An Analysis of Flouting Maxims and the Impact on the Storyline in the Animated Movie “Hotel Transylvania 1”

Abstract

Flouting maxims is a concept introduced by H.P. Grice to describe situations when someone intentionally does not follow one of the principles in the Cooperative Principle. This phenomenon is not only found in everyday conversation but also appears in film dialogues, such as in Hotel Transylvania 1. This research aims to describe instances of the maxims of Quantity, Quality, Relation, and Manner being flouted and analyze the impact on the development of the film's storyline. A descriptive qualitative method was used, with data taken from dialogues between characters in the movie. The results showed 25 cases in total: 4 flouting Maxim of Quantity, 12 flouting Maxim of Quality, 6 flouting Maxim of Relation, and 4 flouting Maxim of Manner. These instances of flouting not only function as linguistic features but also support the storyline based on Freytag’s Pyramid structure. In the exposition, flouting introduces characters and their relationships; in the rising action, it builds tension and conflict; in the climax, it reflects emotional shifts; in the falling action, it helps repair character relationships; and in the resolution, it conveys implied meanings. The conclusion drawn is that flouting of cooperative principles in the characters' dialogues contributes significantly to the development of the storyline in Hotel Transylvania.