Repesentation of blonde girl though elle woods as the major character in the film legally Blonde

THE REPRESENTATION OF BLONDE GIRL THROUGH ELLE WOODS AS
THE MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE FILM “LEGALLY BLONDE”
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements For the Strata One Degree

CITRAMINARTI
104026000949

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2009

APPROVEMENT

THE REPRESENTATION OF BLONDE GIRL THROUGH ELLE WOODS AS THE
MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE FILM “LEGALLY BLONDE”

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For
the Strata One Degree

Citraminarti
NIM. 104026000949

Approved by

Innayatul Chusna, M. Hum
NIP. 150 331 233
Supervisor

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2009

LEGALIZATION

The thesis entitled “The Representation of Blonde Girl through Elle Woods as the Major
Character in the Film Legally Blonde” has been defended before the Letters and Humanities
Faculty’s Examination Committee on August 19, 2009. The thesis has already been accapted
as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Strata One Degree.

Jakarta, August 19 , 2009

Examination Committee

Chair Person,

Secretary,

Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M.Pd
NIP. 150 299 480

Drs. A Saefuddin, M.Pd
NIP. 150 261 902

Members:

Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M.Pd
NIP. 150 299 480

Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum
NIP. 150 317 725

ABSTRACT

Citraminarti, The Representation of Blonde Girl through Elle Woods as the Major
Character in the film “Legally Blonde”. Thesis. Jakarta: English Letters Department, Faculty
of Letters and Humanities, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, July 2009
This research analyzes the stereotypes of blonde girl in the film Legally Blonde. The aim of
the study was to find the answers to the main research question: How does this film
represent the stereotype of Blonde girl through the major character Elle Woods?”
The datas of this research are analyzed using representation concept. Representation is the
way we think about ourselves and construct our own narration totally. The datas of this
research are collected from the unit analysis and the other sources.
The research shows that the stereotype of blonde girl in the film Legally Blonde is still

presented in this film through Elle’s beauty, appearance, life style and personality. While in
this film, there is a special characteristic, which is not suitable with the stereotype that this
film emphasizes. Elle Blonde is described as a blonde, who has a smart brain and good in
education. So, her confidence of being a blonde girl makes her success.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praises be to Allah SWT, the lord of the Universe, Alhamdulillah, with his
amazing guidance, the writer can accomplish the process of making this thesis. The blessing
and salutation are delivered to the most honorable prophet and messenger Muhammad SAW,
who has guided people to be a great follower in the way of Allah
The writer would like to say her gratitude to:
1. Mrs. Innayatul Chusna, M. Hum., the writer’s supervisor, thanks for her advices, ideas,
patience and suggestion in finishing this thesis.
2. Dr. Muhammad Farkhan, the Head of English Letters Department, Mr Abdul Chair, the
Dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty, Drs A. Saefuddin, M. Pd, the Secertary of
English Letters Department, and all Lectures and Staffs of Letters and Humanities Faculty.
2. The writer’s parents: Herfriadie, E.S. and Emi Aminah, the writer’s brother: Muhammad
Rizkie, the writer’s family, and Tesa. They always give support, help, affection, patience,

motivation, spiritual, material and pray to the writer in completing this paper.
3. All the writer’s classmates and friends who are not mentioned, who have given their
support and meaning of friendship.
May Allah bless us. Finally, the writer realizes that this thesis is far from being
perfect. Accordingly, the writer hopes any suggestion and criticism for this thesis.
Jakarta, August 19, 2009
Citraminarti

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT..............................................................................................

i

APPROVEMENT....................................................................................

ii

LEGALIZATION....................................................................................

iii

DECLARATION.....................................................................................

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT......................................................................

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................... vii
LIST OF PICTURES……………………................................................

ix

LIST OF APPENDICES ………………………………………...……... x

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

1

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

1

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

3

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

3

D. Significance of Research.............................................................

3

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

4

1. Objective..................................................................................

4

2. Method ....................................................................................

4

3. Data Analysis..........................................................................

4

4. Instrument of the Research.....................................................

5

5. Unit of Analysis......................................................................

5

6. Time and Place .......................................................................

5

CHAPTER II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK..…………………… 6
A. Cultural Studies..........................................................................

6

1. Representation........................................................................

8

2. Stereotype................................................................................

10

3. Costume and Make-Up………………………………………

12

B. Stereotype of Blonde in the Film…….…………………………..

14

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

17

A. Introduction…………….............................................................

17

B. Representation of Blonde through Elle Woods………..……..

20

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION.............................................................. 29
A. Conclusion..................................................................................... 29

B. Suggestion...................................................................................... 31
BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................... 32
APPENDICES….……………………………………………………....

34

LIST OF PICTURES

1. Picture I. Elle in the swimming pool. Page 21.
2. Picture II. Elle is bringing books. Page 22.
3. Picture III. Elle in the firm. Page 24.
4. Picture IV. Elle in the court. Page 26.
5. Picture V. Comparison of picture 1, 2, 3 and 4. Page 30.

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, it contains no material previously published and written by another person nor
material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or
diploma of the university or other institution of higher learning, except where due
acknowledgement has been made in the text

Jakarta, August 19, 2009

Citraminarti

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

!

"

#

!

$
%

&
%

$
$

$

'

(

$
'

)

$

& '

$

$
$

$
$

!

$
*

+
, ' $

'
!

$

$

$
$

$

, '

&
$

$
-

$

&

.

$

/

.

/

$
$

$

0

!
$

$

.

0

$

.

$

$

$

1

0

'

$

.

,

$
'

$
$
%

$
*

,

$

%
$

$

'

!
$

.

2

3

$

4
, $

1
&

$
5

$

$

$

'
$

6

B. Focus of the Study
This research focuses on the study of representation on Robert Luketic’s film entitled
Legally Blonde, which analyzes the representation of Blonde’s stereotype through the major

1
2

See Chapter II.
Representation: Direct expressions or practices that represent an object or other practice in reality.

character, Elle Woods in struggling herself in Harvard Law School community, who humbles
her.

C. Research Question
Based on the background and the focus of the study above, there is an interesting
question to be analyzed, “How does this film represent the stereotype of blonde girl through
the major character Elle Woods?”

D. Significance of the Study
The writer hopes the result of the study can be used:
$
$
6

7

%

*

.
.

!

.

!

8

0

9

0

: '
'

#!

$

%

0
$ 2 $

$

7

%

'

E. Research Methodology

&

%
0
#

7

$
%

&

5

+
$

$

!

$

'

!!
!

+
7

7
% &

$

;

;

;
$

,
$

"

%$

'

$

! #$%

&

5

%

$

#

2 $

'

%
$

7

+

%$
'

'

&

'

!!

&

7

2 $

'

=

#)

$ *

%

$
6

&

8

'

$
!

B

#

; ?1

'

$

' @

?!"

?
# @

*

,

'

@

?

@

$

%
'

;
$

'

'

E

*
#

#

$
-

5
%

' #

) ' #

$

%

'

*

$
E

$
) ' #
'

/

'

%
'

' #

F

5

' #
$

*
#
!

#
' #
#

13

' #

!

+

Susan Hayward, Cinema Studies: The Key Concept 3rd edition, (New York: Routledge, 2006), p.253

' #

'

$
-

Stereotype of Blonde in the Film
The dictionary defines blonde as of a flaxen golden, light auburn or pale yellowish or
pale yellowish brown color of a pale white or rosy white color.15

)

$

+

$

$

$

$

$
'

'

G

G $

$

#

-H

Blonde jokes have been criticized as sexist by several authors, as most blondes in
these jokes are female, although male variations also exist.17 Research indicates that because
of this, men find blonde jokes significantly more amusing than women say they do.18

The stereotype of the "dumb blonde" may have emerged with the development of
films, television and magazines as early as the 1920s.19 Some experts cite its first appearance
in the 1920s novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, by Anita Loos, which was made into a silent
film in 1928 and later into a 1953 movie starring Marilyn Monroe (who was said to have had
an IQ higher than Einstein). Released in 1953, this story is about two showgirls-a clueless

14
15
16

17

18

19

David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction (Mc Graw, Inc, 1993), p.150-152.
Anonymous, Dictionary, Blonde. Accessed on October 29, 2008. www.dictionary.com, p. 1
Anonymous, Blonde, Stereotype. Accessed on October 29, 2008.
http://www.geocities.com/todd862002/expos6.html, p.1-2
Anna Blundy (2007-08-25). 'Blonde' jokes aren't funny - No other minority would stand for this cruel
stereotyping. Spectator, the (Romford): 18–19. ISSN.00386952. Accessed on September 10, 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_blonde.
D. Greenwood; LM Isbell (2002). "Ambivalent Sexism and the Dumb Blonde: Men's and Women's Reactions
to Sexist Jokes". Psychology of Women Quarterly (Blackwell Publishers) 26 (4): 341–350. doi:10.1111/14716402.t01-2-00073. Accessed on September 10, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_blonde.
Solorya, Dumb Blonde Stereotype – Myth or Fact, Accessed on October 29, 2008
http://hubpages.com/hub/Dumb-Blonde-Stereotype--Myth-or-Fact, p. 1.

blondes and a sassy brunette. While perhaps highlighting the "fun" side of blondes (in fact,
brunette women held a demonstration protesting the movie, showing that brunettes could be
just as much fun), this certainly did nothing to showcase their intelligence.

As in the background of the study, there are two films that can represent the
stereotype of blonde girl. They are 27 Dressed and the Hunny Bunny. Both of those films
describes about blondes who always concern on their appearance without thinking about their
intelligence.

Those are about all the things that blondes do, which obviously are also done by girls
with every other hair color.

+
*

*

* +

1

&

;
&
.
$

;

$

Introduction
$
$$

.

/

$

"

'
.

/

#

*

$

$
$

&

$

.
*

$
$

'

$

.

/

$

$

*

$

$

'

)
$

$
%

' $
$

'
$

$

$

$
$

I

*
6<

$

$

94

H6J

'

' 6-

'

* $

5
5

%

$

'

'

.

$
$

.

I

$
0

&

#

' 66 &
$

$
$

0

$
8*(!. B

?

@

K
.

. .B

!I

$

8*(!. B

I
$

*110!2.B

. .B

F

*

#
K

)

!

!I

0

$

L

&

'

/

8

I

K

20

Women with brown hair, brown eyes.
Francine Huff, Can going from Blond to Brunette really improve your career? Comparison. Accessed on May
25, 2009. http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/19/can-going-from-blond-to-brunette-really-improveyour-career/ p.1.
22
Anonymous, Deconstruction of Legally Blonde, Film. Accessed on May 25, 2009.
http://www.coursework.info/AS_and_A_Level/Media_Studies/Films/Deconstruction_of_Legally_Blonde_L
833940.html, p. 1.
21

E

.
6

$

$

%

' $

'

+

$
* . /E)*(B ?
I

@&

%

!

* . /E)*(B 8

$$

K/ ,

.

'

$

'

+
. .B !

#

K

* . /E)*(B 9
. .B /

M

#

#

K

* . /E)*(B ?

@ *$

.

$

. .B ! I

$

$

#

:

+

#

*

I ,

!
$

3
'

&

!

$

$

$
&

.

$

0

N

23

$
1

8

&
,

$

.

%
0

$

I

'

5

'

'

$

&

!I

(

#
8

#

*

#

American Kennel Club, Article, Chihuahua. Accessed on May 25, 2009.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/chihuahua/index.cfm, p. 2.

)

9
*&