Visual representation and moral transformation of the main characters in wes anderson's the phoenician scheme movie

Fitriyani, Indah Fhudzi (2026) Visual representation and moral transformation of the main characters in wes anderson's the phoenician scheme movie. Allure Journal, 06 (2). pp. 218-233. ISSN 2807-7075

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Abstract

Previous studies on moral transformation in film have primarily interpreted moral change through dialogue and narrative, while cinematic visual elements have generally been treated as supporting rather than primary analytical data. Therefore, this study address this gap by analysing how the moral transformation of the main characters in The Phoenician Scheme is represented through cinematic visuals and how this transformation influences their visual identities. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method with observation and documentation techniques. The primary data consists of selected film scenes and footage, which are analyzed through cinematic elements such as color, composition, costume, lighting, setting, and type of shot. This analysis integrates Petrie and Boggs’s cinematic framework, Eyre and Richard’s theory of moral values, and Kurt Lewin’s Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze model. The novelty of this research lies in the systematic integration of Lewin’s social psychology theory with the theory of visual language in film, which has resulted in a new analytical framework for interpreting the visual morality of characters. The findings indicate that moral transformation is systematically encoded through recurring visual patterns across the three stages of transformation. Korda transforms from arrogance to humility and responsibility, Liesl from dependence to independence and sincerity, and Bjorn from dishonesty to honesty. These transformations are represented through changes in costume, spatial composition, lighting, and symbolic setting that gradually reconstruct the visual identity of each character. This study concludes that cinematic visuals function as an independent and analyzable system of moral representation.

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