In this research journal I will analyze the timeless film Catch Me If You Can through the lens of tension theory. Strain theory, for a long time, was not considered relevant in the field of sociology. Fortunately, in the last ten years of the 20th century, it returned to prominence thanks to the emergence of both “general” tension theory and institutional anomie theory. This film is so full of examples of all the different theories of tension that it is difficult to choose just one specific or secondary theory to focus on; but for the purposes of analysis in this research register I would like to touch on all those that I find relevant. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Durkheim and his thoughts on anomie are where the origins of strain theory lie and developed into what is called classical strain theory. Anomia means "without laws". Such a state is said to exist when the goals that society has deemed culturally acceptable and the means to achieve them no longer match what they once did. Historical and social changes over time are the main cause; after a major change, the group in question has norms they are not sure of, they do not know their own norms, and the morals are the same as their peers. This absence of norms that then exists is called anomie, and Durkheim states that these individuals feel helpless, scared and depressed. This theory is expanded by Robert Merton. Merton recognizes that wealth, success, and money are desirable by nearly all Americans, but unattainable due to the different circumstances and situations in which people may find themselves. This, he argues, often drives people to commit crimes because they need to use means outside the system to achieve their ends. It is precisely this idea that drives the entire plot of the film Catch Me If You Can. DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale Jr, a real person whose story is told very carefully in this film, is a 16-year-old boy when his parents divorce. This divorce forces him to choose whether to live with his mother or his father, and he refuses to choose. Instead, he runs away to a hotel to be alone and writes fake checks to finance his stay. This first $1,000 piques his interest to a great extent. He continues to pretend to be a pilot, a doctor, a lawyer and continues to travel thanks to his aliases and fake checks. He meets a nurse while checking on a friend in the hospital, and it is this relationship that ultimately leads to him being discovered. He plans to marry this nurse, Brenda, and so he can't change his name like he should when the FBI is on his new trail. The circle closes when an understanding is established between FBI chief agent Hanratty, played convincingly by Tom Hanks, and Abagnale in which he actually serves his sentence in FBI custody and works under their noses identifying the criminals. As I mentioned, most of this story is true. Abagnale continued to work for big banks, helping them prevent fraud and earning millions of dollars a year; even though it was now completely (as far as we know) legal. The strain placed on the Abagnale family before the parents' divorce is significant. Frank Abagnale Sr. is under investigation by the IRS and their family is struggling financially. Frank had to do something illegal, outside of his means, to maintain his quality of life. It is here that Frank Jr. realizes the possibilities before him. If he can work outside the system, then he can be successful. That isIt directly shows the concept of social tension theory that Merton introduces and adds to the discussion of tension theory. Perhaps the achievement was not shown outwardly, but social strain theory suggests that Frank Jr, coming from a lower-middle class background and rightly observing the hardships faced by his parents, wants to be successful, financially sound, and powerful. He cannot achieve this as Frank Jr and instead begins adopting other disguises to further pursue the American dream. The concept of anomie discussed by Durkheim is more theoretical than literal, in my mind. There are never any full and widespread areas and periods of time where the rules are completely and totally undefined. Instead, it exists in certain groups, certain people and certain situations at different times. I think Frank is one of those people who experiences a phase of anomie. This happens in a wave, but is pushed over the threshold when he first tricks Hanratty into believing he is a United States Secret Service agent. Officer Hanratty arrives with guns drawn and Frank is in the bathroom. Frank comes out of the bathroom all calm and collected and starts talking about himself in the third person, rattling off a few things about check forgery to put Hank's character's mind at ease. Hanratty is fully convinced, until he takes a look inside the wallet Frank leaves with him, he realizes there is no Secret Service badge or identification. But it's too late and Frank is escaping a few floors below. It is after this scene that Frank slips into anomie and quickly moves on to a career as a pilot, meeting women and deceiving his colleagues, then to a hospital, and finally as a lawyer under his fiancé's father. Society's norms do not exist in Frank's world, but instead of leading him to depression, it leads to the creation of the infamous Frank Abagnale Jr. and his aliases. He uses as a motivating factor the fact that his peers' norms do not match his own, but they seem to do so from the outside. Thirdly I would like to discuss Agent Hanratty and his role in the film in relation to the strain theory. Hanratty and Frank have a unique relationship, a cat and mouse fight. Hanratty is mostly the one chasing Frank, and he shares the screen almost equally with DiCaprio. By the end of the film, and even as flashbacks to the present day emerge, it's clear that Hank's character has a connection to Frank Abagnale that isn't your typical secret agent-criminal relationship. There is a phone conversation that I believe ends Frank's state of anomie. It is a realization that reestablishes the norms of a normal society and removes its pretentiousness, false identities and crazy lifestyle. Although they still exist, he knows they will soon end. After speaking to his father for the last time in the film, he has a phone call with Hanratty in which he reveals his plan to get married and then reveals the fact that he cannot change his name. He says he wants to "make a truce", and Carl Hanratty points out that he thinks he's getting close and can't stop chasing him because it's his job. I want to point out right away that his joke is extremely ironic as Hanratty works within the system and Frank's state of anomie always exists outside the system and frequently changes his occupation. Well, now he knows that the FBI will focus and find him, but he continues with his plans until the last second, when he leaves the engagement party. It is in this scene, during the telephone conversation, that anomie is exiled into Frank's future and he knows it. Of course he never thought this could last forever, but he wanted to chase the American dream for as long as possible. It's quite ironic that it's love that brings him.