Revisiting "The Shape of Water": Liberal Escapism and the Fantasy of Working-Class Empathy

This article examines Guillermo del Toro’s "The Shape of Water" as a cinematic response to the political climate of Donald Trump’s first presidency, particularly in its portrayal of working-class empathy and interclass solidarity. By analyzing key scenes and genre conventions, I argue that the film offers a liberal fantasy of reconciliation between the working class and the Other that substitutes the reality of class antagonism for the sake of emotional uplift. "The Shape of Water" reconfigures the monster film trope to offer a moral lesson about tolerance that overlooks the complexities of class and race. In doing so, it reinforces Hollywood’s tradition of symbolic resolution, catering to liberal sensibilities while avoiding engagement with the deeper reasons behind political division. Seen from the perspective of Trump’s second term, the film reveals the limitations of symbolic empathy in addressing enduring social and economic inequalities.