Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
James Newman
Professor Doran
ENC 2135
I will analyze the movie Goat, the article Why Hazing is Good for you, the television
series Blue Mountain State, and an interview with a student in a fraternity here at Florida State.
I will be examining how these four genres shape and influence our understanding of students in
fraternities. By comparing whether the four genres reinforce or resist the stereotypes associated
The movie Goat is about a 19 year old student who was brutally mugged when giving a
stranger a ride from a party. After taking time off from school to recover Brad enrolls in a small
college with plans of joining the same fraternity as his older brother. This movie specifically
targets high school and college students. Men in fraternities can relate to how the movie portrays
the pledging experience. And for those who are eager or curious to join a fraternity it creates a
vivid picture of what pledging a fraternity entails. It explores masculinity and the dark side of
frat culture, specifically the hazing involved with pledging a fraternity. The opening scene takes
you through a typical fraternal party, binge drinking, loud music, cocaine and girl on girl
action. All of which, the main character Brad is visibly at odds with. When asked to do cocaine
with his brother Brett, he shies away, quickly giving an excuse. Upon leaving the party is when
the mugging occurs. His assailants left him utterly emasculated, begging for mercy, and nearly
beaten to death. This violent act sets a dark tone, with ramifications visible throughout the rest of
Newman 2
plot. When he recovers, Brad gets rid of his glasses and begins to party, drink, take home girls,
and join a fraternity. It is evident through Brads actions that he is trying to regain his masculine
confidence in order to get past his trauma. The movie uses pathos to emotionally capture its
audience. For example, Brad being beaten to near death for his car makes the audience
emotionally invested in his wellbeing throughout the rest of the movie. The mugging ruined his
self-image because he didnt fight back. He is then further demoralized when the authorities are
in disbelief that he gave a ride to a stranger. Suspecting that it must have been a drug deal gone
awry he later asks his brother Brett, Do you think Im a pussy? I dont know why I didnt fight
back. The brothers of the fraternity are all portrayed as archetypical, all muscles, good looking,
womanizers, with nothing more on their mind than partying. As Brads hell week begins, he
endures a series of demeaning hazing rituals that are intended to mold him into a fraternity man
and create a sense of comradery. In reality rituals like making pledges take rounds after rounds of
shots and even confining some to a dogs cage to be peed on does nothing more than sustain the
cycle of inane hazing rituals. When hazing is done in that sense, the pledges that make it through
the process are filled with anger, which later comes out when they are finally able to do to the
next pledge class what was done to them in order to earn a place among the brotherhood. Like
many other American movies portraying fraternal life Goat reinforces all the negative
stereotypes of frat culture. Rarely is there a scene not involving alcohol, sex, drugs, or violence.
In the article Why is Hazing is Good for you the author Hans Dix challenges the
negative stereotypes associated with hazing in fraternities and sheds light on what hazing does
when its performed constructively. The article relies on ethos and pathos in conveying his
Newman 3
message. The author uses ethos by arguing that from his experience, when hazing is done right it
overinflated freshman ego. To put it shortly, its one of the best things to ever happened to me.
Pathos is incorporated in his introduction when he expresses his frustration with the medias
biased one-sided coverage of the negative aspects of hazing, Im tired of the unopposed reports
and constant circle-jerks going on about an issue that they know next to nothing about. The
article targets people looking to learn more about hazing from a source with experience instead
of opinions formulated from the culmination of misfortunate events arising from incorrect
hazing. The author sets a clear tone for article in the second paragraph, While it may be in the
low T liberal dudes and feminist carbon copies best interest that these types of traditions be
extinguished, as they pose a strong threat to their set of beliefs, it is up to us as men to maintain
them. The author is implying that those in opposition of hazing are too weak to endure it and
that it is a long standing tradition separates the strong from the weak. When he refers to hazing
hes not talking about the violence and liquor abuse that is highlighted in Goat. Im talking
about a dark, smoky room full of blindfolded pledges doing wall sits while reciting the
fraternitys creed in unison over and over again like Hari Krishna. Constructive hazing creates a
sense of camaraderie and lasting friendship by holding every pledge accountable for one another.
If the pledge doesnt know the creed, its as if all the pledges dont know the creed. By holding
each other accountable it creates trust and group of individuals that help each other to succeed.
The author's diction reinforces the identity that men in fraternities are more strong minded and
superior to those who arent, Back in the early days, young men were often sent out on their
Newman 4
own to go kill a lion, or forced to be bitten by bugs, or to fight one another until incapacitation.
They were rituals given to the young men as a rite of passage, once they completed the task, they
were heralded and celebrated, welcomed into the tribe as respected men and viewed as people
one could rely on. This article resists the negative stereotypes of hazing portrayed in Goat and
Blue Mountain State by arguing that when hazing is done correctly it creates a sense of
camaraderie and discipline. Goat characterizes fraternal life with violence, sexual conquests,
drug abuse, and binge drinking. While, Why Hazing Is Good for You attributes it to discipline,
Blue Mountain State is a comedic television series that takes place in a fictional
university. The show the follows the starting quarterbacks rise to fame on the BMS football
team. The show uses violence, excessive drug use, sex, hazing, and out of control partying to
satire an exaggerated frat boy culture. It relies on pathos by tapping into people's needs and
desires. It targets the primal need of security, wanting to be part of a group, wanting to be
appreciated, and trying to fit into and be a part of something larger than oneself.
Blue Mountain State caters to a young audience by using over the top cartoonish humor in a
college setting. The first scene of the show sets a clear tone. The two main characters Alex
the first day of class. Both Alex and Sammy make a pledge to each other to party as hard as they
possibly can before the best four years of their life are over. There is an unrealistic portrayal of
Greek Life in this show. The partying part of the spectrum is highlighted, however, the side of
Newman 5
The last genre I will be analyzing in my essay is an interview from a senior here at
Florida State University, who is a brother in a top tier fraternity. In the interview I asked him to
give me a summary of his experience in a fraternity and whether he found the stereotypes present
in the other genres I analyzed to be true or not. Additionally, he shed light on other stereotypes
present in frat culture. This genre derives its credibility through its use of ethos because the
person being interviewed has been a part of fraternal life for four years. For the sake of
anonymity, I will call the interviewee John. John has observed that frat culture is very
homophobic. His fraternity, just like all other fraternities on campus, would not knowingly give a
homosexual a bid. He has also noticed that the demographic of students joining fraternities are
highly over-privileged. He said, students in fraternities pay $800 dollars in dues a semester just
to party and that doesnt even include all the money spent on going out to the bar multiple times
a week. For students in fraternities that is just the norm. Johns summary reinforced negative
stereotypes such as binge drinking, drug abuse, and sexual conquests. He stated that, from the
moment I began pledging a fraternity I was getting alcohol shoved down my throat. I was
constantly pressured to do drugs and always told that college is about having sex with as many
women as possible. His account also reinforced the positive stereotypes aforementioned in
Why Hazing is Good for you. You have to be mentally and physically tough to make it
through the pledging process. I cant remember how many nights I spent doing hours of planks
and push-ups with a four-page paper due the next morning. John explained that because of the
adversity he endured with his pledge class he realized the true meaning of brotherhood through
camaraderie.Although the other genres discussed reinforce the negative stereotypes present in
Newman 6
frat culture they fail to consider the magnitude of the bonds formed within fraternal life. The frat
environment creates a sense of community where you can experiment and get valuable advice
from brothers who have experienced your struggles. Through their support, you gain confidence
Newman 7
Work Cited
Dix, Hans. "Why Hazing Is Good For You." Total Frat Move. Total Frat Move, 9 Jan. 2015. Web.
13 Feb. 2017.
Goat. Dir. Andrew Need. Perf. Nick Jonas and Ben Schnetzer. The Film Arcade and Paramount
Romano, Chris, and Eric Falconer, prods. "Its Called Hazing, Look It Up." Blue Mountain