The Analysis of The Movie 8 Mile - Essay Example

Black Masculinities: ‘What does a masculine body look like? What can a masculine body do?’ Introduction The 2002 film ‘8 mile’ is a movie about an aspiring white male rapper who is seeking recognition and credibility in his music within the African-American rapping world. The story basically explores the struggles that a young white main is going through in order to be identified in a world where he is not considered the majority individual. His struggles include family issues, identity issues, as well as societal problems which relate to gender and masculinity concerns within stereotypical settings. This paper shall explore the black masculinities, including the gender depictions and stereotypes drawn from the movie ‘8 mile.’ It shall provide an analysis of the characters in the movie and the gender-related elements observed in the story and the motivations of the characters. Body The movie ‘8 mile’ begins with the lead character Jimmy Rabbit, played by Eminem, staring at a bathroom mirror in a local pub. He is seen trying to memorize lyrics for what appears to the audience as a local rap contest. From the very start, attention to his body is made with the camera shifting to his face and then to his chest, his arms, and to his feet. The physicality seen in this scene is very clear, and can somewhat be likened to the film Rocky, where Balboa is also trying to prepare for a big fight. The focus on the physicality of the character already implies the focus on masculinity and the emphasis on the male space. The need to secure a masculine space calls on the lead actor’s own life as a rap singer, his struggles with his mother, his struggle to gain legitimacy in the black-dominated rap world, and his desire to secure an escape against his own history of deprivation and poverty. Just as rap music seemed to inspire Rabbit, Eminem has also found inspiration in his rap music to secure meaning and purpose in his life. Performing in his first rap contest, he ‘chokes’ and is unable to speak. He also failed to connect with the male African-American audience. According to Vincent Stephens (2005, p. 22), in some ways, a reverse discrimination against whites who are rapping is very much apparent. Rabbit is labelled a fake by other black rappers, most likely because he did not have much experience rapping in front of their black-dominated audience, and also because they simply did not give much credence to him because he is white (Stephens, 2005, p. 23). In this scene, Rabbit is emasculated, and throughout the rest of the film, proving his masculinity within the context of the rapping world became his mission. The focus of the film is on the individuality of Rabbit. Patricia Collins (2005, p. 6) discusses that while the movie is about the race and acceptance struggle, it is also about Rabbit’s struggle to be free of his impoverished life and all the issues that often come about from his background. Rabbit is considered a solitary being who is separated from almost anything and everyone. The camera often focuses on scenes featuring him hard at work in creating lyrics for his rap songs. He is shown as isolated from the rest of the world, including the other characters in the movie. Marcia Dawkins (2010, p. 268) also points out that the film is seeking to make such disconnect even more apparent to the audience. As a result, as discussed by Hall (1997, p. 107), the audience also finds himself distanced from the character, appreciating his struggles, but unable to claim his struggles as his own. Rabbit does interact well with friends, especially with David Porter whom he considers his best friend and mentor. However, the most intense relationship he has is with his mother. It is fiery and conflicted. His mother is blamed for most of the bad things which Rabbit is and has gone through and in considering the personal history of Eminem, such conflicted relationship is mirrored somewhat. Michel Dyson (2007, p. 90) emphasizes that the relationship seems to be founded on much violence and conflict, often persistent from the early days of the relationship (Dyson, 2007, p. 90). Stephanie, Rabbit’s mother is caught by Rabbit having sex with a high school classmate. She is a character who is basically presented as trailer trash, a quality which is often also associated with Rabbit (Dawkins, 2010, p. 464). She is also presented as a self-centred, opportunistic, and neglectful mother. As Stephanie is presented as a single-woman, living in a trailer, and one who is also very promiscuous, she is portrayed also as an individual unfit to be a ‘real’ mother. The understanding of a ‘real’ mother here being a quality which refers to more ideal qualities. In the final rap battle, Rabbit declares that he is white, he is a bum, and is living in a trailer with his mother. This confession helps him gain a more receptive audience. Lindsay Calhoun (2006, p. 269) emphasizes that Rabbit becomes more authentic at this point especially when he exposes his nemesis, Papa Doc, as inauthentic. Papa Doc actually comes from a privileged family and has gained privileged education, and in fact has not been honest about his claim to authenticity. In the final battle, Rabbit was able to gain authenticity by using African-American vernacular and securing a discourse which allowed him to make his identity a possible source of power. As a result, Rabbit’s social class is overlooked in some way, not by his securing better sources of income, but by turning away from representations of his class struggle (Calhoun, 2006, p. 268). He was eventually able to again acceptance from the audience that clearly rejected him from the very start; but he is seen walking away from his audience soon after. Once again, he is solitary and alone. He has finally accepted his life, and his struggles, including his mother and the trailer park they live in. The rap contest or challenge is considered in this case a means to gain masculinity within the group, and for those who are unable to meet the challenge or for those who lose in the contest would likely be emasculated or be embarrassed (Calhoun, 2006, p. 267). There is a very much apparent link here between masculinity, physical power and violence (Dyson, 2007, p. 89). Erik Watts (2005, p. 93) points out that the aggression and violence showed in the movie and in the rap scenes portray behaviour which manifests all types of masculinity. In including these ideas in the film to support legitimate violent masculinity, it has made white masculinity into a form of sexual dysfunction (Watts, 2005, p. 193). White masculinity has often been perceived in contrast with other forms of masculinity because white masculinity was the basis or standard measure for masculinity. Most times, black men have been perceived as failures in meeting such masculinity standards. Masculinity has long been operating as a tool through which white men manage the critique of power and privilege (Watts, 2005, p. 194). Still, white masculinity is not indicated as a position of power in the film; in fact it is considered the victim. Rabbit’s honour and integrity as well as his white masculinity are often threatened by black antagonists. In the film, it is continually challenged by the looming presence of black masculinity (Dawkins, 2010, p. 465). The movie therefore represents an evolution of the ideals of masculinity where white masculinity is a poor copy of black masculinity (Watts, 2005, p. 194). Still, white masculinity is always under negotiation with black masculinity. White masculinity is based on the existence of black masculinity and each variable provides a means for debasing the other. Based on such ideas, white masculinity is made out to oppose black masculinity in the movie ‘8 mile.’ In relation to specific male-female distinctions, the movie ‘8 mile’ also presents with various gender-based elements and most of these elements have been viewed as misogynistic. James Keller (2003, p. 18) points out that the movie seems, especially through the lyrics of the rap songs make it acceptable for women to be regarded as ‘bitches’ or for women if their men treated them badly. Most people are familiar with Eminem’s background and more often than not, people often seek to justify the messages he often portrays in his lyrics due to his stormy and challenging past. In considering the psychology of men who beat up women, such justification or rationalization is also present, and it usually also refers to tough childhoods, mothers or former girlfriends who ‘pushed their buttons’ (Keller, 2003, p. 19). Mother-blaming was also one of the dominant themes in the movie ‘8 mile.’ This movie made it acceptable to blame mothers for one’s problems and emotional issues. The movie made Rabbit’s mother the root of all his problems, and the movie provided a ready excuse for men in blaming their own mothers for their behaviour and for their pain (Dawkins, 2010, p. 463). Whether or not there is truth in Rabbit’s claims, abusive men have also considered it an excuse to blame their mothers for their actions and escape accountability. Conclusion The movie ‘8 mile’ is one of the triumphs in Eminem’s short movie career. While the movie has also been critically acclaimed for the story it has weaved about a man finding his own voice amidst hostile settings, the movie also portrays disturbing images and realities in the context of masculinity, violence, and gender-based discussions. The movie presents masculinity in relation to the rap contest where one either finds or loses his masculinity. The main protagonist of the movie Rabbit has successfully found and has been able to express his masculinity towards the end. However, the path by which he gained such masculinity has been fraught with a superior image of men and the inferior image of women. The portrayals of women in this case are hardly subtle, and the movie meant for such portrayals to be loud and distinct. References Calhoun, L. R. (2005). “Will the Real Slim Shady Please Stand Up?”: Masking Whiteness, Encoding Hegemonic Masculinity in Eminems Marshall Mathers LP. The Howard Journal of Communications, 16(4), 267-294. Collins, P. (2000). Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. New York: Routledge. Dawkins, M. A. (2010). Close to the edge: The representational tactics of Eminem. The Journal of Popular Culture, 43(3), 463-485. Dyson, M. (2007). ‘Cover your eyes as I describe a scene so violent:’ Violence, Machismo, Sexism and Homophobia.’ In Know What I Mean: Reflections on Hip Hop. 89-122 Hall, S. (1997). ‘What is this “Black” in Black Popular Culture?’ In Social Justice. 20(1/2): 104-114. Keller, J. (2003). Shady Agonistes: Eminem, Abjection, and Masculine Protest. Studies in Popular Culture, 13-24. Stephens, V. (2005). Pop goes the rapper: a close reading of Eminems genderphobia. Popular Music, 24(01), 21-36. Watts, E. K. (2005). Border patrolling and “passing” in Eminems 8 Mile. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 22(3), 187-206. Read More