Analyzing the Themes in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry"

1090 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Representation of genders in media

After watching the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, I felt enthralled to dive deeper into the topics associated within the movie. So I begin by researching and conducting sociological analysis of the characters’ genders and sexualities. In addition, I will be examining the movie based on gender, socialization, media and evaluating the acceptance and portrayal of gay people in this particular movie. To further increase the depth and validity of the paper, I will be using terminology that directly applies to the situation, by which I shall break down accordingly. Throughout the paper, I will share with you my analysis that I have formulated, through the deconstruction of this movie.

To begin, I will first give you a brief synopsis of the movie and then proceed to showing you some of the sociological trends that are being shown in the movie. Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry McDonough (Kevin James) are the two main characters in the movie. Both of these men are heterosexual, however due to certain circumstances Larry talks Chuck into getting married, which made them life partners. As a result, the two men were ultimately publicly identified as being homosexual. Eventually, the two men found themselves in trouble and in the mean time; they became an inspiration and public figure for the gay community. Taking all of this into account, I will start by talking about sexual orientation. Within the movie, being exposed to the clashing of the heterosexual and homosexual communities is plausible. “According to symbolic interactionism, sexual orientation is largely a social construction built during social interaction. Like heterosexuals, both men and women who see themselves as homosexual maintain a gender identity cons...

... middle of paper ...

...arious the first time I watched it, but the second time I watched it I started to analyze and develop an analysis of the characters, by which I found to be vulgar as well. This movie allowed for a great deal of deconstruction, based on the depth and variety that was established throughout.

References

Lindsey, Linda L. 2010. "Gender Development: Biology, Sexuality, and Health:" Pp. 23-56 in Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective, edited by L. Lindsey. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Lindsey, Linda L. 2010. "Gender Development: The Socialization Process." Pp. 57-82 in Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective, edited by L. Lindsey. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Lindsey, Linda L. 2010. "Men and Masculinity" Pp. 243-276 in Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective, edited by L. Lindsey. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Show More
Related

  • Shotgun Lovesongs Analysis

    2003 Words  | 5 Pages

    The concept of masculinity is considered as the qualities and characteristics of a man, typical what is appropriate to a man. In this article, A Community Psychology of Men and Masculinity: Historical and Conceptual Review, The author Eric S. Mankowski and Kenneth I. Maton, analyze four main themes: "Men as gendered beings, the privilege and damage of being a masculine man, men as a privileged group, and men’s power and subjective powerlessness. The second and fourth themes are described as

    Read More

  • Symbolic Displays Of Aggression And Male Masculinity In Rural American Literature Analysis

    2458 Words  | 5 Pages

    She taught at universities both in Australia and the United States. Connell highly disagreed that the ideas about what established masculinity are ethically definite. In other words, masculinity is important to whom is referred to. For example, “if women are seen as weak, passive and emotional, then men are supposed to be strong, aggressive, and rational” (Seidman, 221). Additionally, masculinity is based on how people interact with each other in which correlates with their race, class, and sexuality. With this said, Connell said, “to recognize diversity in masculinity: relations of alliance, dominance and subordination… This is a gender politics within masculinity” (Seidman, 223). To point out Connell’s theorizing masculinity, she believes that diversity defines masculinity has its own relationships with authorities. In our text, Seidman gave a brief example of how the roles carry out to the social authority such as President, Senator, CEO, General, media executive, or surgeon. It is stated that while there are many senators, executives, or CEOs who are women, it is definite identify as masculinity because people think those high authorities is only for a male role. In our text, Connell has mentioned that “every society has a dominant or a “hegemonic” type of masculinity” (223). This means that she believes men has the power or control type of their masculinity in the

    Read More

  • LGBT And The Sociological Imagination In The LGBT Community

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    On television, I watched characters such as Marco del Rossi and Paige Michalchuk on the Canadian teen-drama Degrassi. These were the first positive experiences I had of what gay culture was like. Of what I saw, I did not feel like I fit into that lifestyle/group. On the other hand, the movie The Matthew Shepard Story shared the violent side of homosexuality’s history in the retelling of Matthew Shepard’s murder.

    Read More

  • The Women of the 1920's

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    " Journal of Gender Studies 19.1 (2010): 73-86. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Hegemonic Masculinity in American Society

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... E Glenn, and Nancy B Sherrod. The psychology of men and masculinity:Research status and future directions. New York: John Wiley and sons, 2001.

    Read More

  • Discrimination In Paris Is Burning

    2078 Words  | 5 Pages

    Discrimination has always been prominent in mainstream society. Judgments are quickly formed based on one’s race, class, or gender. The idea that an individual’s self-worth is measured by their ethnicity or sexual preference has impacted the lives of many Americans. During the early colonial period, a social hierarchy was established with white landowners at the top and African-American slaves at the bottom. As equality movements have transpired, victims of discrimination have varied. In the late 1980’s when Paris is Burning was filmed, gay rights were still controversial in society. The lack of acceptance in conventional society created hardships in the lives of transgender women and gay men.

    Read More

  • Willa Cather's O Pioneers! and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Mr. Peebles' Heart

    2405 Words  | 5 Pages

    Pleck, Elizabeth H. "Gender Roles and Relation." Encyclopedia of American Social History. Ed. by Mary Kupiec Cayton, Elliott J. Gorn and Peter W. Williams). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1993. 1945-1961.

    Read More

  • Homophobia In Floye

    1510 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Everybody’s journey is individual. If you fall in love with a boy, you fall in love with a boy. The fact that many Americans consider it a disease says more about them than it does about homosexuality”. -James Baldwin. In his impressionable quote Baldwin voices the prominent yet tacit unacceptance of Homosexuality. Baldwin indicates that homosexuality or queerness in America is equated to an incurable disease or illness has been a conventional theory that it reveals an attitude of intolerance within American society . This widespread notion has held an augmented presence most notably in the African American community.(Crawford et al. 2002:179-180). In a thorough yet, animated analysis of Floyd, Ayana Mathis reviews popular receptions of Homosexuality and Queerness in the African American community. The characterization of Floyd unveils the ostracization that homosexual Black men face which generates a deceptive performance of hypermasculinity. This false performance is displayed through masking emotion and unveiling an attitude of contempt for anything dearth to the ideology of masculinity while perpetuating Homophobia.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Little House on the Prairie

    2315 Words  | 5 Pages

    Brannon, Linda. "Chapter 7 Gender Stereotypes: Masculinity and Femininity." Gender: Psychological Perspectives. 4th ed. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2005. 159-83. Print.

    Read More

  • Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and the Media - Lesbians on TV

    3592 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the 1990's there has been what is called a "normalized movement"(Warner 41).  This so-called movement has permeated into all aspects of the Gay and Lesbian movement's agenda.  It has become increasingly clear in the realms of the media such as television, movies and magazines.  The major objective for the proponents of this movement is to make the homosexual seem "normal."  This would be done by not focusing on the sexual nature of the homosexual.  Since their sexual behavior is considered deviant by society, any outward expression of it will be looked down upon.  So, it has been the goal of some leaders of the movement as well as those who control the media outlets to separate the identity and sexuality of the homosexual as far as possible.

    Read More

  • Gender Discrimination in Sports Media

    1867 Words  | 4 Pages

    Stets, Jan E., and Peter J. Burke. "Femininity/Masculinity." Encyclopedia of Sociology. New York: Macmillan, n.d. 1-21. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • The Challenges of Lesbian and Gay Youth

    2611 Words  | 6 Pages

    “The unprecedented growth of the gay community in recent history has transformed our culture and consciousness, creating radically new possibilities for people to ‘come out’ and live more openly as homosexuals”(Herdt 2). Before the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York, homosexuality was a taboo subject. Research concerning homosexuality emphasized the etiology, treatment, and psychological adjustment of homosexuals. Times have changed since 1969. Homosexuals have gained great attention in arts, entertainment, media, and politics. Yesterday’s research on homosexuality has expanded to include trying to understand the different experiences and situations of homosexuals (Ben-Ari 89-90).

    Read More

  • Gay and Lesbian Visibility in Movies and Television

    1335 Words  | 3 Pages

    The family unit has always been a treasured and revered dynamic on television and in movies. Dating all the way back to I Love Lucy, storylines focused on the relationship between man and woman. Ozzie and Harriet introduced us to the quintessential American family—father in a suit, mother in pearls, and two exceptional children. It wasn’t until the 1970s that gay characters and lifestyles began to emerge. In 1973, An American Family, a PBS series featured one of the family’s sons revealing his homosexuality. In 1977, the television show Soap costarred Billy Crystal as an openly gay man. In the 1980s, it became trendy to feature gay and lesbian characters in ensemble casts. If you watch reruns, you can always find the token gay, that is, the really flaming homo or the butch lesbian gym teacher. The motion picture Mannequin, starring Andrew McCarthy and Kim Catrall, featured Meshach Taylor as Hollywood, an eccentric, finger-snapping homosexual. Many stereotypes such as these continued until the early nineties.

    Read More

  • Patriarchy and the Yellow Wallpaper

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kendal, Diana. "Sex and Gender." Sociology in Our Times 3.Ed. Joanna Cotton. Scarborough: Nelson Thomson, 2004. 339-367

    Read More

  • Homosexuality And LGBT Culture In The LGBT Community

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Homosexuality” was the main term used in the late 1950s until a new “gay” culture came about. This new gay culture not only meant same-sex desires but also gay selves an...

    Read More

More about Analyzing the Themes in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry"

Open Document