Social Constructions in the Movie Crash

Social Constructions in the Movie “Crash”

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Social Constructions in the Movie “Crash”

The movie ‘Crash’ is endowed with a number of sociological concepts, theories and constructs, including the construction of race, gender, class and nationality as evidenced by the actions of characters in the movie. Haggis (2004) has succeeded in directing the actions of the characters into showing the real depiction of racism, classism, orientalism, gender bias, whiteness, white privilege mentality, and internalized mentality at play in the contemporary society. In a wise, logical manner that is geared towards depicting social construction in the real society, Hagiss (2004) has used his characters to demonstrate how perceptions gets their way into the society and develops into social constructs. The director has gone beyond the audience’s guesses to show even the impacts that classism, racism, gender bias and colour discrimination can bring into a society. In line with the social construction of race, gender, class and nationality in the movie ‘Crash,’ this essay examines the construction impacts and performance, as depicted by the characters. A discussion of social theories, constructs and concepts have been applied in order to bring the concepts out vividly. In addition, the essay traces the performances of three characters, namely Jean Cabot, Anthony and Christine in order to exemplify social construction in the movie.

According to Allen (2011), social construction results from the perceptions or the pre-conceived thoughts of a society that are, with time, followed as societal rules or beliefs. Similarly, Berger & Luckmann (2011) concur that social constructions arise from the beliefs of a person towards a particular issue. These authors explain that, the social construction of race, for example, results from the internalized racist ideas that a person harbors within themselves. As agreed by these authors, the audience of the movie ‘Crash’ and appreciate the performance of internalized racism and ‘whiteness’ as depicted by the character, Jean. In the movie, Jean is depicted as a typical racist, having clutched the hand of her husband upon seeing the two black men and Anthony. The act demonstrates that Jean has internalized the racist thoughts, depicting white intolerance of the blacks, as well as other minority groups in Los Angeles. It is an awkward performance for Jean to clutch her husband’s hand upon seeing the black men since the place was not insecure. However, Hagiss (2004) has used this action to depict the thoughts of a white towards the minority groups. Additionally, the move has different groups of minorities, including African Americans, Latinos, and the Spanish. All the groups have been discriminated in the same ways that they discriminate against their fellow human beings. For example, Anthony, a car thief, focuses on stealing from the whites since he claims that he cannot hurt a black person (Hagiss, 2004). The ‘crashes’ are seen in the manner in which the different characters harbour racist thoughts against one another, perceiving themselves as though they are not racists, although they are racists in their deeds.

Indeed, the interactions of the characters belonging to different classes, races, gender and nationalities have come out well in developing the concept of social construction. Symbolic interaction theorists would argue that either tolerance or intolerance among these characters would be a result of their positive or negative interactions. Interracial differences and issues of ethnicity in the movie ‘Crash’ can be examined through the conflict theorists, who argue that racial and ethnic conflicts are a result of class differences and conflicts (Allen, 2011). The perceptions of superiority, evidenced by the white privilege mentality dominated the performances in the movie ‘Crash,’ proving the conflict theorists right.

An examination of the actions of the characters reveals the depiction of a number of sociological theories of racism and classism. The Critical Race Theory, for example, views racism and classism as a concept that is engrained in the society, and as such, in people’s minds (Allen, 2011). The molestation of character Christine Thayer, a black, by the white cop, John Ryan depicts a society that is ingrained with racism to the core. The social construction of gender in the movie is also depicted by the discrimination of women as Christine is molested by the traffic cop. The fact that Christine’s husband could not help in this situation depicts white privilege, whiteness mentality, ideals of Orientalism and classism at play in the cop’s mind. Gender construction is also evidenced by the fact that Christine becomes furious that her husband could not come to defend her while she was being molested. This depicts the construction of gender roles in society as perceived by Christine. Since the cop did not harass the husband as he did to Christine, the audience appreciates the molester’s discrimination along the lines of gender. The exchange of insults between Christine and Cameron after the incident depicts the inter-class/race perceptions of classism and difference, just as Allen (2011) explains that the lines of discrimination are not limited to the famous social boundaries of race, gender, and colour.

It is a success story for the director of the move in that he has enabled the characters to say exactly as they think, a tactic that has done him a lot of good in depicting the construction of race, gender, class, and nationalism. Indeed, the characters are not afraid to speak their thoughts openly. It is amazing that a black cop would have an affair with a Latino partner, yet would not know the exact country she comes from just because of racial perceptions. John Ryan lives in anguish because of the illness of his father, whom he does not take to the hospital but plays racial scapegoats.

In sum, the movie ‘Crash’ outlines the real depiction of the behavior of the contemporary society as happens in Los Angeles. By allowing his characters to speak their minds openly, the director, Paul Haggis has succeeded in depicting the social construction of class, gender, nationality and race in society. Several incidents in the play depict racism, classism, gender discrimination and a stance in nationality. A number of sociological theories come into play, like the Critical Race Theory in the social construction of race. In essence, Haggis has made a tremendous success in depicting social construction in the movie ‘Crash.’

References

Allen, J.B. (2011). Difference matters: Communicating social identity. Salem, WI: Waveland Pres.

Berger, L. P., & Luckmann, T. (2011). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge. Pennsylvania: Open Road Media.

Haggis, P. (Dir). (2004). Crash. Actors: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton… New York, NY: United States.