Social, Political, and Cultural Discourse in the Movie Gadis Kretek: A Critical Discourse Analysis by Ruth Wodak

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the representation of social, political, and cultural discourse in the film Gadis Kretek using the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) developed by Ruth Wodak. This film not only presents a fictional story, but also reflects the historical conditions and socio-political dynamics of Indonesia, especially related to issues of gender inequality, class conflict, political repression, and cultural identity. This research is a qualitative study using the critical discourse analysis method. The DHA approach is used to examine the relationship between text, socio-historical context, and discourse practices. Data were collected through observation of film narratives, dialogues between characters, and visual elements containing ideological representations. The results of the study show that the film Gadis Kretek contains various discourses that reflect the reality of Indonesian society. Social discourse is seen in the representation of gender inequality and class relations. Political discourse is present through the depiction of state repression, historical silencing, and past trauma. Cultural discourse is reflected in the symbol of kretek, traditional values, and the struggle for meaning in forming a national identity. Through these three realms of discourse, this film reveals how power, ideology, and identity are reproduced and negotiated through cultural media. This study concludes that Gadis Kretek is a critical and reflective cultural text, which can be used as a tool to understand the dynamics of discourse in Indonesian society. In addition, this study also shows the effectiveness of the DHA approach in analyzing popular cultural texts that are full of socio-political and historical meanings.