Lévi-Straussian Structural Analysis of the Western Myth in Star Wars

Abstract

The Star Wars film series, which began in the 1970s and has since continued with trilogies, spin-offs, prequels, and sequels, is a space western with science fiction elements that depicts a story built on power. The central conflict in the Star Wars films is rooted in dichotomies like good-evil, light-dark, and those who possess the force versus those who do not. Due to this, the anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss's binary opposition model, which he used in structural analysis of the myths, is appropriate for evaluating the films. This study dwells upon the binary oppositions in the 2017 movie The Last Jedi, the second installment of the third trilogy. The study aims to question how the power phenomena is constructed mythically. Hollywood movies play a crucial role in the global dissemination of Western mythology. Thus, the ideological connotations created by popular culture were revealed.