Download Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
In the world of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the media coverage veers distinctly into Yoda’s well known
quote, “Do or do not. There is no try”. A Newsclip analysis of this coverage revealed four distinct themes;
philosophy, religion, the empowerment of women, and language use. These themes are exhibited in how
the film has been digested by consumers, and the way it has affected popular culture through its content
and design.
Analysis by Newsclip
Written and compiled by Nadine Schlebusch
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Although there was some speculation over the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with director J.J. Abrams taking
over the epic space opera along with Disney, it has put to rest the fears of even the most ardent critics. The movie
set the box office record for reaching $1 billion in sales in only 12 days 1. In South Africa, the first country in the world
to screen the movie, the film broke the record for the most pre-sold tickets bought2. The latest instalment of the Star
Wars films comes ten years after Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and 38 years after the first Star Wars film. Over the
years, the films have attracted a cult following amongst young and old, some even converting to a Star Wars based
religion – Jediism.
Significant media coverage was generated around the release of the latest film. An analysis of the media revealed
four main themes within the coverage which are discussed in greater detail below.
Philosophy
Many have pondered the philosophical meanings of the Star Wars series (Decker and Eberl, 2005; Stephens, 2005).
The space epic is said to point to larger philosophical questions about life and what our purpose is on this planet.
Philosophy is not the mere questioning of reality, but it leads to thinking, thinking about problems that we face, the
need to change ourselves and our environments (Decker and Eberl, 2005: ix). The philosophy found in Star Wars,
according to Decker and Eberl (2005), is not as clear to the naked eye, but the characters all battle with external and
internal problems that are larger than themselves. “It’s the struggle to understand and overcome deep problems of
identity, truth, freedom, and the tragic side of life…” that works to define the characters in the films (Decker and
Eberl, 2005: x).
The Star Wars epic is based on the quintessential hero’s quest, imagined by the creator, George Lucas. It follows the
classic story of an ordinary person who goes on a journey, during which he faces a number of challenges. The hero
ultimately survives a “supreme ordeal”3 imparting some great knowledge or treasure which he takes home to share
with his people. This story trajectory is something that most people can identify with, specifically in that we all face
challenges that we believe will shape our existence.
When Lucas originally wrote Star Wars, it was during a time when American society was facing hardship - the
Vietnam War was still raging, the Kennedy brothers were assassinated and the Watergate scandal caused severe
controversy. America needed a fairy tale to remind them that good will overcome evil, according to McCarthy (ENCA,
2015). The new film serves a similar function, for today the world is plagued by economic instability, continuing
unrest in the Middle East and terrorism.
The films, therefore, raise important philosophical issues, such as the nature of good and evil, free will and
determinism and the prophecy of the chosen one. Many academics have studied Star Wars in relation to themes
such as moral ambiguity, father-son relationships, concepts of feminine beauty and the yearning for something
better in life4. According to opinionist Morgan Bolton 5, mythology is part of every generation and Star Wars is the
legend and myth for our generation. It assists us in exploring the topics of good and evil, morality and even religion.
Religion
According to Bryan Stone, quoted by McDowell (2007: xvi), films are not mere representations of the world but they
create a worldview, and that plays an instrumental role in shaping what and how we see the world around us. In the
creation of Star Wars, George Lucas admits that he intentionally created the story in such a way that there was a
lesson to be learnt. It aimed to promote the importance of morality and being morally responsible. He is quoted as
saying that The Force embodies “a concept of religion based on the premise that there is a God and there is good
and evil”.2
1
BANG Showbiz. ‘Star Wars’ becomes fastest film to bank $1 billion. All4Women.co.za. 28 December 2015.
Ray White. New ‘Star Wars’ sets record in SA. EWN.co.za. 17 December 2015.
3
Patti McCarthy. A force awakened: why so many find meaning in Star Wars. ENCA.com. 19 December 2015.
4
Reuters. Philosophers spaced out on ‘Star Wars’. Pretoria News. 07 December 2015.
5
Morgan Bolton. The force will always be with us. Star. 29 December 2015.
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Religion is a vastly explored theme within the Star Wars films, usually from various angles. Some see the theme of
good vs. evil that can be found throughout the Star Wars franchise as alluding to general religious beliefs. The Force
is also equated to religiosity in the form of the Holy Spirit or Karma. It could allegorically be viewed as a metaphor for
all religious faith, according to Schultes (2003), yet it is something that is universal, testable and empirically verifiable
(unlike the religious beliefs of our modern world) even to unbelievers.
Another aspect is the rise of Star Wars as a religion in the form of Jediism. Jediism is described by Possamai and Lee
(2011: 229) as a mix of religion and popular culture. It is a hyper-real expression of religion which is consumed and
individualised (Possamai and Lee, 2011: 229). Jediism is largely an internet-based community of like-minded people
where they connect via cyberspace. The religion, according to Possamai and Lee (2012), is loosely based on religious
beliefs ranging from Buddhism to Catholicism.
According to media coverage6, the Jedi church grew with approximately a 1000 members a day leading up to the
release of the new film. The religion apparently started as a joke during the 2001 census in Britain when nearly
400 000 Brits named it as their religion. Today, over 250 000 people identify Jediism as their religious denomination.
The faith is based on principles and practices in which members work to unite with The Force.
Traditional churches have also embraced the fervour around the release of the new Star Wars instalment, with a
church in Berlin hosting a Star Wars themed service. Pastor-in-training Ulrike Garve said that as they discussed the
films “the more parallels we saw with Christian traditions7.” The passage from the Bible: “Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21) served as inspiration for the service.
Women
The Force Awakens is seen as an empowering film for women, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
The heroine of the film is a woman named Rey. She was abandoned at a young age and survives by collecting scrap
in exchange for food. She has no formal training, but she comes to play a key role in fighting against Kylo Ren and the
First Order. In the new film, Princess Leia is now General Leia, leading the resistance in their fight against the First
Order.
Behind the scenes, women also play a key role in the Lucasfilm franchise. Ten of the 19 top executives are women
and Lucasfilm is headed by producer Kathleen Kennedy. Kennedy has also indicated that one day a female will direct
a Star Wars film.8
In the Western world, women in the film industry are significantly underrepresented, according to French (2012: 41).
A decline in participation is evident from the early 2000’s, although a recovery in numbers can be seen. Areas such
as technical or camera work are still highly gendered and females are particularly excluded. Women are often over
trained but underpaid in the industry which is a major concern (French, 2012: 41).
Language
Popular culture influences language, specifically in the expressions that individuals often come to use. Star Wars, in
its 30 plus year existence, has coined many iconic phrases that are widely used by fans and non-fans alike. The
expression “May the force be with you”, is widely recognised and used even by people who have never seen any of
the Star Wars films. The phrase is often used as a parting greeting by people or in an ironic way to wish someone
well. The misquoted “Luke, I am your father” phrase is often used for humorous effect and “going over to the dark
side” is a common expression used to tempt someone into doing something that is considered not quite above
board9. Star Wars has, therefore, been hugely influential in our common or colloquial language use, even to those
who are not fans of the films.
6
Reuters. Jedi-kerk groei ‘met duisende’ voor fliek. Beeld. 15 December 2015.
AFP. ‘Star Wars’ theme for church service. Herald. 21 December 2015.
8
Jena McGregor. May the force be with powerful women. Iol.co.za. 19 December 2015.
9
The Conversation. Do you speak Star Wars? Mybroadband.co.za. 19 December 2015.
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A concluding thought
Love it or hate it, Star Wars has been a (the) force that has hugely impacted popular culture for the last 30 years.
Fans of the films have internalised much of the mythical hero discourse that the space opera has been based on,
building it into their personal narratives, sometimes even creating their identities around it. Even those who have
never seen the films are indirectly influenced by the stories, the language, the marketing or the fact that women are
being promoted by the recent instalment. The media coverage suggests that this is not the end for the franchise and
that Disney will continue bringing the epic to fans in the tradition of George Lucas. It remains to be seen how much
of an influence the films will have in the next 30 years, or if it will become lost to a galaxy far, far away…
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References
Possamai, A. and Lee, M. 2011. ‘Hyper-real religions: Fear, anxiety and late-modern religious innovation.’ Journal of
Sociology, 47 (3): 227 – 242.
Schultes, JS. 2003. ‘Any Gods Out There? Perceptions of Religion from Star Wars and Star Trek.’ Journal of Religion
and Film, 7 (2).
McDowell, JC. 2007. The Gospel according to Star Wars: Faith, Hope and the Force. Kentucky: Westminster John
Knox Press.
French, L 2012, 'Women in Film: Treading Water but Fit for the Marathon' in Theresa Carilli, Jane Campbell (ed.)
Challenging Images of Women in the Media: Reinventing Women's Lives, Lexington Books, Maryland, United States,
pp. 35-46
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