Question.2303 - For this written assignment, you have two options: Option 1:Traditional Film You will have the opportunity to watch a film of your choice and analyze how it depicts traditional gender roles, gender norms, social expectations, relationships, and family. You will be able to analyze how the film supports social order, and conformity and perpetuates traditionally gendered socialization. You may want to begin by analyzing how social expectations and values are expressed: media acts as an agent of socialization as it teaches us what is expected or not by society. Media can exert strong cohesion within society and groups. You may examine portrayals of family and romantic relationships. In this course, we address the importance of gender socialization, norm establishment, and internalization of values. Whether it is about how to be a man, what is the role of a mother, social expectations based on gender, internalization of oppression, or buying into masculinity/femininity. Films have the power to influence us and dictate what our behavior is meant to be like and what our beliefs are supposed to be. If you are like most people, you probably enjoy your share of media in the form of movies, series, or even documentaries. If you are like most people though, you have probably not analyzed the depth in which these forms of entertainment send us hidden curricula about what life and our personalities are meant to be like. This activity gives you the opportunity to watch a film that depicts traditional gender expectations and analyze how it perpetuates gender inequalities and sexism. It further gives you the opportunity to critique the portrayal of romantic relationships and family dynamics. 2 This assignment gives you the opportunity to watch a movie of your choice and analyze it thoroughly, understanding how media act as an agent of socialization influencing our perspectives on gender and our social expectations of gender roles. After having completed this assignment, you will most likely watch television and film through a more critical lens. This assignment is meant for you to understand the power media has held over you and many other people and to the degrees it can shape our perspectives and behaviors. For your assignment, o Choose a movie of your choice and analyze how it encourages traditional perspectives. o Consider the timeframe when the film was created o Think about how the film promotes the era’s values. o Consider who the audience it is meant to reach is. o You should also consider which kind of message it conveys about who are dominant or non- dominant groups and how people are to behave. o Think about whether you see gender stereotypes being played and what is the harm or benefit of these when adopted by mainstream society. o Analyze whether characters are realistic or exaggerated characters. o Can you observe sexism, homophobia, or another form of isms in the film? o Since intersectionality matters, you should carefully note how matters such as social class, race, gender, sexual orientation, (dis) ability status, age, religion, and nationality play a role in this film. o Describe movie scenes that support your points. o Feel free to make personal connections to the films and how they have impacted your views and perspectives about groups and even yourself. o Do use the course textbooks as a reference and cite them when appropriate. ONLY word or PDF files, or Google Docs (with no shared restrictions) will be accepted. 3 Also, this assignment is completely confidential and will only be read by me. Here are the assignment requirements: Format: Font: size 12 Spacing: Double Spaced Length: four to five pages long. Written format: essay style Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Observation of gender roles: explains how the character behaves and how they maintain normative identities. Complies with the requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Analysis of internalization: uses examples within the film in connection to the course readings that support conformity within the group. Complies with the requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Effect on socialization: apply understanding of gender roles in your personal lived experience or that of your friends, family, and society. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Intersectionality: observe how social identities of social class, race, gender, sexual orientation, (dis) ability status, age, religion, and nationality play a role in the characters’ lives/film. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Option 2: Social Justice Impacted Film You will have the opportunity to watch a film of your choice and analyze how it challenges stereotypes, traditional gender roles, and social expectations, with a focus on relationships and family. By this time in the semester, you have attained a deeper understanding of the negative effects of hegemonic masculinities, essentialist perspectives, and heterosexism, among other oppressive matters. You will be able to analyze how the film challenges gendered expectations, conformity, and gendered socialization whether it is done in a covert or overt matter. Examine the family and romantic relationships that provide a more egalitarian approach and how this may impact newer generations. Media can exert strong cohesion within society and groups, so watching innovative films can resocialize individuals and instill new sets of values that may create positive social change. In this course, we have been addressing the importance of gendered socialization, ranging from expectations of manhood, wifely duties, mommy track, second shift, sexual normativity, internalization 4 of oppression, and investing in masculinity/femininity. Films have the power to influence us and dictate what our behavior is meant to be like and what our beliefs are supposed to be. This course’s array of weekly discussions has opened your perception of social identities in society and their impact on relationships and family. This activity gives you the opportunity to watch a film that depicts traditional gender expectations and analyze how it attempts to challenge gender inequalities and critically examine the social institution of the family. This assignment gives you the opportunity to watch a movie of your choice and analyze it thoroughly, understanding how media act as agents of socialization influencing our perspectives on gender and our social expectations of gender roles. This assignment is meant for you to the progress (or lack of) that has occurred in the film. For your assignment, o Choose a movie of your choice and analyze how it discourages traditional perspectives. o Consider the timeframe when the film was created and how this may have impacted gender/sexual practices in the storyline. o Observe whether gender is being recreated and whether feminism is present. o Analyze whether characters are realistic and common or exaggerated and harmful. o Have sexism and homophobia been challenged? o Since intersectionality matters, you should carefully note how aspects such as social class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, age, religion, and nationality play a role in this film. o Describe movie scenes that support your points. o Feel free to make personal connections to the films and how they have impacted your perspectives about gender and yourself. o Do use the course textbook as a reference and cite it when appropriate. ONLY word, PDF files, or Google Docs (with no shared restrictions) submitted will be accepted. Also, this assignment is completely confidential and will only be read by me. Here are the assignment requirements: 5 Format: Font: size 12 Spacing: Double Spaced Length: four to five pages long. Written format: essay style Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Observation of gender roles: explains how the characters behave and the way in which the film challenges to gender and/or sexual stereotypes. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Intersectionality: observe how social identities of social class, race, gender, sexual orientation, (dis) ability status, age, religion, and nationality play a role in the characters’ lives/film. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Effect on socialization: apply an understanding of how the promotion of feminism and egalitarianism impacts individuals. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Implication for social change: explain how the movie promotes positive social change in terms of gender/sexuality, family, and relationships. Complies with requirement (10 points) Partially complies with the requirement (5 points) Does not comply with requirement (0 points) Most importantly, have fun while you are doing this!
Answer Below:
Analysis of the film PRETTY WOMAN Pretty Woman is a work of art directed by Gary Marshall from a screenplay by J.F. Lawton. It is an American Romantic Comedy film. It was released in the year 1990. Pretty Woman, the name was given after the song ‘Oh, pretty woman’ which was sung by Roy Orbison in 1964. Originally it was titled ‘3000’ but since this name did not match the story of the movie and seemed as if it was based on science, the name Pretty Woman was decided. As per the era of the 90s, the film could be termed as a ‘cultural touchstone’ while as time has passed by many faults can be shown in the then hit movie as thoughts vary as per time and person to person. In a way it can be said that this film glorifies money which is materilistic in comparison to women who is shown to be degraded. This film encircles around a rich wealthy entrepreneur and a prostitute. Edward the rich entrepreneur from New York hires Vivian a hooker to accompany him to his social events. For a business meeting to buy and sell a company, both the actor and the actress spend a week together and fall hard for each other. This is when the trouble develops. Both form an unlikely pair and in the process to be together, sometimes hurting each other's sentiments, they try to bridge the significant hurdles between their different worlds. This film had a traditional approach and encouraged traditional perspectives. It is so because it consisted of the required aspects to give it a traditional approach. As the film focused on the sense organs of the viewers, it had an aesthetic approach. For this film, technology like special effects, editing, overall pacing, etc were used so it even had a technological approach. When a film is worth the amount used to produce a film it has an economic approach. A film that has the power to influence its audiences; has a socio-historical approach. Thus the director could successfully take care of all traditional perspectives. The 1990s was the time when action movies, horror films, and thriller films were at their hype. It was even the time for the realization of global threats like AIDS, etc. Topics like family movies and romances are always liked, it may be any era. So, Pretty Woman being a comedy romantic was perfect to attract the families, the young couples, the teens to love it. This film in some way pictures the threats like AIDS in the scenes where the actress carried condoms. Being a prostitute she is well aware of the disease and initiates to take precautions. Even unlike her friend she is not addicted to drugs. The message that the movie passes is about women: their responsibilities and aspirations. It shows that as women have to fulfill their responsibilities towards their families and others in the world, similarly they are responsible for themselves too and must acknowledge it too. The females should try not to neglect themselves for anyone, as no one is worth their sacrifices and for their aspirations. While this film is based on feminist ideologies but typical gender stereotype is also visible in this film. This film is successfully able to portray that women, too get hurt and their sentiments are also to be taken care of. In fact the women should also take a stand for themselves. We can see Vivian being hurt when Edward offers to help her from getting out of her hooker job and proposes to provide her with a condo and allowance. He even promises to be in touch with her and would try to catch her up as and when possible. Even in one scene, we see that Vivian just for the sake of her self-respect denied staying back with Edward for one more night. There are many scenes depicting gender stereotypes in this film. Vivian is characterized as a prostitute in the film. She is the one shown putting on her clothes, which emphasizes the sexuality of a female. It even shows that the body of the woman is more revealed in comparison to the man. Vivian is the one shown with poor manners depicting she does not know how to act as a lady and does not have table manners. Further, the movie shows how well and fast Vivian has learned to dress and the table manners but again it is depicted that this sophisticated change in her was not possible without Edward. It shows that women are weak and need the support of men to get recognition, all their life, which is a preconceived, mindset of the world. When her secret is revealed by Edward to his lawyer, it portrays the negative effect when the lawyer tries to take advantage, which shows that men exhibit power over women. Throughout the movie, it is portrayed that men are powerful and dominant over women. It is shown that Edward holds a very prestigious characteristic over Vivian, from the very beginning to the end of the movie. The movie shows that Edward being wealthy and having connections can rent a diamond necklace from a jeweler as they have faith in his returning power while when Vivian went for shopping at a clothing store she was humiliated by the staff of the store. I believe that a man has always been shown powerful over women and this trend has though reduced but continues today too. The power, care, and intelligence of women can be used to build a stronger community. I feel that the characters of the movie Pretty Woman are mainly realistic but somewhat exaggerated, too. A hooker is a hooker, how sophisticated she may become, but changing one’s life towards a positive part is good for society. Pulling out the body of a hooker from a dump shows the reality of the so-called high society. A businessman running away from an important meeting, losing the way to his hotel, and then being helped by a prostitute and spending a night with her is what happens in our society. A businessman using a hooker for his business purpose changes her looks with his money and then falls in love with her cannot be accepted by society but still somewhat can be true in real life. The staff of the hotel, the hotel manager, and the people around being nice and sweet to the hooker is an exaggerated scene in the movie. A businessman throwing away his lawyer from his job for being in true love with a hooker is rarely possible because who would harm one's business. Falling in love with a prostitute is possible but ending up together is not possible in real cases. The scene where the lawyer proposes to Vivian for her services after she was done with Edward seemed to be a true scene as that was an obvious situation for a hooker. In this case, Vivian getting upset with Edward upon putting her true life in front of his lawyer seemed to be unreal as and it was of no sense for Vivian to get upset, till the time she shared her feeling of love for Edward. Edwards’s jealousy was an obvious scene as he did not like Vivian talking to some other male. One important aspect of the film is that it shows that with the help of Edward, Vivian can come out of the hooker job but this does not happen in reality. Such scenes can only be shown in the movies but cannot take place in real life. Sexism is observed in the film, many times. The movie begins with a scene of prostitution. In the film, it is shown that a hooker is hired for business purposes while there can be only one kind of business possible with a prostitute. When the lawyer of Edward comes to know the secret of Vivian, he too tries to molest her. Intersectionality plays a major role in this film. We can see the difference in the social class of both the major characters Edward and Vivian at the beginning of the film. Edward is portrayed as a high-class wealthy businessman while Vivian is depicted as a hooker. Gender bias and sexual orientation have mostly been depicted in this film. Vivian’s transformation attracts Edward and makes him come close to her, which is one of the scenes where sexism is shown. In many places disability status of Vivian is shown. The film shows that Edward hires Vivian for money and clothes for a week. In a scene, he even uses a private jet to take Vivian to the San Francisco Opera to see La Traviata. As one is a hooker and another a wealthy entrepreneur, so, of course, there may be racial, age, and religious differences among them, while differences in such aspects have not been clearly stated in this movie. I believe that this movie is intended to target teens and young adults. This was not done just for entertainment, but it serves one more purpose to be successful in life the choices made should be thoughtful and one should understand that a consequence is always to be faced, whether good or bad. Some facts of life were shown in the film, like the life of a hooker, which is the bitter truth of our so-called developed society. Then a sudden and positive change occurs in the life of a hooker which again is difficult for society to accept. One of the best things that are depicted in this film is that Vivian is intelligent and she chooses love over money even though she has no honored job and that is the reason she is forced to live the life of a hooker. One wrong message that is passed to the teens through this film is by showing obsession for materialistic things like private jet, good rated hotels, etc. The behavior patterns of almost all the characters seem perfect in the film. It is very normal for a hooker to be called upon to spend a night by a wealthy businessman. Even being hired for a week is also normal for a hooker in exchange for cash and clothes. The scene where the lawyer tries to molest Vivian was as per human nature because he tries to molest her only after knowing that she was a hooker and Edward has hired her for work. In the film, we can see that Vivian, after being hired by Edward, tries her best to learn the etiquette of higher society so that she could match them and Edward will not be ashamed of her. She tries to dress like the high society females and learns table manners. I believe that it helps in building the confidence of the learner too. This is gender bias because Edward knew that he has hired a hooker so he should not have expected so many changes but still he did. I can see the pressure through which Vivian goes and so she changed for the sake of Edward to adjust to society. She tries to transform her from the life of a hooker to a high-class society female, which is a challenge for her and she overcomes it very beautifully and smartly. She learns to dress as per the high society and even takes the initiative to learn to live like them. This she does as has fallen in love with her life changer that is Edward.More Articles From Film and Movies
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