Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies
Rainbow journal has commitment to exchange and share ideas as well as research findings from researchers. Also, it provides the interdisciplinary forum for the most recent innovations, trends, concerns, practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted in the field of Literature, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies:
Articles
71 Documents
<![CDATA[A Portrayal of the Main Characters' Change of Persistence in Little Women and Little Men by Louisa May Alcott ]]>
<![CDATA[Maharani, Indah Amanda]]>;
<![CDATA[Sumaryani, Sri]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30289
<![CDATA[The Victorian era had a profound impact on the lives of women during that period. However, with the persistence in achieving dreams, the norm was slightly broken. Persistence is a characteristic that shows one's behavior to maintain perseverance and enthusiasm in achieving goals. The character of persistence is marked by a strong and tireless consistency in the effort to achieve something. Little Women portrays the persistence of the main character, who lives in the Victorian era. This study aims to describe the persistence of the main character in the novel Little Women, who finally broke her word and chose a new path in life in the novel Little Men. The method used is qualitative research using Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis theory. In this study, Jo shows persistence in achieving her dreams and succeeding, but the environment and ego continue to develop so that Jo begins to break her own words.]]>
<![CDATA[Promises and Lies: Speech Act Analysis of Character Dialogue in The Great Gatsby ]]>
<![CDATA[Septiandiko, Ergi Wian]]>;
<![CDATA[Haryanti, Rahayu Puji]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30333
<![CDATA[Characters in literature perform actions that influence stories in addition to communicating information. Scholars have yet to fully examine the speech act aspect of character interactions in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. In order to close this gap, this study looks at how lies and promises in The Great Gatsby serve as illocutionary acts that highlight important themes and disclose interpersonal dynamics. The analysis, which is based on Speech Act Theory (Austin and Searle), focusses on insincere assertives (lies) and commissives (promises) in a few dialogue exchanges, especially those involving Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. The study explores how characters' verbal promises and lies propel the story and represent themes of delusion, idealism, treachery, and the American Dream through a qualitative analysis of these exchanges. The analysis shows that Daisy's broken promises and Gatsby's extravagant promises and made-up backstory are more than just empty rhetoric; they deliberately create illusions and reveal hidden power dynamics and emotional undertones in the relationships between the characters. Fitzgerald's criticism of illusion and disillusionment is ultimately highlighted by this pragmatic lens, which also demonstrates how crucial the speech acts of characters that promise and lie are to comprehending the novel's messages about trust, treachery, and the American Dream.]]>
<![CDATA[Defeating racism on African-Americans through music statements and achievements: An analysis of severals Kendrick Lamar’s album ]]>
<![CDATA[Manik, Kosmas Merguna Ganda]]>;
<![CDATA[Istiani, Imas]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30358
<![CDATA[This article examines how Kendrick Lamar’s music serves as a powerful confronting and defeating racism against African Americans through his lyrical statements and artistic achievements. Focusing on several of his seminal albums including Section.80, good kid, m.A.A.d city, To Pimp a Butterfly, and DAMN.—the analysis highlights Lamar’s incisive critique of systemic and institutionalized racism, police brutality, and cultural marginalization. His work not only exposes the structural inequalities faced by Black communities but also explores themes of identity, resilience, and empowerment, offering a nuanced portrayal of African-American life in contemporary America. By unpacking key songs and their socio-political contexts, this study reveals how Lamar’s music transcends entertainment to become a form of cultural resistance and social activism. Moreover, the article discusses the broader impact of Lamar’s achievements, including his role in shaping public discourse on race and inspiring collective empowerment within and beyond the African-American community. Ultimately, this analysis situates Kendrick Lamar as a pivotal figure whose artistic contributions significantly advance the struggle against racism through the transformative power of music.]]>
<![CDATA[Family Conflict Behind Childhood Depression: A Psychoanalytic Approach of the Main Character in Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand ]]>
<![CDATA[Dewayani, Anggita Galuh]]>;
<![CDATA[Sumaryani, Sri]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30365
<![CDATA[This study explores how family conflict contributes to childhood depression through the portrayal of Finley's psychological structure in Claire Legrand's novel Some Kind of Happiness. Using Sigmund Freud's theory of personality—comprising the id, ego, and superego—this research examines how Finley's internal struggles reflect the emotional consequences of her parents' marital breakdown. Unlike previous studies, which have applied Freud's theory more broadly to symbolic or moral behaviour across multiple characters, this study offers a focused, in-depth psychoanalytic reading of a single child protagonist. Employing a qualitative descriptive method and a psychological approach, the analysis reveals that Finley's id expresses unconscious impulses driven by sadness and anxiety. At the same time, her ego serves as a mediator between these emotional needs and external expectations. Her superego, shaped by internalised family norms, imposes guilt and shame for emotional vulnerability. The conflict between these three components mirrors the tension within Finley's family and contributes to her emotional repression and depressive symptoms. This study highlights how literature can reflect the psychological impact of family dynamics on children, and how psychoanalytic theory offers valuable insights for understanding emotional trauma in young literary characters. ]]>
<![CDATA[Abandonment Issue in the Main Character of Joan G. Robinson's When Marnie Was There ]]>
<![CDATA[Qonita, Marita Inas]]>;
<![CDATA[Margawati, Prayudias]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30536
<![CDATA[Family plays a critical role in shaping a child’s psychological development. An ideal family consists of each member fulfilling their assigned role. The absence of stability and love that a family offers can lead to long-term effects on children, especially if it happens to an infant. Joan G. Robinson’s When Marnie Was there explores the psychological struggles around children who experience separation from their primary caregiver and their inability to receive a secure environment. Therefore, this study aims to do an in-depth analysis on psychological problems of the main character who experience abandonment issue and what factors cause her to experience abandonment issue. This study uses qualitative methods by applying John Bowlby’s attachment theory and Carl Jung’s psychoanalytic theory, especially about insecure attachment. The novel shows how the abandonment issue was described and what factors cause it through the main character of the novel. The separation and instability that the main character experiences in her early childhood shapes how the main character perceives the world. It reflects Bowlby's attachment theory that psychological development of a person is shaped by what they experience in their infant phase, even if they can’t remember what happened and also represents Jung’s archetypes. ]]>
<![CDATA[Analysis of Consumer Dependence in Confessions of Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella ]]>
<![CDATA[Prinanintyas, Trisnasari Wahyu]]>;
<![CDATA[Margawati, Prayudias]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30537
<![CDATA[Human needs are essential for mental well-being and determining the direction in life. Failure to meet these needs may result in individuals experiencing emotional instability, identity confusion, and internal conflict. Sophie Kinsella's novel Confessions of a Shopaholic illustrates this dilemma through the character Rebecca Bloomwood, whose compulsive purchasing transcends mere lifestyle; it signifies deeper mental health concerns. The objective of this study is to examine the psychological challenges encountered by the main character and how her behavior is influenced by unfulfilled needs, particularly those pertaining to self-esteem and belongingness. This research employs a qualitative methodology grounded in psychological literacy critique and Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. An in-depth examination and textual analysis of the argument reveals that Rebecca Bloomwood undergoes two significant psychological phases: the emotional turmoil phase, characterized by unmet wants, and the nascent self-awareness phase, during which she tries to take charge of her life again. The character’s journey shows that psychological needs must be met from the inside, not the outside. Rebecca’s story shows how hard it is to live in a culture where appearances and social standing can change who you are.]]>
<![CDATA[Resisting the Untainted Lie: Rebellion and False Utopianism in The Scorch Trials ]]>
<![CDATA[Nawaful Raekhan]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.30556
<![CDATA[This article analyzes James Dashners The Scorch Trials by placing it within Tom Moylans framework of critical dystopian literature. It shows how WICKEDs utopian language masks genuinely oppressive practices and maps the narrative signs that still leave room for revolt. Through close reading and concept-driven interpretation, the study traces Moylans notions of the utopian mask, counter-memory, and critical hope, highlighting the tensions between WICKEDs propaganda, the scorched landscape, and the Gladers fragmented recollections and covert defiance. Results indicate that the novel exposes the gap between WICKEDs redemptive claims and its brutal methods while keeping open the prospect of brighter futures steered by individual and collective action. In doing so, the text delivers a sharp critique of biopolitical governance, ecological ruin, and weaponized optimism, echoing warnings found in present-day debates about authoritarian politics and crisis capitalism. By testing Moylans concepts within young adult fiction, the article broadens dystopian studies, affirms the genres power to interrogate hierarchies, and illustrates how narratives for younger readers still imagine plausible sites of resistance.]]>
<![CDATA[Utopia Of a Classless Society In Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Marxist Study ]]>
<![CDATA[Faizal, Azriel Akbar]]>;
<![CDATA[Puji Haryanti, Rahayu]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 (2025): Special Edition ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v14i.31410
<![CDATA[This study addresses the problem of how Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reflects the dynamics of class struggle and the concept of a classless society through a Marxist perspective. The analysis employs a Marxist literary criticism framework to examine the narrative's portrayal of socioeconomic themes, focusing on the symbolic representation of the chocolate factory as a site of production and class interaction. The findings reveal that while the narrative suggests a meritocratic shift in power and advocates for moral integrity over wealth, it simultaneously exposes the underlying contradictions of a classless society. The presence of the Oompa-Loompas highlights the persistence of labor exploitation, questioning the authenticity of the proposed utopia and indicating that the narrative reinforces rather than fully resolves capitalist ideologies. The study concludes that Dahl's work, while promoting ideals of social mobility and equity, ultimately fails to achieve the Marxist vision of class eradication. Instead, it presents a diluted form of capitalism, masked as a fantasy, which invites critical reflection on the limitations of children's literature in addressing complex social issues.]]>
<![CDATA[The Ideational Metafunction Realisation of Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto’s Speech on Commemoration of National Teacher’s Day 2024 ]]>
<![CDATA[Parasian, Nehemia Anugrah]]>;
<![CDATA[Nurlela, N]]>;
<![CDATA[Thyrhaya Zein, T.]]>;
<![CDATA[Deliana, D]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 No. 2 (2025): October 2025 ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v13i1.28858
<![CDATA[The ideational metafunction is one of the main concepts in Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which explains how language represents human experience. This study focuses on the experiential function in President Prabowo Subianto’s speech delivered during the Commemoration of National Teacher’s Day 2024. A qualitative method was employed by analyzing the speech text using the transitivity system to identify processes, participants, and circumstances. The analysis revealed that material processes were predominantly emphasize concrete government actions and educational reforms, portraying the President’s commitment to improving teachers’ welfare and national education quality. The mental processes express empathy and appreciation for teachers, highlighting their dedication and emotional strength in shaping the nation’s future. Meanwhile, the relational processes establish teachers as the moral and intellectual pillars of national development, while extent circumstances reflect the wide scope of the intended policies. These results suggest that the speech highlights the government’s commitment to educational reform and teacher welfare through real and measurable actions. The findings provide new insights into the construction of political discourse in Indonesia and demonstrate how the ideational metafunction serves as a tool to convey ideological positioning in presidential communication. This study contributes to the field of political discourse analysis by providing a functional linguistic perspective on how ideational meanings are constructed in presidential speeches, particularly within Indonesia’s educational context. ]]>
<![CDATA[Gynocentrism: Female Superiority Propaganda in The Woman King ]]>
<![CDATA[Aris, Qori]]>;
<![CDATA[Syam, Essy]]>
<![CDATA[ Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies Vol. 14 No. 2 (2025): October 2025 ]]>
Publisher : <![CDATA[Universitas Negeri Semarang ]]>
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DOI: 10.15294/rainbow.v13i1.33929
<![CDATA[This study examines how the film The Woman King constructs gynocentric discourse through cinematic narrative strategies. While contemporary cinema increasingly features strong female protagonists, the research gap lies in understanding how historical narratives are selectively reconstructed to naturalize contemporary ideologies of female supremacy. Using John Fiske's three-level semiotic framework (reality, representation, and ideology), this qualitative analysis examines character construction, narrative patterns, and visual representations in the film. Findings reveal that the film employs ideological techniques including historical transfer, selective framing, and testimonial to establish female dominance across physical, intellectual, and moral domains. Critically, the study identifies significant ideological ambivalence: despite systematically constructing narratives of female superiority, the film paradoxically requires patriarchal validation for female achievements, exemplified in the kpojito title conferment scene. This reveals that contemporary gender representation involves complex negotiations between progressive aspirations and persistent androcentric frameworks. The research contributes theoretical insights into how semiotic analysis can expose ideological contradictions within ostensibly progressive media content. ]]>
