LANGUAGE AND VISUAL STRATEGIES IN UNVEILING FEAR EMOTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS (ELSA AND ANNA) IN “FROZEN I”

This study examines the interplay between language and visual strategies in conveying the
emotion of fear as portrayed by the main character in Frozen (2013). Using a qualitative
descriptive approach within a Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) framework, the
analysis draws on Searle's (1979) theory of expressive speech acts, Parrott's (2001)
classification of basic emotions, and Kress and van Leeuwen's (2006) visual grammar. Data
were obtained from selected scenes containing verbal and visual expressions of fear,
supported by transcripts and subtitles to ensure linguistic accuracy. The research findings
indicate that fear in Frozen I is not only expressed verbally through explicit utterances—such
as warnings, pleas, and rhetorical questions—but is also complexly constructed through
visual semiotics, including a cool color palette, dim lighting, close-up framing, defensive
gestures, and gaze aversion. The synergy between linguistic and visual modes creates a
layered emotional narrative that enhances audience engagement and empathy. The novelty of
this research lies in the integration of multimodal analysis that combines pragmatics,
psychology of emotion, and visual semiotics perspectives in examining the construction of the
emotion of fear in children's animated films, something that is still rarely done. The specific
focus on the emotion of fear—rather than moral values or friendship as in previous
research—offers a new perspective on the character dynamics of Elsa and Anna.
Theoretically, this research contributes to the development of multimodal linguistics and
pragmatics; practically, it provides insights for filmmakers, animators, and media creators in
designing emotionally resonant visual narratives