ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS OF THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A MAN CALLED OTTO MOVIE

This study examines the illocutionary acts used by the main character, Otto, in the
film A Man Called Otto. It aims to identify the types of illocutionary acts and how
they reflect Otto’s psychological and emotional condition. The research employs
Krippendorff’s (2004) qualitative content analysis and Searle’s (1979) speech act
theory. The findings show that assertive acts were most frequent (46.23%),
followed by directives (38.68%), expressives (10.38%), and commissives
(4.72%). No declarative acts were found. Otto’s dominant use of assertives and
directives indicates his tendency to control and influence others, reflecting his
emotionally reserved personality. The limited use of expressives and commissives
reveals moments of vulnerability and reluctance to commit. Overall, the study
highlights that illocutionary acts serve as narrative tools to reveal character traits
and emotional depth. The results contribute to pragmatics and film studies by
illustrating how language shapes character development in cinematic storytelling.
Keywords: Illocutionary Acts, A Man Called Otto, Film Analysis