Rebellion Essay, Research Paper

Long before the actual act of rebellion, the thoughts and the sentiment of rebellion linger in the soul. These thoughts and feelings continue to fester before they reach the fruition of deed. Throughout the course of an extended period of time the uprising stems its roots in the heart; the actual revolt takes place within one s self, long before one mounts a rebellious action. Teenagers tend to rebel against the authority within the home, school, peers or society. However, the root of the tensions has usually been grown at earlier periods such as adolescence or even during the childhood of the rebellious teenager. This point is evidenced within the 1955 Warner Brothers classic, Rebel Without a Cause, a story of three troubled teenagers, all from dysfunctional families, who initiate rebellious behavior. The origin of their rebellious actions are results of their frustrations within their respective homes; frustrations that have developed over the course of an extended period of time.

The movie begins in a police station with the three teenagers; Jim, Judy, and Plato; on the brink of incarceration, and undergoing a line of questioning. Through this introduction, the story portrays the strife that has occurred with frequency within the lives of the three teenagers. The rebellion that lies within these characters is a product of the rebellious anxiety that has been harnessed throughout their lives.

The main character of the movie, or the rebel without a cause is Jim Stark. However, his rebellion is not without cause. As Jim undergoes the questioning at the outset of the movie, he reveals the confusion that he feels regarding the nature of his father. I mean, I love him and all that, but if he could I mean if he just if he would .I d like to see him stand up for himself and yell at [Mother and Grandmother], Jim answers with obvious heartache, the shame that he feels toward his father compliance. It is also revealed that Jim s family, which consists of his domineering mother and grandmother, submissive father, and himself, has moved around from one city to another due Jim s inability to make friends with the kids in their new neighborhoods. Jim is unable to befriend new people caused by the shame he has for his father. He translates the shame he has for his father as being chicken , not a real man, or cowardly. He does not want to emulate his father which is why he feels he must prove his manhood, and defend his honor, at every opportunity that arises. As the movie progresses, Jim is confronted by a