In the movie, "Far and Away," starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, the viewer is taken on a journey through the hardships faced by two different Irish immigrants. Joseph Donelly (Cruise) is the son of a tenant farmer whose landlord kicks their family off of their land after they fail to pay their rent for several months. After trying to kill the landlord and failing, Joseph flees to America with the landlord's daughter, Shannon Christie (Kidman). This movie provides a deep analysis of the struggles facing immigrants both in their homeland and in America, depicted through the story of Joseph and Shannon.
Perhaps the most interesting study pertaining to reasons for leaving Ireland is seen through the character of Shannon. Shannon is a member of the Irish aristocracy, and her reasons for going to America seem sparked by the idea of the American Dream. She thinks that America is going to be this big adventure with no drawbacks, a land where land is free and she can be whoever she wants to be. Because of the imminent threat of execution hanging over Joseph's head, he goes along with her, but he never really seems caught up in the idealization of America in the same way as Shannon. This eludes to a class disparity between the two, as Joseph has lived a hard life filled with struggle and disappointment, whereas Shannon has always had everything given to her on a silver platter. Ultimately, it is Joseph who lands on his feet most firmly when they arrive in America, although difficulties seem to plague both Joseph and Shannon at every turn.
Challenges confront Joseph in the form of Kelly, his boxing manager. Kelly sees in Joseph an opportunity to exploit a fresh-off-the-boat immigrant, and takes him under his wing, claiming some kind of alliance with Joseph due to their shared Irish homeland. Ultimately, Kelly throws Joseph into the streets like so much garbage when his usefulness has expired, showing that even Joseph may have had misconceptions about the American Dream.
The challenges confronting Shannon are multiple. First, Shannon is immediately taken advantage of by a supposed friend who steals her silver spoons before being shot by street thugs. This seems to be the disillusionment that starts to open Shannon's eyes. Secondly, Shannon is so used to the life of an aristocrat that she struggles to provide for herself, evinced by her disrespect for her crude boss at the chicken factory. She gives up three days of wages just to insult him, which seems something only a person used to having endless resources would do.
Ultimately, the movie's portrayal of the struggles of two immigrants from two entirely different economic backgrounds provides an excellent study of issues of power struggles between classes. Whether by looking through the eyes of Joseph the tenant farmer or Shannon the aristocrat, the viewer is informed of the various trials faced by either economic class as they make their way to and through America. "Far and Away" tells the story of just how different of a land America is, and offers a strong case for the disillusionment of the American Dream.
What did you think was the biggest issue of class struggle in the film?
In what ways did Shannon transform as a character from the beginning of the film to the end?
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I believe the biggest issue of class struggle in the film was when the upper class were unable to understand the lower class even when they had less then them at the time. When Shannon had less money then Joseph but was unable to tell him she liked his suit. That was a class issue. She thought she was better then him when she really was on pretty even ground.
ReplyDeleteShannon changed into a person that knew how to do laundry and could take care of herself, unlike in the beginning. I think the journey helped her find herself and become independent.
I think the biggest issue of class was kind of a circle. The upper class looked down upon the lower class because they didn't have as much, but on the other side, the lower class looked down upon the upper class because they often times acted as if they were "better" because they had more money or more material objects. It is a never ending circle that unfortunately still exists today and will probably never go away. Shannon changed a lot throughout the film. She originally thought that she would be able to get whatever she wanted because she was used to that throughout her life. Once she realized that not everything is that easy and you have to work for some things, she really changed and would actually put some effort into her life.
ReplyDeleteThe issues of class in this movie were the most evident with the interactions between Shannon and Joseph. The scene where he is in her house in Ireland and she says he could be her servant boy showcases the class clash. Shannon expects Joseph to be happy and even excited about the offer of serving her, when in reality he was insulted and resolved that she was a rich snob he wanted nothing to do with. In America, they were on level ground, and Shannon reluctantly depended on Joseph to survive. This changed her character from ignorant and aloof to understanding of hardship and a hard worker. The scene where she and some coworkers were looking at a dress in the window showed this transformation.
ReplyDeleteI think that the biggest example of class structure that was in this film was the difference between Shannon and Joseph. This was especially noticeable when they were on the ship to America. She felt that she was superior to him so he had to be her servant boy.
ReplyDeleteShannon transformed as a character in a big way. In the beginning of the movie, she went along with what ever her parents (mainly her mother) told her to do. If her mother told her to button her collar she did it. However, by the end of the movie, she has transformed into this character that is completely confident. She started out in America not even knowing how to do laundry, now she must show her mother how. She has become a different person. She went from being with Stephen Chase - whom her parents felt was perfect for her - it helped that he was in their same class level. At the end of the movie, she realizes that she loves Joseph who is not in her class level.