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Home Alone, as it relates to class struggle, and the modern proletarian youth. by Eugene Victor Debs Age 8, 4th grade social studies Home Alone is a profound social allegory for how the class struggle effects the proletarian youth in the west. The character Kevin McCallister (Culkin) symbolizes the modern proletarian child, who feels, to quote freedom fighter Mumia Abu Jamal: "with some justice that they have been betrayed by those who came before them. That they are at best tolerated in schools, feared on the streets, and almost inevitably destined for the hell holes of prison. They grew up hungry, hated and unloved." The faux-bourgeois sensibilities of his parents are so strong that they forget that they have even left their child, which should be the most precious thing to any parent, as they are too consumed in the false consumer pornography forced upon them by the ruling class. It is not until they are far past the point of no return that they realize what this false and anti social ideal leads to. Kevin at first rejoices in his newfound freedom, flaunting the rules that his mother and father made for him, but then there is trouble, when two robbers approach the door. Young Kevin is under attack not from the ruling class itself, but rather from two criminals, themselves almost certainly forced into a life of crime by economic warfare carried out by the ruling class. This assault hardens the heart of Kevin, and forces him to lash out and fight back against men who he may well have a great deal in common with. You can see a similar situation on the streets of every major city, where the proletariat wages war with itself over the petty possessions and wealth the bourgeoisie flaunt so brazenly. Kevin is an intelligent child, clearly, but like so many proletarian youth, he is forced to develop an animalistic, ruthless cunning which will allow him to survive. Although he possesses few actual resources, he manages to defend himself with great aplomb, driving away seasoned criminals using only the most rudimentary means. But to what end? What has young Kevin learned? What has he gained? His heart must become cold and devoid of compassion to survive the hell that has befallen him. There will always be more people looking to prey upon him, to harm him, to deprive him. He must lower himself to the gutters in order to stand any chance there. Far too many youth end up like Kevin, their talents and intelligence wasted, they learn nothing, they gain nothing, they see only the bourgeois desires flitting before them as if lit by a strobe light. More cash. More drugs. More cars. More women. At each step dodging the police, dodging other desperate people, and dodging that niggling sense in the back of their head that tells them this is no way to live. They have no choice, however, for if their guard, their animalistic, cutthroat facade is dropped for even a second, they will die as they lived. Unloved, alone, with nothing gained, bleeding out in some back alley as indifferent people walk by. We fight class war not for ourselves, but for all the young Kevins.
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Jan 18, 2011 01:12
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 00:24 |
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