Analysis Three

Identifying Blake in Each Individual:
Marxist Approach to Glengarry Glenn Ross



Do money and property define an individual? Karl Marx mentions that men use material means as a “definite form of expressing their life” (Rivkin 651). In a capitalist society men have allowed property to define who they are and what status they have achieved. In the video clip Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin portrays a character who defines himself by property and money, and jointly serves as a symbolic manifestation of the evils of capitalism. The video clip arguably, also reveals a clash between capitalistic ideals and socialist values through Marxist theory and examination, and the viewer can pose the question as to whether communism as envisioned by Karl Marx, would do away with the bourgeoisie mentality as represented by Baldwin’s character.

Baldwin’s character, Blake, continually attacks and demeans the four salesmen, stating they are “weak” and incapable of being salesmen (Foley). This identifies Blake, as part of the bourgeoisie class, as he continually demeans the salesmen, referring to them as “shit,” and reminds them that if they do not perform properly they will be “shinning his shoes” (Foley). According to Marxist theory this is represented historically as those in power control the means of production, and perpetually subjugate the lower class, making impossible for them to achieve a higher standard of living even remotely close to that of the bourgeoisie (Rivkin 654). Blake defines himself as superior by possession of an expensive vehicle, a luxurious watch, and an extravagant salary. Although Blake is also a salesman with a similar function and purpose, he clearly elevates himself beyond that of the rest of the salesmen, a clear “conflict of interest” in pursuit of their own profits and ideal economic state (Rivkin 654). A class within a class.

Blake is an oppressive force holding the salesmen, the proletarians, under economic subjugation as he, the bourgeoisie, controls production and capital. Ironically, Blake at one point states, “these are the new leads…to you they’re gold, and you don’t get them” taunting their inability to achieve a higher level of economic success, as he holds the resources (Foley). Again, in a Marxist view, this is the perpetual subjugation of the proletarian class, by the bourgeoisie, and it is precisely this kind of subjugation that Marx looks to abolish by the removal of private property. “The abolition of bourgeois property…that is based on class antagonisms, on the exploitation of the many y the few” (Marx 34). But is communism, as envisioned by Marx, capable of debilitating the capitalist motivation of a man such as Blake, and by correlation would it remove the bourgeoisie class, or would it merely displace them?

In theory, by removing the private property from an economic infrastructure, this would remove the means of subjugation of one class by another. However, it has been stated that a communist society can only be achieved after capitalism has fully developed a nation first, in order for communism to truly work (Mark xvii). With that said, looking at the history of human and their possession of power, how would an entire class easily relinquish it’s power, even after a forcible seizure of property. Would a man like Blake, peaceably enter a communist society, or would he seek to destroy it’s fundamental principles in order to reinstate his status?
“I made $970,000.00 last year …that’s who I am and your nothing” (Foley) Could a personality, an individual, a class, fortified with their continuous measures of economic success, be forcibly thrown into a communist society without expectations of revolt and chaos? Questionably, the character Blake, may represent an animalistic need in each human, feeding on achievement, recognition, and status, which may overpower the need for communal good.


Works Cited

Foley, James, dir. Glengarry Glen Ross. 1992. Youtube. 5 August 2009.
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WCcKIkMp8Y >

Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engles. The Communist Manifesto. New York: Bantam Books, 1992.

Rivkin, Julie and Michael Ryan. Literary Theory: An Anthology. Malden: Blackwell Publishing,
1998.