Stereotypes Of Masculinity In Film

Masculinity in film create dominant social values and stereotypes for the men in society. One of the most common stereotypes is the ‘alpha male’, a man tending to adopt a dominant or forceful role in social or professional situations. In the movie School Ties (1992) directed by Robert Mandel, the character of Charlie Dillon (Matt Damon) displays this stereotype throughout the film, however it doesn’t take long for the audience to discover his real personality. A number of narrative, symbolic and technical elements have been used. Charlie Dillon is represented as an insecure alpha male because the audience sees him as supposedly having everything, always getting what he wants and having a pressure to succeed because of his family name.

Dillon

This can also lead to a desire to want more, this can be seen in a scene that shows Dillon using his roommate’s notes to cheat in the exam the next day. This scene cleverly uses music that gives a feeling of suspense in the background and it also shows close-ups of Dillon looking intently at the notes, before he decides to use them for his own good. By using the close ups, this scene shows how determined Dillon is to get what he wants, and in this case it is good grades. However, it also foreshadows that he’ll cheat in the exam on the following day by using the unsettling music for atmosphere. Not only does he get what he wants, he is also prepared to get what he desires. This is shown in the scene where David Green confronts Charlie in his own room and tells Charlie to tell the truth. “Look, alright, alright. How much do you want, okay? Nothing for nothing, alright? How much will it take for you to keep quiet? How much is it gonna cost?” Charlie tries to negotiate with David, but fails. This suggests that Charlie would bribe someone to get what he wants so that his family’s reputation is still kept the same. Charlie Dillon gets what he wants because he is an alpha male, but he also appears to have