Introduction
Contemporary individuals usually see movies and television series as a means of entertainment and relaxation. They watch them after a busy day at work or university to bond with their friends and relatives and forget about everyday problems. On the other hand, it should be noted that movies are the creations of art that carry specific meaning and ideas. Movie screenwriters often attribute characters with various personality characteristics and make them go through obstacles and unexpected circumstances that help the viewer to find answers to the fundamental questions of life. Therefore, it is possible to find numerous scenes where the basic principles of sociology are used to teach the viewers about the patterns of social behavior, culture, and the general functions of human society. In the following paper, I will use the television series called The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story and apply sociological theories to its particular scenes.
The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story is one of my favorite television series based on the real story of the O. J. Simpson murder trial. As mentioned by Ross (2016), this television series is one of the most intriguing television dramas of all time. The series was released in 2016 and quickly received many positive comments from the experts and the general public (Ross, 2016). The story revolves around a famous sportsman and movie star O. J. Simpson who was accused of the murder of his ex-wife and her current boyfriend. While the evidence proved that Simpson is guilty, the major part of American society believed that he could not have committed these serious crimes and supported him for almost a year. Throughout the ten episodes, the viewers have a chance to understand the story behind this controversial trial and gain knowledge about various details, such as racial tension, personal relationships, and the media involved in the case.
This television series consists of many vital elements that have to be taken into consideration during its analysis; therefore, different sociological theories can be applied to it. In the following essay, I will use Structural Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism, and Conflict Theory in order to explain different scenes from the episodes. While reading the paper, the readers will be able to understand life situations from a sociological perspective and indicate that the television series has many references to the mentioned approaches. In addition, individuals will have an opportunity to analyze human interactions, people’s interdependence, and the struggles of oppressed groups.
Structural Functionalism Theory
Structural functionalism is a sociological approach that describes society as a sophisticated system and explains how it functions by highlighting the importance of relationships between groups that make up society. The television series about O. J. Simpson uses this concept throughout all episodes and shows that people’s lives are guided by social processes and structures, such as families, communities, and organizations (Inglis, 2018). One of the most concrete examples where structural functionalism is used is the scene where the team of O. J. Simpson makes a decision regarding the strategy that will allow them to win the case. Their previous attempts were unsuccessful; thus, they have to act as an organized group consisting of different parts that work together for the same purpose (Inglis, 2018). Overall, O. J. Simpson, his friends, and lawyers agree that they have to stick together and trust each other’s actions because if one member of the group fails, everyone loses the case.
Another situation from the television series where structural functionalism can be seen is when the jury has to make a collective decision regarding the trial. More than 20 people were responsible for the final verdict; hence, they spent months on individual observation and analysis of the case and the accused person (Ross, 2016). Even though these individuals represented different racial groups, layers of society, occupations, and had distinct opinions about O. J. Simpson, they had to agree on one statement – guilty or not guilty. In the television series, the jury portrayed the society and indicated the critical aspect of the collaboration of interrelated parts of the community (Inglis, 2018). While most of the people decided that O. J. Simpson should be justified, some believed that he was the killer. Nevertheless, individuals interacted and collaborated because they understood that they are responsible in front of the whole country. Consequently, the application of structural functionalism is evident in the two discussed situations because they show the role of an individual as a part of the group.
Symbolic Interactionism Theory
Symbolic interactionism is a theory that focuses on explaining the relationships among humans within society. As suggested by Carter & Fuller (2016), this approach “addresses how society is created and maintained through repeated interactions among individuals” (p. 932). The central idea of this theory is that people exchange meaning through the use of symbols (Carter & Fuller, 2016). Symbolic interactionism can be applied to the scene in The People v. O. J. Simpsons: American Crime Story where Robert Kardashian, the best friend of the accused movie star, presents O. J. Simpson with the Bible after he is released from prison. Kardashian has a strong relationship with God, and the Bible helps him to deal with difficult life circumstances and interact with his children and friends (Ross, 2016). Therefore, by giving his Bible to O. J. Simpson, Robert Kardashian communicates his support and love, encourages his friend to be faithful to God, and shows that he will be next to Simpson in any life situation.
Another example of symbolic interactionism in the television series is related to the chief prosecutor involved in the case whose name is Marcia Clark. From the very beginning of the series, it is noticeable that Marcia is smart, hardworking, has a strong character, and will do everything to find the truth. The jury and the general public also pay attention to these characteristics and use her clothing and hairstyle to indicate that she is masculine and hates O. J. Simpson (Ross, 2016). For this reason, Clark decides to change the approach to her physical appearance and, by doing that, communicate that she is soft and wants justice for the killed. Since individuals often use clothing as a way to deliver their message to others effectively and create meaning from the encounters, the prosecutor uses this strategy in order to convince the population to favor her more (Carter & Fuller, 2016). Therefore, symbolic interactionism helps people share their ideas with others successfully.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theory suggests that society is in a state of constant competition for limited resources. This approach focuses on the idea that social structure is maintained by the power and domination of authoritative communities (Sanderson, 2015). According to conflict theory, those with more resources and a better position in society suppress the powerless and maximize their advantages (Sanderson, 2015). One of the scenes where this approach can be used is when Johnnie Cochran, a member of O. J. Simpson’s team, gets in a conflict with a policeman because of his skin color. The trial of Simpson took place during a period of severe racial tension, and this particular scene shows what black people had to go through (Ross, 2016). The policeman talked to Cochran in a disrespectful way and did not believe any of his words. This behavior indicated that specific groups of people develop a sense of superiority over others (Sanderson, 2015). Thus, conflict theory can explain not only that scene but the whole society of those times.
In addition, the theory was used during the case trial as a way to justify O. J. Simpson and prove that he is innocent. Since Simpson represented the black community, his team decided to use racial tension that existed in the U.S. and incorporate it in their media campaign (Ross, 2016). Furthermore, one of the scenes shows how a magazine production company makes the picture of Simpson darker to create a feeling that the accused is being oppressed for his skin color rather than his actions (Ross, 2016). Thus, it can be stated that in the example of this scene, conflict theory can highlight a competition between different communities and their desire to receive dominance and respect.
Conclusion
To summarize, it can be stated that movies and television series can be used not just for entertainment purposes but also for the analysis of human behavior and societal issues. These works of art can help individuals to find answers to fundamental questions and understand how the world works. The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story is a perfect example of a television series that can be analyzed from a sociological perspective. Various approaches, such as structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and conflict theory, can be applied to numerous scenes throughout the series. In addition, since the story happened in real life, it becomes easier to relate it to individual everyday experiences and find similar characteristics.
During the process of theory application, I have understood that every situation individuals encounter can be explained and analyzed. Human behavior, societal misunderstandings, and interactions between specific groups and organizations can be used as examples for sociological theories and, eventually, contribute to their further advancement. Moreover, while writing this paper, I gained more understanding about each of the three theories and improved my research skills. Attributing these concepts to the television series helped me to differentiate these theories and analyze them from a practical perspective.
I cannot say that I have experienced many challenges while writing this paper primarily because I was able to choose a television series that I enjoy and that includes many examples from the field of sociology. Nevertheless, it was sometimes hard to find a scene that would represent a specific theory correctly mainly because the whole series focuses on societal issues, communication, and cooperation. Moreover, I spent a considerable amount of time trying to find academic sources that would help me to explain the three theories in my paper, but this experience also significantly improved my knowledge of sociology.
References
Carter, M. J., & Fuller, C. (2016). Symbols, meaning, and action: The past, present, and future of symbolic interactionism. Current Sociology, 64(6), 931-961. Web.
Inglis, D. (2018). An invitation to social theory. John Wiley & Sons.
Ross, A. (2016). Everything you need to know before watching The People v. O. J. Simpson. TIME. Web.
Sanderson, S. K. (2015). Rethinking sociological theory: Introducing and explaining a scientific theoretical sociology. Routledge.