Sociology concepts and applications

Sociology

The beauty of Sociology and perhaps the attribute that makes it so specific among human sciences is the fact that it helps one develop a sort of ability to view and analyze in an extremely profound manner, to discover connections where the common sense omits them, to find encoded answers. Sociology is a science which is far from being pure-theoretical and by these I refer not only to the fact that it has its own measure instruments and procedures, but to the wide applicability of the sociological concepts. One meets and analyses these concepts not only in the past and present society, but also in the constructions and reflections of the society which are the theatrical manifestations and the movies.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a sociological content for the analysis of what I would like to call a great movie. The personal choice is "Cool Hand Luke," a memorable film in terms of plot, characters and interpretation. The reason for choosing this film stands on the great manner in which it manages to reflect the relationship among opposed groups of individuals.

The plot of the screen is simple and easy for one to follow. Lukas Jakson, the main character is arrested for cutting the heads off of parking meters while being drunk and sentenced to two years of prison in a prison camp in Florida. While being closed, this prisoner firstly known as the "War-Hero," due to his participation and recognized merits in the War, manages to win the respect of his peers and even of the informal leader of the prisoners, Dragline. In brief, he becomes determined to escape and has three attempts, the last one turning out to be fatal for him, as he is caught and shot by the authorities. Still, he becomes a legendary figure among the other prisoners, not only after his escaping attempts, but also due to his sarcastic spirit, courage and excellent way of dissimulation.

"Cool Hand Luke" provides numerous ways of being analyzed, depending on what aspects one wishes to detect. An extremely interesting approach would be the one of the main character- Lukas Jakson- a loner and, apparently, an individual unable to adapt to the norms of the society who ends up with becoming a myth for his peers. His psychological profile which finally leads him to a dramatic end would make an excellent subject for a paper in the area. Yet, I would like to observe and analyze him as related to the ones surrounding him and from the angle of the institutions, norms, values and relationships among individuals and groups that describe the society of the 1960's in America.

From a theoretical point-of-view, the movie relates to a major sociological theory which one knows as "the conflict theory." There are, in sociology, different approaches that, in time, became classic models of analyze, turning into theories. The conflict theory, together with the functional one and the one based on interaction are modern theoretical models based on the idea that society should be defined and interpreted through the relationships it develops among the individuals. They try to explain what we call "the dynamics of social systems" or why societies change and what makes them "live."

In short, the conflict theory explains the evolution and the good function of the society through conflicts that appear among individuals, groups of individuals, classes, parties and so on. It originates in the ideas of Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and Karl Marx and one can say it is the opponent of functionalism in terms of defining conflict: while the former sees it as being indispensable for the society progress, the latter (functionalism) sees it as an issue that produces social lack of balance and needs to be removed.

Conflict as a sociological concept is defined as a relationship between two different individuals or groups or between an individual and a group, with the two sides having or believing that they have incompatible goals. In the present movie, the difference between the two groups- the authorities and the prisoners is obvious from the very beginning, through the representative the scene where the officer mentions the rules. "They've got their rules and we've got nothing to do with that" or "He has to learn the rules, just like anybody else" are key phrases which sustain this idea.

The two opponent groups are both looking to improve their performances in terms of privilege and power. The scene in which the prisoners are working and the pavement of the street and become motivated to work rapidly is also representative, as it points out their success in front of the authorities, therefore the earning of a privilege, more free time. On the other hand, the working conditions, the punishments they are being submitted to ("spending a night in the box") show the difference of status and the inequality between the two groups, which is the genesis of the conflict. Same does the appellative "boss" used with high frequency along the movie.

It is interesting to analyze the concept of "group cohesion" which is extremely obvious at least in the case of the prisoners. The way they manage to live together and somehow make their common life easier, their emotions, all of these are a result of their social interaction and a proof that they adhere to the same values and principles. The group cohesion is mostly obvious through the touching scenes in the movie, like the one where Luke returns from his attempt to escape and peers treat him with compassion or through the relationship of sincere friendship that Luke and Dragline develop.

Another sociological concept that appears in the construction of characters and that explains events and behavior is the term of "deviant behavior" that one can attribute to the main character, Luke. He ignores laws when being arrested and overlooks the sheriff through his attitude, and in general, he does not seem to conform to the prevailing rules and norms of living imposed, which is exactly the definition of a "deviant behavior."

Although the general line of the action follows the idea of conflict among individuals, one must take into account the fact that, both in the real life, and in movies is hard to define situations that coincide to a specific approach in all their aspects. Society is "dynamic" and complex, which means that one can observe various aspects of her. In "Cool Hand Luke," an extremely important part is represented by his transformation in front of the authorities, in his pursuit of freedom. This way of acting is what sociology labels as "interaction," defined by roles and actors and by living the social live as a drama, concept introduced by Erving Goffman. Luke plays his part in front of the authorities and he does it that good that he manages to fool them in an extremely funny way for the audience and also, in a very representative way for the idea of symbol in human interactions.