Media theories for The Wolf of Wall Street

                                    The Wolf of Wall Street

Todorov: Equilibrium

The Wolf of Wall Street contains Todorovs theory that every movie has 3 parts to it. The equilibrium is that he finds a job that he really likes and is getting good pay from being a stockbroker and is getting away with it. Then he makes his own company which becomes highly successful. The disequilibrium is that it becomes too known so the FBI start to have suspicions. The FBI then go and try to find out what he is actually doing so Leonardo De Caprio try to keep it low even though he is trying to bribe the FBI agent and is throwing money at them. In the trailer it doesnt show the new equilibrium so it makes you think whats going to happen to him the company and everything that he has worked for.

Propp: character types

The protagonist of this movie is Leonardo De Caprio since he is the one the movie is based around and it shows him trying to keep his company going. The antagonist is the FBI but there is this one FBI agent who is trying to stop Leonardo De Caprio or trying to get him sent to prison. In this movie there isnt really a father because he starts up his own company and becomes independent and doesnt rely on anyone. The helper is Jonah hill as he starts of early in the beginning of the movie when he sees Leonardos car and offers to quit his job and work with him as his partner and also helps him get through the tough times he has. The mentor could be Matthew McConaughey as he is the one that helps and teaches him about being in the stockbroker business and tells him how to deal with everything. 

Barthes: enigma and action codes

In the trailer it has a few enigma codes such as the lady being dragged out of a huge house with a pool yet shes looking back miserable and not wanting to leave. This makes you think why is she leaving then because if she didnt want to she wouldnt of so could she just being playing with Leonardos head to get to his money. Another enigma code is theres a pistol being loaded  but doesnt show whos loading it making you think whos behind the gun and who going to be shot and straight after that shot they show a man being forced into the back of a police car. could it of been him who was behind the gun. Also you see Leonardo in a small room with only a metal desk in a hurry moving alot of money from a bag into some sort of metal case. why would he be moving all the money and why is there so much being moved. Last one was of someone wrapping bundles of money around a semi naked women who looks as if shes being forced to do this. why are they wrapping her in money?For action codes you see a expensive Lamborghini speeding down the road crashing into objects while driving half of the road. This shows that he was in a hurry to get to his destination. You see around the 1:30 mark of the trailer that things start to get out of control as fights break out between partners and the gun being loaded. this all makes the viewers see the outcome of everything that has been shown.  

wolf of wall street representation

 The Wolf of Wall Street

How are American business men represented? Why?
They are shown as just wanting money and to buy expensive things that they don't need. It shows them also as people that scam other people for their money. Also they are shown as spoiled and greedy for money and reckless for how they spend the money.
How is the idea of the American Dream represented? Why?
The america dream is shown as just for the money and success in life. It is shown as only making a few people rich by gambling to become wealthy and teh rest seem poor and not have that much. This is shown as wasteful as in the trailer hes throwing money into a bin and the bin was almost full of money.
How are the 1980s represented? Is the film critical of a certain mentality or way of life? Why?
it shows how you can have not much in the beginning but in a few weeks or months you can have billions to spend so it shows how your lifestyle can change quickly. The 1980s are shown as the time when people would scam each others and it would be about the wealth and the stuff that you own.
 How are black characters represented? Why?
 in the trailer no black characters are shown and that could be showing what more higher class people thought of black people or that white people didnt want to associate with black people. Not seeing any black people besides one black waiter who serves someone at a higher classy restaurant. This can show that black people didtn ahve the access to the wealth that wall street gave other people.
How is the dwarf represented (person with a disability)? Why?
They are shown as not being respected and that they dont care about other peoples conditions. This shows that they only care about themselves and that they do it for their own pleasure and entertainment. They are treated like this because the money and power has changed what they think of other people because they think they can do what they want because they're rich.
How is the USA represented?  Why?
The USA are shown as not really caring because they let it go on for so long so it shows that people can get away with things that happen there and that they wont take action until it goes on for too long. That makes them seem a bit lazy because they dont do anything because theyre lazy.
How are women represented? Is the film sexist? Why?
I think that the movie is kind of sexist to women because they are only used for partys as strippers and people that they can have a one night stand with. Also the movie doesnt have any girls that are stock brokers so that makes them seem not as good because they purposely had all males work for him and become millionaires too