Review of the movie: Enemy of the state

This is one of the popular movies in the history of Hollywood। In 1998 this thriller film about a group of rogue NSA agents who murdered a congressional representative, and they try to cover up the incident by destroying evidence। Tony Scott directed movie not only showed the destructive mentality of NSA but also show how the modern technology hampering the personal life of particular person.

The movie opens, the government trying to pass a bill of legislation. The opposite political party lead by congressional representative tried to stop it. As it is the question of image of the leading political party, the government owned NSA agent took decision to kill the person. Near by a lake, two NSA agents kill; a research man recorded the whole incident in a video camera.

That video tape than become the central character of the film. NSA agent killed the research man, but fortunately, he passed it to a labor lawyer, who was not even informed about the incident. In the mean time, the lawyer just come a shopping place after completing a mafia leader. Who threaten him to back the video tape with in week other wise they will kill him. Than a new thriller, come from two part, one is government agent, another is the Mafia. Both party started to find the tape showing various thrilling fighting. Here most important fact was the lawyers even do not know that he is holding a video tape, which is the only evidence, of the killer.

New technology and media, how desperately can hamper the personal life of a particular person, viewers saw that. NSA agent set plant of tracking in every personal things of the lawyer. They started to create a climax in the family, by showing in the media that, the lawyer had another relationship with a woman, NSA agent killed that woman too. He lost his credit cards, brief case by enemy and every step he found some one following him. He was fired from his law firm causing involve with mafia and thrown out from house by his wife. In the mean time one intermediary came, with his helping hand. This person helped him to recover from tracking of NSA agent and request him to back to a reliable person, but the attempted was failed cause of inexperience. With the help of FBI at last, lawyer get relieved from court and got his family back.

Knowledge and Power: Term vary in Bangladeshi Context

Knowledge this term refers to expertise or stillness of a person, which are acquiring through experience and education। It is not necessarily that, one should educated through academic degree only, it could achieve from society and nature also. on the other word we can explain the term as awareness and familiarity gained by experience of a fact of situation.

Now let us clear the term, power. It can be define from various ways actually, if we put our concentration on Social perspective, we will find Power means ability to make choice or influence outcomes, which is also power held by a person or group of people in a society. There is a strong relation between Knowledge and power term.

Most of the traditional approach is, Power is achieved through Knowledge. I mean the person who is educated he gained power too. However, according to Michel Foucault, Knowledge and Power is same thing. Foucault thought reflect that, power is situate among a society. In addition, it is being practiced over the year and can be show on the basis and demand of situation. According to him, a knowledgeable person is always respecting from every part of the society. As mass people put their faith on that person, ultimately, what he/she states that is cordially received from every part of the society, however the information is not true. this sort of practice create an image among the society and which have been practiced over the year, as most of the people have full of belief on particular person's thought, that create a power too.

Foucault extends his thought in this way, power and knowledge is the belief that those who are in power have specialist knowledge, like physicians, producers, administrative people, or even teacher too.


However, for some obvious reasons, considering social practice of this sub continent the term Power, practicing in a different way. The person who is rich and have inherited lots of property are considering as Power person. Academic even knowledge do not play any role here. In Bangladeshi rural practice the person who has lots of wealth considered as leader of the society; some cases real knowledgeable persons are neglected.

Representation: Nation's Identity in the Global Society

'Representation' term is widely using in the society from ancient time। If we put our concentration on invention of language, we will find concrete idea on representation. To develop a communication between each other, earlier people used different sort of signs and symbols, to share his inner idea, that was first step of developing language. Later on people start to use different words or sounds, where every word represents particular meaning. In every communication process when we will say it success, when communicator and commune will understand the meaning of particular word.

If we try to define the term 'representation' in literally meaning than, representation refers to look like or to resemble something, to stand something or to present something second time. To clarify the fact, Say Zainul Abedin greatest artist of Bangladesh drew famine of Bangladesh after liberation war. The painting shows that how pathetic scenario was than, later on some other painters tried to copy the painting that means, second paintings representing first one.

In political context, we can get a clear concept of term representation. There are various political parties in a democratic country; every political party consists of their own thoughts, ideas, belief and motivation for country. That means name of particular political party refers to combination of that thoughts and beliefs. In the shorter version would be 'sign' of political party. There are two biggest political parties in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awamilegue (AL). First one create their constitution on right politics and second one on right hand politics. Before election, every political party gives their own ambition after getting pass in the election. Based on that public vote or not, later on that elected political person represent the public of particular area in the parliament.

How a nation or country is, represent to other part of the world. Definitely, every nation has their own identity with their own culture and heritage, as well language and their belief and attitude. For Bangladeshi nation, as a part firstly we love to represent us, hospitable, hard working, self respect with each other, simply satisfies with simple things, patriot, emotion, nature loving, natural beauty, though poor but happy with simple life, there are a number of minority groups but no clash among each other. All this together represent the Bengali nation. Rich culture and heritage, pride history, ancient achievements and other facts, combined make prosper as a nation in the World context.

Myth most important component of Religion

For many obvious reasons religion plays a vital role in Bangladeshi culture and society. Term myth is one of the central components of religion. Some scholars love to explain, that any religion is mostly dominated by two components, ritual and myth. Term myth refers to ancient believe of human being which is practiced by earlier generation. Once upon a time this practicing habit takes place as, social custom. On the other hand ritual refers to religious activities of human society; it could be vary from religion to religion.


To understand the term myth, we can take a number example from Bengal culture and society. It could be latest example from my part, few days ago I visited Sitakondu, about 50 K.M distance from Chittagong city. There is hill call ‘Seta’s pahar’, Seta is one of the vital character of Hindu religion. Sitakondu is full of small hills, and at top of the most of the hills have different temple of Hindu religion. Every year about one million people gather there, in ‘Dull Purnima’ celebration. Though Goya and Kashi is known as biggest pilgrim, but it’s said that if a Hindu fails to come Sitakondu for pilgrims in Dull purnima than, pilgrim is in complete. About 300 years ago temple was built there, now it became one of the biggest religious festival of this subcontinent. Now it’s not just religious festival of Hindus, all religious people take part, and now it become part of Bangladeshi culture especially for Southern part people


There could be another example from Muslim part of the country. Second biggest Muslim religious festival occurs here in Bangladesh. the pious who are involve with spreading Islam and ask muslim to work for almighty Allah they come together every year for three days, long Islamic gathering. Now it’s very important part of our Muslim culture. In the similar way can take example of Two Eid Festival, Shob E- Barat and Qadar also playing a very important role in Bengal culture. All of this belief came from Arabic culture hundreds of years ago and enter into Bengal culture.

In Bangladesh about 85% people are Muslim and second big religion is Hindu about 11% people practice this religion. In both religions there are some persons who lead the community. In Islam, people love to follow the command from Mouluvi and Hindu people love to follow the command of Purohit. This two class people always, command people with showing some history and contribution of fellow followers to establish the religion. As well as they try to follows a bright and prospect of particular person if direction of religion is possible to follow. Some cases they try to show their super power, just to get attention from mass people. once upon a time that person become hero of the society.

Connotation represent Society; Denotation is the Root

Communication is a process, through this some one make a relationship with others. A communication consider as successful when source and receiver exactly understand the message. If we put our eyes in the process of communication, we will find some one firstly who will work as a source he/she will encode a message than will send it to media, the receiver will decode it and than will provide feedback. There could be verbal or non verbal communication.

If we go for the term ‘denotation’, it refers to the surface or literal meaning encoded to signifier, and the definition most likely to appear in a dictionary. Whatever the literal meaning is, to transmit information both addresser and addressee must understand the similar code. In western world, a thumb up refers to appreciate or congratulate a particular person. On the other hand in Bengal society some areas people use the sign to disagree with some one or to show anxiousness use this sign. As meaning is different with similar sign in that case it bit tough to keep communication with two areas people.

On the other hand term ‘connotation’ is used in boarder way. Connotation arises when the denotative relationship between a signifier and it’s signified is inadequate to serve the needs of the community. For meaning of a new object may be newly used by a particular community or even it could be use in dictionary for that community.

To keep relationship with others and to create a social bond human being used different signs and codes. The upgrade version of code and sign is language, which is very important component of culture. Culture represents everything of a particular nation, like dress code, food habit, national celebration, social customs and norms, values, everything. This culture comes through successful connotation. In Bengal culture we see, people of Bangladesh are very much concuss about guests, which may not found in western part of earth. In ‘Pohela Baishakh’ Benagli New year celebration we see, total nation come together with their own heritage. Every woman wears Sharees and male use Punjabi, love to take traditional bangla food, the whole day people pass their busy time with moving to their relatives, listen popular Bangla songs. On the other hand English New Year celebration process is bit different, English people loved to celebrate the day with their own culture.

If we consider sports I mean cricket, you will see the game is same around the world, the enjoyment of supporters are not same. In Australia we see, people rush to stadium as a holyday mood; love to show replica of their own culture. But here in this sub continent celebration process is bit different, in traditional mood people come to stadium in aggressive mood.

To respect elder and be soft on kids it’s part of social structure of Bangladeshi culture. Here in Bangladesh religious value is very important factor. This component mostly dominates social culture and heritage of Bengal. What should be the dress code of female, what marriage process everything is should define by religious rules and regulation?