The Semiotic Analysis of Rituals and Cultural Healing Mechanisms in the Film The Undertaker : A Folklore Study

Abstract

The research article titled "The Semiotic Analysis of 'Rituals and Cultural Healing Mechanisms' in the Film The Undertaker: A Folklore Study" aims to analyze the signs and functions of death rituals presented in the film The Undertaker and to investigate the role of these rituals as cultural healing mechanisms for coping with loss and death. This study utilizes a qualitative research methodology through Media Text Analysis and Close Reading of the film, grounded in the semiotic theories of Saussure and Barthes, alongside folklore concepts regarding the rites of passage by Van Gennep and Turner. The findings reveal that death rituals in the film function as a cultural communication system that transforms abstract grief into manageable concrete signs. These rituals employ signs of severance and modern visual signs, such as the "rainbow crematorium," to deconstruct the myth of terrifying death into a space of love and the acceptance of diverse identities. Regarding healing mechanisms, the study finds that these rituals manage the state of liminality to support the bereaved by creating emotional closure. Furthermore, they establish a social support space through the "Heuan Dee/Heuan Yen" tradition, which transforms individual suffering into a communal responsibility. Ultimately, the film reflects the dynamic role of the undertaker as a spiritual leader who utilizes applied folklore to effectively restore psychological balance amidst loss in contemporary society.