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Essay / Scarface and Strain Theory
Tony Montana escaped Cuba to achieve the American dream. But his idea of the American dream is very different from that of the majority of other immigrants. The film features many cases of tension theory. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Strain theory was introduced by Robert K. Merton in the 1930s. He theorized that crime occurs due to societal pressure placed on individuals who do not necessarily have the ways to achieve their goals. Tony Montana arrived in America with one thing in mind: making it big. Having started with murder to obtain the green card required for entry, it was clear that Montana was willing to do anything to reach the top. He rises up the food chain throughout the film and eventually becomes the largest drug lord in the state of Florida. But all the pressure from his colleagues, the police and his own paranoia end up getting the better of him. Ultimately, all the pressure put on him signals his downfall, a truly legendary scene. The first instances of tension theory occur when Tony and his friend are in the refugee camp. He was asked to do a favor by killing someone in the camp, and in exchange he would be guaranteed a green card. Tony takes the opportunity to challenge social norms because he cannot afford to obtain a green card on his own. Another example of tension theory is when Tony and his friend Manny go to kill his former boss, Frank Lopez. Granted, Tony had an excuse to kill him, since Frank sent assassins to kill him in the previous scene. Yet Tony took the opportunity to move up the food chain and further defied social norms. Another example that has less to do with Tony's American dream is how he handled the situation between Gina Montana and Manny. Tony was extremely protective of his little sister, even his own friend. Tony went beyond social norms by killing Manny on the spot because he was having a relationship with his sister. Tony defied social norms because most people don't kill their sister's romantic interests under such circumstances. At the beginning of the film, when Tony was in the big bathtub, he said "I don't need him", he was referring to his friend Manny. This could be related to Manny's murder, where Tony still thinks he doesn't need him to achieve his goals and kills him for something that shouldn't have reached that level. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom article now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay Scarface is an excellent example of theory of constraints. He was ready to do anything to achieve and get what he wanted. Whether it was the murder of a person in a refugee camp or the murder of his longtime friend, he defied the norms set by society..