"I Wouldn't Lie to You. Well...That's a Lie": an Analysis of Lies Expressed By Rick C-137 in Rick and Morty Season 1

Lai, Glodie Cheng Yan (2023) "I Wouldn't Lie to You. Well...That's a Lie": an Analysis of Lies Expressed By Rick C-137 in Rick and Morty Season 1. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Language undertakes a dynamic role, serving as an essential channel for communication, especially within the fields of films and television series. This study delves into the linguistic dimension of the popular animated series Rick and Morty, putting the spotlight on the deceptive discourse of the character Rick C-137 in Season 1. Employing McCornack’s Information Manipulation Theory (IMT) as the theoretical framework, this study aims to achieve three objectives: (1) analyse the methods employed by Rick C-137 in his deceptive messages, (2) investigate the Gricean Maxims violated by Rick C-137 in his deceptive communication and (3) examine the most frequently violated Gricean Maxim by Rick C-137 in his deceptive discourse. To achieve these objectives, a mixed research approach is utilised, combining qualitative content analysis and quantitative frequency analysis on transcripts of all 11 episodes of Season 1. The findings of the study reveal two distinct methods of information manipulation employed by Rick C-137: (i) manipulation along a single dimension and (ii) manipulation along two dimensions. Furthermore, the analysis discovers that Rick C-137 violates all four Gricean Maxims in Season 1, with the Maxim of Relation emerging as the most frequently violated. These observations not only contribute to the understanding of linguistic manipulation within Rick and Morty Season 1 but also offer valuable perspectives to the complex world of deceptive communication within the context of animated series. Keywords: Information Manipulation, Deceptive Message, Lies, Gricean Maxims, Rick and Morty