Art has become an important aspect for many individuals to passionately put their creativity in a channel that can express their individuality. This can either be seen through photography, music, literature, and/ or painting. These are examples of an art form that is used as a tool to understand the human condition. Cinema, to this day is a powerful influence in the media landscape where the combination of visual, literary and auditory is intricate in one art form. Men, women, and children can use this medium as a form of escapism from reality, where its imagination has no boundaries. However, film is not only created as an entertainment tool, it can often also mirror society and its changing values. A film can be a communicator of ideas whether it is reflecting political perspectives or challenging cultural issues. This is the case in 1976, when Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had created the modern film classic Taxi Driver. During this time America had undergone a lot of fluctuations in its economic and social movements. This film takes place in New York City through the perspective of the protagonist Travis Bickle, who is played by Robert De Niro. Through Bickle's eyes the city appears to be corrupted and struggling. Furthermore this iconic thriller takes place when America is facing new wounds from the post-world war two eras. From the main character’s perspective, the film examines the theme of loneliness that influences the protagonist’s character development in an urban society.

On the surface, the film is based on the life of Travis Bickle who was once a Vietnam vet that finds the means to survive in the big apple through a blue-collar job as a Taxi Driver. The film illustrates the alienation that occurs to individuals after a social change to political events. In this film the story’s backdrop is placed in the 1970s of New York City. This famous location is known today as the city that does not sleep, this notion is shared with the protagonist when he is suffering from insomnia. Travis, further embodies the concept of isolation when he decides to work as a taxi driver and promises to drive anywhere, at anytime due to his sleeping disorder whereas the rest of society are living a routinely schedule. Viewers can infer that his insomnia is a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder from the Vietnam War. Travis being in a violent environment, aided with his PTSD has caused him not to adapt well within the modern world. With the lack of education as well as social skills, assimilation within the fast paced environment is difficult. This makes the character’s life hard to adjust to a normal lifestyle; this then creates feelings of loneliness, because he stands out from society.

During the time the film takes place in, it implies social and political changes that amplify Travis’s loneliness. The 1970's faced the consequences, when America had been scared from the Vietnam War. The effect has lingered when $120 billion was spent in this conflict leading to nationwide inflation, the oil crisis in 1973 and skyrocketed fuel prices (2009, January 1). This has psychologically left the nation bitterly divided where anti-war opponents blamed the states for killing innocents and supporters who watched the USA lost (2009, January 1). Furthermore Vietnam veterans face psychological effects from PTSD, where it has contributed to their social anxiety when these soldiers had a history of war-zone trauma (2003). In 1975, New York also experienced another grave financial crisis when it created a budget deficit for the next five years caused by the capitalist economy (1983). These backdrops influence the setting of the film when people at that time went through a travesty, which has affected not only their finance but also mental health. The 1970s decade was however a negation of the 60s when the “New Right” political movement was being mobilized in resistance of the political conservatisms and traditional social values to President Richard Nixon premiership (2010, January 1). During the presidency of Nixon, he kept pushing the Vietnam war to keep going, causing animosity of the citizens towards the government and was finally caught in a crime of reelecting himself in the Watergate office building in 1972, now known as the Watergate Scandal, which caused him to resign as president (2010, January 1). The political change is setting a tone that the American people are proactively seeking for justice. Travis on the other hand, has been away from the social movement where his lack of knowledge in this issue leaves him behind. As the economy is immobilizing and politics are collapsing, New York has become a place where prostitution, drugs and adultery stores were increasing which drove the crime rate even higher (2013, July 12). This social change magnifies exposure for Travis, considering he is constantly driving the taxi. During his job he would meet all sorts of people, including the lowest rungs of society at night, which further drives his repulsion of the city.

As the social and political effects are occurring around the protagonist, he is living his own world. He is driving these cabs at night where his likelihood to see the disturbing, grim and dark side of human nature is surreal. Particularly in one scene Travis encountered a customer, played by the director himself, where he is proclaiming poetic justice with a .44 Magnum gun to his unfaithful wife. Driving all night in his taxi is metaphorically Travis’ symbolism of his loneliness. The taxi is his secluded sanctuary where he is protected from the outside world even though he picks up many faces especially prostitutes, adulterous husbands and criminals. They are too busy with their lives where Travis ends up cleaning come and blood at the end of his shift. His view of society through what he experienced in the taxi is evident. This is apparent later in the plot where in one scene Travis gave Senator Charles Palantine a ride, while the senator was asking him what type of changes he would like to see in New York. Travis who is not up to date with the political issues that the country has been facing, has a clear disconnection with the Senator when he was not detailed with his answer, but vaguely explained the need to flush New York’s scums down the toilet. This statement can be symbolized when Travis picked up a man and a prostitute, and then drove through an open fire hydrant as an act of purifying the contaminated car.

From the beginning of the film, Travis has been trying to integrate himself into society by connecting with anyone on a personal level. However, it is limited with his knowledge and social skills that keeps him in imprisonment. His scarceness of human communication causes him to identify himself as an exiled of the inner city mass, where he is slowly dehumanized by the postmodern civilization. This is highlighted when he is trying to take on his love interest Betsy, an independent woman working in politics for Palantine, the polar opposite of the women he meets during his night shifts. His lack of experience with women has caused a drift in his new found relationship when he took her on their first date to an adulterous movie theatre. Despite Travis several attempts of apologies, Betsy refusal to accept is demonstrating the protagonist’s social alienation through skillful camera shots. One poignant scene is Travis attempting to keep a conversation with Betsy going while apologizing on the phone; the camera is slowly drifting away into an empty hallway as a symbolism of his loneliness being captive that he seems to keep walking in. In his mind he felt like a victim of the capitalist system, and through Betsy the idea was shown when she was described as cold and distant due to her upper class status. This rejection is a catalyst of Travis’ character development of accepting loneliness and his will to no longer try to fit in with the rest of the world. As quoted from the movie “loneliness will always follow me my whole life. Everywhere, In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There’s no escape. I’m God’s lonely man.” (1976). The use of voice-over articulate his thoughts clearly which defines that Travis is ready to be a vigilante and will do whatever it takes to become the hero that New York needs. The emphasis of “God’s lonely man” depicts that his loneliness is special from society and he is meant to be alone in order to accomplish his mission in life. As his love life is disintegrating, he encounters 12-year-old Iris, a prepubescent prostitute played by Jodie Foster. This is where he creates another purpose in his life by saving Iris from her pimp, Sport, as redemption for himself. He wants to be the man who changes things and proactively getting rid of the scum in the streets by purchasing guns. Another scene that depicts his change is when he is looking in the mirror, convincing himself that he is a frightening person by repeatedly saying in a hostile tone “You talkin’ to me?” (1976). Where the movie takes place, crime has become prevalent in New York as the economy is in turmoil and this is shown in a scene when a robber tried stealing money from the convenient storeowner but Travis shot him to death. This has pushed the indication that violence has given Travis masculinity and this perception of heroism is through a violent force. Not only has Travis is evolving his personality, his appearance corresponds to this change where he grew a Mohawk and started to work out portraying a rebellious solider. Travis believed he can save Iris, as he failed with Betsy by being compelled to put Palantine and Sport together as preys. Although he failed with the assassination of the senator, he did however complete the ultimatum of what he believed is the right thing to do when he managed to accomplish a massacre that included Sport. The story leading up to this point, the ending, illustrates that Travis’ violent tendencies has been activated when he accepts his isolation from the rest of the city.

As Travis Bickle is experiencing a solitary journey, the theme of loneliness that influences the character development can be found in other films where in the Reluctant Fundamentalist; the main character Changez faces social and political changes during post 9/11. Throughout the film Changez critical perspective of the American corporate fundamentalism grew since the 9/11 attack when he started to question his sense of belonging. The way Underwood Samson, the company he worked for on Wall Street, functioned and the philosophy the company stood by caused Changez to feel isolated as he questioned of whether his values coincide. Like Taxi Driver, both protagonists has a desire to integrate into the American society but the social and political change has caused both characters to feel fragmented when the realization of being an outsider is accentuated. Travis lacks competent social skills and up to date knowledge of the American issues that can help him keep human connections whereas Changez has been identified within a group based on his appearance after the 9/11 tragedy, which causes paranoia behavior within him and from society. Both male protagonists also lost the woman of their dreams when their differences caused a rift in the relationships that drove the character to fully accept that all they have is themselves. This drove both characters to make decisions based on the sudden comprehension, which affects the character development and story plot line. Changez revolts the corporate fundamentalism of America when he moved back home and teaches anti-American view while Travis Bickle proactively takes charge of getting rid of the filth by being a vigilante.

As movie viewers experience New York through Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, one can say that the man has represented the social and political issues during the 70s of the political paranoia, economic deficit, inner city deterioration and violence that is illustrated throughout his character development in the film. While providing cultural background, Travis Bickle character gives viewers a psychological insight of an individual’s journey of alienation. The effect of loneliness epitomizes the complexity of humans trying to fit into the mold of society, which is depicted by Robert De Niro’s performance that cannot be gained in any academic work. Scorsese managed to create a film that uses a universal concept of a human emotional feeling called loneliness that viewers can identify themselves with Travis’s solitary position in life and transfer that journey in other medium of art. The film translates how emotions can be triggered by events and change that will eventually build the individual into a different self. The deceptive romance and overemphasized dark tone through the perspective of the protagonist illustrated the grimy attitude towards the metropolitan life in New York, which gave a suspenseful and intriguing masterpiece of urban alienation.

Works Cited

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Hofmann, S. G., Litz, B. T., & Weathers, F. W. (2003). Social anxiety, depression, and PTSD in vietnam veterans. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 17(5), 573-582. doi:10.1016/S0887-6185(02)00227-X

Sterbenz, C. (2013, July 12). New York City Used To Be A Terrifying Place [PHOTOS]. Retrieved March 18, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-used-to-be-a-terrifying-place-photos-2013-7?op=1

Taxi driver [Motion picture on DVD]. (1976). United States of America: Bill-Phillips production ; Columbia pictures ; Italo/Judeo production.

The 1970s. (2010, January 1). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from http://www.history.com/topics/1970s

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