Language appeared only few times in the film “Modern Times”. First of all, language happen when the president ordered the instructions to his workers and monitored workers (when Chaplin try to loaf on the job, the president warned him). President’s voice and imagine were appeared in the monitor. In addition, language happen when the sales man introduced their machine. Moreover, language happen when Chaplin in the Warden’s office–sounds from radio. Language used in here were all related to technology, which was rational, definite, and pure logic. The way we hear the voice is significant because it shows that our human being was rationalized by machinery. The president only cared about his profit, revenue that workers produced by using machine. Sales man only cared the feeding machine, they just wanted to sell it. Chaplin pointed out that machinery supposed to make human being’s life easier but it totally destroyed the people’s life. Workers were replaced by machine and they had to work at the speed of machine without any rest.
“Modern Times” is related to surrealism and dadaism. The character Chaplin’s actions can be described by using Dadaism idea. His actions were against everything (when he operated machine—machine stopped; when he leaned on the door—door break; when he sat on the chair—floor break; and so on…). He was the one who can not be full controlled. He was irrational, can not be described by reason. Gamine and Chaplin also represented surrealism. Their imagination about the house, they were the owner and everything had to follow their order (even foods and cow). It contradicted the reality.
At the end, Gamine prepared lyric for Chaplin to perform but Chaplin’s actions threw the rational and organized lyric away. He sang the song without looking at lyric and he performed randomly with different languages. His song means nothing, his performance was came from unconsciousness (automatic writing).