The Sociology of Elf NAME________________________
In the 2003 Christmas movie “Elf” a human (Will Ferrell) who has been raised by Santa’s elves discovers the identity of his real father and travels to New York City to meet him. Believe it or not, this film is actually filled with connections to many of the key ideas and concepts we have studied so far in Sociology class.
So – as you enjoy this holiday classic, you can also strengthen your understanding of important
Sociological ideas by completing the following viewing guide…
1) In the film’s opening you get a look at Buddy the Elf in the society in which he was raised. Like all societies, the fictional society depicted in this part of the film has its own NORMS (shared rules of conduct that tell people how to act in specific situations). In the space below, list as many NORMS of the culture the “north pole culture” as you can identify.
2) At a certain point in the film Buddy leaves the north pole to travel to New York City to find his real father. Explain how Buddy’s trip to New York is comparable to the idea of “resocialization.”
3) Once in New York, Buddy encounters a totally different way of life – one that he really doesn’t fit into very well. List examples of Buddy’s behavior that might be categorized as “DEVIANT”
(behavior that violates social norms).
4) Finally – by the end of the film do you think Buddy has undergone a complete
RESOCIALIZATION or a partial one? Support your answer with specific examples from the film.
Enjoy the film…and the holidays!