Introduction
This essay will use sources from six key films, and written text in order to describe, discuss, and analyze how society picks on people with less power over time. The sources used in this essay, depict a narrative where there is an underdog, and a person in a position of authority over them. They highlight the underdog’s struggle to align themselves with the values of society, and to be recognized as equal members within it.
Each of the narratives discussed in this essay depicts people who are used, and discarded by society. These underdogs are seen as outcasts and not on the same level as others with more power. In a sense, the individuals as seen as ‘lesser’ humans than those who have power, and authority over them. Those in authority are depicted as selfish, greedy, naïve, and are largely unaware, or unconcerned about the pain they inflict upon those who exhibit less power than them.
The purpose of this essay is to delve into the core message of these narratives, and to analyze each narrative in its own right in light of the topic theme. This essay will then summarize all discussed narratives, and compare them in the light of the central topic to comment about the nature of power in society. This essay will draw the conclusion of how society picks on people with less power over time. Comparisons will be made between each narrative, in order to comment about the nature of society itself, and what the authors are trying to get across to their audiences by writing these types of narratives.
Thesis
The nature of our society is depicted in films, and written text whose narratives comment on how society picks on people with less power over time.
Cloud Atlas (Tykwer, 2012).
Cloud Atlas is a film that comments on the nature of human emotions, and how the choices we make transcend over time, and space. The film depicts several main characters, who start out as unlikely heroes. Their journey’s seem unrelated to one another, however, as the story goes on we learn that their lives are innately interlinked with one another. Each of the characters feels separated from the norms of society. Although they are brought up with certain values, beliefs, and ideals, their inner hearts seem to call them out from the norm and into something greater than themselves.
All of the characters in Cloud Atlas are confronted with this inner conflict that transcends to their outer existence. They all have issues with how society sees them, and how it treats people with less power. All characters feel a call upon their lives to create change, although they are quite unsure of how to go about it.
One of the main characters Adam Ewing, is a young white lawyer who is brought up in a society where black slaves are the norm. Adam doesn’t understand the need for slaves, and largely ignores this issue until he is confronted with the mistreatment of slaves on a plantation visit.
On his visit he witnesses a black slave being senselessly beaten for taking food that didn’t belong to him. The man is tormented by what he saw, and comes to the conclusion, that despite societal norms, he doesn’t agree with slavery at all. So he vows to do something about it.
In his world, society sees black people as lesser humans. They have less power than white people, and are not viewed as equals. They are seen like animals, tools for the purpose of development, and progress. However, Adam doesn’t agree with this paradigm. He sees black people as equal in the eyes of God, and leaves his family, and their twisted ideals to use his power as a lawyer to create societal change.
Another character in the film Sonmi-451, is a clone in the future who is slightly aware of her own mortality. She doesn’t quite understand why she feels this way, but she knows that she doesn’t like the treatment she receives. She starts thinking for herself when she is freed by revolutionist Jim Sturgess. This part of the narrative fits in with the whole to comment on the nature of slavery.
Furthermore the film acts like a mirror, by showing us how we treat others in society who we deem less powerful than us. The narrative shows that although elements such as money, power, color, gender, religion, and status, can give off the appearance of success, fortune, and power, does not accurately depict the source of all true power, love.
The narrative of Cloud Atlas seeks to show that when society picks on people with less power over time, it forces them to seek deep within themselves to find a way to freedom. The film highlights the folly, and greedy nature of those who enslave them, and the true power within us all, which is the power to love, forgive, and fight for justice.
Crash (Haggis, 2004).
The movie Crash is set in the post 911 era in Los Angeles. Like Cloud Atlas, the narrative doesn’t focus on one singular character, but depicts the lives of several whose lives at first seem unrelated. Although each set of characters are separated by distance, race, and gender, the narrative shows how they are interlinked with one another when conflict in their lives cause them to meet and interact.
Each character in the movie experiences some level of discomfort, and suffers from an inner battle after the events of 911. This inner conflict spills out into their external worlds which create havoc in their careers and relationships.
One of the characters in the movie, officer John Ryan played by actor Matt Dillion is central to this theme. John is a white police officer who is a racist, and one night he pulls over a wealthy, educated black couple who are returning from a dinner out with friends. He only pulls them over, because they are black. John searches the black man’s wife for contraband, and physically molests her in front of her husband.
The wife is powerless, and though she tries to protest, she is told to put up with it by her husband. Her husband is scared, he understands that the cop is a racist and will stop at nothing to bring them down. He doesn’t want to give the officer an excuse to arrest them or cause trouble for them.
In addition to this, her husband feels powerless, his fear, is paralyzing, and because of this he allows the abuse of his wife to continue. Afterwards, his wife is outraged that her husband stood by and did nothing. This adds to her distrust of society and white people as a whole. During their interactions we discover that his wife has many prejudices against white people. Because of this, her husband draws parallels between her attitude of white’s and John’s attitude of blacks.
The narrative comments on the nature of racism. It also shows that the black man’s wife is a covert racist, and that her hate for white people is growing. It shows how racism can spin both ways, and it shows the levels of racism in our current society. This element of the narrative is trying to highlight the powerlessness of those who feel excluded from society.
The fact that all characters suffer after the 911 events, also show how terrorists have used their power against American citizens. It shows the vulnerabilities of people who not only have to deal with the larger issue of terror, but also the issues of racism, and homophobia that is prevalent within our current society. It shows how these judgements and bias exist within our society, and create a terror all of their own.
Overall, this narrative comments on how we treat others in society, but it also goes further than that to show how we all on some level, treat others as lesser human beings. That even in our protest about injustice, we can become the very people we pick on.
Schindlers List (Spielberg, 1993)
Schindlers List is set in the time of World War II. It re-tells a true narrative based around the real events of the Nazi persecution of Jews. The narrative depicts the main character, Oskar Schindler, who is a member of the Nazi party. He is greedy, manipulative, and a vain German business man.
Oskar is set to make a fortune in World War II by capitalizing on the downfall of the Jews. Oskar commits to a business deal with the Nazi SS in order to acquire a factory that produces enamelware. The Jews are forced out of their home in Poland, and into a Ghetto called Krakow Ghetto.
During his business deal, Oskar uses the services of a Jewish official who has underground contacts that help Oskar secure financing for his factory. Oskar sets about employing Jews in his factory simply because they cost less than employing Germans. He capitalizes on their plight by making them work in his factory. He enjoys the fruits of his success and is praised by the Nazi’s as contributing to the war effort. However, over a period of time Oskar becomes closer to his Jewish workers and Jewish financiers. He starts to see the injustice against them caused by the Nazi’s. Essentially, Oskar has a change of heart, and his character changes as well. He plans to help save the Jewish people by employing as many as he can in his factories. This way, the Jews are safe from the camps, and death.
Oskar convinces Nazi authorities that employing Jews in the factories is essential to the war effort, and ends up saving thousands of Jews during this war time period. This narrative depicts how the Jews were mistreated by the Nazi’s. How they were seen as lesser humans, and therefore not worthy of their own lives. It also shows how love, and compassion can cause a change of heart, even within the most hard hearted of people.
It shows how German society at the time picked on the Jews over a period of time, and were responsible for the deaths of over six million Jews. It shows how differences in religion, and in the way we view ourselves in society can lead to horrific acts of violence. When we try to protect what we think is pure we can end up becoming monsters. The narrative’s overall message is that, if we act to defend ourselves by putting the rights of others beneath us we become inherently evil in our nature.
Beowulf (Moorman, 1972)
Beowulf is known as the oldest Anglo-Saxon poem in existence today. The poem is set in the sixth century in Sweden and depicts legendary characters such as, demons, and dragons. The protagonist of the poem is called Beowulf, he is a hero who fights a monster called Grendel.
Grendel is depicted as a demon that descended from the line of Cain in the Holy Bible. Beowulf also fights Grendel’s mother, who is a fire-breathing dragon. Throughout his journey, Beowulf displays acts of bravery, honor, dedication, and courage. Despite the odds being constantly against him, Beowulf rises to the challenge of justice.
In a type and shadow, Beowulf represents the people in society who seem powerless and vulnerable. It shows how with courage, faith, and dedication we can overcome even the most insurmountable of foes. This fictional epic highlights the marginalization of people with less power. Like the other narratives discussed in this essay, Beowulf shows the elements, and the struggle for power. It shows the depths of selfishness, and the levels of depravity that people are willing to go to in order to gain, and maintain their power over others.
This narrative also shows that even the most unlikely of people can become heroes. Beowulf enlists several warriors to help him slay the dragon. However, all but one young man runs away. This shows how we can look for strength, and courage in all the wrong places. It shows how strength, and courage aren’t always seen on the outside, but is hidden inside of each of us. Society didn’t see the young man as anything, certainly not a hero, but when necessity arose, he heeded the call, and stood by Beowulf’s side to slay the dragon. The story highlights the folly of judgment, and our pre-conceived notions of power. It challenges the readers to look deeper in order to see what our eyes fail to recognize.
Tragedy of Julius Caesar (Shakespeare, 1599)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1599. It is based on real life events from Roman History. The narrative does not focus on Julius Cesar, but a man named Marcus Brutus. The play depicts the struggles that Brutus goes through as he tries to reconcile his position in line with honor, friendship and patriotism.
The narrative depicts the struggles of power, and how those in power who deem themselves as God’s, are often the cause of their own demise. At the beginning of the play a discussion between Brutus, and several other characters depict moral debates over whether or not they should kill Julius before his toxic ways harm the people of Rome. They want to prevent him from being crowned, because they fear that after he rises to power he will cause the Roman people to come to tragedy. They stab him to death, believing that they are protecting the people of Rome. For a time, the people are on their side, but not long after Marc Anthony turns the people against them using emotional manipulation. Now the heroes are victims, and are excluded from society. This narrative shows that people can be manipulated by their emotions into actions that include deception and murder.
It also shows how well-meaning individuals can transcend the boundaries of society, and commit horrific acts against others in the name of justice. This theme flows with the thesis of this essay, because Brutus is stripped of his power. Once in a position of power, his well-meaning actions cause him to suffer greatly. In addition to this, the ghost of Julius Caesar haunts Brutus, and warns him that he will soon be completely defeated. It shows how society can turn against those in power, and render them powerless. It also shows how easily people can be manipulated.
The Kite Runner (Khaled, 2003).
The Kite Runner is a narrative that focuses on the friendship of two boys. One of the boys, Amir, is the son of a wealthy man who lives in the district of Kabul in the Middle East. The other boy Hassan is the son of the servant of Amir’s father who lives in the compound. The narrative shows how both boys are similar, and become best friends. It shows how the expectations placed upon them by society changes the nature of their friendship.
Hassan is Amir’s servant, so he is expected to grow up, and become his bodyguard. Hassan does everything Amir asks him to do, even at the expense of his own dignity. He is the force that helps Amir become a kite runner, and win consistently against his opponents. Although it is Hassan’s ingenious methods, and advice that causes Amir to win, he gets none of the accolades, or glory for Amir’s success, because he is a servant boy. The narrative is set against the events of war, and exile in the area. As the boys form a close knit team, Hassan is assaulted by a gang of older boys. They pick on him because he is a servant, and see him as less than human. They treat him as an individual with no rights while Amir stands by and does not intervene, but does not act because he is afraid.
Amir grows up with regrets over the incident, and tries to atone for his lack of help by attempting to rescue Hassan’s son years later. The narrative depicts the struggles of power, and the status that society places upon individuals, because of their monetary wealth. It shows how we can look down upon others who have less than we do, by treating them worse than animals. In this way, the narrative comments on the nature of power and status within our society. However, it also shows how people can change, and how people with less power are usually a lot kinder, and more powerful than those who have authority over them. This narrative shows that true power comes from the choices we make, not the status that society places upon us or, or the amount of money we have in the bank. True power comes from the heart, and that is the only kind of power that really matters when it comes to speaking volumes about who we are as people.
Summary
The narratives depicted in this essay comment on the nature of power in society. They show throughout history, society consistently persecuted people that are considered less powerful than the ruling majority. It shows how the struggle for power can lead people to commit horrific acts of violence against their fellow human beings. It also shows how bravery, courage, love, and sacrifice can change hearts and birth heroes. The narratives push the reader into examining their own lives, judgments, and motivations in order to discover the truth within them. Each narrative focuses on the underdog in the story. It gives a human face to every day injustice and suffering. In this way, the narratives urge the readers to consider the ramifications of their actions. It asks them to consider what is more important; the mask of power that is attributed to status, wealth, and fame, or is it the source of human justice which stems from love?
Conclusion
This essay has discovered that society has a history of persecuting people they consider less human, or powerful than the ruling majority. It has discovered that the struggle for power can lead to acts of violence against people. It has found that there are lessons to be learned when we look back on history, and begin to understand the nature of power, and status. It has discovered that if not carefully managed, power has the ability to destroy lives. On the same level, well-meaning individuals can end up betraying their loved ones, harming themselves, and suffering greatly when acting against the injustice they have suffered from. Power also has the ability to transform lives for the better. This essay has found that society picks on people with less power over time, because it is fearful of losing control. It has found that when greed, and anger are introduced, marginalized people suffer the most. It is in these times of tragedy that unlikely heroes rise, and true strength emerges.
Overall, this essay has discovered that true power isn’t necessarily what we see. It goes further than that and resides within each of our hearts. True power comes from the choices we make every day, and when used wisely we do not need to re-live the mistakes of the past. When we look beyond status, wealth, and the masks of power, and choose to see people for who they really are, we can create long lasting change that eliminates prejudice and injustice for good.
Works Cited
Cloud Atlas. Hollywood: Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, 2012. film.
Crash. Hollywood: Paul Haggis, 2004. film.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003. Print.
Moorman, F. W. The Interpretation of Nature in English Poetry from Beowulf to Shakespeare. [New York]: [AMS Press], 1972. Print.
Schindler's List. Hollywood: Steven Spielberg, 1993. film.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg, 1599. Print.
