Apollo_13_Analysis

Apollo 13 is a movie based off of the real space mission that took place in 1969. The space mission had many complications, but luckily with the help of many different members of NASA working together, the space ship was able to land back on earth safely. The men of Apollo 13 had always dreamed of landing on the moon. Not long after the astronauts launched into space did they realize that the task would be near impossible. Getting home safe became their next mission. Apollo 13 is a movie where many of its aspects can be related to the three sociological perspectives. Symbolic Interactionism is the theoretical perspective in which society is viewed or it can be symbols that people use to establish meaning. Symbolic Interactionism occurs throughout Apollo 13. A huge symbol for the mission is the moon, where the astronauts want to land and discover new things. Apollo 13 is also associated with bad luck; some people consider thirteen as an unlucky number. At the beginning of the movie, Jim Lovell says lucky 13 and then his car stalls. The astronauts are also scheduled to land on the moon April 13th and the mission is scheduled to take 1300 hours and 13 minutes. Jim Lovell’s wife’s wedding ring also went down the drain on the day of the launch which could symbolize that bad things were going to happen. The mission was called “A successful failure.” The success represents the fact that the astronauts made it back safely, but it was considered a failure because several things went wrong throughout the mission. Functional Analysis occurs when society is a whole unit that is made up of several different parts. This plays a major role in Apollo 13. Without many people working together, the mission could not have been completed safely. An astronaut is part of a very large team. There were many different teams working together to make the mission possible. Before the astronauts even go up into space they are examined very carefully by the medics. The launch control center is in charge of making sure that the mission will go smoothly. Throughout the whole trip the astronauts are in contact with mission control, trying to solve all of the problems. Mission control and the astronauts work together to stop the leak of oxygen and are debating on how to the men back alive. Gene Kranz, of mission control, states that “failure is not an option.” Ken Mattingly came in to work on the stimulator and to help keep the astronauts alive. Without the help from all parts of NASA, the astronauts of Apollo 13 could not have successfully made it back safely. Another sociological perspective is conflict theory. This theory stresses that society is composed of groups that engage in fierce competition for scarce resources. The astronauts faced numerous conflicts before their mission even began. Ken Mattingly, one of the astronauts who were suspected to have the measles, could not go on the mission due to his health condition. Luckily, Jack Swigert was able to go in his place. Once the space shuttle was finally launched, more conflict theories appeared. The fifth engine on the ship was out and caused many problems throughout the short trip. Mission control called this the “glitch of the mission,” but little did they know how many other complications were going to occur. When mission control asked to astronauts to do an oxygen stir, they discovered that they were losing oxygen. The men were in space with a lack of oxygen and too much carbon dioxide. They began to freeze up in space because the loss of their power. While the astronauts were facing conflicts in space, conflict was stirring up back on the surface as well. The first broadcast of the astronauts was not played because the media did not deem it necessary to pay attention to it, they found it insignificant. Jim Lovell’s wife was livid by this. She became even more livid when the media was very interested in broadcasting Apollo 13 after all the complications were taking place. The movie Apollo 13 presents many aspects of symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. “You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home.” This quote describes the conflict in Apollo 13 and how all parts of NASA joined together to bring the astronauts home successfully and safely. All three perspectives of sociology are important in shaping the people and events of this mission.