Rebel Without A Cause Analysis

Social Issues in Rebel Without A Cause

Rebel Without a Cause is a movie that was released during 1955, that followed the character Jim Stark and overcoming social issues that come along in the film. The character lives in a suburban middle class neighborhood with his parents and grandmother. Jim faces concerns on “what it is being a man”, how to “fit in” school, and youth culture. Throughout this essay, the issues of masculinity, normality, and the concerns of youth culture that were presented in film are discussed. One ideology that looms over the movie is masculinity and pride on the main character Jim Stark. One example is in the beginning of the movie in the police precinct when Jim has a conversation with the police officer. In the conversation Jim is distraught because he believes his father is unmanly as he often gets bested by his mother during arguments and how people make mush out of him and how he doesn 't want to anything like him. Other example of Jim having his masculinity and pride being tested is during the two bouts against Buzz Gunderson. The first one involves a knife fight between the two in which Jim at first hesitated with battling with switchblades but then provoked to engage when The Kids call him a chicken. After the duel, Buzz challenges Jim in a game of “Chickie Run”, a game in where whoever …show more content…
Even though rock and roll wasn 't played in the movie, the subculture was involved as everyone had a leather jacket and slicked back hair. Juvenile delinquency was also a issue in the 1950s that had been addressed in the film, even though of claims of delinquency being were being blown out due to television news; “most white teenagers did not concern themselves with social problems.... (as) youth rebellion was aimed at parents and the confines of daily life, not at society as a whole" (Shmoop Editorial