Analysis Of The Film Freaks

One of the most callous attributes of the American society over the past two centuries would be the mistreatment and judgment of “freaks” or people with disabilities. While this cruel treatment and hatred for disabled people has almost entirely vanished, it used to be a very common social norm as these freaks were treated as second-class citizens. Tod Browning’s notorious film “Freaks” accurately depicted these common ideologies of the early twentieth century, in addition to provoking new thought as to how individuals were incorrectly and heartlessly classified through class and disabilities. The discrimination that was present in the early 1900’s is contrasts greatly to the ideologies and equality that is present in today’s society. This concept was prevalent throughout American history up until this point in time, as “mental or physical abnormalities were commonly depicted as instances atavism, reversions to earlier stages of evolutionary development” (Bayton 36). …show more content…
The movie characterizes the segregation of classes that was present in the early 1900’s, when today “class identity is shaped by income and wealth” (Zandy 103). It is sickening to see people classified, judged, criticized, and humiliated by circumstances that they cannot change like how Browning was able to show in this progressive motion picture. After understanding the ideologies and perceptions of society in this era, one might question what would have happened if a physically disabled person with extraordinary mental capacity, like Stephen Hawking, would have grown up in this society? Would they have been praised for their intelligence or ridiculed and humiliated for their abnormal physical disabilities? Unfortunately, the film “Freaks” and historical analysis of the era would lead one to believe that it would be the