Analysis #3

Alec Baldwin is the Bourgeoisie

In Glengarry Glen Ross, a “motivational speaker” played by Alec Baldwin is sent into a Real Estate office to help with the sales of some agents. In Marxism, Alex Baldwin is a representation of the Bourgeoisie, or the class owning the means for producing wealth. He is a representation of this in the sense that he exploits the other agents. He tells them to have “brass balls” and to lie, cheat, and steal as long as they closed the sale. When the character played by Ed Harris asks Alec Baldwin who he is, Alec responds by showing him his expensive watch and in turn is saying that he is in fact represented by his money. This shows that Alec Baldwin is a member of the ruling class (at least in this scene).
One part that stuck out in my mind is when Alec Baldwin says to Ed Harris, “Nice guy? I don’t give a shit. Good father? Fuck you, go home and play with your kids!” This little quote represents Marxism in many different ways. One thing this proves, is the idea from The Communist Manifesto, that “the bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation” (2). Alec Baldwin suggests that money should come before everything. Sales are what is important, not family.
Alec Baldwin also numerously suggests that because they aren’t making any sales, they are women. When he tells Ed Harris to go home and play with his kids, he is suggesting that he is woman-like and is better off at home because only a man can close and make sales. He also harasses the other workers by telling them that they aren’t men because they aren’t closing, and tells them they need to have “brass balls” in this field of work. This is suggesting that a woman cannot do the job.
Overall, I think the quote that really sums up this entire clip is, “The class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of material production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are subject to it” (656). The first part of the quote represents Alec Baldwin’s character, or the ruling class, because he has control over the means of material production. The last part of the quote is symbolizes Ed Harris and the other salespeople, or the working class because since they lack Alec Baldwin’s mental production, they are subject to the ruling class, or Alec Baldwin.

Works Cited
Glengarry Glen Ross. Dir. James Foley. Perf. Jack Lemon, Al Pacino,. New Line Cinema, 1992. Film.

Marx, Karl. The Communist Manifesto. Chicago: Gateway Editions, 1985

Marx, Karl. "Literary Theory: An Anthology." Eds. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Blackwell Publishing. Maldon, Ma, 2004. (653-664).