DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/ca.v10i2.32217

Scientific Symbols in the Movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022)

*Syahruni Junaid  -  Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar, Indonesia

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Abstract

This research analyzes the scientific symbols in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once and their contribution to the development of the main character, Evelyn Wang. The study aims to identify the types of scientific symbols presented in the film and explain how these symbols function in shaping Evelyn’s emotional and psychological transformation. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method with Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic theory, focusing on the classification of signs into icons, indexes, and symbols through the elements of representamen, object, and interpretant. The data were collected from dialogues, screenshots, and visual scenes in the movie through observation and note-taking techniques. The findings show that the film contains various scientific symbols categorized into physical models, conceptual models, and procedural models based on Justi and Gilbert’s theory. The symbols identified include the Verse-Jumping Headset, Googly Eyes, Multiverse Glitch, Everything Bagel, Memory Scanner, and Multiverse Timeline. Each symbol not only represents scientific concepts related to the multiverse but also reflects Evelyn’s emotional journey, inner conflict, identity crisis, acceptance, and understanding of life. The study reveals that scientific symbols in the film function as narrative tools that deepen the philosophical and emotional meaning of the story. Furthermore, the research highlights how science fiction elements can be integrated with human experiences to create meaningful storytelling. Therefore, this study concludes that scientific symbols play an important role in enriching character development and helping audiences understand complex themes such as existence, family relationships, and the search for meaning in life.

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Keywords: scientific symbols, semiotics, character development, multiverse, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Charles Sanders Peirce

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Section: Linguistic Studies
Language : EN
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