Full Metal Jacket and Cultures of Masculinity at the University

Violence is a mechanism of coercive control that is used to maintain and reinforce gender difference and hierarchy. Building on Lynch 's (2009) claim that hegemonic masculinity is "toxic to both the men and women left in its wake" this essay aims to explore the relationship between hegemonic masculinity and violence. Placing a specific focus on acts of intimate partner violence and mass shootings, and exploring the works of Lynch (2009), Keith (2011), Baugher, & Gazmararian (2015), Kimmel, Hearn, & Connell (2004), Reidy, Berke, Gentile, & Zeichner (2014) and, Katz, Young, Earp, & Jhally (1999 & 2013), this essay seeks to argue that the strict regulation of masculinity as well as a history of encouraging male violence in our society has created a dangerous and hostile climate for both men and women to exist in.

Leonard Lawrence, who is a major character in the movie ‘Full Metal Jacket’ also known as Private Gomer Pyle, is an overweight, slow-minded recruit who becomes the focus of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman’s attention. In the course of the movie, Leonard undergoes a development and a significant mental change. The character was discriminated and humiliated by Sergeant Hartman because of his enervate personality at the boot camp. Leonard’s portrayal changes when his fellow recruits mistreat him, which made Leonard become dark and psychopathic throughout the movie. Through Private Pyle’s character, Stanley Kubrick showed that regardless of who you are and what you can do, war will wipe all that away, leaving the darkness and a killer in you.

Americans understanding about getting involved in physical activity has been evolving since the idea of sport first entered the culture. At first a sport was nothing more than a way to prove yourself to others and to show masculinity. These changes were brought to fruition through more knowledge. When Americans first realized that physical health was of importance, it was what started to make sure that everyone was getting active in some way. These changes happened first for males. It was, for a long time, still considered inappropriate for a female to in peak physical condition. Because it took so long for anyone to believe that the same resources that men were given to stay physically active should be given to women to, women are still not given the same opportunities at any level of sport in America today.

There is a masculinity crisis in America that has been escalating, since society has gravitated to the auspice of anti-marriage and single parenthood. The nuclear family is the root of a successful society. In a traditional nuclear family, family structure plays a vital role in the healthy developmental stages from birth through adolescence; otherwise, the child cannot adjust due to lack of social conventions. There are numerous factors that contribute to the threat of masculinity in our society; namely, families headed by single mothers, the media metrosexualizing males, and absence of God.

All over the world Masculinity has many different cultural definitions. Depending where someone is from, and what they were brought up to believe, defines what the term “masculinity” entails. Different Social institutions all over the United States, such as the military, sports, clubs, and fraternities, have been constructing their interpretation of masculinity. One major social institution that is active in thousands of Universities across the United States is campus fraternities. Campus fraternities create their own sense of masculinity by generating certain requirements and characteristics a man must hold in order to represent them as a part of their fraternity.

At the break of the day I wake up before the sun has even settled itself back into the sky, I repeat my dreary morning routine, and I go somewhere. I go somewhere by myself, quite alone, maybe in my car, maybe just for a walk around the neighborhood. While I’m out on my walk or after I’ve driven somewhere and gotten out of my car (that seriously needs a run through the car wash), I become aware. I become vividly aware of all the people around me and feel unsafe, I feel unsafe in my own neighborhood because I heard a woman was held at gunpoint not far from here, I feel unsafe because I’ve binge watched Criminal Minds and I know how easy it is for unsuspecting women who feel safe in public, at stores and in parking lots, to be abducted.

The lack of patriotism involved in the Vietnam war compared to the world wars making him an abnormality which is explored through his conversation with King and he asks Chris “How the fuck you get over here man, you look like you educated”-King,Platoon hinting at the issue of rich Americans using doctors to avoid service and draft dodgers illuminating the fact that the Vietnam war was primarily being fought by the poor who were forced in through the various drafts “they come from the end of the line, most of 'em, small towns you never heard of”-Chris, Platoon. The position of fresh recruits in the military class structure is the early focal point of the story as it deals with the issue of isolationism that many recruits

“The cult of masculinity.” When it comes to the big screen, women are treated like second-class citizens. Women were portrayed as helpless creatures, waiting in the castle for their Prince Charming whereas men were dauntless, swooping the Princess of her feet and saving the day. This gender gap came to an end when The Hunger Games (2012) was released in theaters. The brave Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) did what no “real” man or Prince could ever do – stand up for someone else – even when it meant risking her own life. The Hunger Games was not only one of the top grossing movies of the year, but it was also one of the very few movies where a woman was able to display her stability and willingness to fight. The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Gravity are some of the few movies that show a women’s potential than to sit in a castle. They all show three common characteristics for the roles of women: courage, personality, and recognition.

DOD data indicates 30% of female and 6% of male service members reported pre-military sexual assault. (Defense Manpower Data Center 2013) A common thread of this re-victimization is that the abuse does not contribute to the risk, but the emotional and behavioral consequences of the initial abuse does. (Arata 2002)

The first is Kubrick’s uninhibited parody of the brutality of boot camp and the second is his portrayal of the dissolution of the American war machine in combat. The film begins with a montage of men getting their heads shaved to Johnnie Wright’s “Hello Vietnam,” Kubrick immediately establishes a sense of irony which works to reduce the audiences empathy with the characters and instigates complicity in the narrative. The internal conflict between American soldiers in Vietnam War films such as Pvt. Leonard 'Gomer Pyle' Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his training camp peers leading to violence and death suggests the depths of social division and a lack of a clear sense of purpose about the

The first part of Full Metal Jacket tells the story of young recruits as they undergo the harsh reality of boot camp, Paris Island, as they prepare to become soldiers and fight in Vietnam. More specifically it is the narration of the struggles of Private Pyles as seen by Private Joker. This two young men are the two prime examples of how boot camp and war will change a person and how the stress will push them to do things they would otherwise not have done. Both of

In a film we saw recently, one of the speakers, Dr. John Houghton was speaking on socialization. One remark he made, to the effect that what we, as individuals, become is based on what chances we are given and what we learn (Research Methods, 1996), was considered so important that it was repeated again at the end of the film. His statement fits perfectly with the topic of this study: the re-socialization of young men into the warrior society of the United States Marine Corps. Unlike the recruiting efforts of the other services, which seem to focus on what you have to gain by serving with them, the Marine Corps’ recruiting philosophy has always been one of challenging; giving young men the chance to prove that they have what it

“Men joined the Marine Corps for many reasons . . . I’d joined up to dodge the draft and ended up being sent to war” (Brady 8-9). This brief yet poignant statement begins the story of how James Brady ended up serving in the Korean War. As a young adult the draft was being reinstated and Brady did not feel the desire to fight in a war. He and a few of his friends decided instead to join the Platoon Leaders Class with the Marines, which had students spend two summers at the marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia. After these two summers, graduates would become Lieutenants, but they could not be drafted. Shortly after Brady graduated, the war began in Korea and his class learned they

Furthermore, fraternities are infamous for their requirement to pledge in order to join the brotherhood. Although the specific acts inflicted on pledges is known only by members of fraternity, it is commonly known that hazing is part of the initiation. The pledges have to complete a series of humiliating and sometime dangerous rituals in order to join. They could be forced to consume excessive amount of alcohols and drugs, or be physically beaten or be publicly humiliated. Little known fact, white fraternities generally use alcohol for hazing while black fraternities result to physical violence. In a survey conducted by Dr. Susan Lipkins “31% of Fraternity and sorority members agree that a significant element in an initiation rite is humiliation.” “Also, many of the Greek Leaders agree that

Being a male in today’s society is not about living and enjoyment, it has become more of a task. Social pressures and media have made it difficult for males to live a life in which they are not being pressured to act or perform a certain way. In order to reassure themselves of their masculinity, violence has become the main method in assuring themselves and those around them that they are powerful. Not only is this violence being perpetrated against others, but self-inflicted violence also exists. The violence being used is not only physical but it is emotional abuse as well. Masculinity has forced many males to perform in ways that are detrimental to their own health as well as their loved ones. Furthermore, it has also put males in the