Dialectics of power: a neo-marxist analysis of the film "on the job"

Thesis (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Englsih) -- University of Rizal System-Morong.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The study entitled "Dialectics of Power: a New-Marxist Analysis of the Film "On the Job" was conducted at the University of Rizal System Morong, Rizal during the academic year 2016-2017. The descriptive-qualitative method of research was used since its primary objective is to analyze and interpret Erik Matti's Film, "On the Job" and its Neo-Marxist aspects. The data of the study were gathered through the discussion of the work using the problem exemplifying the aspects of Neo-Marxism which includes class struggle, hegemony, ideology, and state. The researchers also prove that the movie shows how the state creates a utopian society for the proletariats and hides the truth of their dystopian life. They also justified the relevance of the structuration theory of Neo-Marxism and showed the roles of the people as an active participant in the social system. The discussion focuses on the dialogues, settings and character in the film. Based on the summary of findings, the researchers conclude that there will always be distinction in the society because of the unequal distribution of power but despite of that, the people can still live according to their own will even with the limited resources in life. They are recognized in the society as a result of the transformation that happened through the years. The root of the conflict is the unequal distribution of power in the society and the abusive use of it. the movie shows the different issues in the society such as politics, violence, crime, class struggle. Base on the Althusser's Ideological State Apparatus, the ruling class aims to have a hold onto the state power because it becomes their way to control the lower class and sets their dominance and authority in the whole state that cause to war of position and class struggle. The more power the class has, the higher they will be in the position, and their dominance will be secured though the use of force and ideology. In accordance to Gidden's Structuration Theory, he argued that just as an individual's autonomy is influenced by structure, structures are maintained and adapted through the exercise of agency. Agents are the active participants in the society that act based upon the context of rules set by the social structures and they have the capability to choose whether to follow one social practice and reject the other. Hence, the continuity and discontinuity of social structure happens when agents are acting outside the constraint that the society made since there are interaction between the agents and the structure. Thus, the researchers recommended the following: conducting further research in other literary forms utilizing the Neo-Marxist approach, encourage students majoring English to conduct research that features the other aspects of Marxism, encourage students majoring English to conduct research that features the other aspects of Marxism, and lastly to have a deeper analysis focusing on the role of the people in the society using Structuration Theory.