Power and Hegemony in The Shop on Main Street

Power and Hegemony in The Shop on Main Street

Since the renaissance period and subsequent international tensions that led to the world wars and cold wars, many countries have attempted to impart their statement on a global scale. The aim is to reveal their command of authority, seeking dominance over other nations. The Soviet Union, for some time, got involved with the United States to showcase its power over the world’s nations. However, with time, other nations like France, China, South Korea, among others, continue to emerge as powerful countries driven by the urge to show statements and claim dominance and respect. Due to these escalating tensions, global security remains a topic of discussion with communist countries uniting on one front even more. However, issues of terrorism also provide proof of various groups competing to claim hegemonies. In the same sense, power relations continue to affect human societies in all spheres of life with people and groups seeking a particular form of control. The Shop on Main Street is a Slovak film directed by Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos. Borrowing its setting from World War II, the film reflects some of these tensions as well as power relations from a communist perspective. Therefore, using the movie as a case, the paper explores the way power relations control representations of the character’s social behavior as well as how the representation of power is utilized to make the critical message more effective.

The Movie Synopsis

It is 1942 in Nazi state occupied by the Slovaks. The second world war is at its peak. Brtko, a Slovak carpenter after missing an opportunity to join the fascist guard, gets an offer to take charge of a sewing notions store in town. The store belongs to Rozalia Lautmannova, an old and almost deaf Jewish woman. The woman is confused, oblivious of the current events in the outside world. She is unaware that Brtko has come to supervise the store. However, Imrich Kuchar steps in and attempts to convince Brtko to back off from the deal since the business is not as profitable as it seems because the older woman relies on grants and donations. However, the Jewish community offers Brtko weekly pay if he does not give up on the store, which would otherwise be given to an Aryanizer, famous for their ruthlessness. Brtko accepts and lies to the woman that he is her nephew and their newfound relationship blossoms. Things move smoothly until cops round up all Jews to transport them. Brtko is conflicted about whether to turn in the woman or hide her. However, the woman learns of the events and panics, leading to Brtko accidentally killing her upon trying to silence her. The event haunts him, and he commits suicide.

The Key Message

The movie provides a central thematic concern that molds all the other elements together to offer complete paint of the events at the time. Generally, the film is about Slovak fascism of the then Nazi regime and their dehumanization and racist notions towards the Jews. The movie writer creates tragedy around the character of Brtko and Rozalia to provide a vision concerning the paradoxes of life. It is through the paradox that the theme of fascism explicitly becomes evident. By retelling the theme through the tragedy that befalls the characters, the movie presents absurdities and dilemmas that arise from fascism. The Jews who are presented as the outcasts in the film elicit a high form of touching emotions and catharsis that occur from the Slovak fascism at its peak. The Nazi-Slovak fascism, therefore, becomes a core message in the movie that other activities build around.

Power and Hegemony Defined

Studies give different understandings of power in terms of politics and social aspects. According to Mitchell and Staeheli (23), power is a political-social process that provides people with the ability and authority to influence the behavior of others. Sociologists attempt to examine politics and governments and their impact on the general outlook of the social systems. It is at this stage that power comes in to coerce, control, and influence the social systems. In the movie, the Jewish people are in a socio-political order dominated by the communist Nazi-Slovak ideas. The Slovaks, therefore, have the ultimate power that they use to influence and control the Jews to yield to their interests and demands.

Hegemony, on the other hand, has been defined as a political, military, or economic force of dominance of one state or group over others (Mitchell and Staeheli 25). It borrows its ideas from Marxist theorists regarding human societies. It has a belief system of the existence of competing discourses for power in society between the dominant group and the subservient group, creating social tensions. In the movie, hegemony is evident. With the presence of Nazi-Slovaks as a hegemony group, the Jews become the submissive that have to live under the hegemony of the former. It is through hegemony that fascism is achieved. Through hegemony, social tensions are triggered that decenter normal social life. The Slovaks use the power and hegemony to cause chaos that brings tragedy in the death of the two core characters; Brtko and Rozalia. Due to the unequal power relations between the Slovaks and the Jewish people, fascism and politics of racism become clear as the movie progresses, throwing people into some forms of moral dilemmas.

How Power Relations Control Representation of the Character’s Social Behavior

Sociologists understand power relations as the attributes or elements that enable people to do the things they do to others. They are like the locus from where actions originate, directed to others via social interactions (Mitchell and Staeheli 33). They possess some form of influence that they use to trigger actions and achieve their interests categorically. In the movie, power relations dominate between the Nazi-Slovak and the Jewish. The relationship between the two is unequal and biased because the Slovak has a dominant force in having the overall hegemony over the meek Jewish people. These power relations have, therefore, grouped the two groups into their socio-economic and political class. Basing on social class strata stereotypes, the two elicit social behaviors that match their respective positions in social class. The characters adapt these social behaviors under the influence and control of power relations.

The movie presents different ways in which the characters represent their social behavior. Power relations present diverse ways of controlling these representations. For instance, they do so via existing social norms and probable ways of altruistic punishment (Sorensen para 11). Social norms are general laws that govern how individuals should behave in society. They dictate the behavior by structuring the laws to the extent of providing ways of punishing individuals who break these norms. In the movie, power relations delineate these norms, thus shaping and controlling how the characters represent their social behavior during social interactions.

Tono, for instance, understands the existence of social norms by leading a life of honesty to serve the needs of others. He understands that crime and greed always have repulsive circumstances. These circumstances refer to the Foucaultian social punishments arising from breaking social norms. As such, it explains why Tono encounters various moral dilemmas but finds a way to evade. For instance, upon being connected by Evelyn to work for Rozalia, he undergoes a test regarding his understanding of social norms. Evelyn is secretly eying the gold pieces she assumes are hidden by the older woman because the woman is Jewish. It is one of the main reasons she connects Tono so that through him, she can fleece the gold. However, upon the inception of his duties, Tono learns that the woman lives by donations. He ends up hiding his friendship with the woman from Evelyn, an instance that defines his keen understanding of social norms, thus controlling his behavior while with the woman and later on in the presence of Evelyn. The ultimate representation of control of power relations occurs in the final episode after Tono killing the woman accidentally. The regret and trauma arising from the act are social behavior he elicits due to a clear understanding of the social norms and the punishments due to violations. He thus commits suicide. Therefore, the movie employs social norms as a power relations strategy to control how characters represent their social behavior.

Also, power relations control representations of a character’s social behavior via hegemony constructs.  Hegemony is a power relations construction that shows the dominance of one group over another in a military and political perspective. It defines and subsequently provides an understanding of power, influence, and authority in a given social context (Mitchell and Staeheli 27). Generally, the movie offers two kinds of contexts that distinguish between the dominant group and the subjugated group. Set during the politics of second war II and prevalent communist ideologies, the movie presents the Nazi-Slovak as a military hegemony force that influences and controls the people of Jewish descent. At the same time, fascism and racism directed at the Jewish people is its peak, with the Nazi regime having the military and racial superiority complex over the Jewish. By drawing out the hegemonic concept of Nazism, the Slovak and the movie rhetorically controls the narrative of the characters eliciting social behavior that categorically reflect their class position and influence in society. An excellent example of hegemony controlling the social behavior represented by characters is when the Nazis decide to send all the Jews to the ‘labor camps.’  It shows that the Nazi forces have military control over the Jews. With Tono realizing what it implies, he elicits a behavior of pity and concern towards Rozalia, who he had befriended. At such a stage, power relations by use hegemony controls the narrative of how Tono and other characters elicit their social behaviors.

Consequently, power relations successfully control the representation of the character’s social behavior by legitimizing and validating the established authority in the land. Authority at the time means power to control others legitimately and ‘legally’ (Mitchell and Staeheli 35). By acknowledging the present authority, the characters shape their social behavior and categorically represent it to align with the norms of the authority based on their position within that authority. For instance, power relations dictate authority in the movie by putting the Nazi-Slovak regime superior to the Jewish people. When the characters represent their social behavior, they relate them based on that categorization of authority. For example, Evelyn and Mark are high-class Slovaks. The social response they elicit interplay around elegance, arrogance, and flaunting wealth amassed through crooked means. To assert such behavior and hitherto see the Jewish as people to exploit, the movie has created a narrative of authority, validating their superior position in the tremendous Nazi-Slovak military influence. As such, their social behavior and outlook are therefore constructed by the authority legitimized via power relations.

Finally, power relations adapt and apply the Foucaultian perspective of subjectivity to control and categorically represent the character’s social behavior (Sorensen para 14). According to Michael Foucault, subjectivity refers to how individuals relate and understand themselves, internalize their issues, concerns, weaknesses as well as strengths (Sorensen para 14). It enables one to get a better perspective who they are, contemplate before making a decision that triggers the behavior. Similarly, subjectivity dictates how people relate with others around them and respond promptly, with themselves being the focal point of primary concern. In the movie, there are various instances of subjectivity that are evident. These instances unconsciously and subconsciously control how the characters involved represent certain social behaviors. For example, the character of Tono presents a perfect example of a subjectivity that controls one’s social behavior.  Upon discovery that Rozalia has difficulties in hearing, nor oblivious of the current developments in the outside world, Tono reflects and feels pity for the woman. He realizes that the best thing he can do is establish a form of trust and affection between him and Rozalia and therefore behaves in a cordial and friendly manner that rewards him by earning Rozalia’s trust. Also, after Rozalia’s discovery that she is in danger, she panics. The behavior of panicking arises from her thinking, relating her fears, and developing an egocentric attitude. It shows that subjectivity forces her to represent that social behavior panic and fear in the presence of Tono, a Nazi-Slovak. Subjectivity, therefore, is a way that power relations use to control the character’s representation of social behavior.

How the Representation of Identity Has Been Utilized to Make the Fascism More Effective?

Identity and power in the movie work closely. Ideally, identity gives one a sense of heritage and origin. It enables one to visualize their relations as well as have a sense of belonging, whereas power implies authority and legitimacy to control others (Sorensen para 19).  In both cases, people tend to use their identity to gain power or use power as dictated by their identity. Nonetheless, evidence of identity crisis emerges in some situations where individuals fail to understand where they belong. In the movie, for instance, Tono finds himself in such a state of identity to the extent that even his true powerful ‘identity’ becomes helpless. The case happens upon his accidental killing of Rozalia. Even though his identity traces back to the Nazi-Slovak, his heart is Jewish. His character is presented as an individual with a generous and tender heart. Other Slovak’s predominantly are arrogant and spiteful to the Jewish people. However, Tono is different. After killing Rozalia, the self-pity and apathy drawing from his tender heart make him hung himself. It is a case that therefore leads the viewer to question if other Nazi-Slovak individuals could take their lives for killing Jews. The film has thus conceptualized various ways to make fascism as the key message more effective.

Power and identity have been utilized to create social alienations in the communist-dominated movie. From the onset of the film, the Nazi-Slovak regime is presented as the underlying dominant force that dictates authority and superiority in society. On the other hand, the Jewish that Tono gets immersed in is the marginalized and minority group that undergoes subjugation under the harsh retrogressive regime of the Nazi regime. To efficiently explore fascism as a central issue in the movie, Kadar and Klose create a form of alienation that separates the superior Nazi from the inferior Jewish people. As such, the Jewish undergo all kinds of ill-treatment and dehumanization that lack honor. For instance, Evelyn perceives herself as a noble higher class. Thus she recommends Tono assume the duties of the supervisor because she intends to fleece Rozalia’s golden pieces. Such is a form of imperialist exploitation that the directors create to intentionally and philosophically explore the critical message concerning fascism.

Similarly, power and identity have been utilized to create racial tensions that escalate and trigger conflicts and subsequent chaos in the movie (Mitchell and Staeheli 41). Racism is a chore problem that the film uses to explore fascism as a critical message being elicited in the movie. Naturally, the question of race has been an issue of vital concern on the global agenda and diplomatic relations. However, in the given situation, racism arises at the period of world war II when the Nazi, a communist entity with a strong dictatorial and authoritative rule, expanded dominance, gaining the confidence of racial superiority over others. The Jews thus become victims of these racial divisions, with the Nazi viewing them as inferior with no rights like other ‘normal’ humans. To efficiently exert their racial dominance, they create labor camps where the Jews are decimated to signify their race as inferior. The relations between the two continue to stagnate. Having a Slovak identity, therefore, becomes a sign of a superior race and authority, which represents fascism. For example, the Nazi issue an order to take Jews to the labor camps. The police officers ruthlessly apprehend the Jews affected in Lorries like animals. Upon hearing the approaching steps of the officer, Tono attempts to hide Rozalia from being seized. Rozalia panics after learning of the impending danger, another sign of the racial tension between the two races. These vile acts, therefore, efficiently represent the concept of fascism prevalent among the Nazi ranks and how the Nazi power and identity creatively utilized its position to promote fascism.

Furthermore, power and identity have been utilized to create dominance and control. Ideally, the authoritative identity in the movie is the Nazi-Slovak regime, having extensive political influence and military artillery for conquest and total control. The Nazi is represented as ruthless and aggressive individuals who get pleasure from the exploiting and categorically doing derogatory acts to those with less power, influence, and authority in the society. Ideally, such a group is the Jewish people that undergo subjugation and exploitation from the dominant discourse; The Nazi. As such, the silent Jews who have no influence live under threat of the Nazi dehumanization. For instance, the ultimate representation of the dominance occurs when Tono is appointed by the Nazi bosses to go and represent the Nazi interests in supervising and controlling a shop belonging to an Old Jewish woman. Even though he is conflicted between guilt and greed, he ends up accepting the offer. The fact that a Nazi peasant is appointed to control an older woman is proof enough that exerting dominance through force is a strategy the power and identity utilize to reinforce the critical message of fascism. Thus, having a privileged Nazi identity gives one an edge above others belonging to the subservient class.

Finally, to philosophically and efficiently explore the key message of fascism in the novel, power and identity are utilized to cause chaos that divides the social systems and strata. Individuals with guaranteed power and a vibrant identity have been created to cause panic and chaos, along with the less privileged. By doing so, dictatorial practices are unleashed on these individuals to contain them completely. It is this point that the movie represents the complex problems and issues that the exploited people face. Exploitation and oppression, therefore, becomes a focal locus that defines fascism as a key message in the movie. For instance, the police sent to pick Jews and sent them to Labor camps use violence that draws panic and fear among the Jews. Therefore, through such a case, the critical message in the movie is presented more efficiently.

Although the movie is set during world war II at its peak, it presents a framework that examines the society during the period. Power, identity, and hegemony become one of the core concepts in the movie that interplays around racial tensions between the dominant Nazi-Slovak regime and the subservient Jewish regime. As such, the film creates alienations, racial tensions, and racism by utilizing power to represent fascism. Also, social norms, hegemony, and subjectivity are some of the power relations constructs that shape the character’s social behavior.

Works Cited

Sorensen, Mathias.” Foucault on Power Relations”, Irenees. Cited fromhttp://www.irenees.net/bdf_fiche-notions-242_en.html

Mitchell, Donald L., and Staeheli J. Wilson. “Power, Racism, and Privilege: Race Relations in Theoretical and Sociohistorical Perspectives.” Contemporary Sociology, vol. 4, no. 3, 2014, doi:10.2307/2063227.