Analysis on Sarcasm in Grand Theft Auto V

Thesis Proposal

Written by:

Daffa Nadhif Ghazy Hidayat

210110101072

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITAS JEMBER
2023
 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), is a critically acclaimed open-world video
game developed by Rockstar Games, known for its satirical portrayal of modern
society. The game offers a massive open-world landscape, allowing players to engage
in criminal activities in a fictionalized Los Angeles called as Los Santos and interact
with a diverse cast of characters. Within the game, sarcasm is employed as a satirical
tool to critique social, political, and cultural aspects of the real world.
The use of sarcasm in GTA V presents an intriguing area of study due to its
potential for social commentary and its impact on players' experiences. Understanding
the effectiveness and impact of sarcasm in the game can shed light on how satire is
utilized as a narrative and gameplay elements.
This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and impact of sarcasm as a
satirical tool in GTA V's portrayal of social issues and cultural critique. By examining
the sarcasm employed in the game's narrative, dialogue, and gameplay, this research
will contribute to a deeper understanding of how satire operates in the context of
video games.
Findings from this study can inform game designers, scholars, and players
alike about the role of sarcasm in conveying social commentary and provoking critical
thinking within the medium of video games.

1.2 Research Problem

1. How sarcasm in Grand Theft Auto V potrays modern society problems?

2. Who are the targets of sarcasm in the game, and how do they reflect society?

1.3 Goals of The Study

The goals in this study is to understanding satirical elements in Grand Theft
Auto V. This will also include evaluating the humor and and narrative techniques
used throughout the game.
 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Previous Research

Previous studies about humor in video games, (Grönroos, 2013) stated that
humor in video games can be found in many ways, such as satire, parody, and hidden
humor or easter egg. (Fajardo, 2003) discussed that video games can become a media
for social commentary. Video games can also designed for satirical use (Schellekens
et al., 2020).

2.2 Theoretical Framework

In this study, semiotics frameworks by Saussure and Peirce will be used as the
theoritical approach to the satire in GTA V to find the hidden meaning and
representation of society from the game’s dialogue, gestures, and images.

2.3 Terminology
Terminology used in this study is sarcasm and satire. Sarcasm is a form of
verbal irony that involves saying something different from what is actually meant,
often to mock, criticize, or convey contempt. Sarcasm is a mocking or satirical tone
and is used to convey commentary or criticism. Meanwhile, Satire is a literary and
rhetorical device that uses humor, irony, and sarcasm to critique and ridicule social,
political, or cultural aspects of society (Ugolini, 2016).
 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY

3.1 Type of Research

The type of research of this study is qualitative research. Qualitative research
is naturalistic approach to its subject. Qualitative researchers study things in their
natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the
meanings people bring to them. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005)

3.2 Data collection

The data collection is obtained by playing the game, experiencing the game
itself from the game’s resources. Whether it is from the audio, images, or audio
visual. The audio in here taken from the in-game radio station, images from the in-
game billboard signs, and audio visual from the game’s cutscenes involving the
dialogue and gestures.

3.3 Data process and analysis

By playing the game, we can analyze the linguistic and communicative aspects
of sarcasm. This involves examining language use, context, and social interactions to
understand how sarcasm functions within the game.

References
1. Grönroos, Anne-Marie. (2013). Humour in Video Games.
2. Fajardo, Rafael. (2003). Pixels, Politics, and Play: Digital video games as social
commentary. 3. 1.
3. Schellekens, Jasper & Caselli, Stefano & Gualeni, Stefano & Bonello Rutter
Giappone, Krista. (2020). Satirical Game Design: The Case of the Boardgame
Construction BOOM!.
4. Ugolini, Paola. (2016). Satire.
5. Denzin, Norman K., Lincoln, Yvona S. (2005). The Discipline and Practice of
Qualitative Research.