Essay Sample on Spider-Man 2: The Sociology Behind The Mask

After two years of Peter Parker’s transformation into Spider-Man, his life is already a mess. Mary Jane has moved on and is engaged, his friendship with his best friend Harry Osborn is on rocky ground, and a new threat, Doctor Octopus is terrorizing the city. Taking a deeper examination of Spider-Man 2 from a sociological perspective reveals how Peter Parker suffers from role conflict. 

Peter Parker was orphaned as a teenager. He moved in with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Though Peter Parker is shy, he is intelligent and excels in Science. While on a field trip, Peter was bitten by a spider that gave him spider-like powers such as super strength, quick reflexes, and a spider-sense that alerts him to danger that is about to happen. With his new powers, he took on the role of Spiderman. Peter Parker also has a love interest. Mary Jane lives in an abusive household with an abusive father. Mary Jane comes off as carefree and joyful, a coping mechanism she uses to hide her pain. Harry Osborn is Peter Parker’s best friend. Harry falsely accuses Spider-Man of the death of his Father. Harry has no idea Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Harry Osborn is the opposite of Peter. He isn’t the brightest, is outgoing, and loves to party. Lastly, Dr. Otto Octavius, later known as Doc. Ock. Doctor Octopus comes about through a failed science experiment using titanium as a solar energy source.  To conduct his experiment, he develops a set of mechanical arms that connect to a chip in the back of his neck. The experiment fails miserably, resulting in the mechanical tentacles developing a mind of their own and end up corrupting his mind. During the movie, Doc Ock becomes obsessed with completing his failed science experiment, no matter the cost. 

Peter Parker’s most challenging thing which he deals with every day is how to balance Spider-Man and Peter Parker. He is a college student, best friend, financial supporter for his Aunt and Uncle, Pizza delivery man, and best friend to Harry Osborn. All these roles clash with one another, creating what is known as role conflict. Role conflict is described as “a conflict between or among the roles corresponding to two or more statuses fulfilled by one individual” (1). Peter fulfills more roles than one can't count on their fingers. Role conflict can affect how one performs in their other roles. For example, in one party scene where Mary Jane is lamenting to Peter about how he is never there for her, it’s clear he has neglected Mary Jane. Mary Jane makes it clear that her new boyfriend makes time for her, unlike Peter. Peter has become so busy being Spider-Man, he has forgotten about others who know him as just Peter. During the party, Mary Jane reveals she is going to marry her boyfriend John Jameson. Peter also gets punched by a drunk Harry. Shortly after the party, Peter’s power stopped working. He suffers an emotional breakdown over his inability to balance his life as Peter Parker and Spider-Man. 

After the night of the party, Harry and Peters's relationship is on rocky ground. In Spider-Man 2, Harry is the only real friend Peter Parker has. The two friends make a dyad, a group that consists of just two people. Dyads are the most unstable, “ because if one person leaves the group, the group no longer exists.”(2) Peter and Harry have been friends for several years. With just the two of them, surely there is a strong connection. Dyad groups are known to have “strong internal cohesiveness and a sense of connection.” (3). After, the fight between Harry and Peter at the party, they both struggle to make amends and come together. The fragile group between the two is falling apart. A few days later, Harry makes a deal with Doc Ock. Harry will give Doc Ock the one final piece he needs to complete his invention in exchange for the man who he believes killed his father - Spider-Man. When Harry unmasks Spider-Man and finds out he is his best friend Peter Parker, he is shocked. Their small, fragile dyad group is shattered. Peter and Harry never speak again during the movie. Mending the relationship between the two seems unlikely. 

Near the end of the movie, Peter tries to get Dock Ock to see the damage he’s done around him and the consequences of conducting another experiment. Doc Ock must free his mind from his tentacles to regain control. Though Dock Ock’s tentacles are not human, Doc Ock may feel the need to conform to the intelligent tentacles that have developed a mind of their own. Group conformity can be described as “the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms.” (4) Doc Ock was complying with what his four tentacles wanted, instead of what he wanted. He conformed to what his intelligent tentacles were telling him, and almost lost himself in the process. Near the end, Peter is able to get through to Doc Ock, making him recognize this isn’t him. He is able to fight back for control and sacrifices himself to save the city from destruction.   

On the surface, Spider-Man 2 does not appear to have many sociological concepts. However, upon deeper examination, this proves to be false. Peter Parker struggles with balancing life as Peter and Spider-Man, demonstrating role conflict. Group size and dynamics is seen in Harry and Peter's Dyad's group and their struggle to keep their group from falling apart. Finally, Doc Ock experiences group conformity when his tentacles take over his mind and force him into a path that goes against his beliefs. 

WORKS CITED

Libretexts. “5.3C: Role Conflict.” Social Sci LibreTexts, Libretexts, 20 Feb. 2021, https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Introduction_to_Sociology/Book%3A_Sociology_(Boundless)/05%3A_Social_Interaction/5.03%3A_Elements_of_Social_Interaction/5.3C%3A_Role_Conflict.    

2.05 Groups and Group Dynamics, https://accessdl.state.al.us/AventaCourses/access_courses/sociology_ua_v17/02_unit/02-05/02-05_learn2_text.htm. 

Learning, Lumen. “Sociology.” Lumen, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/reading-group-size-and-structure/.  

Libretexts. “7.2b: Conformity and Obedience.” Social Sci LibreTexts, Libretexts, 20 Feb. 2021, https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Introduction_to_Sociology/Book%3A_Sociology_(Boundless)/07%3A_Deviance_Social_Control_and_Crime/7.02%3A_Social_Control/7.2B%3A_Conformity_and_Obedience.