend despite of his/her flaws. In this part, the speaker tries to

convince his/her best friend that this bad thing will be last and everything will be

alright, it is just a matter of time. So, his/her best friend only has to ―wait until it

passes by.‖ There is a simile in ―like satellite or star‖ to transfer the characteristic

of waiting for the satellite and star to pass to waiting to someone‘s return.

It is implied that the condition in this lyric is ironic yet motivational. It is

ironic to find that the speaker wants his/her best friend to be healed and do some

efforts for him/her but his/her best friend still wants to be on the wrong pace.

To sum up, the lyric of best friend implies the meaning and idea of

addiction. The speaker of the lyric is the first person ―I‖ whose best friend is

adddicted to something. The audience is the second person who is called ―you‖ by

the speaker. In this lyric, the speaker concedes that he/she has done everything to

cure his/her best friend and gives advice to the listener regarding how to cure an

addicted best friend.

B. Representation of Women’s Body Image

In this section, ―Best Friend‖ music video is analyzed through the theory of

representation. The representation approach used in this section is semiotic

approach, which means reading signs to understand the meaning. The narrrative

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and cinematograpy aspect of the music video is read as the signs that give

meaning to the text.

1. Narrative of “Best Friend”

The narrative of ―Best Friend‖ tells about a cannibal female model who is

addicted to beauty and describes how she eats other women to absorb their beauty

therefore she can gain a perfect body. The main character never feels good enough

of her body, so she transforms her body again and again by eating other women.

Nevertheless the inappropriate way she do to satisfy her desire at the end of the

day becomes a boomerang for her.

There are four women that she eats. As the main character has an

obsessesion of gaining a perfect body, she absorbs the beauty of other women by

eating them. The women that the main character eats depict the beauty standard in

modern society. The first woman she hunts has the slim body and beautiful face.

The second woman she gulps has sexy long legs. The third one has a smooth

unwrinkled face. The fourth woman has a tall body. Those characteristics are the

indicators of ideal women‘s body in today‘s society.

The writer found that there are some events which occur more than once. It

is called repetition, ―number of times, with which a story element recurs in a

plot‖. There is the same pattern of the way the main character eats another model.

This pattern is like a cycle that includes six phases that represents the process of

women‘s beauty projects in society. Those phases are envious feeling, horrifying

transformation, eating, imitative transformation, trashing up, and triumph.

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a. Envious Feeling

The cycle is always started with envious feeling as the main character scans

another‘s women sexier body or prettier face. This envy emerges a raging desire

for owning other‘s more beautiful body or face. Then, the rage turns her to be a

monster-like creature then the main character swallows her prey.

Picture 1. Envious feeling while scanning the slim model

(Best Friend 00:00:56)

Picture 2. Envious feeling while looking at the long legged woman


Envious feeling represents women‘s insecurity or dissatisfaction while

seeing other women‘s ideal body either in media or in real life. It is undeniable

that media has a big role on building women‘s ideal body image. Morrison‘s study

found that ―The sociocultural theory purports that mass media influences an

29

individual‘s perceptions of what the ideal body is, and bodies that do not match

this ideal are therefore thought to be unattractive (qtd. in Brennan et al. 130).

Envious feeling appears while comparing ourselves with other people who

have better assets in his/her life. ―Research suggests that scrutinizing one‘s self in

comparison to those who are less attractive positively affects self-perceptions.

Conversely, comparing oneself to those who are more attractive negatively affects

self-perceptions‖ (Morrison et al., 2004).

b. Horrifying Transformation

After the feeling of envy appear from her, the main character transforms

into a horrifying creature which is the second phase of eating cycle. The

transformation represents an alter ego of the main character. Alter ego is the

different side of human personality. The main character‘s alter ego is the side of

her who greedily ingest other models because she wants to be the most beautiful

amongst all.

Every time the main character hunts her prey, her head or face is deformed,

most of the time with big mouth, once with big head, chameleon‘s tongue, and

sharp teeth, and another time with long tongue.

The first horrifying transformation takes place when the main character is in

the restroom with the slim model. At the moment the main character feels down

and dissatisfied of her physical appearance, by contrast, the slim model radiates

her self-satisfaction. The main character scans the model from head to toe and get

envious of the slim model‘s perfection. The anger fills her and when it is

30

exploded, she turns to be a different woman from she used to be. She comes with

a big mouth and frightening eyes.

Picture 3. The first horrifying transformation with big mouth


In the second scary deformation, the main artist changes into an illustrated

fictional character with big head and sharp teeth like predatory plant . She sticks

outward her chameleon‘s tongue, then catches and swallows her prey. Chameleon

is a symbol of sudden transformation as the main character can instantly changes

into the woman she gulps right after she eats the woman.

Picture 4. The second scary deformation: big head, sharp teeth,

and chameleon’s tongue.


The third change is the same with the first transformation. The main

character has no significant change on her, she does not transform into a monster,

but her face turns scary. She frightens the woman on the billboard and implicitly

31

eats her eventhough the music video does not perform the moment she swallow

the woman.

Picture 5. The third frightening change (left side)


The fourth transformation almost totally converts the main character‘s head

from the normal one to the big head with wide opened mouth and sticking

outward long tongue. The main character drool comes out while tuck her prey,

shows her greed. The frame is dramatized by illustrating the main character

swallows half of the model‘s body, exhbits the model‘s half leg outside her

mouth.

Picture 6. The fourth monster-like transformation:

gigantic mouth and head, sticking outward long tongue


The monster-like transformation of the main character implies that women

can be an evil and greedy creature somtimes. They typically want to take

eveything they can get including gaining a perfect body. Today‘s woman are

32

never satisfied of their body and always wants more. When they are pretty enough

yet do not sexy enough, they want big breast or bottom. Once they have them,

they want long legs, and so forth. Some of the women undergone plastic surgery

―intend to return for additional operations‖ (Shaw and Lee 107).

c. Eating

The third phase of eating takes place after the main character‘s horrifying

change appears is ―eating.‖ Right after the main artist turn to be a predatory

creature, she suddenly gulps its prey. Nonetheless, in the first and third

transformation, the music video does not exhibit the moment the main character

gluts other women. If we look at those eating scenes comprehensively, most of

these actions take place in the quiet place or the backstage which is unreachable

from public attention like restroom, wardrobe room, or changing room. However,

in the third hunt, the main character attacks the billboard model on the billboard

itself.

Eating in this music video represents body project the women do to gain a

perfect body. According to Giddens, body projects are ―efforts to use modern

highly rationalized and technological knowledge and apparatuses to mold and

cultivate one‘s own body‖ (qtd. in Smith and Riley 2009). In real life, the women

shape their body by exercising, dieting, consuming supplements or vitamins.

However, many of them tend to choose an instant way instead of a long tiring way

to shapes their body. Bullimics for example, ―eat large amounts of food in a short

time (binge) and then make themselves vomit, or they purge with laxatives or

33

overexercising‖ (Shaw and Lee 243). That is why this music video illustrates the

sudden transformation that the main character attains after eating her preys

d. Imitative Transformation

The result of eating other woman on the main character‘s body is imitative

transformation, which is the fourth phase. As an illustration, after eating the slim

model, the main character‘s face resembles the slim models with her small mole at

a glance. The same thing happens after the main character gluts the long leg

woman in the gym, her leg is extended from the normal length. In the third

action, the main character‘s face goes unwrinkled like the woman she hunts on the

billboard. In the end, she turns taller like the tall model she swallows on the

wardrobe room though the main character goes extremely tall beyond the height

of the last woman she eats.

Picture 7. Face resembles the slim model after eating the slim model


Picture 8. Leg instantly extends after eating the long legged woman


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Picture 9. Face goes unrinkled after eating the unwrinkled model


Picture 10. Body turns taller after eating the tall model


Imitative transformation in the music video represents that women tend to

follow the beauty standard in society or imitate the model‘s beauty standard.

Zones stated that ―at any given time and place, there are fairly ‗uniform and

widely understood models of how particular groups of individual ―should‖ look‘‖

(qtd. in Calogero et al 4). As the western beauty standard demands them to have a

skinny body, most of the women just follow the rules and shape their body into a

skinny one. When their body resembles today‘s models‘body, there is a great

satisfaction inside of them. Whereas being gorgeous is not always have to be

skinny or follow the beauty standard in society.

35

The changes on the main character‘s body takes place step by step until the

main character‘s body totally transformed like a metamorphosis. It is clear that the

music video specifically focuses on the main character‘s body metamorphosis as

the impact of body image.The name of summer fashion show in this music video

itself is ―Metamorphosis.‖ It is displayed on the large billboard written ―10th

Annual ―Metamorphosis 2014 Summer Show‖ with a curly-haired black female

model on it.

Picture 11. “Metamorphosis” Summer Fashion Show on Billboard


e. Trashing Up

After eating, the fifth phase is trashing up. The main character vomits her

preys‘ belonging as the result of eating them. In the first murder, she barfs the

necklace and rings owned by the slim model. Yet, in the second hunt, the main

character vomits nothing from gulping the long leg woman in the gym. In the

third one, she trashes up the high heels from the woman on the billboard. Lastly,

in the fourth action, the main character retches the last woman‘s dress as the

consequence of swallowing the woman. Best Friend lyric is written on the dress

she pukes.

36

Picture 12. Vomits the slim model’s jewellery after eating the slim model


Picture 13. Vomits a high heel after eating a model on the billboard


Picture 14. Vomits a dress belongs to the tall model


Trashing up represents incapability of women to accept the body project or

the changes in their body as the outcome of body project. For instance, in reality,

many women suffer eating disorder like anorexia and bulimia as the backwash of

excessive dieting and eating behavior. ―Up to 20 percent of people with serious

eating disorders die from the disorder, usually of complications associated with

heart problems and chemical imbalances, as well as suicide‖ (Shaw and Lee 244).

37

On the other hand, cosmetic surgery is undeniably painful and risky. ―Face lifts

can damage nerves, leaving the patient‘s face peranently numb. More serious

complications include fat embolisms, blood clots, fluid depletion, and even death‖

(Shaw and Lee 106).

f. Triumph

The sixth phase of eating action is triumph. Main character‘s transformation

in her body makes her confidence raised and achieves much success in her career.

The main character‘s success is exhibited after the first eating action. It is drawn

on the scene when the main artist is exposed on the cover of numerous female

magazines like ―vague‖ (the parody of well-known female magazine ―vogue‖)

and others, and beauty products‘ advertisement namely ―raveton‖ (the parody of

―revlon‖) and others after the first eating action.

Picture 15. First triumph


Picture 16. First triumph 2


38

Triumph represents women satisfaction or positivity of their transformed

body. The studies found that patients of cosmetics interventions (surgical or non-

surgical) ―feel healthier and more satisfied with their appearence, being less

depressed or anxious, having better emotional well-being, and having more

confident‖ (Sadick 2).

However, at the end of the music video, this unhappy-ending music video

does not set the triumph as a final result of the main character‘s murdering

actions. Instead, it sets ―vomit‖ as the final result, symbolizing the incompetence

of the main character to accept the metamorphosis on her body.

The ending of the music video imlplies that what seems good in the main

character‘s mind is actually negative. There‘s no such things as perfect body or

beauty ideals. That is just an illusion that leads the main character to the

destructive behaviors.

2. Cinematography

a. Shot

Among the most commonly used shots occupied in a film like extreme long

shot, long shot, medium long shot, medium shot, medium close-up, close-up, and

extreme close-up (Barsam 163), the shot that dominantly used in this music video

is close-up and extreme close up shot. ―Close-up shot provides an exclusives view

of the character‘s emotions or states of mind‖ (Barsam 163) while the extreme

close-up shot used to exhibit the details.

The extreme close-up shot utilized in the very begining of the music video.

The camera capturing the name of the band, ―Foster the people,‖ typed in the

39

magazine and newspaper and the title of the song, ―best friend‖ formed by

cigarettes and drugs. The title of the song and the name of the band is captured in

extreme close up shot so that the viewer can see the detail of the magazine,

newspaper, cigarettes and drugs.

The magazine and newspaper symbolize the media that takes a big role on

constructing the values and norms in society, including body image. Moreover,

considering that both cigarettes and drugs have the same characteristic which is

addictive, drugs and cigarettes in this first scene symbolize the addiction.

Picture 17. Newspaper and magazine


Picture 18. Cigarettes and drugs


While the main character beautifying herself and taking some pills to start

her day after waking up, the camera snaps the cigarette, the make up, and the

40

drugs in extreme close-up shot. This technique used so that that the details as key

points are exhibited.

Make-up symbolizes people‘s mask in the society, indicates that the main

character covers herself with good image for the sake of her existence and

popularity. It shows that the main character does beauty project to make herself

pretty as a demand of being a model. On the other hand, the main character

possibly consumes a drug for a purpose; it can be for his physical health or mental

health (anti-depressant).

Picture 19. The main character is applying make up on her face


Picture 20. The main character takes some pills


While mirroring in the restroom, the main character‘s reflection is shot in

close-up. This shot is used to reveal anguish and dissapontment in her facial

expression. Her dissapointment occured after seeing the slim model‘s body that

41

she percieves slimmer than her body. This scene clearly convey that the main

character is unhappy or dissatisfied with herself.

Picture 21. The main character’s reflection is shot in close-up to reveal

anguish and dissapontment in her facial expression


Then, the slim model enters the restroom and her gesture comparatively

shows self-satisfaction. The camera portrays the slim model‘s grinning lips, gold

necklace, and smiling eyes respectively in extreme close-up shot. This shot

reveals the slim model‘s good vibration by capturing those details. Besides, the

gold neklace and rings represent the enviable asset that the slim model has

Picture 22. Grinning lips


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Picture 23. Gold Necklace


Picture 24. Smiling Eyes


The second woman whom the main character eats is the long legged woman

in a gym. The woman is walking on the treadmill next to the main character. The

focus is on the woman‘s long leg by occupying close-up shot. This technic is used

to grab the viewers attention to the other woman‘s long leg as an object.

Picture 25. Other woman’s long leg in close-up shot.


b. Color

Most of the colors appear in this music video red blue, red, and pink, with

dark tone. Blue color raises the impression of coldness and mystique, in line with

the music video narrative which is horror and thrilling. The red color imples

evilness, representing the main character evil side. Sometimes, it emerges when

the main character gets mad.

43

In the main character‘s first triumph, the frame is dominated by blue color,

combines with the low key backlighting to reinforce coldness, mysterious

atmosphere, and power. It establishes the impression that the main character is a

powerful yet cold-hearted woman.

Picture 26. The main character gaining popularity at a glance


When the main character scrutinizes the slim model with envious eyes, the

red radiant appears flickeringly, surrounding the main character as though a great

feeling of anger emerges inside of her. The red color works to reveals a raging

anger inside of the main character and shows her devil side. Moreover, the

camera is tilted from its normal horizontal position. This technic is called Dutch

angle. Dutch angle raises an impression of imbalance or madness in viewers‘

mind.

Picture 27. Red radiant surrounds the main character flickeringly


44

In the bar, she sits next to a drinking man (a band‘s personnel) who talks to

her. The main character does not seem interested or pays attention to the man‘s

words. Then, she puts her leg on the table and all of a sudden her leg extends. The

man next to her and the people in the bar look at her instant change in surprise. In

order to establish a shadowy mood, the red and blue lights shines dimly and

creates dark atmosphere.

Picture 28. Red and blue lighting in the bar


c. Lighting

It is shown on the next short scene that the main character is being

photographed by many journalists, narrating the moment she gains popularity at a

glance. The camera captures the main character‘s in close up shot to show her

villainy smiling face.

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Picture 29. The main character gaining popularity at a glance


In addition, the lighting operates in this scene is backlight and low key to

the main character. The blue color combines with the low key backlighting

vivifies coldness and mysterious atmosphere. It establishes the impression that the

main character is a powerful demon in disguise. This scene clearly illustrates that

the main character gets her confidence and becomes a fascinatingly popular model

like the slim model she has eat. The triumph she gets is the result of eating the

slim model.

The main character scans that woman‘s leg covetously while exercising in

the gym. The camera portrays the main character with close up shot. To provide

the dramatic sense of depth, the lighting dominantly shines the main character

from the back or known as backlighting. Backlighting provides dramatic sense of

depth.

46

Picture 30. Close-up shot and backlighting on the main character


d. Camera Angle

After eating the model on billboard, the main character is able to changes

her appearance rapidly. The camera snaps her almost full body in underwear from

the low angle and medium long shot. This camera angle depicts the powerfulness

of main character‘s transformed body.

Picture 31. Almost full body in bikini from low angle


In a summer fashion show, ―10th Annual Metamorphosis,‖ like most of the

mood established in the music video, gloomy and mystique air fills the catwalk.

The interior of the building has a Victorian gothic style with carved white wall

and classic chandellier. It represents the luxury of the supermodel world. The

female models walking on the stage are shot from low angle to give an impression

47

that those models are enchanting and powerful. The blue lighting shines the

models and the flashing camera snaps the model from any directions.

Picture 32. Pink radiance on the wall and blue lighting

on the model’s face with low angle shot


In conclusion, the analysis of narrative and cinematography aspectsin this

chapter reveals the woman‘s body image in modern society. The narrative shows

repetition, for instance, there is the same pattern of the way the main character

eats another models. The narrative of the music video wants to shows that the

beauty standard which the main character tried to accomplish leads her to

addiction and destructs herself.

The cinematography aspects commonly utilized in this music video are

lighting, color, and camera angle and height. Many times, backligthing are used to

establish mysterious, devil, and horrible characteristic of the main character and

the setting. The color mainly appears in this music video are blue, red, and pink.

This color gives the impression of cold, horror, and joy. The objects many times

are seized in close up shot to perform the detail of the objects. In addition,

sometimes, the main character is captured in low angle to reveal her power.

48

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusions

Music video of Foster the People‘s ―Best Friend‖ including its lyric is the

unit analysis of the research. The music video is directer by Ben Brawer and the

lyric is written by the vocalist of Foster the People itself, Mark Foster, and Isom

Innis. The music video released in 2014 under the records of Columbia Records.

Focus of the research is the representation of women‘s body image in Foster the

People‘s Best Friend music video and the critics of women‘s body image in this

music video. The writer utilizes two theories which are theory of poetry by

Perrine and theory of Representation by Stuart Hall.

The first theory applied in this research is theory of poetry. In theory of

English poetry, poetry is divided into three kinds: lyric poetry, narrative poetry,

and dramatic poetry. Some elements construct the poetry are connotation and

denotation, imagery, figurative language, allusion, meaning and idea, rythm and

meter, sound and meaning and pattern. The second theory used is the Stuart Hall‘s

Representation theory. It expains that representation stands to represent things

which connect the use of language, sign, and image to make something more

meaningful. Two system work in representation are conceptual map or shared

meaning and language. Representation has three approaches which are reflective,

intentional, and constructive approach.

49

Firstly, the theory of poetry, specifically lyric poetry, is used to analyze the

meaning of the lyric through some elements. Secondly, the writer uses the theory

of representation by Stuart Hall to see the repesentation of women‘s body image

in the music video. The representation approach applied in this analysis is

semiotic approach. The writer see the cinematopraphy and narrative of the music

video as the signs or language that articulates meaning.

The lyric of Best Friend is themed an addiction. The speaker in this song

lyric mainly talks about his/her best friend‘s addiction and the way the speaker

gives emotional support to his/her best friend. On the other hand, the music

video‘s narrative is about a cannibal female model who is addicted to beauty and

eats other women in order to transform her body into an ideal one. The

cinematography in the motion pictures clarifies the implication of dark, addiction,

self-dissatisfaction, and evil-side. The music video is classified as amplify,

because it retains a link with the song lyric and develops the idea of addiction

from the song lyric but does not totally changes the idea. The music video clearly

represents women‘s body image from the beginning until the end of it.

The representation of women‘s body image is illustrated from the narrative

of the music video. It portrayes the main character‘s addiction in transforming her

body into the ideal one as the impact of negative body image in the society. The

main character in the beginning feels dissatisfied of herself as she does not have a

perfectly slim body and beautiful face. This self-loathe leads her to some actions

of eating beautiful women to absorb their beuty. Therefore, she can gain the body

she wishes she could have. Nonetheless, after totally transforms her body, in the

50

end of the music video, she trashes up her prey‘s dress in the public, so that her

super skinny body turns back into the ―imperfect‖ body she used to have.

The ending of the music video wants to bear on the viewers mind that those

models‘ ideal bodies or beauties which the main character see as perfection is

actually an illusion. The more the main character transform her body, the more it

looks creepy and ugly. So, chasing beauty standard does not make her considered

beautiful.

B. Suggestions

Foster the People‘s Best Friend music video is a fascinating corpus to

research. The music video is not only represents the current issue of women‘s

body image, but also critics the way negative body image causes body

dissatisfaction and physical disorders. The writer of this research hopes that there

will be another literary research regarding this corpus viewed from the perspective

of psychology, since the issue of body image is closely related to not only

physical disorder, but also mental illness. Hopefully, this research can be useful

for the future improvement of literature study and become one of refereces

especially in English Letters and Language in State Islamic University Syarif

Hidayatullah Jakarta.

51

WORK CITED

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Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

―Music Video,‖ Oxford Living Dictionaries. Oxford Online Dictionaries, 2017.

Web. 20 Sep 2017.

―Strung Out,‖ Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam Webster Online,

2017. Web. 17 Nov 2017.

Baktir, Hasan. ―The Concept of Imitation in Plato and Aristotle (Aristo ve

Plato‘da Talkit).‖ Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu Dersigi Sayi 2 (2003): 167-

179. Web. 17 Nov. 2017.

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Norton & Company, 2007.

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View: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000. Print.

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Guide For Beginners. London: Sage Publications, 2013. Print.

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Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.

Cresswell, John W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed

Method Approaches. 4th ed. London. Sage Publication, 2014. Print.

David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction. New York:

McGraw Hill, Inc., 1993.

Foster the People. Lyrics to ―Best Friend.‖ AZLyrics, 2016.

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/fosterthepeople/bestfriend.html

FosterthepeopleVEVO. ―Foster The People - Best Friend.‖ Online video clip.

Youtube. Youtube, 29 Ma 2014. Web. 26 November 2016.

Fuller, D & Waugh, P. The Arts and Science of Crriticism. Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 1999.

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Goodwin, Andrew. Dancing in the Distraction Factory: Music Television and

Popular Culture. Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press, 1992.

Web. 1 Oct 2017.

Hall, Stuart. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices.

London: Sage Publications, 1997. Web. 24 Aug 2017.

Maria Pramaggiore and Tom Wallis, Film: A Critical Introduction, London:

Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2005. Print.

Nims, John Frederick and David Mason. Western Wind: An Introduction to

Poetry. United States of America: Mc Graw Hill Companies, 2000.

Print.

Parahoo, Kader. Nursing Research (Principle, Process and Issues) 3rd ed.

Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. Print.

Perloff, Majorie and Craig Dworkin. The Sound of Poetry/The Poetry of Sound.

Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009. Web. 1 Oct 2017.

Perrine, Laurence. Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry Fifth Edition.

USA: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1977. Print.

Santana K, Septiawan. Menulis Ilmiah Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif. 2nd ed.

Jakarta: Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia, 2010. Print.

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Contemporary Readings. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc,

2007. Print.

53

APPENDIX

Foster the People’s "Best Friend" Lyric

By: Mark Foster

(When your best friend's all strung out)

You do everything you can

'Cause you're never gonna let it get 'em down

(When you find it all around)

Yeah, it comes in waves but it's hardest from the start (5)

Feeling‘s sleeping, in the field again,

But, I can feel, I can feel, I can feel, it's beginning to end

Yeah, premonition smiling in the dark

Oh, I can see, I can see, I can see the story's starting to arc

Ohhh ohhhh ohhhh ohhhhh (10)

It dries up

I've been a spoken word

I've been a river bed

I've been a rabid force

And let it flow out from within

Sometimes it feels like I only dream in black and white

And color's so oh! (17)





Yeah, you say it's what you need

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And hide your eyes when you're close to me

(With your feet up in the clouds)

Well, it comes in waves, but it's hardest from the start (25)

Waves in theta, slipping into dreams

Oh, I can feel, I can feel, I can feel the celestial beings

Wilted pleasures leave you with a breath

I can see, I can see, I can see the beauty in the mess

Ohhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhh (30)

It dries up

I've been a river bed

I tried to salt the wound

I've carried more than I can

I feel I've got a lot to prove

Sometimes it feels like I only dream in black and white

Ohhh, ohhh, ohhhh, ohhh

And color's so oh! (38)





Yeah, you say it's what you need

And hide your eyes when you're close to me

(With your feet up in the cloud)

You oughta know

That I'm here no matter where you go

(With your head hanging upside-down)

Well, it comes in waves, but it's hardest from the start (49)

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I am here, no matter where you are

I'm waiting here with, open arms, no matter where you are

Sometimes you have to wait,

Until it passes by like a satellite or star

No matter where you are (54)


You know it

Ooh-hoooo-hooooo

(With your feet up in the clouds)

Oh, yeah, you know it

Ooh-hoooo-Ooh hooooo (60)


Oh, yeah, you know it

You oughta know

That I'm here no matter where you go

(With your head, hanging upside-down)

Yeah, you know when

That's how you know

When your best friend's all strung out (68)

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