In this research journal, I will analyze the timeless film Catch Me If You Can through the lens of Constraint Theory constraints. For a long time, constraints theory was not considered relevant in the field of sociology. Fortunately, in the last ten years of the 20th century, this issue has returned to the forefront due to the emergence of both “general” tension theory and institutional anomie theory. This film is so full of examples of all the different constraint theories that it's difficult to choose just one specific or secondary theory to focus on; but for the purposes of analyzing this research notebook, I would like to address all those that I find relevant. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Durkheim and his thoughts on anomie are where the origins of the theory of constraints lie, and developed into what is known as the classical theory of constraints. Anomie means “lawless”. Such a state is said to exist when the goals that society has deemed culturally acceptable and the means to achieve them no longer correspond to what they once were. Historical and societal changes over time are the main cause; after a significant change, the group in question has standards they are unsure of, they do not know their standards, and the morals are the same as those of their peers. This abnormality that then exists is called anomia, and Durkheim says that these individuals feel helpless, afraid and depressed. This theory is developed by Robert Merton. Merton recognizes that wealth, success, and money are desirable by almost all Americans, but are not achievable due to the different circumstances and situations in which people may find themselves. This, he argues, often pushes people to commit crimes because they must use means outside the system to achieve its ends. It is this very idea that drives the entire plot of the film Catch Me If You Can. DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale Jr, a real person whose story is told very closely in this film, is a 16-year-old child when his parents divorce. This divorce pushes him to choose to live with his mother or his father, and he refuses to choose. Instead, he flees to a hotel to be alone and writes fake checks in order to finance his stay. This first $1,000 greatly arouses his interest. He pretends to be a pilot, a doctor, a lawyer, and continues to travel using his pseudonyms and fake checks. He meets a nurse while visiting a friend in the hospital, and it is this relationship that ultimately leads to him getting caught. He plans to marry this nurse, Brenda, and so he can't change his name like he needs to when the FBI is on his new trail. Things come full circle when there is a deal between FBI Chief Agent Hanratty, played convincingly by Tom Hanks, and Abagnale, in which he serves time in FBI custody and works under their noses to identify the criminals. As I mentioned, the majority of this story is true. Abagnale went on to work for major banks, helping them prevent fraud and make millions of dollars a year; even though it was now completely legal (as far as we know). The pressure placed on the Abagnale family before the parents' divorce was significant. Frank Abagnale, the eldest, is under investigation by the IRS and their family is in financial difficulty. Frank must have exceeded his means, done something illegal, in order tomaintain their quality of life. This is where Frank Jr. realizes the possibilities available to him. If he can work outside the system, he can succeed. This directly reflects the concept of social tension theory that Merton introduces and adds to the tension theory discourse. Perhaps this awareness has not been outwardly manifested, but social tension theory suggests that Frank Jr, from a lower middle class background whose struggles his parents face he rightly observes, wants succeed economically.sound and powerful. He cannot achieve this as Frank Jr and instead he begins adopting other disguises to further pursue the American dream. The concept of anomie that Durkheim speaks of is more theoretical than literal, in my opinion. There are never complete and extended zones or time slices where standards are completely and utterly undefined. Instead, it exists in certain groups, certain people, and certain situations at different times. I think Frank is one of those people who goes through a phase of anomie. This happens in waves, but he crosses the line when he tricks Hanratty into thinking he's a United States Secret Service agent. Agent Hanratty arrives armed with his weapons and Frank is in the bathroom. Frank comes out of the bathroom all calm and collected and begins talking about himself in the third person, spouting off some talk about forging checks to ease Hank's character's mind. Hanratty is fully convinced, until he glances inside the wallet that Frank leaves with him, he realizes that there is no badge or service identification secrets. But by then it's too late and Frank flees a few stories down. It is after this scene that Frank descends into anomie and quickly evolves into a career as a pilot, meeting women and cheating on his colleagues, then in a hospital, and finally as a lawyer to his fiancée's father. Societal norms do not exist in Frank's world, but instead of leading him to depression, it leads to the creation of the infamous Frank Abagnale Jr. and his aliases. He uses as a motivator the fact that his peers' standards do not match his own, even though they appear to from the outside. Third, I would like to discuss Agent Hanratty and his role in the film in relation to the tension theory. Hanratty and Frank have a unique relationship, a cat and mouse type struggle. Hanratty is primarily the one chasing Frank, and he shares the screen almost equally with DiCaprio. By the end of the film, and throughout the present-day flashbacks, it's evident that Hank's character has a connection to Frank Abagnale that isn't the typical secret agent-criminal relationship. There is a telephone conversation which, I believe, puts an end to Frank's state of anomie. It is an awareness that restores the norms of ordinary society and removes its pretension, false identities and crazy lifestyle. Even though they still exist, he knows they will soon be finished. After speaking to his father for the last time in the film, he has a phone call with Hanratty in which he reveals his plans to get married and thus reveals the fact that he cannot change his name. He says he wants to "make a truce", and Carl Hanratty points out that he's getting closer and can't stop pursuing him because it's his job. I want to quickly point out that his statement is extremely ironic in that Hanratty works inside the system and Frank's state of anomie still exists outside the system and frequently changes professions. Well, he knows now that the FBI is going to focus on him and find him, but he continues his.