An analysis of orientalism through the main character in the film of the dictator

This thesis is aimed at knowing the depiction of orientalism issues through the main character Aladeen in the film of The Dictator. This film accurately tells about depiction of Aladeen as the Dictator. The film was studied by using the descriptive qualitative method. In analyzing, the analysis uses the theory of film, character and orientalism discourse of Edward W. Said. This research uses qualitative method. From the data analysis, Aladeen characteristics as the main character are protagonist character. He also called dynamic and round character, this is because he is fully developed and he has complex personality traits such as childish, ignorance, and cruel. Based on the character analysis, that his identity in this film which built by the characterization describes him as a leader of the East who has negative identity. The binary opposition from the analysis describes that the West and the East are different poles. The occident becomes superior than orient because the West is higher than the East based on binary opposition. After building the depiction of the East through Aladeen as the inferior, the West as the superior constructs the East by dominating economy field, security field, cultural field, and political field that happen on Alladen as the Wadiyan state leader. Finally its changes the orient through Aladeen character to become likes Western, its marked by his marriage with Zoey and the democracy that happens in Wadiya state