Rebel without a Cause is a powerful performance that demonstrates the struggles of an all-American, middle-class family. James Dean, Natalie Wood, and San Mineo are remarkable actors that play significant roles of adolescent characters in the film. This tale is based on teenagers that have troubled lives due to the ignorance of their parents. The main message the film portrays is that children’s behaviour is influences by their parents and their parenting skills. There are several themes in this film, however the predominant theme is that conflict within the family can encourage disaffected youth. This theme is demonstrated in the main protagonist, Jim Stark, through symbolism. The problem Jim encounters with his family encourages him to misbehave. …show more content…
His father is bossed around by his wife and does not stand up for himself or his son. When Jim was talking to the Juvenile Officer, he said “One thing I know is… I never want to be like him.” Ray interrupts “Chicken?” And Jim replies with “you see right through me, don’t you?” Jim responds in a negative way when someone refers to him as a “chicken” as it reminds him of his cowardly father. However, Jim’s bright red jacket symbolizes his aggressive behaviour. The film technique used to demonstrate this symbol is through the costume design. The leather on the jacket portrays the image of the “greaser” style in the 50’s, which was generally frowned upon by parents. The red in the costume serves a meaning for anger, violence and confidence. When he wears the jacket he misbehaves and acts like a child. The first time Jim was seen wearing the red jacket was when he ran to join Buzz in the “Chickie run”. He returns after witnessing Buzz’s death and becomes involved in a physical fight with his father while wearing that jacket. In the last scenes of the film, Jim offers Plato his red jacket. Plato dies with the jacket on which symbolises …show more content…
Problems within her family encouraged her to rebel towards society norms. The conflict she encounters is set by her father’s strict rules and his failed attempt to be considerate and sincere. Their relationship is well-portrayed through their everyday social interactions. The script of the films plays a significantly important role as it is one of the film techniques that reveal their relationship. When Judy kisses her father on his cheek, he says “What’s the matter with you? You're getting too old for that kind of stuff, kiddo. You can stop doing that long ago.” Judy sadly replies “I didn't want to stop”. Judy shows that she is having a difficult time growing up through her stubborn and child-like actions toward her father. She does not accept the fact that she needs to grow up and therefore behaves in a child-like manner. When she is caught for running away she says, “I came out, and he grabbed my face. He started rubbing off all the lipstick. I thought he'd rub off my lips. And I ran out of that house.” Judy makes it clear that her father does not like her image. The red lipstick was considered a provocative image for a woman of her age in the 1950’s, and her father does not want others to get a wrong impression of her. However, Judy does not seem to understand the reason behind his logic. Judy is a very stubborn character. She understands her father does not like her red lipstick, yet she wears it to
In the movie Rebel Without a Cause, the characters portray many characteristics of a teenager living in the Atomic Age post World War II as well as modern day society; with little guidance it appears the youth of America feels lost and alone. This movie was released in 1955 and was recorded in California. This was the last film that James Dean ever starred in; which was a devastating blow to such a blossoming young man’s career and superstardom.
The lack of full emotional development of adolescents can lead to confusion and pressure while making life-or-death decisions during serious situations such as war. Along with being forced into war, living in inferiority to an overpowering presence only enrages the teenagers and their families more about the situation. Suzanne Collins depicts this class difference by writing, “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch- this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand at surviving another rebellion” (18). The districts are outraged by the idea of forcing children into a violent atmosphere in which they have to fight each other for their lives.
Nicholas Ray. Perf. James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, and Jim Backus. Warner Bros., 1955. DVD.
This film contains some classic examples of the kinds of real life issues adolescents deal with. Issues such as popularity, peer relationships, family/sibling relationships, sex, and struggles with identity are all addressed in this ninety-minute film.
Imagine living in a dystopian society where the world that once thrived was completely forgotten. Individualism and freedom cease to exist. Equality 7-2521 finds himself living in this society in which he soon realizes he does not belong. Anthem, by Ayn Rand, portrays the theme of freedom versus confinement through the eyes of Equality 7-2521 as he struggles to free himself from the restricting society in which he lives.
Following the defeat of the Confederacy and to lift the morale of a shattered people momentum gathered to enshrine the Myth of the Lost Cause which would transform the Southern soldier living and dead, into a veritable hero.
Freedom Riders: Rebels with a Cause! “If not us, then who is? If not now, then when? Will there be a better day for it tomorrow or next year? Will it be less dangerous then?
Many find it true that many teenagers in the 1950s were rebellious and it was because of their consumerist traits, how they fit in society, and their strained relationships with the adults. When Jim Stark yells at his parents, “You’re tearing me apart!”(RWOAC), he describes how his parents are the reason why his life is suffering. Great examples from this film of its rebelling would be Jim’s actions to keep his pride even if it comes to
Romance, something that takes braking laws and risking your life to find. In the book Anthem it says “...when all the men older than twenty and all the women older than eighteen are sent for one night to the City Palace of Mating.” The City of mating is where humans go to breed like wild animals only they do it once a year. I believe that this should not happen because children are supposed to be created out of love and time. Although I feel like people would be more successful if they gave them more time and allowed the young ones to fall in love. But in The Giver “Jones kisses Fiona after she and Jonas do not take their medication that makes them not be able to feel emotions.” Jones stops taking his injection and then starts to feel strong feeling towards Fiona and this greatly impacts the story. If Jones would have never stopped taking the injection then everyone would always have no memory. They both share common risks to find the true meaning love and don`t stop to get the things they want.
Initially, Jim Sloane is an irresponsible, childish and desperate character because of his behavior and his talk with his
John Singleton’s view of social problems in South Central Los Angeles happens in a tale of three friends growing up together. Doughboy and Ricky Baker are half-brothers and have opposite personalities. Ricky is a football player who hopes to win a scholarship and spends most of his time playing football. On the other hand, Doughboy is a young man who looks upon his environment for guidance. He is involved in violence, abusing drugs, and participates in violence. In between is their friend Tre, who actually has a father to teach him what is right from wrong. Furious Styles, who is Tre’s father in the film does everything in his strength to keep his son from becoming another startling statistic. As you can see, it is always important for parents to be a part of their child’s life because it can make a big difference not only in their life but also their child’s future.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a movie and list five sociological concepts outlined in our textbook, Sociology A Down-To-Earth Approach, 6th edition by James M. Henslin, which was published by Pearson Education, Inc in 2015, 2013, and 2011. I have chosen the movie, “The Breakfast Club.” This is a 1985 movie directed by John Hughes. It is about five high school students that have detention on a Saturday for nine hours. The five students are played by, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Anthony Michael Hall. These five students are deviant in their own particular ways and have different stereotypes. Eventually the students share personal information about their
Rebel Without a Cause calls attention to society’s obsession over hyper masculinity, fears of overly dominant women, homosexuality, and juvenile “delinquency” during the 1950s. Popularity of suburban life arose – along with the necessity to fit in. Accompanying the pressures of gender roles were also the rise of alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and rage. Moreover, the film explores the conflicts that lied within teenagers because of the social standards that were forced upon them.
Teenage films are often thought of films focused on issues such as teen angst, conflict with parents, coming of age, and most notably rebellion. Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause(1955) is one of the first films that could be classified as such. In today’s times, many films that fall into this genre follow the same structure as Rebel without a Cause in that perceptions and activities of youth defy what is considered to be a seemingly more stable adult life. Prior to Rebel Without a Cause, there wasn’t a film that challenged the ideas of masculinity in society and the struggles that teenagers endured in that era, so it is no surprise that the film is considered to be the poster child of youth rebellion in the 1950’s. Ray brings to light a
Director Nicholas Ray was lucky to have a talented composer create an original score for Rebel Without A Cause. Leonard Rosenman was born in 1924 and studied music in New York and Europe. His work as a film composer and arranger is very traditional, and has been regarded by some music critics as "insignificant." However, Rosenman received Academy Awards and Oscar nominations for his work. Along with film scores, Rosenman wrote theme music and scores for numerous television shows. The score in Rebel Without A Cause is much like another film starring James Dean, East of Eden.