Labeling Theory In John Steinbeck's Requiem For A Dream

In Requiem For A Dream, the story revolves around four main characters: Harry, Marion, Tyrone, and Sara. All four of these individuals are shown as expressing what is generally believed to be deviant behavior, and a couple of theories that explain how these characters are deviant include labeling theory and conflict theory. Anomie theory also plays into their stories.

Sara Goldfarb is shown to be affected by labeling theory by the fact that she becomes obsessed with losing weight since she is "fat." As she struggles with a diet plan found in a book a neighbor gave her, she decides to take up using diet pills. The fact that she is shown checking her weight, and that this becomes what she talks about constantly (i.e. when Harry comes to visit), she has adopted becoming thin for television as
Her access to money has been denied by her parents because of her apparent refusal to see her therapist, who we later learn she has been intimate with. Harry promises her that things will be okay and convinces her that they will be able to open a store for her to sell her clothes at, and she begins to design more. When the money runs out, she becomes infuriated with Harry who then pushes her into sleeping with her therapist in order to get money. Again we have an example of Anomie Theory because the accepted way of making money is not to prostitute yourself out for drugs or money. When that money runs out and Harry and Tyrone head out for Florida in search of drugs to sell, she goes to a pimp where she is coerced into sexual acts for a small amount of drugs. In the end she goes to a party where she is surrounded by drunk screaming men who are expecting her to perform sexual acts for their amusement in order to get another supply of drugs. Finally she is shown to on her couch with a vacant expression with slight smile on her face clutching a bag of drugs (or money, I couldn't