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Arthur Fleck’s Transformation in Joker: Strain, Social Learning, and Labeling Theories in Criminology

Other, Undergraduate
6 pages, 9 sources

Criminology theories provide the perfect framework for analyzing Arthur Fleck’s transformation into the Joker in the 2019 film Joker through strain theory, social learning theory, and labeling theory. It explores how societal pressures, economic inequality, mental health struggles, and social rejection contribute to Arthur’s descent into crime. By addressing these systemic issues, the essay highlights the complex factors behind criminal behavior.

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The Joker, a 2019 film by Todd Phillips, gives the life story of Arthur Fleck to analyze crime. Through this storyline, the character transformation from Arthur-the depressed clown and person suffering mental illness into becoming the legendary Joker of Gotham City makes for a pretty great analytical exercise to view how numerous theoretical approaches that relate to crime work, such as strain theory, social learning theory, and labeling theory. Many social and economic conditions, learned behaviors, and social labels, among many related factors, explain why Arthur becomes a criminal.

Using criminology theories explores Arthur’s life, society, and how he turns to crime. It starts with the summary of a film. Then, it applies strain, social learning, and labeling theories to Arthur’s story. This paper will explore how different theories may explain Arthur’s actions and the outcomes in criminology. This paper underlines the need to address mental health, social inequality, and stigma to reduce crime.

Joker introduces us to a middle-aged man who has mental illness, anxiety, and social rejection in poor Gotham City; however, Arthur is also a party clown and has a strong desire to become a stand-up comedian. He takes care of his sick mother, endures physical and emotional abuse from others, and suffers because mental health services are cut from the city budget. As he struggles with these issues, he becomes more sensitive and lonelier.

After many things happen that worsen his mental health, Arthur becomes the Joker. He kills three men to defend himself. The incident makes people miserable, and he becomes a voice of resistance against injustice from society after an attack at the subway. Arthur becomes a Joker to gain strength to get back at society by thinking that society has made him suffer as his psychological state deteriorates.

Arthur’s journey into crime is full of many problems, such as money troubles, mental health issues, and getting rejected by society. Joker is a significant example that teaches us about crime, stress, social behavior, and how labels affect people. It can help us know why Arthur changed into a criminal.

It was Robert Merton who, in 1938, formally presented strain theory. This concept theorized how society, through its laws, might inspire and promote the achievement of culturally accepted goals -such as producing money. Resources due to being poor or biases in unfair systems bring frustration and force those experiencing this toward illegal activities or some inappropriate activity so that individuals may strive or work out their frustration (Meehan et al., 2024). This theory emphasizes socioeconomic imbalances and institutional failures as crime promoters, making it relevant to Arthur Fleck’s Joker story.

One may find a strain theory illustration in Arthur Fleck’s life. In the collapsing metropolis of Gotham metropolis, with significant economic disparities, Arthur seeks stability. Reflecting the cultural norms of success and glory, he wants to be a renowned comedian. Arthur keeps failing because of a lack of money, mental health problems, and social rejection. His estrangement and resentment grow when he realizes he cannot reach his objectives through the usual means.

Denied possibilities are crucial for the frustration in strain theory. In this case, the reduction in social services by the city denies Arthur the psychiatric treatment and medicine needed. This institutional failure only worsens his mental torture and alienation. Such stress leads to violence erupting in the form of subway murders. Deaths shift Arthur’s course since violence is used to establish power and express discontent hailing from self-defense.

The strain theory helps in explaining Arthur’s Joker transformation. Merton defined innovation as a deviant response to strain in which people apply illegal tactics to achieve culturally valued aims. Arthur’s transformation into the Joker and havoc-causing criminal responds to life’s oppressive stress. Arthur uses violence and chaos to cope with and retaliate against the society that has been harsh with him.

Recent studies have linked socioeconomic inequality to crime, thus supporting the strain hypothesis. Basto-Pereira et al. (2022) state that economic inequality and systemic neglect enhance dissatisfaction and criminal behavior in vulnerable populations. Untreated psychiatric disorders, especially when coupled with poverty, enormously facilitate deviant behavior in mental health and crime research (Bonfine et al., 2020).

In Joker, Arthur Fleck’s descent into crime indicates how stress affects people. Strain theory illustrates how economic inequality, lack of mental health care, and social alienation influence criminal behavior. This perspective centers on reducing social pressure by fixing structural issues.

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory posits that people learn through observation, imitation of others, and rewards in their social environment (Koutroubas & Galanakis, 2022). Role models, peers, or media that mainstream or reward deviant or illegal behavior could lead to the same. In Joker, Arthur Fleck’s surroundings and relationships significantly contribute to his transformation into the Joker and his horrific actions.

Arthur lives amidst the crime, poverty, and neglect of Gotham City. He watches and endures hostility, humiliation, and rejection throughout the film, which inspires his actions. Arthur gets beaten by some youths early in the film, reinforcing his view of a cruel world. Violent behavior becomes normalized as a way to cope with life’s obstacles.

Arthur’s peer relationships also influence his behavioral learning. A colleague lends Arthur a pistol for “self-defense.” Arthur first hesitates but eventually carries it and uses it in the subway murders. Social learning theory states that violence can be a reaction to danger and shame, which Arthur internalizes in this episode.

Media and public response also fuel Arthur’s criminality. Arthur accidentally becomes a symbol of revolt for Gotham’s underprivileged after the subway murders. The media sensationalizes the murders, portraying the cloaked culprit as a social rebel. Arthur is encouraged by this public praise, believing that violence is respected. This encouragement empowers him to become the Joker and commit further crimes completely.

Arthur’s televised showdown with Murray Franklin is another crucial social learning occasion. Arthur kills Murray live after the latter criticized his stand-up performance on television. This deed, watched by millions, cements Arthur’s transition into the Joker and causes further turmoil in Gotham. The public’s rioting and love of the Joker strengthen Arthur’s belief that his acts are legitimate and rewarded, prolonging deviance.

Criminological study shows that media and social reinforcement affect behavior, like in Joker. Studies suggest that media and environmental violence increase aggression. Bushman & Anderson  (2020) found that violent media consumption increases aggressiveness, especially in those with mental health difficulties. Peer influence and social reinforcement normalize abnormal behavior among deprived communities (Aldridge, 2023).

Arthur Fleck’s Joker makeover is a perfect example of social learning theory. It is his environment, interpersonal relationships, and social rewards that shape his actions toward using violence to gain control and seek revenge. As illustrated by Arthur’s life, social learning theory helps comprehend how violence, social rejection, and sensationalism in the media lead to criminal behavior. It involves changing environmental and societal factors to prevent deviance.

Howard Becker’s labeling theory explores how society’s reactions to deviance determine how people view themselves and behave. This concept, essentially, is that when society labels someone “deviant” or “criminal,” they begin to carry this term within themselves and end up in a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy (Jovanoski & Rustemi, 2021). Labeling theory explains why Arthur Fleck spirals into crime as he becomes the Joker in the movie.

Arthur is ridiculed throughout the movie; his self-esteem is brought down. He is alienated by society. Colleagues, authorities, and the crowd humiliate him. Frequently, he is called “freak” and “loser,” furthering his isolation. These social identities strengthen Arthur’s feelings of failure and rejection.

His mental disorder further stigmatizes Arthur. His pseudobulbar affect, which produces inappropriate laughter, alienates him socially and renders him vulnerable to ridicule. The very situation, along with societal ignorance and a lack of empathy, tags him as “mentally ill” or “dangerous,” rendering him incapable of building relationships and ultimately ending in collapse.

The labeling theory also underscores how individuals internalize and develop from social labels. Arthur becomes the Joker, which indicates that he accepts society’s deviant label. Arthur, when he finds out he was adopted and molested as a child, changes his identity and reinforces all the labels of unwanted and broken. Arthur takes up the identity of the Joker to strengthen and rebel against this when he finds it out, and society rejects him.

Arthur’s Murray Franklin appearance is a crucial element of this transformation. Arthur reveals himself as the Joker when Murray ridicules him and defends his acts of violence as the result of social abuse. Arthur transforms into the Joker to suit his deviant identity.

Criminological research demonstrates that mental illness and criminal record labels and stigma people. Research reveals that “mentally ill” and “ex-convict” labels typically contribute to social exclusion and thus deter rehabilitation and foster deviance. According to Da Silva et al. (2020), the stigma of mental illness can exacerbate symptoms, push people away, and increase the likelihood of committing crimes. Identifying criminal or deviant behavior early on leads to habitual recidivism (Bushman & Anderson, 2023).

The path Arthur Fleck takes in Joker demonstrates labeling theory. Arthur absorbs the social identities, and then he becomes the Joker. This transformation exemplifies how labeling affects people and how community support and assistance can reduce the effects of labeling. The adverse effects of labeling, especially in poor populations, contribute to criminological knowledge and improve the techniques for crime prevention.

Strain, social learning, and labeling theories collectively clarify how a person can become a Joker. These all concentrate on his differences and various ideas similar to his that manifest the complexity of his crimes.

According to strain theory, economic and social inequity frustrates people like Arthur, resulting in illegitimate activities. The theoretical model of the problem shows how systemic issues, such as the inequality of wealth distribution and inadequate mental facilities, make deviance likely to occur. Social learning theory explains that Arthur’s actions come from what he sees in the media, pressure from friends, and violence around him. This idea shows how his surroundings and society back up his violent actions. According to the labeling theory, how society rejects the individual and stamps upon him a damaging label makes him internalize the deviant role.

All these ideas fit together for Arthur. Strain theory says that pressures in society push him to act differently. Social learning theory explains that his behavior changes based on his expectations. Labeling theory helps him understand how he feels about being rejected by society. These ideas help explain why Arthur commits his crime.

These explanations explain Arthur’s metamorphosis but have drawbacks as well as benefits. Strain theory posits that structural factors precede psychological resources and resiliency. Not Arthur’s “why,” social learning theory clarifies his “how.” While labeling theory clarifies how processes of stigmatization work, it oversimplifies how society generates identity.

Future research will be conducted on the strange behavior of Arthur, mental problems, and social issues according to prevailing theories about activities or biological and social causes. More efficient ways will clarify the more complicated criminal acts.

Strain, social learning, and labeling theories explain how societal pressures, learned behaviors, and individual responses transform Arthur Fleck into the Joker. Each theoretical framework explains a different aspect of his transformation. However, when taken together, these theories emphasize the need for an integrated approach to understanding criminal behavior.

The 2019 movie *Joker* can be interpreted through the lenses of strain theory, social learning theory, and labeling theory in how Arthur Fleck turns into the Joker. Strain theory postulates that the negative impacts of social problems and economic stress greatly influence the life of Arthur. According to social learning theory, he learns his behavior from the violence and antisocial behavior around him. Labeling theory expands the idea that social rejection and inappropriate labeling pushed Arthur toward adverse behavior.

Situating Arthur within different disciplinary perspectives and examining his situation reveals that psychological, social, and institutional elements significantly impact criminal behavior. Key themes within criminology featured by the film refer to the subject of marginalized groups, the contribution of mental health issues in therapeutic interventions, and socioeconomic disparities.

Its results affect public policy and criminology. The tension should be managed, learned deviance should be stopped, and labeling should be low such that one does not commit the crime. A wholesome approach will help society understand and avoid crime, becoming more inclusive and fairer.

References

  1. Aldridge, J. (2023). Socialization and the Normalization of Deviance: A Partial Test of Social Learning Theory. International Social Science Review, 99(1), 1-23.
  2. Basto-Pereira, M., Gouveia-Pereira, M., Pereira, C. R., Barrett, E. L., Lawler, S., Newton, N., . . . Sakulku, J. (2022). The Global Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Criminal Behavior: A Cross-Continental Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 124, 1-12. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105459
  3. Bonfine, N., Wilson, A. B., & Munetz, M. R. (2020). Meeting the Needs of Justice-involved People with Serious Mental Illness Within Community Behavioral Health Systems. Psychiatric Services, 71(4), 355-363. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900453
  4. Bushman, B. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2020). General Aggression Model. The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology, 1, 1-9. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119011071.iemp0154
  5. Bushman, B. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2023). Solving the Puzzle of Null Violent Media Effects. Psychology of Popular Media, 12(1), 1-9. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000361
  6. Da Silva, A. G., Baldaçara, L., Cavalcante, D. A., Fasanella, N. A., & Palha, A. P. (2020). The Impact of Mental Illness Stigma on Psychiatric Emergencies. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11(573), 1-9. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00573
  7. Jovanoski, A., & Rustemi, A. (2021). Theory of Labeling: Contemporary Concepts of the Sociological Understanding of Deviance. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 12(7), 607-615.
  8. Koutroubas, V., & Galanakis, M. (2022). Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and its Importance in the Organizational Psychology Context. Psychology, 12(6), 315-322. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.17265/2159-5542/2022.06.001
  9. Meehan, T., Forrestor, L., & Haaja, J. A. (2024). Sociological Theories of Crime: Strain Theories. In N. M. Connell, L. Forrestor, & S. (. Friend, An Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice (pp. 134-153). Gold Coast, Queensland: Griffith University.
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