Extra credit: Goffman's Theory Analysis of The Sting movie

The Sting is a classic American film that was released in 1973. Directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, the film tells the story of two con artists who team up to pull off a complicated and intricate long con. The movie is not only a thrilling and entertaining ride, but it also contains several elements of Erving Goffman's theory of dramaturgy.

1) Front stage and back stage: Throughout the movie, the characters perform different roles in different contexts, and they carefully craft their behavior and appearance to create the desired impression on others. For example, when Johnny Hooker is pretending to be a wealthy businessman in order to gain the trust of Doyle Lonnegan, he puts on a suit and speaks in a more refined manner. However, he can let his guard down and be himself when he is with his fellow con artists in their "backstage" meetings.

2) Impression management: The characters in the movie engage in impression management in order to create a certain image of themselves and gain the trust of their targets. They carefully plan their cons and use their skills of persuasion and deception to create the desired impression on others.

3) Face-to-face interaction: The movie is full of face-to-face interactions between the characters, from the initial meeting between Hooker and Gondorff to the final confrontation with Lonnegan. In these interactions, the characters use verbal and nonverbal cues to communicate with one another and to manipulate their targets.

4) The presentation of self: The characters in the movie actively construct their social identities through their actions and interactions with others. They present themselves as con artists who are confident, charming, and capable, and they carefully manage their identities to avoid being discovered.

5) Role distance: At times, the characters in the movie need to distance themselves from the roles they are playing in order to avoid suspicion. For example, when Lonnegan becomes suspicious of Gondorff's abilities as a con artist, Gondorff pretends to be a drunk and incompetent gambler in order to throw Lonnegan off his trail.

6) Stigma: Although the concept of stigma is not explicitly discussed in the movie, it can be seen as a theme that runs throughout the film. The characters are all outsiders and criminals, and they must work hard to manage their social identities in order to avoid being stigmatized or caught by the authorities.

Overall, I think "The Sting" can be seen as a prime example of Goffman's theory of dramaturgy, as the characters engage in various forms of impression management, role-playing, and identity construction in order to achieve their goals.