Anti-establishment vs. Pro-establishment in Drama “You Can’t Take It with You” by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
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Abstract
This article examines a drama of American life in the early thirties. When the impact of the Great Depression in the late 1930s still left an impression, Hart and Kaufman, the writers of the play "You Can Take It with You," seem to deliberately highlight the social life of two groups of people in the United States. Each is the Kyrbi family, representing a few lucky Americans, and highly praises the economic establishment—the Martin Vanderhov family seems indifferent and enjoys life in moderation. As in most comedies, the feud between the two families is highlighted through the forbidden love story between Alice, Martin Vanderhov's granddaughter, and Tony, Kyrbi's son. Differences in lifestyle and economic status gave birth to the Kyrbi family's refusal to marry their son to Alice. On the other hand, it is shown that Tony, the crown prince of the Kyrby family business empire, refuses to continue his father's business and demands marriage to Alice.
As in other comedies, the story ends with a happy ending. This drama, from the point of view of the story, does not give anything new. However, in terms of messages that can be gleaned, this drama is still relevant to study when reflecting on Indonesian society's social and economic conditions today. Material things only measure many things in our lives today. A person's life achievement is measured by how much and how much material he has. It is no wonder that various crimes, including corruption, are carried out shamelessly to get more. The method used in this research is a descriptive method with a historical-biographical approach. With this approach, the writer tries to understand this drama and analyzes how social phenomena in that era contributed to the creation of literary works. From the analysis of the drama "You Can Take It with You," economic stability cannot always guarantee happiness. Conversely, within economic limitations, humans can still enjoy their days because happiness is a choice. In addition, the freedom to choose a way of life is a right that cannot be forced, even by parents
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