The Grand Illusion and Social Identity

War leads to the massive personnel casualty of life, the non-recognition of human rights and fagnity. But then, amidst its horrors, great acts of generosity atomic number 18 committed by flock of various complaisant backgrounds. Violence and conditions of incredulity transform kind identities with regards to complaisantity and bod, enabling custody to aid others for the very reason that they atomic number 18 partner humans. This paper expounds on this report through insights from a pick forth classic, a sociological theory as sound as reciprocal know conductge history.Background of the FilmThe 1937 pick out The Grand Illusion was i of the masterpieces of cut director Jean Renoir. Having served in the eldest World War himself, Renoir witnessed foremost batch the gruesome checks of being powerless in the face of an oppressive situation. He seek to express his anti- contend sen clocknts through film. Although he apply World War I as the setting, the film came at a time when the institution was once again at the brink of another(prenominal).The film underscores the theme that state of war is not the answer to societys problems but rather exacerbates them. It shows how the elite or the aristocracy resorted to war in put together to sustain and expand economic and policy-making interests. Prior to World War II, the Jews began to all all everyplacelook Germanys economy with the superb entrepreneurial skills peculiar to their culture that enhanced their friendly mobility.The success of the war depended on the indorse of the citizenry whose bulk was composed of the nub and works classes. For Germany, the single greatest vertebral column force that united them together was in the ethnocentric conception of the high quality of the German race. This was compounded in the narrow jingoistic promotion of Germany for Germans. Both ideas worked to entrench a strong Anti-Semitist sentiment in the country.This transmutation of social ide ntities towards the ultimate expression of kind-heartedness in war is effectively captured in The Grand Illusion. Here, social soulism stems from the recognition of stars social station in a social radical united through similar roles and viewpoints (Stets and Burke, 2000, p.225). Renoirs intention was to portray the transcendence over ethnicity and social class as illusions, capably because they are the glaring opposite of social reality.Social Identity and TranscendenceSocial Class across Nationalities french-German AristocratsThe film portrayed the universality of social class and the common assemblage identities of similar social classes across borders. The German passe-partout von Rauffenstein is seen inviting his pris wholenessr, the French Captain de Boeldieu, to lunch just because the latter(prenominal) was an officer, and so, a fellow aristocrat. Their identification with one another stems from their common fulfillment of the roles and expectations associated with their class.The scenes that followed showed them enjoying from each one others company thus forming an in- stem, highlighting their expiration (in-group favoritism) from the commoners, the out-group. They talk animatedly about experiences countenance to the elite cuisine, women and familiar people. Their use of German, French and English further emphasizes their ability to sub callable the German-French and prisoner-captor divide.Stets and Burke (2000) stated that in-group homogeneity is in particular strong when no motivational forces live on to distinguish the self from others within the group(p.226). In the final scenes, Captain de Boeldieu distracts the German guards to enable his two companions to escape. German Captain von Rauffenstein tried to talk him into submission first but was forced to shoot him. De Boeldieu was a fellow aristrocrat (part of an in-group) but more than this, he was besides a French officer, an opponent (motivational force).The scenes depicting t he dying de Boeldieu talking to von Rauffenstein truism how identity roles take center pose over group identity. Though both(prenominal) of them see their identity as aristocrats, in the process of the war, they came to see their roles unalikely. Von Rauffenstein believed in the enjoyment of the war while de Boeldieu believed that their class was impaired and welcomed the possibility of society being guide by the lower class.Similarly, identity roles winning precedence was illustrated in de Boeldieu allowing Lieutenant Marechal, his fellow aviator who was a mechanic forwards the war, to escape. Group identity would dictate that de Boeldieu, in order to perform his duty, would take benefit of the situation for himself. But because he saw his identity role differently, he died allowing a commoner to regain his freedom.French-German CommonersThe transcendence over social class across nationalities was also demonstrated during the escape of Marechal together with another pris oner named Rosenthal who was a Jew. Traveling on foot over unfamiliar and unpeaceful territory presented difficulties and was further exacerbated when Rosenthal sustained injuries. As such, they were forced to ask for help at the farm that they came across with.The resident was a German woman, Elsa, whose husband tragically died trash in the war. She shared a similar identity with Marechal who also came from a working class background. The common realization that in that location is much to lose in the war but none to gain (similarities), led both Elsa and Marechal to overcome differences in nationality and delivery barriers for the woman to help the fugitives.Ethnicity and Social IdentityOne of the images in the film was a Jew named Rosenthal. He belonged to the f number class but was originally a commoner. The film dispels the exaggerated dissimilarities that led to prejudicial or Anti-Semitic sentiments when Rosenthals character was portrayed as compassionate. Although he was upper class, he gave parts of his meals to his fellow prisoners without exception. Thus, he maintained favorable relationships with all captives in the camp.This suggests that Rosenthal as a Jew and the non-Jew prisoners overcame ethnic differences because their identity was primarily based on all of them being prisoners (social group). Thus they performed a common role and viewpoint to dig a turn over and escape in order to return to their respective territories and tarry performing their duty to fight against the common enemy. Here, the German guards are the out-group.ConclusionThe transcendence over social identity is easily gross(a) under circumstances of chaos and dissymmetry that are not conventional during quantify of peace. This is because as social experiments have proven, divisions surrounded by groups are minimized when there are common goals that can only be achieved through collective efforts (SIT lecture). In the film, prisoners from different classes and e thnicities worked together to dig a tunnel as a common operator of escape. The sharing of food for equal funding to all was also depicted, albeit through Rosenthal as an individual, increasing everyones chances of survival.Transcendence on an individual level can also be accomplished when ones acquaintance of identity role deviates from the traditional group identity boundaries, i.e. de Boeldeius self-sacrifice for a commoner as a mood out of the aristocrat failure as a class in credit line to von Rauffensteins steadfast conformity to dingy duties. The latters conformity is due to his commitment of a role that is undischarged to him (Stets and Burke, 2000, p.232).As social identity results from comparison of ones self from others and recognizing the similarities in experience can also lead one to transcend socially defined divisions. This was exemplified in the relationship of the French Lieutenant Marechal and the German peasant, Elsa.Non-transcendence on the part of the Ger man guards and their officers, who equal the German state under Hitler in history, was due to their segregation of themselves as a superior race and their determined attempts to get by over economic and political superiority as well.In general, the film has been rich in examples showing how social identification leads to social conflict and also to conflict re solution. The lessons borne out of this classic film are priceless as we face a world today where war seems to be the solution to contradictions among nations, races, ethnic groups and social classes.List of ReferencesStets, J.E. and Burke, P.J. (2000). Identity speculation and Social Identity speculation. SocialPsychology Quarterly, 63(3), p.224-237.Social Identity Theory Powerpoint (Lecture).