Understanding Male Roles in Prison Genre

Terrie Schauer's article, “Masculinity Incarcerated: Insurrectionary Speech and Masculinities in Prison Film,” appears in the “Journal for Crime, Conflict and the Media.” This article contains much research conducted by Schauer as he analyzes how the prison-orientated film genre relates to how the male figure is typically portrayed in films. The article is mainly divided up into discussing the possibility of “multiple masculinities”, the qualities that come to mind when thinking about “manliness”, and how the male body is used to convey ideas about masculinity in films. To begin his discussion, Schauer examines how society’s perception of masculinity influences how male roles are illustrated in films. For example, Schauer mentions that males oftentimes have dominating roles in films in comparison to women. This leads Schauer to conclude that the “national concepts of masculinity” are reinforced by emphasizing the male character's personality and physique. In support of this claim, Schauer presents Mason’s idea that,

“Prison-film heroes are resolutely individualistic, moral, rebellious and tough.
If the filmic prison is inhumane and mechanical, the hero’s quest becomes an
escape from the institution, rebellion against the system, or a struggle to
maintain his humanity under difficult circumstances.”

The author realizes that the “prison-hero” soon becomes the “construction of American identity” because he possesses masculine qualities that society admires. The article also explains how the prison genre arose from how Western films depicted males. Finally, Schauer further elaborates on how issues of heterosexuality, rape, and violence are key aspects in prison films.