Sociological Perspectives in Babel Babel, a Hyperlink

Sociological Perspectives in Babel Babel, a hyperlink cinema masterpiece, is a 2006 film by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and tells the story of four families through four different perspectives. Though these families appear to be unrelated through business or other social arrangement, it is a single object, a .270 Winchester M70 rifle, which unites their stories. Through this object, and the families presented, an analytical approach may be taken to explore the different sociological perspectives presented in the film.

The story is presented in a series of related events that take place in various parts of the world including Mexico, Morocco, and Japan. As it is revealed at the end of the film, it is the rifle given to a Moroccan hunting guide that links the four families through a series of tragic events. While on a hunting trip, Yasujiro Wataya of Japan gave the rifle to his guide, who in turn sold it to Abdullah and his family.

While Abdullah has intended to use the rifle to protect his goats from predators such as jackals, he leaves the rifle with his sons, Yussef and Ahmed, while he goes into town to buy more supplies for his farm. Yussef and Ahmed do not realize the rifle's power, and to a degree doubt it. Since their father, Abdullah must go to town to fetch supplies, the brothers are left in charge of the goats on the farm and must take them out to graze, rifle in hand for protection.

Though the rifle is intended to kill jackals that may attack their herd, Yussef and Ahmed decide to test the rifle's power as it has been purported that the rifle can shoot a target up to three kilometers away. As Yussef is a bad shot, his younger Ahmed takes charge of the test, first shooting a rock, and shoots at a passing tourist bus that Yussef had doubted Ahmed could hit.

Realizing that they have hit the bus, the brothers hurry back home, driving the goats back to the farm, and hiding the rifle in a nearby cave. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Susan Jones, on vacation with her husband Richard, has been shot aboard the tourist bus. The story then shifts to the Jones family, split between Morocco and the United States, and the struggle that they must overcome.

Faced with the possibility of losing his wife to a "terrorist" attack in Morocco, Richard must find a way to care for his severely wounded wife without the luxury of readily available medicine, as well as ensure that his twin children, Debbie and Mike, back home are safe and are unaware of their mother's condition while in the care of their nanny, Amelia Barraza, an illegally employed Mexican citizen.

Due to the unforeseen circumstance, Amelia is put in a position where she chooses to honor her family commitments and subsequently endangers the children she has taken care of for most of their lives (Inarittu). There are three different sociological perspectives presented in the film, each to a varying degree of complexity. Functionalist theory explores society through the analysis of values, norms and beliefs and claims that society is a complex system of parts (Hughes 3). Functionalist theory also claims that change is disruptive and gradual.

A prime example of this theory is the role that the individual plays within the group that they are in, whether they are a tourist, among peers, extended family, or within a nuclear family. Susan and Robert Jones are perceived as an inconvenience to the tour group in which they are traveling in though Susan has been severely wounded and is in desperate need of medical attention.

Because Susan is unable to travel, the tour group decides that it is in their best interest to abandon the Jones' in the remote village of Tanzarine because their future needs (getting water, taking medication, and personal comfort) outweigh the present issue of Susan's mortality. Seeing as Susan and Robert pose a threat to their social interests, they are cast from the group.

Meanwhile, back in the U.S., Amelia is forced to make the choice between taking care of the Jones twins, or going to her son's wedding across the border in Mexico. Amelia chooses to take the twins to Mexico and tries to fulfill both obligations. Amelia views the twins as part of her extended family and are welcomed by her family in Mexico.

Her family in Mexico does not distinguish between familial bonds and the children are quick to integrate into the festivities and play with the other children even though there is a language barrier. Back in Morocco, Yussef and Abdullah are expected to fill roles unlike the Jones twins.

While the Jones twins are allowed to play and be free from any major responsibilities, Yussef and Abdullah are expected to contribute the work that needs to be done around the farm and help sustain the productivity of the farm on which they live. In Japan, Cheiko Wataya, the daughter of Yasujiro Wataya, must learn to cope with her place in society, as well as her acceptance of self. Babel also portrays dysfunctional views of the resources at hand.

Whereas the lack of modern medicine seriously jeopardizes Susan's life, Cheiko is shown attempting to seduce her dentist and abusing recreationally. Hunting for sport and survival also raise an issue in the film as Yussef and Abdullah are meant to hunt and kill jackals to ensure the safety of their herd, Yasujiro travels to Morocco to hunt game for sport. Another sociological perspective.