Tag: Identity

  • Moonrise Kingdom Explained – A Fight for Identity

    Sam Shakusky and Susi Bishop are outsiders. Or at least, they are both described as such by their immediate social groups and wider society. Sam is “emotionally disturbed” due to the death of his parents and Susi is known as a “very troubled” child. These labels distance both characters from their social groups; Sam from…

  • American Beauty Explained – The Sociology of Identity

    It’s often said that American Beauty is a film about identity. Each character seems to go through a very personal identity crisis. But I would argue these crises are not personal at all. They are the products of wider social forces. By focusing on the identities of American Beauty’s characters we can learn a surprising…