Blog Post 4

Marxism in Short

Marxist analysis focuses on the social and economic structure of a given group of people in order to reinforce the status quo. Looking through a Marxist lens we aim to decipher the social construct of a given society or social group. Conflict between classes, as well as alienation of those who fall outside of the norm, is a common occurrence and a theme often seen when looking at the structure of a larger society. Also important to look at, are the individual people who make up the larger community. There are four lifestyles of people that, when analyzed, help to break down the larger picture, and as we look at an individual’s motives we get a better understanding for how the community works as a whole.

The movie “But I’m a Cheerleader” is a satirical film that follows a group of gay and lesbian teenagers as they are sent to True Directions, a “straight camp.”  Here we see the desired social norm is to appear and act like a heterosexual. The main character, Meghan, is sent there by her parents who view her vegetarian lifestyle and her desire to hug her female friends as straying from what is acceptable. The woman who runs the camp is a hierarchical elitist, believing it is her job and responsibility to fix those who are less than perfect. Being gay is looked down upon and even though the majority of the characters in the movie are homosexual, they are still considered to be the lower class. This is only a short example of a Marxist analysis, but even from this, the basic tools to construct a more in depth look at Marxism in the media exist.