Identity And Representation: The Mass-reproduction Of Masculinity In Contemporary Popular Culture

As a side note, author Jean Baudrillard (2J03 Courseware) bases his theories of simulation on the Simulacrum. The Simulacrum is “the phenomena which hides the fact that there is no longer any reality.1” Simulation plays a large role in the representation of masculinity in this film and it is shown in the ways of character development, masculine symbolism and in the plot itself. In the scene chosen for analysis, Jack has just found out his apartment exploded, leaving him with nowhere to stay. He then calls T

Fight Club as a film does mock male masculinity as it is portrayed in the media. For example, near the middle of the movie, Tyler and Jack are getting on a bus. While on the city bus, Jack notices a “Gucci Underwear” ad, and it depicts a male midsection with tight undergarments on. Jack turns to Tyler and says, “Is that what a real man looks like?” They both chuckle towards the advertisement. This particular example can be related to Susan Bordo’s article “Beauty (Re) Discovers the Male Body” (2000). In the first few paragraphs of the article, Bordo gives a detailed description of a certain Calvin Klein underwear ad (very comparable to the ad seen in Fight Club). She goes on to state that the male model’s “body projects strength, solidity.2” She also goes on to say that men with large, overdeveloped muscles do not represent masculinity; they represent a large overdose of male testosterone (a “stand-in phallus” she called them). This could be a good comparison to how women and men see masculinity, and how they differ in their ways. The males in Fight Club make fun of men in underwear ads, yet the women see them as “godlike” structures. Another comparison is how women are portrayed in the media: most men enjoy looking at a beautiful, half-naked woman, while the women feel they are being seen as objects. These are very similar situations; just each is in the opposite position.

In conclusion, there are many masculine symbols in the movie, but there are also very many simulacra in the film as well. Simulacra being the idea of male masculinity, but not the real thing (i.e. fighting can be seen as one example). As well in the film, there are masculine characters and non-masculine characters. Ironically in the end, Jack realizes that hi

Some topics in this essay:
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