Rebel Without a Cause

1955 marked the year in which Nicholas Ray's film Rebel Without a Cause was released as the latest Hollywood success. With its revolutionary acting and modern style, Rebel Without a Cause proved to be an ideal example of progressive, contemporary cinema. Amidst these factors is the intricate screenplay regarding a rebellious adolescent and his troubled relationships with his family and new found friends. Unfortunately, this was a film that was produced in the mid-1950s, a time when the self-censorship board in the U.S. did not permit certain political and societal issues to be addressed in films. As a result, various controversial matters could only be suggested or implied, opposed to directly dealt with. One such issue that Rebel Without a Cause subtly portrays, is the subject of gender politics and sexuality, a theme seldom encountered in preceding films. One scene in the film appears to discretely address the theme of sexuality in particular. In this scene, Plato reveals the contents of his school locker as he transitions between classes. The manner in which the scene is constructed and presented, manages to convey Plato's failure to meet society's expectations as he struggles with his blossoming homosexuality.

Upon examining the mirror in his locker, Plato manages to portray himself as a character who is unacceptable in terms of society's standards. In the mirror, he observes an image of Jim opposed to his own reflection. Symbolically, it is suggested that Plato sees himself as a person who is similar to Jim's character. As Jim is the ‘rebel' of the film, his character represents the nonconformists in society. Plato's symbolic, self-comparison of his character augments his own image as a ‘rebel' and misfit in society. Consequently, many of Plato's personal tribulations (his exclusion from the school crowd, his urges to kill small animals and primarily his sexual confusion) can be partially attributed the society's response to him as a ‘rebel'.