The Tranformation of Anxiety into Performance Pressure: A Roland Barthes Semiotic Analysis of Ikhtiar and Tawakal in Inside Out 2
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Abstract
Adolescent anxiety is closely related to uncertainty, social acceptance, and pressure to achieve certain standards. This study analyzes the representation of anxiety, effort, and tawakal in Inside Out 2 using Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach and an Islamic perspective. A qualitative method was employed by analyzing ten purposively selected data units consisting of scenes, dialogues, expressions, actions, and situations related to anxiety, effort, performance, and self-acceptance. The analysis examines denotation, connotation, and myth, followed by a dialogical interpretation with the concepts of ikhtiar and tawakal in the Qur’an and Hadith. The findings reveal a transformation of anxiety through the pattern of mistake → anticipation → performance pressure → loss of control → self-acceptance. Riley’s effort initially appears as preparation and skill development but gradually shifts into performance pressure when achievement and social acceptance become conditions for self-worth. From an Islamic perspective, the findings can be dialogued with the distinction between human responsibility to strive and the limitation of human control over outcomes. The study contributes to Islamic Religious Education by showing how popular film can provide a contextual space for discussing effort, human limitations, self-acceptance, and attitudes toward outcomes.
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