BACK TO THE FUTURE
The film Back to the Future displays many obvious and abstract examples of dominant ideologies regarding the American dream, whiteness, cultural stereotyping, and gender roles which lead to harmful and false understandings of class consciousness if overlooked and accepted as fact. Dominant ideology is like a quiet understanding of usually false and exaggerated beliefs about different groups and cultures. These ideologies are seen everywhere in Hollywood films for many different purposes. While some are more obvious, others are harder to recognize and can be dangerous to overlook as they can become a part of societies paradigm, making it more uncomfortable for different cultures to coexist.
The dominant ideology of the American dream, as expressed in Hollywood blockbusters, is one that summarizes nationwide equality in the pursuit of happiness and in this film, above all else, wealth (Benshoff 410). From the beginning of the film it is obvious that the main character, Marty Mcfly, highly values wealth and having expensive objects. When things have turned around for his family at the end of the film, Marty finally has a brother who reads Forbes magazine dressed in a suit for work, with parents who have just returned from a morning tennis match and walks out to the shiny new black pickup truck he always wanted.
It is obvious that the dominant ideology being reinforced, is that the American dream is about having nice expensive things to make a powerful family. Interestingly enough the 1950’s shared this dominant ideology of material wealth and greedy covetousness that was celebrated in the 1980’s when this film was made (Benshoff, 187). This is harmful to society because this pursuit for wealth will not bring closure and fulfillment as it promises at the end of Back to the Future, there are obvious stressors and complications that come with wealth. It also paints the illusion that all Americans are pursuing this level of wealth while there are many other important pursuits, such as family or education.
As well as reinforcing the American dream of wealth, this film supports the dominant ideology of whiteness, defined as identifiable characteristics that connect an individual to the Caucasian race (Benshoff 430). The first and obvious example of whiteness is seen in how dominantly white the whole film is, showing that living in a nice small suburban town is a predominantly white characteristic. Not only is it white to live in a suburban town, but abstractly seen, the 1950’s had even less of a black population seen in the background than the 1980’s. This is more obviously seen again when the governor in the 50’s is white and in the 80’s is black.
From the obvious examples, like a billboard of only a white family welcoming you to the town, to the more abstract, like the unnoticed lack of color, it is important to notice whiteness being portrayed. It can build a false image of what should be acceptable. It should not be accepted that only white people get to live in peaceful and happy suburban neighborhoods. And even though there was racial inequality in the 1950’s it did not mean that black people did not exist, if they are working in the diner and playing in the band, then they definitely exist and should not be excluded until comedic relief is needed.
Many blatant cultural stereotypes are seen in this film. Near the beginning of the film nationalist Libyans are said to have given the scientist Lithium to make a bomb. They are then seen very stereotypically in turbans with heavy firearms just shooting with no pause or consideration, as well as yelling in a different language. These are very harmful cultural stereotypes as they show someone in a turban to be dangerous, when in reality the turban is more of a cultural and religious symbol for many, not a terrorist symbol. It also enforces a stereotype that Muslim heritage is linked to terrorist act like making bombs and having little compassion, also making the dialect sound more dangerous when yelled during gun fire.
Not only are Libyans targeted by racial stereotyping but the black culture as well. The main black character in this film is a wise underdog working menial jobs for an angry white man, this is dangerously close to looking like a historic slave situation. Again for some reason the black man must go to night school to get ahead and no longer be a busboy. It is harmful to show the only man of color having to work harder than the white characters just to have his dreams fulfilled.
The only other black characters in the film are the band members seen at the dance. They perform soulfully contrasting them to the awkward white characters they are performing for. Again they are carelessly portrayed as the only ones in the whole film seen doing drugs. As they hotbox in the car while performing for a high school dance it makes the black characters look rebellious. It is very stereotypical to set the only black characters apart from the white characters in such a drastic way. As the white bullies run in to them the film makes it acceptable to call them a racial slur and be afraid as they run away.
While these are more obvious examples, there are of course more undertone stereotypes in this film. When Biff comes in to torture George Mcfly, we hear almost as a whisper, Biff makes an Irish racial slur towards Mcfly, showing that not only will a different color make you a target of hate but just being from a different background. This is seen again every time a black character speaks, they use a different vocabulary with almost a completely different accent to everyone else. The problem with this is that it makes the black characters seem less educated than the words used by the white characters, and almost like every black character is from a different town altogether.
The last dominant ideology expressed in this film is by means of sexuality and how differently men and women should express their gender roles. While Marty is with his girlfriend he is expected to make sexual advances while his girlfriend is expected to be more prudish and slow them down. Marty’s mother goes on to solidify this expectation as she comments on his girlfriend being to forward, even though we just saw her cooling him down. This makes it confusing for young woman who feel like they cannot do enough to be lady like, and makes them question even making a call to their boyfriends.
While the mother as a young woman makes more advances, she shows another kind of stereotype for the man to fulfill. She comments multiple times about how tough a man should be or he is not attractive. This eventually forces Marty’s father to go against his natural inclination to be peaceable and has to punch his bully Biff in the face and know him out or he will not be a hero. Then again when Marty’s mother wants to go out with Marty, she goes to him and asks if he will think about asking her out instead of being able to just ask him out.
These obvious examples of gender roles force men to always feel the need to be tough and make women feel weaker and unable to make things happen as they would like without a man making it happen for them. Some less blatant examples are also seen as they coin the phrase “Florence Nightingale Effect”, showing that all women having a nurturing way about them and are weak enough to fall in love with the man if that nurturing effect is put into action. Then again less obviously it is shown at the end of the film that the mother is finally successful because she is slightly thinner than she was before Marty went in and saved the day. These seemingly small examples can make a big deal in regards to how woman feel about themselves if they are not addressed as untrue in every single woman’s case.
Making blanket statements about races, genders and cultures can be very harmful to the very fabric of society and rip apart what the American dream means to individuals. These dominant ideologies are seen in most Hollywood productions. Some are easy to spot and that can make them comical, while others are gentler and undercover, making them dangerously easy to overlook and integrate into how society incorrectly views itself and those that are different. “A lack of class consciousness empowers dominant ideology”( Benshoff, 169), if we do not take the time to consciously view these films, these incorrect and hurtful ideologies will continue to tear apart equality of races and genders, classes and sexuality (Benshoff, 385).
Work Cited
Benshoff, Harry M. America on Film. 2nd ed. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. 8-430. Print.
The dominant ideology of the American dream, as expressed in Hollywood blockbusters, is one that summarizes nationwide equality in the pursuit of happiness and in this film, above all else, wealth (Benshoff 410). From the beginning of the film it is obvious that the main character, Marty Mcfly, highly values wealth and having expensive objects. When things have turned around for his family at the end of the film, Marty finally has a brother who reads Forbes magazine dressed in a suit for work, with parents who have just returned from a morning tennis match and walks out to the shiny new black pickup truck he always wanted.
It is obvious that the dominant ideology being reinforced, is that the American dream is about having nice expensive things to make a powerful family. Interestingly enough the 1950’s shared this dominant ideology of material wealth and greedy covetousness that was celebrated in the 1980’s when this film was made (Benshoff, 187). This is harmful to society because this pursuit for wealth will not bring closure and fulfillment as it promises at the end of Back to the Future, there are obvious stressors and complications that come with wealth. It also paints the illusion that all Americans are pursuing this level of wealth while there are many other important pursuits, such as family or education.
As well as reinforcing the American dream of wealth, this film supports the dominant ideology of whiteness, defined as identifiable characteristics that connect an individual to the Caucasian race (Benshoff 430). The first and obvious example of whiteness is seen in how dominantly white the whole film is, showing that living in a nice small suburban town is a predominantly white characteristic. Not only is it white to live in a suburban town, but abstractly seen, the 1950’s had even less of a black population seen in the background than the 1980’s. This is more obviously seen again when the governor in the 50’s is white and in the 80’s is black.
From the obvious examples, like a billboard of only a white family welcoming you to the town, to the more abstract, like the unnoticed lack of color, it is important to notice whiteness being portrayed. It can build a false image of what should be acceptable. It should not be accepted that only white people get to live in peaceful and happy suburban neighborhoods. And even though there was racial inequality in the 1950’s it did not mean that black people did not exist, if they are working in the diner and playing in the band, then they definitely exist and should not be excluded until comedic relief is needed.
Many blatant cultural stereotypes are seen in this film. Near the beginning of the film nationalist Libyans are said to have given the scientist Lithium to make a bomb. They are then seen very stereotypically in turbans with heavy firearms just shooting with no pause or consideration, as well as yelling in a different language. These are very harmful cultural stereotypes as they show someone in a turban to be dangerous, when in reality the turban is more of a cultural and religious symbol for many, not a terrorist symbol. It also enforces a stereotype that Muslim heritage is linked to terrorist act like making bombs and having little compassion, also making the dialect sound more dangerous when yelled during gun fire.
Not only are Libyans targeted by racial stereotyping but the black culture as well. The main black character in this film is a wise underdog working menial jobs for an angry white man, this is dangerously close to looking like a historic slave situation. Again for some reason the black man must go to night school to get ahead and no longer be a busboy. It is harmful to show the only man of color having to work harder than the white characters just to have his dreams fulfilled.
The only other black characters in the film are the band members seen at the dance. They perform soulfully contrasting them to the awkward white characters they are performing for. Again they are carelessly portrayed as the only ones in the whole film seen doing drugs. As they hotbox in the car while performing for a high school dance it makes the black characters look rebellious. It is very stereotypical to set the only black characters apart from the white characters in such a drastic way. As the white bullies run in to them the film makes it acceptable to call them a racial slur and be afraid as they run away.
While these are more obvious examples, there are of course more undertone stereotypes in this film. When Biff comes in to torture George Mcfly, we hear almost as a whisper, Biff makes an Irish racial slur towards Mcfly, showing that not only will a different color make you a target of hate but just being from a different background. This is seen again every time a black character speaks, they use a different vocabulary with almost a completely different accent to everyone else. The problem with this is that it makes the black characters seem less educated than the words used by the white characters, and almost like every black character is from a different town altogether.
The last dominant ideology expressed in this film is by means of sexuality and how differently men and women should express their gender roles. While Marty is with his girlfriend he is expected to make sexual advances while his girlfriend is expected to be more prudish and slow them down. Marty’s mother goes on to solidify this expectation as she comments on his girlfriend being to forward, even though we just saw her cooling him down. This makes it confusing for young woman who feel like they cannot do enough to be lady like, and makes them question even making a call to their boyfriends.
While the mother as a young woman makes more advances, she shows another kind of stereotype for the man to fulfill. She comments multiple times about how tough a man should be or he is not attractive. This eventually forces Marty’s father to go against his natural inclination to be peaceable and has to punch his bully Biff in the face and know him out or he will not be a hero. Then again when Marty’s mother wants to go out with Marty, she goes to him and asks if he will think about asking her out instead of being able to just ask him out.
These obvious examples of gender roles force men to always feel the need to be tough and make women feel weaker and unable to make things happen as they would like without a man making it happen for them. Some less blatant examples are also seen as they coin the phrase “Florence Nightingale Effect”, showing that all women having a nurturing way about them and are weak enough to fall in love with the man if that nurturing effect is put into action. Then again less obviously it is shown at the end of the film that the mother is finally successful because she is slightly thinner than she was before Marty went in and saved the day. These seemingly small examples can make a big deal in regards to how woman feel about themselves if they are not addressed as untrue in every single woman’s case.
Making blanket statements about races, genders and cultures can be very harmful to the very fabric of society and rip apart what the American dream means to individuals. These dominant ideologies are seen in most Hollywood productions. Some are easy to spot and that can make them comical, while others are gentler and undercover, making them dangerously easy to overlook and integrate into how society incorrectly views itself and those that are different. “A lack of class consciousness empowers dominant ideology”( Benshoff, 169), if we do not take the time to consciously view these films, these incorrect and hurtful ideologies will continue to tear apart equality of races and genders, classes and sexuality (Benshoff, 385).
Work Cited
Benshoff, Harry M. America on Film. 2nd ed. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. 8-430. Print.