The Analysis of Cultural Identity Through Selected Songs in Disney’s Animated Films Moana and Coco

Abstract

"This thesis conducts an in-depth study of the role of lyrics as a key tool in expressing and transmitting cultural identity. Set within the international media context, the work addresses an academic gap by comparing the language mechanisms in two global films: Moana - Polynesian culture and Coco - Mexican culture. The core objective is to deeply analyze the core cultural values (such as the importance of family, community, and ancestral heritage) reinforced and conveyed through lyrics. The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) combined with a systematic semantic analysis framework to clarify the mechanisms of linguistic expression. The main finding affirms that lyrics function as a complex cultural bargaining tool. The songs encode a common thematic motif of collective priorities, memory, and heritage, employing a dual mechanism (knowledge tool and reconciliation tool) to convey identity. The thesis demonstrates that language performs a dialectical dual role: on the one hand, it risks leading to the exoticization of heritage; on the other hand, it powerfully reinforces traditional values, creating an emotional healing mechanism as a counterargument against supreme individualism. This work contributes academically by establishing a highly reusable semantic analysis framework, thereby filling a knowledge gap regarding the role of language and sound in cultural expression. These outcomes provide strategic insights into how to responsibly utilize language/music to convey heritage, contributing to a mindset that respects cultural variety."