Gordon Gekko: The True Hero of Wall Street Anonymous College

Wall Street best reflects the values of conspicuous consumption which came to define the 1980s. From a historical perspective, some of the most interesting works of art which fail to convey the artists’ message and become popular for reasons that the artist did not intend. Often, this dynamic works when there is a particular character that is supposed to be the villain and yet takes over. The quintessential example is Milton’s Paradise Lost in which Lucifer became the hero for readers and an inspiration for the Romantic Movement, particularly Lord Byron. In Wall Street, Gordon Gekko becomes the Lucifer character and he is supposed to be the villain; yet, the movie’s popularity is due to Michael Douglas’ performance which inspired a generation of financial professionals.

The irony of the movie is that it was meant to be a meditation on how greed corrupts. Charlie Sheen was supposed to be the hero and the focal point. His journey from young eager broker to insider trader is supposed to highlight the way that greed destroys people. Yet, Charlie Sheen’s character doesn’t manage to convey a man losing his soul, so much as a whiner who makes a lot of money and still can’t stop complaining until finally he turns his mentor into the...