Power

The power of an individual is a struggle for individual independence, which can be seen when controlling influences requires others to listen and obey. The struggle for human independence changes an individual’s personality and how they act towards others. This power struggle is obvious in the verse novel, Muscle, written by Matthew Schreuder (2007). Muscle is set in Western Sydney in a modern day society, focusing on a group of teenagers that race around in “hotted-up” cars heightening their ego. This same portrayal of power is revealed in the action film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), directed by Justin Lin. This film is set in modern day Japan, with high tech cars and adrenaline filled racing. Themes that will be discussed in this essay are; the power of the Individual, Sexual Power / Powerlessness, and the power of Peer-Pressure / the Power of the Group. In the “Summernats” chapter of Muscle, group power is shown as Nick and his mates travel to Canberra in a ‘convoy of cars’ to watch the Summernats. Schrueder portrays imagery of the cars driving in formation down the road ‘the Camaro streaks ahead first’. This suggests that Sam and the group of boys are looking for an adventure and a good time. ‘Canberra’s streets are a hot haze of cars with foreign licence plates’, confirming plenty of people with customised cars are like the boys, here to boost their egos. This is a clear example of group power in Muscle. The power of the group is demonstrated in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, when Sean and DK (Drift King) have a disagreement resulting in a race down a mountain, with the loser having to leave town ‘for good’. Here Sean is left with two options, win and stay in Tokyo and regain his individual power, or lose the race and get sent back to America, where he will be sent to a Juvenile detention centre for reckless driving. Sean and DK both have customised cars, similar to the cars driven in Muscle. When racing and drifting down the mountain in synchronisation with DK, Sean speeds up and in an adrenaline filled moment, crashes into the side of DK launching his car into the air, winning the race. In accordance to the deal, Sean stays in Tokyo and DK leaves, never to return. As the race comes to an end, the man in charge declares to Sean “You’re free to go” this is where Sean regains his power. He has won the race meaning his ego is boosted and he now has found Individual Independence and Individual Power. Individual power is also illustrated in the poem ‘Fumbling’, in Muscle. Throughout the book Sam is portrayed as being powerless and controlled by; Nick, her parents who favour her brother Tom, and her miserable job at Kate’s Cakes. In this section of the book, Nick has asked Sam to get his Torano fixed by some men that he knows, reluctantly Sam drops the car off at this workshop, however ,when they have finished with the car the group of men won’t give Sam Nick’s car back or let her leave. Here Sam is feeling powerless and helpless, however when they stop at a petrol station, she ‘jumps the seat and locates the pedals with fumbling feet’. She then steals Nick’s car, where ‘Sam Turner makes her great escape’. This shows Sam regaining her Individual Power, she is alone now without Nick- who she has now realised was just using her, and she is not being controlled by parents or anyone else’s influences. Schreuder describes Sam as being completely independent and herself. In The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Sean Boswell has lost all power when he is sent to Tokyo from America, due to disrespect of the law and his family. He stays with his dad who is bossy and controlling, however doesn’t have much time for him, this parental relationship is related to Sam’s family in Muscle. When Sean goes to school he meets ‘Twinkie’ who takes him to a garage and shows him his done up hulk like car. Sean then realises that Tokyo has street races as well and he somewhat regains power through a similar nature to America. Sexual power and powerlessness is shown in the rape scene (‘like a branding iron’) of Muscle. Here Sam has all power taken from her when she is taken by a group of men, who ‘tear her t-shirt’ and yell spiteful and hateful comments. They physically and sexually abuse her “some ranch-hands pushed his big pistol and the pain was unbearable’. Schruder writes with vivid imagery about Sam’s rape scene ‘her legs kick out as teeth dig in’. He also describes her being left helpless and completely dominated. This theme of sexual power and powerlessness is cleverly conveyed throughout this verse novel. Sexual power is conveyed through Sarah having total control over Sean. He looks at her in lust, and she is portrayed as secretly having feeling for him in the beginning. However, as the film unravels, we find that Sarah is in a relationship with DK. This is the beginning of the hatred and resent between Sean and DK. There are various scenes throughout the Film that show Sarah being controlled by DK. This relates to Nick having control over Sam in the novel Muscle. Later in the film after Sean has won the race against DK, he and Sarah fall in love and get together. Here sexual power and the power of seduction is shown. The use of power is shown evidently in both Muscle and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. The power of the individual in a struggle for human independence is conveyed as the most important underlying theme of both these texts. The other themes, Sexual Power and Group Power show the changes in people’s attitude and character when they are around different people, and how human independence changes the person’s character back to normal.