|
Description
The purpose of this qualitative study is to analyze how potential college-bound and current college students make meaning about the higher education experience from the legendary film that is pivotal in the American college culture, sets the trend for future college-themed films, and is a national phenomenon--National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) (Cross, Errigo, Kamey, Finler, Oppedissano, Bergan, & Hirchhorn, 2002). Since the film's release in 1978 higher education films have distorted college images, which may influence societal perceptions of higher education. More specifically, higher education films highlight the social aspects of college, which overshadow the academic benefits. Luke and Roe (1993) say, " ... schooling can no longer afford to ignore the profound influences mass media have on the young" (p. 117) because " ... schools can no longer claim the monopoly over information which it once held" (p. 116). The research question is offered: What does National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) communicate about administrators, students, professors, and in general, the college experience? In addition, screenwriters craft a film's message by interweaving complex meanings. For this reason, another research question addresses meaning: Is the screenwriter's message the message received by audiences?
**********
To date, little empirical research has analyzed films' depiction of the college experience. To understand how college students make meaning from the depictions in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), a qualitative approach is used for analyzing and interpreting the film. The data is analyzed using the respected research methodology of content analysis and the theories of symbolic interactionism, semiotics, fantasy-theme analysis, cultivation effects theory, symbolic convergence theory, and psychoanalysis. The methodology and theories provide a lens of analysis to understand the deep structural messages in the film. In addition, Harold Ramis, the film's screenwriter, responds to the essence of the film's message.
The results of the research indicate that there is a blurring of boundaries between "real" college and "reel" college. Desiring to combine the "developmental" aspects of college, which include intellectual development and social development (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991), screenwriter Harold Ramis writes the screenplay by interweaving both developmental aspects. Even though these two developmental aspects are interlaced in the film's message about higher education, the message of social development overpowers the intellectual message. Thus, the participants in this study conclude that college focuses on elements of socialization. Such elements include destroying campus property, engaging in relationships (male/female students and student/faculty), and initiating pranks.
BACKGROUND
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2003, National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) continues to educate viewing audiences about the higher education experience. Still considered as one of the top five college-themed films (The Wall Street Journal, 2002), the movie has durable staying power and has the ability to communicate the workings of higher education institutions via portrayals of students, professors, administrators, and in general, the college experience. The film highlights college life by following the adventures of the Delta fraternity and their conflict with the college's Dean. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) is the premiere quintessential "coming of age" film (Cross, Errigo, Karney, Finler, Oppedisano, Bergan, & Hirschhorn, 2002, p. 12) and has laid the groundwork for future college-themed films. The film offers potential college-bound students, current college students, parents, and other interested parties an insider's look at college life.
Films, in general, are a pivotal information source for many viewing audiences. They offer a front row visual description of topics that may have otherwise been obscure due to lack of knowledge. Higher education films offer potential college-bound students and current college students an insider's look at what it means to be a college student and engaged in the college experience. Through films, "... students have access to a world of experience, information, and attitudes far wider than ever before possible" (McClure, 1993, pp. v-vi). Research offered by the Motion Picture Association (2003) says that those persons between the ages of 12-24 comprise some 50 percent of movie admissions. Broken down further, the largest age group attending movies is 16-20, because they see more than one film per month (Motion Picture Association, 2004). Interestingly, a study of college students reports that they spend only 4.3 hours per week reading books, newspapers, or magazines. In contrast, they devote 31.18 hours per week (over seven times as much) to movies, music, radio, and television (Kamalipour, Robinson, & Nortman, 1998). Students enjoy the movie-going experience, because it offers them a means of self-escape, assistance with self-development, and simply for the entertainment value (Tesser, Millar, & Wu, 1987). In addition, Austin (1982) indicates that college students frequent the movies because of "attitudinal dimensions" such as "... educational value, potential for social inquiry, and content and value ..." (p. 211).
To date films about higher education highlight the social aspects of college, which overshadow the academic benefits. Often times, the curriculum is seen as irrelevant and students show little enthusiasm for the subject being taught. Farber, Provenzo, and Holm (1994) claim "... within the set of movies, classrooms are either settings for spectacle, including spectacles of dreadful dullness, or hardly worth showing at all. Sometimes they are the backdrops for action completely unrelated to what the class is about, but more often, filmmakers find other school settings more suitable for that role. Hallways, cafeterias, locker rooms, frat houses, and dorm rooms are typical settings displayed in cinematic colleges" (p. 30). Higher education films concentrate on extracurricular activities and present this to audiences. This is the focus possibly because Hollywood directors and screenwriters are aware of the notion that college students are continuing to develop intellectually and socially. Practitioners of higher education refer to this as "developmental stages." On screen, developmental stages can be quite hilarious. One aspect of development is growing socially. Hence, more emphasis is placed on the "... desire to be socially successful" over the will to excel academically (Thelin & Townsend, 1988, p. 201). Other higher education portrayals display female characters as clueless and often times they are a source of pleasure for their male counterparts. Professors are characterized as pompous, arrogant, mistrustful and unethical, or "... foolish and completely out of touch with mainstream society" (Long, 1996, p. 32). Other professor portrayals include lame and boring, drill sergeants, deranged and demented, and for the male professors, sexpot or sleaze ball (Farber, et al., 1994). Furthermore, the classroom serves as a social hangout for a professor wishing to engage in a romantic and sexual relationship with a student.
Practitioners of higher education, if they do not already, need to care about what film communicates... |
More articles from College Student Journal
"Are you a perfectionist?" A perfectionist scale for college students., December 01, 2007
Ways to beat the stresses of going to college., December 01, 2007
The ABC's of how to succeed in college., December 01, 2007
The scholar as change agent: W.E.B. Du Bois.(Biography), December 01, 2007
Gender differences in student attitude for seating layout in college c..., December 01, 2007
Looking for additional articles?
Click here
to search our database of over 3 million articles.
|
%20%20&position=1)