Adonis Johnson is the son of the late boxing legend Apollo Creed, who died in a match against Ivan
Drago. He grows up in foster homes and juvenile detention, until he is adopted by Apollo's widow, Mary
Anne. He works in a corporate job, but secretly pursues his passion for boxing in underground fights. He
quits his job and moves to Philadelphia, where he seeks out Rocky Balboa, his father's former rival and
friend, to be his trainer. Rocky reluctantly agrees, and helps Adonis prepare for a big opportunity: a fight
against the reigning champion, Ricky Conlan, who is facing prison time. Along the way, Adonis falls in
love with Bianca, an aspiring singer who suffers from progressive hearing loss. Adonis proves himself to
be a worthy fighter, but also struggles with his identity and legacy as the son of Apollo Creed. He decides
to adopt his father's name and fight under the name of Creed. He faces Conlan in a thrilling match,
where he loses by a split decision, but earns the respect of the crowd and his opponent. He also
reconciles with Rocky, who is battling cancer, and promises to fight again.
. Impression management and self-presentation are closely related concepts that refer to the ways that
people try to control how they are perceived by others. Impression management is the goal-directed
attempt to influence the perceptions of others about oneself or a situation by regulating and controlling
information in social interaction. Self-presentation is the process of expressing oneself in a certain way
to manage perceptions and achieve social goals. ¹
There are many theories that explain the motivations and processes of impression management and
self-presentation, but two of the most influential ones are Goffman's (1959) self-presentation theory
and Leary and Kowalski's (1990) two-component model of impression management.
Goffman's self-presentation theory uses the metaphor of theatre to describe how people perform
different roles and present different images of themselves in different situations. He argues that
impression management is not only a way of influencing how one is treated by others, but also an
essential part of social interaction. He identifies several key components of self-presentation, such as
the front (the expressive equipment that defines the situation), the setting (the physical environment),
the personal front (the appearance and manner of the performer), the backstage (the area where the
performer prepares and relaxes), and the audience (the people who observe the performance).
Leary and Kowalski's two-component model of impression management proposes that impression
management consists of two interrelated processes: impression motivation and impression construction.
Impression motivation is the degree to which people are motivated to control how others see them,
which depends on several factors, such as the perceived relevance, value, and discrepancy of the
desired image. Impression construction is the process of deciding which image to present, which
depends on several factors, such as the self-concept, the desired and undesired identities, the target's
values and expectations, and the situational constraints and affordances.
Using the film Creed 1 as an example, we can see how the main character, Adonis Johnson, engages in
impression management and self-presentation throughout the movie. Adonis is the son of the late
boxing legend Apollo Creed, but he grows up without knowing his father and struggles with his identity
and legacy. He wants to be a boxer, but he also wants to be his own person and not live in his father's
shadow. He tries to present different images of himself to different audiences, such as his adoptive
mother, his girlfriend, his trainer, and his opponents. He also faces different challenges and
opportunities to manage his impressions, such as quitting his corporate job, moving to Philadelphia,
seeking out Rocky Balboa, adopting his father's name, and fighting against the champion. He uses
various strategies to convey his desired image, such as verbal and nonverbal communication,
appearance and attire, actions and behaviors, and associations and endorsements.
In conclusion, impression management and self-presentation are important aspects of human social
behavior that can be explained by different theories and illustrated by different examples. The film
Creed 1 is a good example of how a person can use impression management and self-presentation to
cope with his identity and achieve his goals.
2. Auteur theory is a way of looking at films that state that the director is the author and primary
creative force behind a movie. It argues that a film is a reflection of the director's artistic vision and that
the director's style and themes are consistent throughout his or her filmography. ¹
Some of the nuances of auteur theory are:
- It originated in France in the late 1940s and was advanced by André Bazin and Alexandre Astruc, who
used the concept of caméra-stylo ("camera-pen") to describe how directors express their personal views
through cinematic techniques. ²
- It was popularized by François Truffaut, who coined the phrase "la politique des auteurs" ("the policy
of the authors") and criticized the prevailing "Cinema of Quality" that relied on literary adaptations and
conventional styles. He advocated for directors who had a distinctive and original approach to
filmmaking, such as Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Renoir, and Orson Welles. ²
- It was adopted by American critic Andrew Sarris, who called it auteur theory and proposed a threetiered system to evaluate directors based on their technical competence, personal style, and interior
meaning. He also identified a "pantheon" of great directors, such as John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Fritz
Lang. ³
- It was challenged by critics such as Pauline Kael, who argued that auteur theory ignored the
collaborative nature of filmmaking and the contributions of other artists, such as writers, actors,
cinematographers, and editors. She also claimed that auteur theory was elitist and subjective, and that it
reduced films to mere expressions of the director's personality.
- It was revised and expanded by later theorists, such as Peter Wollen, who introduced the concept of
"counter-cinema" to describe how some directors subvert the dominant conventions and ideologies of
mainstream cinema. He also distinguished between "auteur" and "author", the former being a function
of the film industry and the latter being a function of the film text.
- It was applied to other media and contexts, such as television, music, video games, and literature,
where the term "auteur" is used to refer to the main creative force behind a work of art. Some examples
of auteurs in these fields are David Lynch, Kanye West, Hideo Kojima, and J.K. Rowling.
Using the movie Creed 1 as an example, we can see how the director, Ryan Coogler, can be considered
an auteur. Coogler is known for his films that explore the themes of race, identity, family, and social
justice, such as Fruitvale Station and Black Panther. He also has a distinctive visual style that uses long
takes, handheld camera, and close-ups to create a realistic and immersive experience for the viewers.
In Creed 1, Coogler expresses his personal views on the legacy of the Rocky franchise and the challenges
faced by African Americans in the contemporary society. He also pays homage to the original films by
using some of their iconic elements, such as the training montage, the Philadelphia setting, and the
Rocky theme music. However, he also subverts some of the conventions and expectations of the genre
by focusing on the emotional and psychological aspects of the characters, rather than the spectacle and
violence of the boxing matches. He also introduces new elements, such as the use of rap music, the
inclusion of a female lead with a disability, and the exploration of the father-son relationship between
Adonis and Rocky.
In conclusion, auteur theory is a useful way of analyzing films and understanding the artistic vision of the
directors. Creed 1 is a good example of how a director can be an auteur by infusing his or her personal
style and themes into a film that is both original and respectful of its source material.
3. Explain the interpretation of social learning theory
Social learning theory is a psychological theory that explains how people learn through observation,
imitation, and modeling of others' behaviors, attitudes, and emotions. It considers how both
environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior.
Using the movie Creed 1 as an example, we can see how the main character, Adonis Johnson, learns
from observing and imitating different models in his life. Some of these models are:
- His father, Apollo Creed, who was a famous boxer and died in a match against Ivan Drago. Adonis
never knew his father, but he watched his fights on video and learned his boxing skills and techniques.
He also inherited his father's passion and talent for boxing, as well as his pride and ambition. He wanted
to follow his father's footsteps and become a champion, but he also struggled with his identity and
legacy as the son of Apollo Creed. He decided to adopt his father's name and fight under the name of
Creed. ²
- His adoptive mother, Mary Anne Creed, who was Apollo's widow and took Adonis in when he was a
child. She cared for him and provided him with a stable and comfortable life. She also discouraged him
from boxing, fearing that he would end up like his father. She wanted him to pursue a safer and more
respectable career, but she also respected his choices and supported him when he decided to become a
boxer. She taught him the values of family, love, and responsibility.
- His girlfriend, Bianca, who was an aspiring singer who suffered from progressive hearing loss. She was
independent, creative, and resilient. She pursued her dreams despite her disability and the challenges of
the music industry. She also encouraged Adonis to be himself and not live in his father's shadow. She
showed him the importance of having a balance between work and personal life, and how to cope with
adversity and loss. ²
- His trainer, Rocky Balboa, who was his father's former rival and friend. He was a legendary boxer and a
mentor to Adonis. He agreed to train him and prepare him for a big opportunity: a fight against the
reigning champion, Ricky Conlan. He taught him the skills, strategies, and discipline of boxing, as well as
the history and culture of the sport. He also shared his wisdom, experience, and stories with him. He
helped him overcome his doubts, fears, and insecurities. He also became a father figure and a friend to
him. He showed him the meaning of courage, loyalty, and perseverance.
In conclusion, social learning theory can help us understand how Adonis Johnson learned from different
models in his life, and how they influenced his behavior, attitude, and emotion. He observed and
imitated their actions and outcomes, and he also processed and evaluated their information and
feedback. He learned not only how to be a boxer, but also how to be a person. ²