(Person) Percentage - Sabanci University Research Database

The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
5.2.‘Us’ and ‘Them’ Contrast in the Films
‘Us’ and ‘them’ contrast in discourse is realized with various polarizations. Based on
this polarizations and contrast in discourse, the bad sides of others are emphasized. This
contrast and polarization (the difference between us and them) is revealed by identifying
actions, experiences, causes and results (2010:134). Us and them contrast manifests itself
more clearly in Pearl Harbor because in Rhapsody in August anti-Americanism is only seen in
grandmother and later in the grandchildren. In fact, Kane does not have a complete
opposition, she has a kind attitude towards Clark, she blames not America but war, this
attitude is also valid for Japans who come to the ceremony and leave flowers. They do not
damn past days but only commemorate their lost relatives. In Pearl Harbor, America
justifiably gets involved in a war to help its allies. The right thing to do is to help your ally. In
the film, with Japan’s sudden and slinky attack many innocent people die and ruthless Japans
gain an unjust success in Pearl Harbor with their subtly planned attack at an hour when life is
going on with its all simplicity: when children play football, women do their house work,
when the fleet was sleeping. Thus, America was forced to attack to fulfill responsibility and to
take revenge of his people died in the attack. The aim in his attacks was to establish peace. In
the film, unlike Japans, Americans who listen to the voice of their conscience save a dog
which drop into the sea during the attack from drowning and accept his lover- who cheated
him- and her baby. Against American soldiers who have love for humanity in spite of cold
face of war are belligerent, hard and Japan soldiers who swore for success.
5.3.The Way Attacks are Depicted
According to parameters Van Dijk identified for ideological discourse analysis, the
level of providing details depends on people’s own mental models and gives place to details
to tell how bad the other side. While Pearl Harbor depicts in detail people dying in bloods,
helpless death of soldiers stranded in sinking ships and two pilots heroically fighting against
the attack, superhuman efforts to take wounded people to hospital, the smoke clouds in the
first scene, Kane’s lost hair, the bended irons bars monument representing the students died in
the attack, monument from other countries, silent ceremonies and rituals represent the
bombardment in the film Rhapsody in August. There are not images in welter of blood and
people scattered towards the camera with the impact of the attack. The film mostly deals with
what happens after bombardment. It deals with how the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki affected the lives of people survived. These scenes in Pearl Harbor are the product
of the effort to justify American attack.
5.4.Outstanding Talks and Implications
According to Van Dijk (2007) in discourse analyses implications and talks in the texts
are to be assessed because when linguistic structures are assessed ideological bases they
include are reached. In Pearl Harbor talks and implications turns into slogans from time to
time. Especially, German’s advance in Europe and the events at that time were frequently
supported via visual and written symbols. While Rafe and David are playing, they say “ we
are to shoot wretch Germans” and they identify America as “the country of free people”, “the
country of bold people”. Rafe calls David’s father who beats him as “Wretch German”. By
saying German’s are “ruthless machine” which lead Europe to war and the British “struggle
severely” and even American President Roosevelt’s recognition of the war in Europe as
“German Violence” and clearly put forth the enemy and its characteristics. In the film,
documentary like videos and newspaper headlines are frequently used to prove the ruthless of
the war caused by Germany. Expressions like “the proud of the Pacific” for American fleet,
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