Machuca

Machuca

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Machuca

Social inequality has always been a major issue that is still prevailing in our society. People are discriminated based on their social status and class. In the film, Machuca the director, Andres Wood, captured the social inequality that was prevailing in the society while linking it with the Chilean political condition. The film revolves around a boy named Gonzalo and his friend Pedro. Gonzalo belongs to an upper-middle-class family, while Pedro was from a lower-class family (Brodsky, 2004). The social inequality issue was raised when the school where Gonzalo used to study decided to admit children from the lower class to their school. The reason why school management took this step was to ensure equality among people belonging from different statuses according to the teachings of the Bible. However, many parents were against this decision, and this whole situation leads to severe consequences. Many instances are there in the film where the socioeconomic difference among people was reflected. The era displayed in the movie was an era where people were discriminated against because of poverty. Due to the film, issues such as social inequality and discrimination against the poor people were conveyed to viewers.

In the film, the scene where Gonzalo was getting ready to go for school depicted how privileged people have access to all the necessities of life. His uniform was neat and was fully ironed. In contrast, Pedro did not have access to decent and clean clothing. When he arrived at school, his clothes were not tidy, and the sweater he was wearing had several holes in it. The dressing about both boys directly indicates the class difference between them. Even after school, Gonzalo used to wear new clothes while Pedro was seen wearing the same clothes as his family was not able to afford to buy new clothes as they were living in poverty. When Pedro and his friends came to the school, they all were mocked by the other students. While they were introducing themselves to the class, many boys pointed the social difference as Pedro, and his fellows belong to the lower class, and their parents used to work for the white people to earn a living. This scene served as the base to elaborate on the social inequality issue that is often neglected by the people even today.

Throughout the film, the idea that a White boy cannot be friends with an Indian boy was shown multiple times. Typically, at that time, it was considered that only white people could be successful, and only they had the right to live a privileged life. So being a friend with an Indian, Gonzalo was bullied by most of his schoolfellows. Even his family was against his friendship with Pedro. Gonzalo's father used to taunt him regarding his friendship with Pedro. According to his father, Pedro was a bad influence on Gonzalo, and he would also end up poor like Pedro if he remained friends with him. This stereotypical thinking of Gonzalo's father relates to the stigma associated with the impoverished people that still exists in society. A white person being friends with an Indian was unacceptable by society due to class differences.

The class difference between both boys was also reflected by their houses and the areas where they used to live. The area where Gonzalo used to live was in the main of the city. The roads were clean; houses were fancy and well decorated. In contrast, Pedro used to live in the area where the houses were not well constructed and lack all the necessities. Furthermore, most of the people living there were working for white people due to which they were discriminated by the rich people.

The reason behind the class difference was not only because of the stereotypical thinking of the people living in that era, but it was due to the Chilean political condition as well. Chilean society at that time was determined by the class antagonism that changed the dimension of the political situation. The military people also used to do violence in the lower class because of their social status. This prejudice for the poor people was depicted in the film as well. The scene where military personnel was beating the impoverished people highlighted that how due to class difference, the violence against people was justified. The military leverage the alleged collapse of democracy and the socioeconomic crisis to end the democracy (Martín-Cabrera & Voionmaa, 2007). This results in the conflicts that arise between people and the military. However, one noticeable thing was that even during the crisis, white people were not harmed. Although, most of the white people were the ones who were protesting against the military yet still military used to capture several Indians and beat them. In the film, this, as per social injustice, was highlighted when Gonzalo was stuck in the middle of the fight between military personnel and the Indians. Military personnel was beating Pedro and his Indian friends, but they did not harm Gonzalo just because he was White and belonged from the upper-middle-class family. The class difference between the two boys can be summed up in this scene. This scene is of immense significance as just because Gonzalo was white military personnel realized the value of human rights while they forgot all the ethics when they used to beat Indians.

Furthermore, in the last scene, when Gonzalo was standing on the football ground, watching the other side of the ground alone also emphasized how human-made boundaries can separate two friends just because they belong to a different class.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Brodsky, R. (Writer), & Wood, A. (Director). (2004). Machuca [Motion Picture]. Chile: Menemsha Entertainment.

Martín-Cabrera, L., & Voionmaa, D. N. (2007). Class conflict, state of exception and radical justice in Machuca by Andrés Wood. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, 16(1), 63-80.