Power is seen as a fundamental part of society. This term paper aims to find out, how power and power relations are depicted in a fictional society. In order to shed light into this matter, John French and Bertram Raven’s (1959) theory of five (six) `Bases of Social Power’ was applied to Neil Burger’s (2011) movie "Limitless". A number of scenes showing power relationships between characters or shifts in power through a brain enhancing substance were analyzed. All forms of power regarding the theory could be detected in various relations throughout the movie.
Table of Contents
1. Theoretical Background
1.1 Definition
1.2 Concept of power
1.2.1 Foucault – Subject and Power
1.3 French & Raven – The bases of social power
2. Movie scene analysis
2.1 Plot
2.2 Relation to research question
2.3 Methodology
2.4 Expert Power – NZT-48
2.5 Legitimate Power – Carl van Loon
2.6 Reward Power – Carl Van Loon
2.7 Coercive Power - Gennady
2.8 Information Power – Melissa, Eddie
2.9 Referent Power – Eddie, Lindy
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to examine how power and power relations are constructed and depicted within a fictional societal setting, using Neil Burger’s film Limitless as a case study. By applying the theoretical framework of French and Raven’s "Bases of Social Power," the study explores the dynamics of control, influence, and the shifting nature of power mediated by external substances.
- Analysis of power dynamics within a fictional cinematic narrative.
- Application of French and Raven’s "Bases of Social Power" theory.
- Examination of the interplay between personal and positional power sources.
- Investigation of the influence of NZT-48 on character power structures.
- Comparison of fictional power relations with real-world social and political structures.
Excerpt from the Book
Expert Power – NZT-48
The first scene where different forms of power are involved is the talk between Eddie and his landlord’s wife. She is angry with him because the rent is overdue. At that point Eddie still is the rather poor version of himself. The landlord’s wife, however, is in a position of legitimate power, because as a landlord (technically she herself is not the landlord but in theory she still has legitimate power as she can tell her husband about Eddie’s failure to pay in time) Eddie is legally required to pay her rent. She also has coercive power over Eddie as she threatens to put him on the street if he does not pay rent soon. In the scene Eddie ingests an NZT-48 pill he got from Vernon and suddenly feels his brain capacities enhancing. As he is now able to use 100% of his brain, he quickly becomes an expert on law, which is the subject the landlord’s wife is studying.
Now Eddie is able to use his expert power to convince her that he is in fact a charming and witty guy and that she should not throw him out.
Although French and Raven (1959) point out that expert power is a personal power in the movie Limitless it becomes a positional one: anybody that ingests NZT-48 becomes smart and is therefore capable of quickly developing expert power in almost any field.
Summary of Chapters
1. Theoretical Background: This chapter defines the concept of power and introduces the theoretical models of Foucault, French, and Raven to provide a foundation for the analysis.
2. Movie scene analysis: This section provides a plot overview and applies the chosen theories to specific interactions between characters in the movie to identify shifts in power.
3. Conclusion: The chapter synthesizes the findings, noting that power in the film is fluid and often dependent on situational dynamics rather than stable attributes.
Keywords
power, politics, individuality, institution, greed, fictional society, French and Raven, social power, NZT-48, movie analysis, cinema, influence, control, leadership, ethics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how power and various power relations are portrayed within the fictional society presented in the 2011 movie Limitless.
Which theoretical frameworks are used in the analysis?
The author utilizes John French and Bertram Raven’s 1959 theory, "Bases of Social Power," along with concepts from Michel Foucault’s "Subject and Power."
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to analyze how power is defined and depicted in a fictional setting and to observe how these portrayals reflect real-world social dynamics.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author performs a scene-by-scene qualitative analysis, describing specific power interactions in the film and comparing them to French and Raven’s six categories of social power.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the definition of power, the application of theoretical models to the movie’s plot, and detailed examinations of specific power types such as expert, legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, and informational power.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include power, politics, individuality, institution, greed, fictional society, social power, and movie analysis.
How does the drug NZT-48 change the nature of "Expert Power" in the film?
In the movie, the drug transforms expert power from a personal, skill-based attribute into a positional one, as anyone who consumes the drug can instantly acquire the expertise needed to control a situation.
What is the conclusion regarding the nature of power in Limitless?
The author concludes that power is highly situational and fluid; even those who hold legitimate or positional power are not immune to losing influence, especially when faced with others who possess superior expert or informational power.
- Quote paper
- Axel Kolbeinsson (Author), 2020, Forms of power in Neil Burger’s movie "Limitless", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1191936
