Various Theories in Sociology in The Film Go - Essay Example

Various Theories in Sociology - The Film Go Many contemporary issues are rooted from sociology issues. Sociology's subject matter is diverse, from the family to the state, ranging from crime to religion, from the sections of race and social class to the shared views of a common culture, and from social strength to radical alteration in whole societies. Merging the study of this diverse area of study is sociology's role of understanding how human consciousness and action both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social systems (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 19). This paper looks at various theories in sociology and tying it to the film comedy. The film Go exemplifies Becker’s Labeling Theory, Quinneys Conflict Theory, and Foucaults notions of social control in many ways and as such various arguments can be drawn from the comedy film basing on the characters and the analysis of the plot. The film is told from three perspectives, it is a comedy of a group of young Californians trying to obtain some cash, deal and do some drugs, score money and sex in Las Vegas, and mostly experience the rush of life. 'Go' comedy film is set generally during one Christmas Eve in the view and lives of a bunch of young adults on the scenarios surrounding a drug deal and engagements in Los Angeles repeated three various times from three different opinions. There is the portrayal or exemplifies Quinneys Conflict Theory (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 74). Defiance is one significant aspect that is fully portrayed in the comedy film ‘Go’. The argument then that would be initiated is how do sociologists define "defiance"? Moreover, link it to the instances that it is shown in the film through analysis of the plot. Deviance may involve any transgression of socially set norms. Negligible transgressions of these established norms are portrayed the informal deviance; recognizable deviance or crime involves the violation of laws. In the film ‘Go’, when slacker Simon takes off for a haven to Las Vegas with his friends, Ronna grabs his shift at the 24-hour grocery store the place they do their job. When two men, named Zack and Adam, walk in requesting to score few dope from Simon, Ronna decides herself and her friends Claire and Mannie to buy some few stuff from Todd Gains, the local drug dealer. Later, the drug deal is a string that Zack and Adam are forced to set up by a manic narcotics agent that is Burke. Ronna has no option but to get rid of the drugs. With no other choice, she tries to double-cross Todd with fake drugs. Aspects of defiance are portrayed here through the actions of these bunches of young starts. Despite their individual occupations are ready to conform and go the extra mile to do drug dealings just to get extra cash. Synthesized notion depicts Societal deviance Norm violation as some which are illegal while others are "commonly sensed" that individuals within a society are aware to be deviant for instance, theft or cutting in line. The other instance in the comedy film ‘Go’ is the individual character of and actions of the two guys Adam and Zack. They are perceived actors in a daytime soap opera, and at same time are secretly gay and in a serious relationship. Due to a small drug deal they are both got caught in, they both agree to work for Burke, who is a police detective to be covered (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 45). Another view worth noting is Sociology offers an enlightening and distinctive way of seeing the social world and understanding the world in which we live and which always shapes our lives. Sociology looks beyond the obvious, taken-for-granted views of reality, to provide deeper critical analysis, more challenging and illuminating understandings of social life (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 16). Labeling theory created by Howard Becker in 1963 is another social theory that the comedy explores. Labeling theory can arguably be the view that individuals become criminals or go into drug deals when labeled as such and immediately they accept the name as personal identity. Critical concepts in labeling theory that can be synthesized based on various characters in the comedy film ‘Go’ include prospective and retroactive labeling, as well as the essential of being stigmatized. When Simon Baines crashes a wedding in Las Vegas and has sex with two of the bridesmaids just before their room accidentally catches fire. The other finds who he is with seem to have labeled as the ‘bad guy’ in the group. Funny enough he attests to this fact through his actions and acts. Furthermore, after they left the hotel going ore and hid in the car of an unknown person the aspect of being labeled as the ‘bad guy’ is clearly manifested. In the car that they hid that was not theirs, Simon finds a 9mm gun and begins playing with it, and he believes that is a ‘bad guy’ and that is the reason why he knows how to handle firearms. Labeling theory in this instance can be critically analyzed as the theory of how the behavior and self-identity of individuals may be influenced or determined by the terms used to classify or describe them. From this instance and the events that surround Simon and his friends in Las Vegas the concepts and theories of labeling are portrayed (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 13). It is clearly associated with the concepts of stereotyping and self-fulfilling prophesy. Throughout the comedy, labeling theory embraces the view that deviance is not inherent in a deed, but instead emphasizes on the trend of majorities to negatively label minorities or those individuals seen as deviant from expected standard cultural norms and the individual who is labeled by negative aspects is Simon . Labeling theory stresses the view that deviance is rather a relative term. Under this perception, individuals become deviant not due to of the act itself, but how various react to that action and that can be in the case of Simon labeled as the ‘bad guy’. As part of this sociology theory, there are two kinds of deviance (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 31). Primary deviance called to episodes of deviant behavior that several individuals participate in it. Secondary deviance is when individual makes something out of that behavior and is assumed a negative social label. This was manifested in the character of Simon and from critical analysis of the plot his character portrayal be called negative label a stigma. Social control theory argues that commitments, relationships, values, and beliefs of a group or society encourage conformity (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 16). Social control theory proposes that individuals, commitments, relationships, values, beliefs and norms encourage these people not to break the law. Hence, if moral ethics is internalized and persons are tied into, and have a role in their broad community, they may voluntarily lower their propensity to commit deviant deeds. These aspects lacked in Ronna’s relations, and commitment and she had a hard time in confirming. To support this argument on realizing she can make some cash from a drug deal, she heads to Simon's dealer Todd Gaines since she does not have enough money. It can be argued that Ronna lacked an avenue of conformity, and that is why she acted so. In conclusion, sociology is a discipline that explores our awareness and analysis of the individual social relationships and cultures, which shape both our lives and personal history. Through it, various theories are understandable, and individuals can relate with in this contemporary society (Clinard & Meier, 2011 p., 3). The comedy film ‘Go’ provides a clear channel through which various sociology issues can be comprehended through its plot critical analysis and the characters. The film Go exemplifies, Beckers Labeling theory, Quinneys Conflict Theory and Foucaults notions of social control. References Top of Form Clinard, M. B., & Meier, R. F. (2011). Sociology of deviant behavior. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Bottom of Form Read More