REPRESENTASI FENOMENA GENERASI SANDWICH DALAM FILM HOME SWEET LOAN

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the representation of the sandwich generation phenomenon in the film Home Sweet Loan using Roland Barthes' semiotic approach. The sandwich generation is a term that refers to a productive age group that must bear economic, emotional, and physical responsibilities for both the upper generation (parents) and the lower generation (children or nephews). Although this film does not explicitly raise the term sandwich generation, the narrative and structure of the film present a situation that reflects the dynamics experienced by the sandwich generation.Barthes' semiotic analysis was conducted to reveal the denotative, connotative and mythical meanings contained in the visual signs, dialogues, and contexts of scenes that represent the sandwich generation phenomenon through the character Kaluna.
The results of the study show that Kaluna consistently represents the sandwich generation who are crushed by the burden of two-way responsibilities, both economically, emotionally, and socially. Through semiotic analysis, it was also found that the representation of Kaluna as a sandwich generation is displayed through the dominance of figures, conflicts, and social myths that shackle individuals in traditional family structures. The film symbolically shows how traditional myths such as family is the top priority, good children are those who are always obedient and sacrifice and those who are unmarried must help those who are married have become ideological mechanisms that restrict the freedom and well-being of individuals in the family structure. The character Kaluna becomes the face of the victim of this myth, who ultimately must choose between continuing to sacrifice without limits or daring to take a step away to defend himself.