Slumdog Millionaire Stigmas

Goffman's stigma perspective analyzes how one’s deviant label can often times transform into a stigma or a “spoiled identity”. Throughout Slumdog Millionaire, the movie illustrated numerous examples of stigmas and the notion of deviant labels. Slumdog Millionaire effortlessly depicts how stigmas and ascribed statues mold others perceptions within society, as well the ways in which one truly manages such labels.
Analysis
When essentially understanding stigmas, one must acknowledge its three categories and three management strategies. Goffman's stigma categories include the abomination of the body, blemishes of individual character, and tribal. While the stigma of the abomination of the body is a deviant label credited from external appearances, and the stigma of the blemish of one’s individual character stems from their deviant personality; the tribal stigma is the ultimate spoiled identity. Thus, a tribal stigma is a label
For example, the main character, Jamal Malik, often struggled with his tribal stigma as a result of his impoverished heritage and belittled social class. While the movie was primarily presented on the set of an international television show called “Do you want to be a millionaire?”, the contestants were normally asked difficult questions. The shows guest appearances were often “doctors, lawyers”, or other highly educated citizens. However, when Jamal, who never finished elementary school, became a successful contestant, he began to encounter several conflicts as a result of tribal stigma of being a “bitch from the slum”. For example, Jamal's ascribed tribal stigma encouraged both the police and the T.V host to challenge his intelligence and knowledge. Soon questioned “ What in the hell a Slumdog could possibly know” when Jamal began to give correct and consistent answers. Thus, Jamal’s tribal stigma caused others to belittle his education because of his