The Wolf of Wall Street Reaction Paper

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The Wolf of Wall Street
The big city, New York has always had its share of people who stretch the law or push the
envelope a little bit more. Belfort was a notorious stockbroker from the 1990’s who prides himself
in making about fifty million dollars a year while operating an outbound calling center in a stock
brokerage firm called Oakmont Brokerage Firm. However, his life is corrupted by sex, drugs, and
money. He went from being an innocent twenty-nine-year-old to an infamous manipulating person
operating a dump and pump scheme. This reaction paper will focus on the character of Jordan
Belfort as played by Leonardo DiCaprio, the crimes implied and criminological theories depicted
in the movie (Stuart Henry 200).
Being a stock swindler, he would rile up his juniors with crazy presentations that would
motivate them to defraud unsuspecting investors with deceitful stocks sales. He attracted more
brokers with his endless debauchery and promise of constant bonuses. His first recruit was Donnie
Azoff, then eventually his father also joined in the fun. Finally, he was found and convicted of
money laundering and fraud. Moreover, he was sentenced to twenty-two months in prison and
asked to compensate about two hundred million dollars back to the buyers his brokerage firm had
swindled from (Scott N.pag).
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Even though Jordan Belfort lived a lavish life filled with greed he showed he depicted
excellent business sense and had both positive and undesirable characteristics of business
communication. One notable trait was his ability to correspond with customers on call efficiently.
For stockbrokers, this was a plus as it was pivotal when trying to trade stocks with a potential
buyer or investor. Belfort would begin his process by winning the trust of the client on the phone;
he would introduce himself, statin where he is from and what he has to offer the client.
Furthermore, he would absorb the client with his charming and optimistic attitude and explain
more how the stock could affect the client in the most likely best way (Scott N.pag).
Another excellent quality he possessed was his ability to psyche his team of brokers
through his body language and confident speech. In face to face interactions he always stressed
four essential techniques of speech; these are word choice, quality of expression, voice quality,
and adaptation. With his ferocious approach to speech, he was able to affect his team of tenacious
brokers positively. It is safe to say that Jordan’s character in this movie was one of selfish,
ambitious and crooked person. He was an evangelist of quick money and uncontrolled pleasure.
Jordan was also misogynous, he trades his wife Teresa for a more busty and attractive woman
called Naomi, and he regularly objectified women throughout the film too.
This movie is illuminating in the sense that it uses wit and comedy continually and
appallingly. Nonetheless, there is a familiar feeling of brotherhood amongst the characters which
the writer could not help but revel in through their profane lifestyles and hormonal vitality. This
movie also invokes feelings of antagonism of the show just witnessed. Likewise, one would feel
worn down or demoralized by the tackiness observed. Perhaps, these feelings could easily pass for
an honest appreciation of the movie’s critical ambition.
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Some of the criminological theories present in this movie include; rational choice theory,
subcultural theory and feminist perspectives (Ronald L. Akers 167). The rational choice theory is
when an individual who is capable of making sound choices opts to commit a crime. In which
case, he or she will have weighed up the benefits and drawbacks of the crime or action to be
undertaken. Jordan made a sound choice to defraud investors after discovering a loophole in the
business. He strategically approached the investors on call and wooed them with his charm into
investing in tricky stocks sales.
The subcultural theory is whereby one’s status frustrates an individual and causes them to
commit a crime. This theory is linked to strain and anomie of differential opportunities causing
individuals to partake in delinquent activities. The brokers recruited by Jordan were lured into it
by his ambitious and successful lifestyle. Donnie for instance, was unsatisfied and frustrated by
his broke status and wanted to change this. Donnie approached Jordan and asked him how he
managed to live as he did.
Feminists or Gender perspectives indicate that males unduly commit crimes. Jordan
persisted in crime even though Teresa, his wife advised him not to. Gendered norms regarding
what is appropriate for women and men. Thereby, making crime a male-dominated action. This
film accurately portrays a functional criminal justice system. Eventually, Jordan Belfort was
convicted of his crime, and the defrauded victims received their monies back (Ronald L. Akers
89).
Lastly, Martin Scorsese outdid himself once again in this movie by the use of vaunting
excess to show the viewers his enthusiasm in filmmaking. The main character, Jordan was
portrayed as a selfish and unscrupulous businessman. The Wolf of Wall Street exudes a morbid and
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vulgar energy that kept us entertained and informed on the various criminological theories from
the beginning of the movie to its chaotic finish (Scott N.pag).
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Works Cited
Ronald L. Akers, Christine Sharon Sellers. Criminalogical Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and
Application. London: Oxford University Press, 2012. Book.
Scott, A. O. When Greed was Good (and Fun). New York, 23 April 2018.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/movies/dicaprio-stars-in-scorseses-the-wolf-of-wall-
street.html.
Stuart Henry, Mark Lanier. What is Crime?: Controversies Over the Nature of Crime and what to Do about
it. Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2001.

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