Peggy McBride
Tamara Phillips
Comm 1050
27 April 2011
Symbolic Interaction
Communication Event
This theory is based on the movie “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” During which one
of the main characters, Norah, doesn’t believe in herself. She takes on the role that others have
put on her. They’ve told her that she isn’t as pretty or should go for guys that go for smart girls
because that’s all she is. At one point she makes the statement, “This is not going to compete
with perfect little that.” She was referencing her body in comparison to the cute girl in the movie
who always gets the guy.
As she continues through the movie she identifies with Nick and begins to like him. As
she does her perception of herself changes. At another point a gay friend of Nicks tells Norah she
is pretty, and gives her a lifting bra to show off her femininity. Yet another symbolic item;
beauty equals cleavage.
There are also symbols used to communicate to the audience or movie watcher and not
necessarily the characters. The use of an old beat up car reflects a poor high school student.
Without knowing much about this character in the first couple of scenes we can immediately
identify with his car.
In a final show of symbolism, Nick’s best friend explains that, “… it isn’t about 24 hour
hump sessions, while other bands make it about sex and pain the Beattles had it all figured out.
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‘I want to hold your hand’ that’s what everybody wants.” In the final scene as Nick and Norah
are making a decision about who to go with, they reach out and hold each other’s hand. The
symbolic gesture that they are in love and want to be together.
Theory
The general basis of the Symbolic Interaction theory is how humans co-create meaning
through symbols and how those meanings create our social reality. This starts with the premise
that humans act toward people or things on the basis of the meanings they assign to those people
or things. The second premise is that meaning arises out of the social interaction that people
have with each other. With this the understanding that meaning is negotiated through the use of
language. As Ken Plummer, a noted symbolic interactionist stated "it seeks to unify intelligent
thought and logical method with practical actions and appeals to experience" (p. 227). Symbolic
Interaction is not just a means for intelligent expression; it’s also a way we learn to interpret the
world.
Based on information found in our text book, Blumers third premise is that an
individual’s interpretation of symbols is modified by his or her own thought processes. By
having this reflective ability, we are also able to take the role of another (pg 63). We often do
this by playing house, school or doctor as children. We would take on roles outside of our own
pretending to be someone else by taking on their activities, sometimes even their apparel.
We are able to identify ourselves not through the process of inner-thought but instead by
seeing ourselves through the eyes of another. This is a self-function of language, without it there
would be no self-concept. “We are not born with a sense of self; rather ourselves arise in
interaction with others.” (pg 64)
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Finally we have a generalized other. This is an organized set of information that the
individual carries in their head about what the general expectation and attitudes of the social
group are. We refer to this generalized other whenever we try to figure out how to behave or
how to evaluate our behavior in a social situation . We take the position of the generalized other
and assign meaning to ourselves and our actions. Mead saw the community as consisting of
individuals who make their own choices, yet they align their action with what others are doing to
form societal institutions (pg 65). This concept goes back to the basics that we use on our
children, when we tell them they are smart and can do something, they do. When we tell
someone how pretty they are in a certain outfit, they tend to wear clothes that are similar.
Analysis
The theory of Symbolic Interactionism was chosen because of how the characters
throughout the movie placed meaning on their actions and choices. As the movie opens we see
the Nick creating a break-up CD. His was of coping with the break-up from his girlfriend Tris.
When Tris receives the CD she views it as a sign that he is not over her. She treats it as a
weakness. However, Norah views this same action as a sweet response. The symbolic
interaction for each of these people were perceived differently based on their history with Nick
as well as their history with other break-ups. As Plummer has noted “these (symbols and
meaning) are always open to reappraisal and further adjustment" (p. 224). They can change
based on our experiences and the meaning we reassign.
As the movie continues, we find all the characters at a show in which Nick’s band is
performing. Not knowing that Nick is the boy Tris just broke up with, Norah claims him to be
her new boyfriend. As soon as Nick kisses Norah, Tris becomes jealous. As the movie
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continues Tris begins to see Nick through others eyes. He becomes a guy that is sweet and
sensitive, instead of weak as she originally believed. This transformation didn’t happen because
Nick made any changes, but instead Tris saw Nick through the social structure that had been
created. This social process made Nick more appealing to Tris because others had placed value
in him.
During the movie Norah’s character is often put down by Tris. Whenever Norah is
around Tris she is more reserved and doesn’t speak up. The further Norah removes herself from
Tris the more outgoing she becomes, shedding the awkward girl and finding the fun girl inside.
Through the image of others Norah changes. When Tris sees her as not cute Norah acts this way,
but when others tell her she’s pretty, she then makes an effort to become pretty. It is through the
image that others see in her that she is able to make a difference in herself.
During the movie a friend of Nicks explains that women don’t want all night hump
sessions they just want to hold your hand. This statement is brought about by the symbolic
gesture of holding someone’s hand. This gesture equates to love. In the final scene of the movie
both Nick and Norah must make a decision on who they want to be with, as they are being pulled
apart, they reach out for each other’s hand. This gesture meant to the audience that they are in
love since we, as humans, interpret holding hands with love.
Reflection
Although the theory did help to understand why we view things the way we do, the
understanding of the theory did not change my view on symbols. In fact, it was quite the
opposite. It was because of the communication event that I was better able to understand the
theory. The most useful information found in symbolic interaction theory is its attention to what
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actually occurs as humans interact. The weakness that falls within this theory, in my opinion, is
its lack of specific use and ability to change behaviors based on ones understanding of the
theory. To best understand the theory we must consider the accepted and routine. Once we know
what is considered accepted or routine we have a better chance of expressing our selves to
others. However, we cannot simply change the symbols and meanings that others have assigned
or that as a culture we have assigned. This same knowledge can be applied in a work force
where specific symbols have specific meanings that may not be the same outside of that work
force.