FINAL DRAFT: To what extent has the representation of women in contemporary Hollywood films changed for the better, with particular reference to ‘The Devil Wears Prada’?
What is representation? This is a common question asked, which indicates that it is a concept that is difficult to define and sometimes explain. Representation is the mediated versions of people, places or objects in the form of a re-presentation. “Films have been a mirror held up to society’s porous face. They therefore reflect the changing societal image of women—which, until recently, has not been taken seriously enough.”[1] Therefore it is argued that what we see in the media is an attempt to reproduce reality. Women in society have been perceived very differently throughout history and their representation has changed dramatically over the year. In many contemporary films women have started to be represented as being more independent and confident however this was not the case in the past. It is important to evaluate how women were portrayed in the past in order to see how, why and when these changes occurred. The text which will be explored primarily is The Devil Wears Prada (2006)[2] this film can be identified as a contemporary film which represents women as being independent however some elements of the film promote traditional ideologies and forms of patriarchy which oppress women as suggested by Gunter that ‘marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown on television to be more important for women’[3].
Women prior to 1920 were represented in the media as being the typical women, this means that they were seen as undertaking the usual expressive role in the family. However after the 1920’s there was a defining moment in the history of women’s representation and women were portrayed differently. "Movies during the 1920s depicted what a new “modern” woman should be and served as an instructional manual for young women of the time”[4]. The movie ‘It’ (1927)[5] featuring Clara Bow indicated this change towards modernity through the way she appeared and looked; she had short hair and wore heavy make-up alongside the dresses and skirts having to be shorter. Motion pictures portrayed the birth of the new modern women in film, these women were portrayed quiet differently from the conservative attitudes normally expected to be present in women’s representations. “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time”[6]. This was due to social issues during that era which was reflected in the media. Socially women were able to vote in the 1920s which was a great step towards women’s independence, and was a major transformation in the media because this social alteration was being portrayed in movies notably by the motion pictures industry. This links to the hypothesis showing that the representation of women has changed for the better. It could be suggested that this new variation in the appearance of women could be seen as elements of what has been termed as the male gaze started to come about, although it wasn’t until the 1970s when it was first explored by Laura Mulvey in her essay which claimed that ‘In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness’[7]. This can be seen as being an important factor in constructing the representation of women as it shows that on one hand women are given more presence on screen however their power is taken away by patriarchal society by portraying them as objects of desire. Mulvey’s findings can also be applied to The Devil Wears Prada, when Andy has a make-over and is depicted as being sexy; a tilting shot is used, the camera is being tilted up and down Andy emphasising her body and forcing the audience to look. This theory could be seen to be negative as women are objectified however women could also be seen as being in a dominant position and having the ability to lure men. Movies were most popular amongst the female audience during this era, the reason for this may be that they sought escapism and aspired to be like the women in the movies who were shown to be independent, “A Photoplay article in 1924 suggests that 75 percent of the audiences were women, and in 1927 Moving Pictures World stated that 83 percent of the audiences were women”[8]. These independent women would typically be shown as smoking, dancing, etc and would be referred to as ‘Flappers’. This image of women may be seen to be a positive aspect as they gain independence from it however it could also be damaging to their image as it would challenge the gender roles in society and led to behaviour which would be regarded as being deviant for a woman. Women are also the primary target audience for The Devil Wears Prada they would mainly be young females aged between 18-25 years and belonging to the C1, C2, D and E socio-economic groups. This may be the target due to the film dealing with issues such as women’s achievements and a female audience tend to gain escapism from their lives. Through these films women get to experience and undertake the role of an independent and successful woman through associating themselves with the character and adapting themselves with the representation that is conveyed through the film. The main protagonist of The Devil Wears Prada, Andy, would be the character that the audience would most aspire to resemble. This woman is depicted as being very independent, modern and career orientated showing the difference in the representation of women in this film compared to how majority of women in the 1920s represented as being housewives. This shows that the representation of women had changed for the better. However there were a great number of films that represented women as being profession orientated “The American Film Institute Catalog lists 49 sale clerks, 28 stenographers, and no less than 114 secretaries who appeared on the screen between 1921 and 1930. These films tended to glorify these professions…”[9] again this representation of women during this era provided them with escapism from their lives, which was revolved around housework through these films women got the opportunity to associate themselves with these new type of women in society as many women in film were shown moving into the workforce. Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl (1926) is an example that promotes the idea of women joining the workforce and gaining success, moreover it seems to be men making commercial gain from women’s domestic skills. However there still seems to be elements of patriarchy in the position offered to women in the workforce as these roles seem to be sub-servant where their actions are still governed by the greater power of men. The ideology that is being promoted is that men tell women what is acceptable for them to do, when considering The Devil Wears Prada the film could be seen as an alternative as the film seems to change the dominant ideology where Miranda being the women is the boss and is commanding everyone suggesting that the representation of women has changed for the better. The reception theory could be seen as playing a part for the audience to understand this strong representation of women because the audience may apply their own beliefs and experiences to the film.
Historical events that have occurred in society in the past have helped develop women’s representation in the media in a positive manner. In the 1920s women in the United States were allowed to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution this led to the suffrage movement helping women to escape the traditional way of living and giving them a new sense of courage. This led to women being shown in a positive light in the media, by them developing a new and independent representation. Marxist feminism ideology takes a feminist perspective viewing capitalism as a source of gender inequalities which affected women’s representation in the media; they were viewed as being there to produce the next generation of workers. As previously mentioned the Second World War had also influenced women’s representations because men were off to war and women had to take upon male roles in order to help society function properly.
The end of World War II during the 1940s also affected what was shown in the media; there was a dramatic change in society, during this period men were returning from the war and there was an urge to return to the traditional conjugal roles, this was also exposed in the media, “After four years of wartime instability, both women and men seemed to want to return to a patriarchal order, with women in the home”[10]. Women were taking the expressive roles by doing the housework whilst men went out to earn money and fulfilled the role of an instrumental leader. There was a sudden need to get women back into traditional roles because it was the absence of men during the war that led to women taking on male roles the return of men meant the return of the previous family structure. It could also be said that this was a form of patriarchy taking place as the men get to take on the dominant role which also indicates their sense of insecurity because women were fulfilling the role successfully. “The women who were featured in movies were limited to family roles. Women were shown doing housework and men were the beneficiaries of their work. On the other hand, men were employed, had careers, and were doing something outside the home”[11]. During this phase there was great amount of promotion of the institution of marriage; it was a women’s priority to get married in order to feel secure with a man, Picnic (1956) is a film that perfectly indicates this ‘Howard, meanwhile, drives a dejected Rosemary home, and she pleads with him to marry her, explaining that her life is utterly empty. When he refuses and asks for things to remain the same between them, Rosemary declares they cannot see each other again unless he intends to marry her’[12].
The 1950s was an era which again brought in a slight change to the representation of women from the 1940s; the shift towards traditional roles from the 1940s still was maintaining and these roles were being conformed to. ‘Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like’[13] The African Queen is a film which could be seen to portray this ideology as Charlie the hero puts his life in danger to save Rose this is also illustrated on the poster for the movie where again we see the hero saving the heroine whilst being surrounded by danger this is further emphasised through the long shot used which effectively portrays the danger in the background, the fact that the male protagonist is positioned over the female emphasises the dominance and superiority and also suggests that he is providing her with protection promoting the idea that women can not protect themselves and need a man. This representation of women being in an inferior position to men in the media was a reflection of real life, where men had a dominant role whilst women were adapting to housewife roles and motivation for women to join the workforce was lacking. The idea that women should be dependent on the male was further being reinforced by the media after gaining the basis from society. However the 1950s did bring a remarkable change in the representation of women ‘The way a woman could be portrayed in a film became more open’[14]. ‘In the early fifties the restrictions of the Hays code were loosened’[15]; this was a code before the 1950s which was controlled by Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) which specified how women should be represented in movies, and these restrictions had women portrayed as housewives, maternal and inferior to male. However loosening this code brought about change and women’s representation transformed they were now shown to be more independent. It led to women in modern film to be portrayed as independent which is also evident in The Devil Wears Prada as the character of Andy Sachs mirrors this representation through her commitment to her job and her being so career orientated.
Contemporary Hollywood films portray many different representations of women in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. The audience gets to experience the different types of representations of women as there are two main female characters portraying the different representations of women in the media. ‘Finally in the Devil Wears Prada clip it shows several different women getting ready, by accessorizing, there is a lot of high fashion, which promotes the icon like status of the industry’[16]. The character of Miranda Priestley is shown as being extremely career driven that she has passed the stage where she has to choose between her personal and professional life because she has already made her choice and her career is her priority, this is typically a representation of a ‘ball buster’ where the demanding woman destroys a male’s confidence. She may be shown to be powerful and a superior women in the film but she is not as independent as shown, she mostly orders Andy to do most of her tasks for her ‘I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins’[17]. This choice she has made goes against the conservative expectations; her character is shown to have lost liveliness, joy and has a sense of emptiness which only a man can fulfil. In order to fill this emptiness she has to sacrifice her career but she eventually gets divorced by her husband ‘her boss let down her guard for the first time as she worries about the effect an impending divorce will have on her twin daughters’[18]. There is an ideology represented in the film that indicates that women who are successful in their career are actually not able to cope with their personal life as seen through the consequences that Miranda has to face. Moreover this problem could certainly also be applied to the character of Andy as we get to see that when she is experiencing increased success in her career she starts to drift away from her live in boyfriend. Miranda in the film makes a comment that could be applied to women in general and make them think ‘people think that success just happens to you… it doesn’t… want this life (success)… the decision is yours’[19], this shows that patriarchal ideologies are being portrayed where the male has dominance and things meant to happen according to their will. The issue of the glass ceiling is raised in this film and this subject is presented accurately as in many cases this idea of the glass ceiling have been raised in real life situations for many women. Andy in the film can’t balance both her personal and professional life one always becomes an obstacle for another ‘my personal life is hanging by a thread’[20] Nigel her colleague replies to this comment by saying ‘that’s what happens when you start doing well at work…I mean all your life starts going up in smoke… It means that there is time for a promotion’[21] the ideology that is being presented in the film is quite literally that when women have problems in their personal life it is due to them doing well at work because men would not accept the fact that women are doing well as it also goes against their values. He also adds that when your life goes up in smoke it means that it is time for a promotion suggesting that women need to destroy their personal life in order to pursue their professional life. Andy’s character could be seen as the Proppian princess who is the object of the villain’s scheme whilst Miranda’s character is seen to be fitting the conventions of Proppian’s role of the villain being portrayed as the ‘witch’. This illustrates Levi-Strauss’ theory on binary opposition as Andy represents good as the protagonist and Miranda portrays evil as the antagonist.
The Devil Wears Prada also influences positive feminist ideology when Andy has a job in the most famous fashion magazine whilst her boyfriend is working as a chef at a restaurant showing the different job status with Andy having a better job. Streep’s character also fulfils the expectation of genre, the film is partially characterised as a comedy and through Miranda Priestley’s sarcastic and unwise comments she introduces a sense of comedy for the audience. For example when there is a bad storm and her flight home is cancelled leading to no flights flying out, she expects to get home no matter what happens she also calls the heavy storms drizzling ‘Oh, please... it's just- I don't know- drizzling’[22]. This also influence the representation of women as they are represented as ridiculous and insensible bringing in the term bimbo giving women a negative representation. Women who are involved in the fashion industry are also represented in the film, as being devil like and evil, they show that these women start to build a harsh personality. This is also illustrated on the poster for the movie by having pitchfork as a heel on a shoe. This shoe is red which connotes danger and is surrounded by a white background which represents purity, this could be a symbolism of Andy as she is pure and innocent before joining the fashion industry but the industry starts to corrupt her. This message reinforces the idea that women are not suitable for work and become corrupt when they become excessively career orientated. Hegemony is being achieved by the institution as they are promoting their dominant values and their viewpoint becomes accepted by the audience.
The Devil Wears Prada is a film that also deals with issues that have currently created social chaos such as the size 0 issue ‘In this celebrity-worshipping, media-saturated age, concentration-camp chic is getting seared into our consciousness like an ahi tuna salad, hold the dressing and the fish.[23]’ The character of Emile is shown wanting to lose weight as she is slim as it is ‘I'm on this new diet. Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight’[24]. This again reflects upon the representation of women as they are shown to be so self conscious about their looks and maintaining their figure. This is the media whose role is to create an image and expect people to conform to this image which creates a big issue socially as people who do not live up to these representations are socially excluded. This shows that the audience have certain expectations of the way women should be portrayed demonstrating the active audience theory where the audience actively participate in the understanding of the text. This shows that this representation has not changed for the better, giving women a negative representation. Furthermore at the beginning when Andy approaches Miranda for a job she is criticised because she is not the appropriate size which according to Miranda would be a size 0 ‘I thought take a chance and hire the smart fat girl’[25]. There were also reports on how Anne Hathaway who plays the role of Andy went against the Hollywood industry ‘Anne Hathaway has slammed Hollywood executives for encouraging the size zero culture, insisting actresses should not be forced to slim down for roles’[26]. This shows how far the media goes to get a particular representation of women. ‘Finally in the Devil Wears Prada clip it shows several different women getting ready, by accessorizing, there is a lot of high fashion, which promotes the icon like status of the industry’[27]. The movie attempts to depict the fashion industry in response to this people have conveyed different views on how true this representation is. Booth Moore at Los Angeles Times described the film as ‘fine fashion fantasy with little to do with reality’ claiming that it portrays what other people think of the fashion industry and does not show what the fashion industry is really like. Additionally Hadley a Guardian writer complained the film was wash in the ‘sexism’ and ‘clichés’ that, to her, beset movies about fashion in general. However Charla Krupp the executive editor of Shop says ‘it’s the first film I’ve seen that got it right’. This shows the representation of women of the fashion industry being presented as backstabbing and sucking-up. It could also be argued that Andy takes on male characteristics to achieve success as she side steps Emily to be able to go to Paris, this illustrates that in order for a women to gain success they need to take on male qualities; this loses the real representation of women by giving them male characteristics showing that women’s representation has not changed for the better.
Erin Brockovich is a film that deals with similar issues to the ones in The Devil Wears Prada the character of Erin has her personal life on one side and her professional career on the other, she is a single mother of three children and has to support them. She later finds herself a boyfriend but situations start going downhill and she ends up in the same dilemma where she has to make a choice between her boyfriend and her career her boyfriend says to her ‘Erin what I’m thinking is that you got to find a different job or a different guy’[28]. This film is not a really recent film it had released in 2000 which shows that this issue with women either pursuing their career or taking on their personal life has been going on for some time.
Fundamentally women’s representations have changed vastly whereas first they were regarded as being virtually in no power and for them to be independent and self contained they had to face many hurdles during the process however the end result shows that it has happened for the better. Conversely there are hidden messages within the current representations women that suggest that women are only suitable for the conservative roles and should prioritise their personal life over their career. When applying it to The Devil Wears Prada the audience tend to get a mixed message where we have Andy electing for her personal life over her profession and on the other hand there is Miranda Priestley who picks her profession over her personal life. The audience are more likely to passively take in the ideology that women’s personal life is more important due to the audience personally identifying with the character of Andy as she tends to be the role model for the audience. Finally the representation of women have improved but there is still some stigma attached to women who are seen to be independent and powerful but considering how women were seen previously their representation have changed in a positive manner and for the better.
3876 Words
[1] Popcorn Venus: Women, movies and the American dream, Author: Marjorie Rosen, Publisher: Avon (1973)
[2] The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Dir: David Frankel
[3] https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
[4] Women, Films and the 1920s
[5] ‘It’, (1927) , Dir: Clarence G Badger
[6] Women, Film and the 1920s
[7] Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) Laura Mulvey
[8] https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
[9] Women, Film and the 1920s
[10] https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
[11] https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
[12] http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=86664
[13] https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
[14] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
[15] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
1.[16] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
[17] The Devil Wears Prada
[18] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/synopsis
[19] The Devil Wears Prada
[20] The Devil Wears Prada
[21] The Devil Wears Prada
[22] The Devil Wears Prada
[23] http://www.frankwbaker.com/hollywoods_thin_look.htm
[24] The Devil Wears Prada
[25] The Devil Wears Prada
[26] http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=4433
1.[27] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
[28] Erin Brockovich
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Monday, 9 February 2009
ESSAY 1ST DRAFT
To what extent has the representation of women in contemporary Hollywood films changed for the better, with particular reference to ‘The Devil Wears Prada’?
What is representation? This is a common question asked, which indicates that it is a concept that is difficult to define and sometimes explain. Representation is the mediated versions of people, in the form of a re-presentation. “Films have been a mirror held up to society’s porous face. They therefore reflect the changing societal image of women—which, until recently, has not been taken seriously enough.”[1] This is a quotation which shows that what we see in the media is an attempt to show the reality. Women in society have been perceived very differently throughout history and their representation has changed dramatically over the year. In many contemporary films women have started to being represented as being more independent and confident however this was not the case in the past. It is important to evaluate how women were portrayed in the past in order to see how and when these changes occurred. The text which will be explored is The Devil Wears Prada (2006) this film can be identified as a contemporary film which represents women as being independent however some elements of the film promote traditional ideologies and forms of patriarchy which oppress women as suggested by Gunter that ‘marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown on television to be more important for women’[2].
Women prior 1920 were represented in the media as being the typical women, this means that they were seen as undertaking the usual expressive role in the family. However after the 1920’s there was a defining moment in the history of women’s representation and women were portrayed differently. "Movies during the 1920s depicted what a new “modern” woman should be and served as an instructional manual for young women of the time”[3]. This was due to social issues during that era which were reflected in the media. Socially women were now able to vote in the 1920’s which was a great step towards women’s independence, and was a major transformation in the media because this social alteration was being portrayed in movies notably by the motion pictures industry. “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time”[4]. Motion pictures portrayed the birth of the new modern women in film, these women were shown to be portrayed quiet differently from the conservative attitudes normally expected to be present in women’s representations. An example includes the movie It (1927) featuring Clara Bow who indicated this change towards modernity through the way she appeared and looked; she had short hair and wore heavy make-up alongside the dresses and skirts having to be shorter. This new variation in the appearance of women brought along the male gaze theory suggested by Laura Mulvey in her essay claiming that ‘In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness’[5]. Mulvey’s theory could also be seen as taking action in The Devil Wears Prada, this is when Andy employs her new look and is depicted as being sexy she tends to leave her boyfriend Nate stunned and also she tends to lure Christian Thompson who she first considered as a friend. Movies were most popular amongst the women audience during this era, the reason for this may well be that they tend to have gained escapism and aspired to be like the women in the movies who were shown to be independent, “A Photoplay article in 1924 suggests that 75 percent of the audiences were women, and in 1927 Moving Pictures World stated that 83 percent of the audiences were women”[6]. These independent women would typically be shown as smoking, dancing, etc and would be referred as ‘Flappers’. Women are also the primary target audience for The Devil Wears Prada they would mainly be young females aged between 18-25 years and mainly belonging to the C2, D and E social groups. This may be the target due to the film dealing with issues such as women’s achievements and women audience tend to gain escapism through associating themselves with the character and adapting themselves with the representation that is conveyed through the film. The main protagonist of The Devil Wears Prada which is Andy would be the character that the audience would most aspire to resemble. This woman is depicted as being very independent, modern and career orientated showing the difference in the representation of women in this film compared to how majority of women in the 1920s represented as being housewives. However there were a great number of films that represented women as being profession orientated “The American Film Institute Catalog lists 49 sale clerks, 28 stenographers, and no less than 114 secretaries who appeared on the screen between 1921 and 1930. These films tended to glorify these professions…”[7] again this representation of women during this era provided them with escapism and many women in film were shown moving into the workforce influencing women in society Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl (1926) is an example that promotes the idea of women joining the workforce and gaining success.
End of World War II was during the 1940s this also affected what was shown in the media; there was a dramatic change in society which again was reflected in the media. During this period men were returning from the war and there was an urge to return to the traditional conjugal roles, this was also exposed in the media, “After four years of wartime instability, both women and men seemed to want to return to a patriarchal order, with women in the home”[8]. Women were taking the expressive roles by doing the housework whilst went out to earn money and fulfilled the role of an instrumental leader. “The women who were featured were limited to family roles. Women were shown doing housework and men were the beneficiaries of their work. On the other hand, men were employed, had careers, and were doing something outside the home”[9]. During this phase there was a great amount of influence on marriage it was a women’s priority to get married in order to feel secure with a man, Picnic (1956) is a film that perfectly indicates this ‘Howard, meanwhile, drives a dejected Rosemary home, and she pleads with him to marry her, explaining that her life is utterly empty. When he refuses and asks for things to remain the same between them, Rosemary declares they cannot see each other again unless he intends to marry her’[10].
The 1950s was an era which again brought in a slight change to the representation of women from the 1940s; the shift towards traditional roles from the 1940s still was maintaining and these roles were being conformed to. This meant that patriarchy was reinforced as the traditional roles consisted of the male being more dominant over the female and male having more of a superior position to women. ‘Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like’[11] The African Queen is a film which could be seen to portray this ideology as Charlie the hero puts his life in danger to save Rose this is also illustrated on the poster for the movie where again we see the hero saving the heroine whilst being surrounded by danger, the fact that the male protagonist is positioned over the female emphasis the dominance and superiority and also suggests that he is providing her with protection promoting the idea that women can not protect themselves and need a man to defend themselves. This representation of women being in an inferior position to men in the media was imitated in real life, leading to men having a dominant role whilst women were adapting to housewife roles and motivation for women to join the workforce was lacking. The idea that women should be dependent on the male was being reinforced by the media. Ultimately women during this time returned to the more conservative role. However the 1950s did bring a remarkable change in the representation of women ‘The way a woman could be portrayed in a film became more open’[12]. This was due to the Hays code loosening ‘In the early fifties the restrictions of the Hays code were loosened’[13]; there was a code before the 1950s which was called the Hays code which specified how women should be represented in media, and these representations had women portrayed as housewives, maternal and inferior to the male stereotype. However this code brought about change and women’s representation transformed they were now shown to be more independent. The portrayal of women as being independent is also reflected in The Devil Wears Prada as the character of Andy Sachs mirrors this representation through her commitment to her job and her being so career orientated.
The Devil Wears Prada is a movie where the audience experiences different types of representations of women as there are mainly two different female characters portraying the different representations of women in the media. ‘Finally in the Devil Wears Prada clip it shows several different women getting ready, by accesorizing, there is a lot of high fashion, which promotes the icon like status of the industry’[14]. The character of Miranda Priestley is shown as being extremely career driven that she has passed the stage where she has to choose between her personal and professional life because she has already made her choice and that is her career being her priority. She may be shown to be powerful and a superior women in the film but she is not as independent as shown, she mostly orders Andy to do most of her tasks for her ‘I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins’[15]. Due to this choice she has made which goes against the conservative expectations her character is shown to have lost liveliness, joy and has a sense of emptiness which only a man can fulfil. In order to fill this emptiness she has to sacrifice her career but she eventually is being divorced by her husband ‘her boss let down her guard for the first time as she worries about the effect an impending divorce will have on her twin daughters’[16]. There is an issue reflected in the film that shows that women who are successful in their career are actually not able to cope with their personal life as it is seen through the consequences that Miranda has to face. Moreover this problem could certainly also be applied to the character of Andy as we get to see that when she is experiencing increased success in her career she starts to get drifted away from her live in boyfriend Miranda in the film makes comment that could be applied to women in general and make them think ‘people think that success just happens to you… it doesn’t… want this life (success)… the decision is yours’[17]. The issue of the glass ceiling is raised in this film and this subject is presented accurately as in many cases this idea of the glass ceiling have been raised in real life situations for many women. Andy in the film can’t balance both her personal and professional life one always becomes an obstacle for another ‘my personal life is hanging by a threat’[18] Nigel her colleague replies to this comment by saying ‘that’s what happens when you start doing well at work…I mean all your life starts going up in smoke… It means that there is time for a promotion’[19] the meaning that is being picked out of the film is quite literally being said that when women have problems in their personal life it is due to them doing well at work. He also adds that when your life goes up in smoke it means that it is time for a promotion suggesting that women need to destroy their personal life in order to pursue their professional life. However the film also influences positive feminist ideology when Andy has a job in the most famous fashion magazine whilst her boyfriend is working as a chef at a restaurant showing the different job status with Andy having a better job. Streep’s character also fulfils the expectation of genre, the film is partially characterised as a comedy and through Miranda Priestley’s sarcastic and unwise comments she introduces a sense of comedy for the audience. For example when there is a bad storm and her fight home is cancelled leading to no flights flying out, she expects to get home no matter what happens she also calls the heavy storms drizzling ‘Oh, please... it's just- I don't know- drizzling’[20]. This also influence the representation of women as they are represented as ridiculous and insensible bringing in the term bimbo giving women a negative representation. Women who are involved in the fashion industry are also being represented in the film, they’re presented as being devil like and evil, they show that these women start to build a harsh personality. This is also illustrated on the poster for the movie by having pitchfork as a heel on a shoe. This shoe is red which connotes danger and is surrounded by a white background which represents purity, this could a symbolism of Andy as she is pure and innocent before joining the fashion industry but the industry starts to corrupt her. This message being conformed reinforces the idea that women are not suitable for work and become corrupt when they become excessively career orientated.
Historical events that occurred in society in the past have helped develop women’s representation in the media in a positive manner. In the 1920s women in the United States were allowed to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution this led to the suffrage movement helping women to escape the traditional way of living and giving them a new sense of courage. This lead to women being shown in a positive light in the media, by them developing a new and independent representation. Marxist ideology also affected women’s representation; they viewed women as being there to produce the next generation of workers. As previously mentioned the Second World War had also influenced women’s representations because men were off to war and women had to take upon male roles in order to help society function properly. The Devil Wears Prada is a film that also deals with issues that have currently created a social chaos such as the size 0 issue ‘In this celebrity-worshipping, media-saturated age, concentration-camp chic is getting seared into our consciousness like an ahi tuna salad, hold the dressing and the fish.[21]’ The character of Emile is shown to want lose weight as she is slim as it is ‘I'm on this new diet. Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight’[22]. This again reflects upon the representation of women as they are shown to be so self conscience about their looks and maintaining their figure. Furthermore at the beginning when Andy approaches Miranda for a job she is criticised because she is not the appropriate size which according to Miranda would be a size 0 ‘I thought take a chance hire the smart fat girl’[23]. There were also reports on how Anne Hathaway who plays the role of Andy went against the Hollywood industry encouraging their actresses to achieve a size 0 for a role in a film ‘Anne Hathaway has slammed Hollywood executives for encouraging the size zero culture, insisting actresses should not be forced to slim down for roles’[24]. This shows that far extent in which the media goes to represent women as being really slim.
Erin Brockovich is a film that deals with similar issues to the ones in The Devil Wears Prada the character of Erin has her personal life and also her professional moreover she is a single mother of three children and have to support them. She later finds herself a boyfriend but situations start going downhill and she ends up in the same dilemma where she has to make a choice between her boyfriend and her career her boyfriend says to her ‘Erin what I’m thinking is that you got to find a different job or a different guy’[25]. This film is not a really recent film it had released in 2000 which shows that this issue with women either pursuing their career or taking on their personal life has been going on for some time.
Fundamentally women’s representation have changed to a vast extent whereas first they were regarded as being not so in power and independent to them being very self contained there have been many hurdles during this process however the end result shows that it has happened for the better. Conversely there are hidden messages within the current representations women that suggest tat women are only suitable for the conservative roles and should prioritise their personal life over their career. When applying it to The Devil Wears Prada the audience tend to get a mixed message where we have Andy electing for her personal life over her profession and on the other hand there is Miranda Priestley who picks her profession over her personal life. The audience are more likely to passively take in the ideology that women’s personal life is more important due to the audience personally identifying with the character of Andy as she tends to be the role model for the audience. Finally the representation of women have improved but there is still some stigma attached to women who are seen to be independent and powerful but considering how women were seen previously their representation have changed in a positive manner and for the better.
2995 Words
[1] Popcorn Venus: Women, movies and the American dream, Author: Marjorie Rosen, Publisher: Avon (1973)
[2] Gunter
[3] Women, Films and the 1920s
[4] Women, Film and the 1920s
[5] Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) Laura Mulvey
[6] Studler
[7] Women, Film and the 1920s
[8] Banner 137
[9] Stupor
[10] http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=86664
[11] Rose
[12] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
[13] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
1.[14] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
[15] The Devil Wears Prada
[16] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/synopsis
[17] The Devil Wears Prada
[18] The Devil Wears Prada
[19] The Devil Wears Prada
[20] The Devil Wears Prada
[21] http://www.frankwbaker.com/hollywoods_thin_look.htm
[22] The Devil Wears Prada
[23] The Devil Wears Prada
[24] http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=4433
[25] Erin Brockovich
Bibliography
http://www.mediaknowall.com/gender.html
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze09.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/
http://www.wmm.com/resources/film_facts.shtml
https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=4433
http://www.frankwbaker.com/hollywoods_thin_look.htm
http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_Wears_Prada_(film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Frankel
http://www.ehs.org.uk/society/pdfs/Lewis%201b.pdf.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=86664
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/synopsis
Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies and the American Dream Author: Marjorie RosenPublisher: Avon (1973)
An Introduction to Film Studies By Jill Nelmes
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) - Laura Mulvey Originally Published - Screen 16.3 Autumn 1975 pp. 6-18
What is representation? This is a common question asked, which indicates that it is a concept that is difficult to define and sometimes explain. Representation is the mediated versions of people, in the form of a re-presentation. “Films have been a mirror held up to society’s porous face. They therefore reflect the changing societal image of women—which, until recently, has not been taken seriously enough.”[1] This is a quotation which shows that what we see in the media is an attempt to show the reality. Women in society have been perceived very differently throughout history and their representation has changed dramatically over the year. In many contemporary films women have started to being represented as being more independent and confident however this was not the case in the past. It is important to evaluate how women were portrayed in the past in order to see how and when these changes occurred. The text which will be explored is The Devil Wears Prada (2006) this film can be identified as a contemporary film which represents women as being independent however some elements of the film promote traditional ideologies and forms of patriarchy which oppress women as suggested by Gunter that ‘marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown on television to be more important for women’[2].
Women prior 1920 were represented in the media as being the typical women, this means that they were seen as undertaking the usual expressive role in the family. However after the 1920’s there was a defining moment in the history of women’s representation and women were portrayed differently. "Movies during the 1920s depicted what a new “modern” woman should be and served as an instructional manual for young women of the time”[3]. This was due to social issues during that era which were reflected in the media. Socially women were now able to vote in the 1920’s which was a great step towards women’s independence, and was a major transformation in the media because this social alteration was being portrayed in movies notably by the motion pictures industry. “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time”[4]. Motion pictures portrayed the birth of the new modern women in film, these women were shown to be portrayed quiet differently from the conservative attitudes normally expected to be present in women’s representations. An example includes the movie It (1927) featuring Clara Bow who indicated this change towards modernity through the way she appeared and looked; she had short hair and wore heavy make-up alongside the dresses and skirts having to be shorter. This new variation in the appearance of women brought along the male gaze theory suggested by Laura Mulvey in her essay claiming that ‘In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness’[5]. Mulvey’s theory could also be seen as taking action in The Devil Wears Prada, this is when Andy employs her new look and is depicted as being sexy she tends to leave her boyfriend Nate stunned and also she tends to lure Christian Thompson who she first considered as a friend. Movies were most popular amongst the women audience during this era, the reason for this may well be that they tend to have gained escapism and aspired to be like the women in the movies who were shown to be independent, “A Photoplay article in 1924 suggests that 75 percent of the audiences were women, and in 1927 Moving Pictures World stated that 83 percent of the audiences were women”[6]. These independent women would typically be shown as smoking, dancing, etc and would be referred as ‘Flappers’. Women are also the primary target audience for The Devil Wears Prada they would mainly be young females aged between 18-25 years and mainly belonging to the C2, D and E social groups. This may be the target due to the film dealing with issues such as women’s achievements and women audience tend to gain escapism through associating themselves with the character and adapting themselves with the representation that is conveyed through the film. The main protagonist of The Devil Wears Prada which is Andy would be the character that the audience would most aspire to resemble. This woman is depicted as being very independent, modern and career orientated showing the difference in the representation of women in this film compared to how majority of women in the 1920s represented as being housewives. However there were a great number of films that represented women as being profession orientated “The American Film Institute Catalog lists 49 sale clerks, 28 stenographers, and no less than 114 secretaries who appeared on the screen between 1921 and 1930. These films tended to glorify these professions…”[7] again this representation of women during this era provided them with escapism and many women in film were shown moving into the workforce influencing women in society Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl (1926) is an example that promotes the idea of women joining the workforce and gaining success.
End of World War II was during the 1940s this also affected what was shown in the media; there was a dramatic change in society which again was reflected in the media. During this period men were returning from the war and there was an urge to return to the traditional conjugal roles, this was also exposed in the media, “After four years of wartime instability, both women and men seemed to want to return to a patriarchal order, with women in the home”[8]. Women were taking the expressive roles by doing the housework whilst went out to earn money and fulfilled the role of an instrumental leader. “The women who were featured were limited to family roles. Women were shown doing housework and men were the beneficiaries of their work. On the other hand, men were employed, had careers, and were doing something outside the home”[9]. During this phase there was a great amount of influence on marriage it was a women’s priority to get married in order to feel secure with a man, Picnic (1956) is a film that perfectly indicates this ‘Howard, meanwhile, drives a dejected Rosemary home, and she pleads with him to marry her, explaining that her life is utterly empty. When he refuses and asks for things to remain the same between them, Rosemary declares they cannot see each other again unless he intends to marry her’[10].
The 1950s was an era which again brought in a slight change to the representation of women from the 1940s; the shift towards traditional roles from the 1940s still was maintaining and these roles were being conformed to. This meant that patriarchy was reinforced as the traditional roles consisted of the male being more dominant over the female and male having more of a superior position to women. ‘Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like’[11] The African Queen is a film which could be seen to portray this ideology as Charlie the hero puts his life in danger to save Rose this is also illustrated on the poster for the movie where again we see the hero saving the heroine whilst being surrounded by danger, the fact that the male protagonist is positioned over the female emphasis the dominance and superiority and also suggests that he is providing her with protection promoting the idea that women can not protect themselves and need a man to defend themselves. This representation of women being in an inferior position to men in the media was imitated in real life, leading to men having a dominant role whilst women were adapting to housewife roles and motivation for women to join the workforce was lacking. The idea that women should be dependent on the male was being reinforced by the media. Ultimately women during this time returned to the more conservative role. However the 1950s did bring a remarkable change in the representation of women ‘The way a woman could be portrayed in a film became more open’[12]. This was due to the Hays code loosening ‘In the early fifties the restrictions of the Hays code were loosened’[13]; there was a code before the 1950s which was called the Hays code which specified how women should be represented in media, and these representations had women portrayed as housewives, maternal and inferior to the male stereotype. However this code brought about change and women’s representation transformed they were now shown to be more independent. The portrayal of women as being independent is also reflected in The Devil Wears Prada as the character of Andy Sachs mirrors this representation through her commitment to her job and her being so career orientated.
The Devil Wears Prada is a movie where the audience experiences different types of representations of women as there are mainly two different female characters portraying the different representations of women in the media. ‘Finally in the Devil Wears Prada clip it shows several different women getting ready, by accesorizing, there is a lot of high fashion, which promotes the icon like status of the industry’[14]. The character of Miranda Priestley is shown as being extremely career driven that she has passed the stage where she has to choose between her personal and professional life because she has already made her choice and that is her career being her priority. She may be shown to be powerful and a superior women in the film but she is not as independent as shown, she mostly orders Andy to do most of her tasks for her ‘I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins’[15]. Due to this choice she has made which goes against the conservative expectations her character is shown to have lost liveliness, joy and has a sense of emptiness which only a man can fulfil. In order to fill this emptiness she has to sacrifice her career but she eventually is being divorced by her husband ‘her boss let down her guard for the first time as she worries about the effect an impending divorce will have on her twin daughters’[16]. There is an issue reflected in the film that shows that women who are successful in their career are actually not able to cope with their personal life as it is seen through the consequences that Miranda has to face. Moreover this problem could certainly also be applied to the character of Andy as we get to see that when she is experiencing increased success in her career she starts to get drifted away from her live in boyfriend Miranda in the film makes comment that could be applied to women in general and make them think ‘people think that success just happens to you… it doesn’t… want this life (success)… the decision is yours’[17]. The issue of the glass ceiling is raised in this film and this subject is presented accurately as in many cases this idea of the glass ceiling have been raised in real life situations for many women. Andy in the film can’t balance both her personal and professional life one always becomes an obstacle for another ‘my personal life is hanging by a threat’[18] Nigel her colleague replies to this comment by saying ‘that’s what happens when you start doing well at work…I mean all your life starts going up in smoke… It means that there is time for a promotion’[19] the meaning that is being picked out of the film is quite literally being said that when women have problems in their personal life it is due to them doing well at work. He also adds that when your life goes up in smoke it means that it is time for a promotion suggesting that women need to destroy their personal life in order to pursue their professional life. However the film also influences positive feminist ideology when Andy has a job in the most famous fashion magazine whilst her boyfriend is working as a chef at a restaurant showing the different job status with Andy having a better job. Streep’s character also fulfils the expectation of genre, the film is partially characterised as a comedy and through Miranda Priestley’s sarcastic and unwise comments she introduces a sense of comedy for the audience. For example when there is a bad storm and her fight home is cancelled leading to no flights flying out, she expects to get home no matter what happens she also calls the heavy storms drizzling ‘Oh, please... it's just- I don't know- drizzling’[20]. This also influence the representation of women as they are represented as ridiculous and insensible bringing in the term bimbo giving women a negative representation. Women who are involved in the fashion industry are also being represented in the film, they’re presented as being devil like and evil, they show that these women start to build a harsh personality. This is also illustrated on the poster for the movie by having pitchfork as a heel on a shoe. This shoe is red which connotes danger and is surrounded by a white background which represents purity, this could a symbolism of Andy as she is pure and innocent before joining the fashion industry but the industry starts to corrupt her. This message being conformed reinforces the idea that women are not suitable for work and become corrupt when they become excessively career orientated.
Historical events that occurred in society in the past have helped develop women’s representation in the media in a positive manner. In the 1920s women in the United States were allowed to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution this led to the suffrage movement helping women to escape the traditional way of living and giving them a new sense of courage. This lead to women being shown in a positive light in the media, by them developing a new and independent representation. Marxist ideology also affected women’s representation; they viewed women as being there to produce the next generation of workers. As previously mentioned the Second World War had also influenced women’s representations because men were off to war and women had to take upon male roles in order to help society function properly. The Devil Wears Prada is a film that also deals with issues that have currently created a social chaos such as the size 0 issue ‘In this celebrity-worshipping, media-saturated age, concentration-camp chic is getting seared into our consciousness like an ahi tuna salad, hold the dressing and the fish.[21]’ The character of Emile is shown to want lose weight as she is slim as it is ‘I'm on this new diet. Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight’[22]. This again reflects upon the representation of women as they are shown to be so self conscience about their looks and maintaining their figure. Furthermore at the beginning when Andy approaches Miranda for a job she is criticised because she is not the appropriate size which according to Miranda would be a size 0 ‘I thought take a chance hire the smart fat girl’[23]. There were also reports on how Anne Hathaway who plays the role of Andy went against the Hollywood industry encouraging their actresses to achieve a size 0 for a role in a film ‘Anne Hathaway has slammed Hollywood executives for encouraging the size zero culture, insisting actresses should not be forced to slim down for roles’[24]. This shows that far extent in which the media goes to represent women as being really slim.
Erin Brockovich is a film that deals with similar issues to the ones in The Devil Wears Prada the character of Erin has her personal life and also her professional moreover she is a single mother of three children and have to support them. She later finds herself a boyfriend but situations start going downhill and she ends up in the same dilemma where she has to make a choice between her boyfriend and her career her boyfriend says to her ‘Erin what I’m thinking is that you got to find a different job or a different guy’[25]. This film is not a really recent film it had released in 2000 which shows that this issue with women either pursuing their career or taking on their personal life has been going on for some time.
Fundamentally women’s representation have changed to a vast extent whereas first they were regarded as being not so in power and independent to them being very self contained there have been many hurdles during this process however the end result shows that it has happened for the better. Conversely there are hidden messages within the current representations women that suggest tat women are only suitable for the conservative roles and should prioritise their personal life over their career. When applying it to The Devil Wears Prada the audience tend to get a mixed message where we have Andy electing for her personal life over her profession and on the other hand there is Miranda Priestley who picks her profession over her personal life. The audience are more likely to passively take in the ideology that women’s personal life is more important due to the audience personally identifying with the character of Andy as she tends to be the role model for the audience. Finally the representation of women have improved but there is still some stigma attached to women who are seen to be independent and powerful but considering how women were seen previously their representation have changed in a positive manner and for the better.
2995 Words
[1] Popcorn Venus: Women, movies and the American dream, Author: Marjorie Rosen, Publisher: Avon (1973)
[2] Gunter
[3] Women, Films and the 1920s
[4] Women, Film and the 1920s
[5] Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) Laura Mulvey
[6] Studler
[7] Women, Film and the 1920s
[8] Banner 137
[9] Stupor
[10] http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=86664
[11] Rose
[12] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
[13] http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
1.[14] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
[15] The Devil Wears Prada
[16] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/synopsis
[17] The Devil Wears Prada
[18] The Devil Wears Prada
[19] The Devil Wears Prada
[20] The Devil Wears Prada
[21] http://www.frankwbaker.com/hollywoods_thin_look.htm
[22] The Devil Wears Prada
[23] The Devil Wears Prada
[24] http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=4433
[25] Erin Brockovich
Bibliography
http://www.mediaknowall.com/gender.html
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze09.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/
http://www.wmm.com/resources/film_facts.shtml
https://www.msu.edu/~quattron/WRA140/page1.htm
http://www.actressarchives.com/news.php?id=4433
http://www.frankwbaker.com/hollywoods_thin_look.htm
http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a9003211/cheathouse/hollywomen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_Wears_Prada_(film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Frankel
http://www.ehs.org.uk/society/pdfs/Lewis%201b.pdf.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=86664
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/puot0002/gwss3306/2007/01/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/synopsis
Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies and the American Dream Author: Marjorie RosenPublisher: Avon (1973)
An Introduction to Film Studies By Jill Nelmes
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975) - Laura Mulvey Originally Published - Screen 16.3 Autumn 1975 pp. 6-18
Saturday, 24 January 2009
First Paragraph:
What is representation? This is a common question asked which indicates that it is a concept that is difficult to define and sometimes explain. Representation is the mediated versions of people, in the form of a re-presentation. “Films have been a mirror held up to society’s porous face. They therefore reflect the changing societal image of women—which, until recently, has not been taken seriously enough.” This is a quotation which shows that what we see in the media is an attempt to show the reality. Women in society have been perceived very differently throughout history and their representation has changed dramatically over the year. In many contemporary films women have started to being represented as being more independent and confident however this was not the case in the past. It is important to evaluate how women were portrayed in the past in order to see how and when these changes occurred. The text which will be explored is The Devil Wears Prada (2006) this film can be identified as a contemporary film which represents women as being independent however some elements of the film promote traditional ideologies and forms of patriarchy which oppress women as suggested by Gunter that marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown on television to be more important for women.
Friday, 16 January 2009
Detailed essay plan
My independent study concentrates on the representation of women in the media. Whereas my main text which I will be making relevant references to will be the movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006). I have choose this film because it shows the extent in which the representation of women have changed and it is one of the best contemporary examples which show how women are seen in the media in recent years. Furthermore the film has many different women being portrayed in it which would be an advantage because it will enable me to see the range of different representation of women. The main protagonist of the film is portrayed to be this very independent and intelligent woman. She is in a job which she first hates but then she gradually adapts to it and wins a lot of hearts of her work mates especially her boss Miranda Priestley who again has this extremely strong image in society. However success in work life means failure in love life, her committing a lot of her time to her work life starts causing problems to her personal life and it comes to a point where she has to choose from her life love or professional life.
The other texts which I will be looking at will be looking at will be one historical text ‘The African Queen’ which passes through the message that women should lead the way and be independent. This again shows the attitudes towards women in the media during that time comparing it to the ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ which shows women being independent showing how the representation of women has changed. I will also make reference to the T.V serial ‘Ugly Betty’.
So the basic focus is on the representation of women of the modern society. The women who are independent and put their career as their priority. This will also lead me onto concentrating on the representation of the fashion industry and how women are treated in this job sector. The modern society would be another concern the fact that Andy lives with her boyfriend portrays a cohabitating couple all example of a modern society.
Introduction:
-In order to answer the question it is important to understand to question therefore I am going to define what a representation is.
-Include a quotation made from the book Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies and the American Dream.
-Point out that the media is a reflection of society.
-Include my hypothesis: To what extent does ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ show the change occurred in women’s representations and stereotypes.
-A very brief overview of my main text ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
-Introduce the historical text which I will mention: ‘The African Queen’ (1951) and another text which is more contemporary: ‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000)
Paragraph 1: (How women were representation in the past)
-This paragraph will basically underline how women were represented in society before the 1950s
-In the 1920s women in the United States were allowed to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution this led to the suffrage movement helping women to escape the traditional way of living and giving them a new sense of courage.
-Marxist view of seeing the role of the women in society, they are there to produce the next generation of workers.
-Historical context: after the Second World War how has women’s attitudes and roles changed in society.
-Social issues such as the size 0 debate - include evidence from article of Anne Hathaway on the size 0 (see blog for article). Link size 0 debate to the audience and how the audience aspire to be like the actresses.
-Explore the historical text: ‘The African Queen’- the man saves the women at the end again promoting patriarchal ideologies
Paragraph 2: (How women’s representations have changed over the years- 1920- 1940)
This paragraph would be a like a timeline on how women’s representations have changed throughout history.
1920s:
-Women’s were able to vote during this period was reflected in the media.
-This change in the portrayal of women was mainly shown by motion pictures.
-Include quote: “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time” (Women, Film and the 1920s).
-The new modern women were portrayed in movies differently moving away from the conservative attitudes. Examples includes Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow
-Movies were popular amongst women at that time so they were targeted showing they gained escapism from movies.
-Women in movies were shown to be more independent, this inspired women in society leading to them being like their favourite stars.
-These women would smoke, dance etc and would be referred to as ‘Flappers’
-Women were moving into the workforce again inspiring the women audience. E.g. "Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl" (1926).
1940s:
-End of World War 2 meaning that the men were coming back home.
-Men and Women wanted to return back to the traditional conjugal roles which meant the patriarchal order, this was portrayed in movies.
-Women were doing the housework whilst men went out to earn money. E.g. ‘Picnic’ (1956).
-Women needed to get married in order to feel secure this is what was portrayed.
-The media and movie influence was that marriage should be a priority, and that caring for the family came along with the marriage.
Paragraph 3: (How women’s representations have changed over the years- 1950)
1950s
-Quote from Rose: “Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like”.
-Male dominance in movies reinforced male dominance in real life. E.g. the movie ‘The African Queen’.
-Most women of this time were mainly housewives and lacked motivation to go into the workforce.
-The media promoted the idea that women should be dependent on the male.
-So the portrayal of women at this time returned to the more conservative role.
-Include information on the Hays code: there was a code before the 1950s that had a description of how women should be portrayed in movies and it generally viewed them as being the usual housewife, maternal and inferior to men stereotype. However during the 1950s this code became less restricted and women were shown to be more independent.
Paragraph 4: (Exploring the characters of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’)
-There are different women in the film that could be analysed to see the different representations and stereotypes.
-The three different women would be Andy, Miranda Priestley and Emile.
-Andy portrays the independent women who becomes career orientated and tends to let her personal life slip by her hands. Again as predicted the situation at the end turns out to be that she has to choose from her personal life and professional life.
-Miranda Priestley is another character that is mirrored as being extremely career driven that she has passed the stage where she has to choose between her personal and professional life because she has already made her choice and that is her career being her priority. Due to this choice she has made which goes against the conservative decisions her character is shown to have lost liveliness, joy and has a sense of emptiness which only a man can fulfil. In order to fill this emptiness she has to sacrifice her career.
-Include dialogue made by Nigel when Andy explains that she has to choose between her personal and professional life: ‘that’s what happens when you start doing well at work…I mean all your life starts going up in smoke… It means that there is time for a promotion’ this dialogue shows that women have to sacrifice their personal lives in order to get success in their job.
-Emile is portrayed slight differently from Andy and Miranda. She totally fits into the issue of the size 0 as she is slim but wants to lose more weight.
Paragraph 5: (Compare the representation of women between my historical texts to my main text)
The historical text which will be talked about would be ‘The African Queen’ and also ‘Erin brockovich’, how women are portrayed in these films (give a very detailed analysis) then compare it to how women are presented in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Outline the similarities and differences between the texts. Trace the pattern between the changes in representations, how has it changed in the context of the movies. ‘The African Queen’ released in 1951, ‘Erin brockovich’ released in 1991 and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ released in 2006 there is a great time distance between these films so it is easy to explore the changes occurred over the years.
Conclusion (Answering the coursework title: To what extent does ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ show the changes occurred in women’s representations and stereotypes)
This paragraph would bring all my research and knowledge together and argue both for and against the statement that women in the movie are presented as being independent. However it would argue more for the statement that women are presented to be independent. The fact that Andy at the end chooses her personal life over her professional life would be an argument against the statement as by doing this she portrays the typical conservative role of women still supporting the point that women need men in their lives in order to survive.
The other texts which I will be looking at will be looking at will be one historical text ‘The African Queen’ which passes through the message that women should lead the way and be independent. This again shows the attitudes towards women in the media during that time comparing it to the ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ which shows women being independent showing how the representation of women has changed. I will also make reference to the T.V serial ‘Ugly Betty’.
So the basic focus is on the representation of women of the modern society. The women who are independent and put their career as their priority. This will also lead me onto concentrating on the representation of the fashion industry and how women are treated in this job sector. The modern society would be another concern the fact that Andy lives with her boyfriend portrays a cohabitating couple all example of a modern society.
Introduction:
-In order to answer the question it is important to understand to question therefore I am going to define what a representation is.
-Include a quotation made from the book Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies and the American Dream.
-Point out that the media is a reflection of society.
-Include my hypothesis: To what extent does ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ show the change occurred in women’s representations and stereotypes.
-A very brief overview of my main text ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
-Introduce the historical text which I will mention: ‘The African Queen’ (1951) and another text which is more contemporary: ‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000)
Paragraph 1: (How women were representation in the past)
-This paragraph will basically underline how women were represented in society before the 1950s
-In the 1920s women in the United States were allowed to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution this led to the suffrage movement helping women to escape the traditional way of living and giving them a new sense of courage.
-Marxist view of seeing the role of the women in society, they are there to produce the next generation of workers.
-Historical context: after the Second World War how has women’s attitudes and roles changed in society.
-Social issues such as the size 0 debate - include evidence from article of Anne Hathaway on the size 0 (see blog for article). Link size 0 debate to the audience and how the audience aspire to be like the actresses.
-Explore the historical text: ‘The African Queen’- the man saves the women at the end again promoting patriarchal ideologies
Paragraph 2: (How women’s representations have changed over the years- 1920- 1940)
This paragraph would be a like a timeline on how women’s representations have changed throughout history.
1920s:
-Women’s were able to vote during this period was reflected in the media.
-This change in the portrayal of women was mainly shown by motion pictures.
-Include quote: “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time” (Women, Film and the 1920s).
-The new modern women were portrayed in movies differently moving away from the conservative attitudes. Examples includes Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow
-Movies were popular amongst women at that time so they were targeted showing they gained escapism from movies.
-Women in movies were shown to be more independent, this inspired women in society leading to them being like their favourite stars.
-These women would smoke, dance etc and would be referred to as ‘Flappers’
-Women were moving into the workforce again inspiring the women audience. E.g. "Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl" (1926).
1940s:
-End of World War 2 meaning that the men were coming back home.
-Men and Women wanted to return back to the traditional conjugal roles which meant the patriarchal order, this was portrayed in movies.
-Women were doing the housework whilst men went out to earn money. E.g. ‘Picnic’ (1956).
-Women needed to get married in order to feel secure this is what was portrayed.
-The media and movie influence was that marriage should be a priority, and that caring for the family came along with the marriage.
Paragraph 3: (How women’s representations have changed over the years- 1950)
1950s
-Quote from Rose: “Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like”.
-Male dominance in movies reinforced male dominance in real life. E.g. the movie ‘The African Queen’.
-Most women of this time were mainly housewives and lacked motivation to go into the workforce.
-The media promoted the idea that women should be dependent on the male.
-So the portrayal of women at this time returned to the more conservative role.
-Include information on the Hays code: there was a code before the 1950s that had a description of how women should be portrayed in movies and it generally viewed them as being the usual housewife, maternal and inferior to men stereotype. However during the 1950s this code became less restricted and women were shown to be more independent.
Paragraph 4: (Exploring the characters of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’)
-There are different women in the film that could be analysed to see the different representations and stereotypes.
-The three different women would be Andy, Miranda Priestley and Emile.
-Andy portrays the independent women who becomes career orientated and tends to let her personal life slip by her hands. Again as predicted the situation at the end turns out to be that she has to choose from her personal life and professional life.
-Miranda Priestley is another character that is mirrored as being extremely career driven that she has passed the stage where she has to choose between her personal and professional life because she has already made her choice and that is her career being her priority. Due to this choice she has made which goes against the conservative decisions her character is shown to have lost liveliness, joy and has a sense of emptiness which only a man can fulfil. In order to fill this emptiness she has to sacrifice her career.
-Include dialogue made by Nigel when Andy explains that she has to choose between her personal and professional life: ‘that’s what happens when you start doing well at work…I mean all your life starts going up in smoke… It means that there is time for a promotion’ this dialogue shows that women have to sacrifice their personal lives in order to get success in their job.
-Emile is portrayed slight differently from Andy and Miranda. She totally fits into the issue of the size 0 as she is slim but wants to lose more weight.
Paragraph 5: (Compare the representation of women between my historical texts to my main text)
The historical text which will be talked about would be ‘The African Queen’ and also ‘Erin brockovich’, how women are portrayed in these films (give a very detailed analysis) then compare it to how women are presented in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Outline the similarities and differences between the texts. Trace the pattern between the changes in representations, how has it changed in the context of the movies. ‘The African Queen’ released in 1951, ‘Erin brockovich’ released in 1991 and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ released in 2006 there is a great time distance between these films so it is easy to explore the changes occurred over the years.
Conclusion (Answering the coursework title: To what extent does ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ show the changes occurred in women’s representations and stereotypes)
This paragraph would bring all my research and knowledge together and argue both for and against the statement that women in the movie are presented as being independent. However it would argue more for the statement that women are presented to be independent. The fact that Andy at the end chooses her personal life over her professional life would be an argument against the statement as by doing this she portrays the typical conservative role of women still supporting the point that women need men in their lives in order to survive.
Friday, 19 December 2008
Extracts from the article about the size 0
No matter the methods, in this celebrity-worshipping, media-saturated age, concentration-camp chic is getting seared into our consciousness like an ahi tuna salad, hold the dressing and the fish.
A 1991 study found 42 percent of first-to third-grade girls wanted to be thinner, while 81 percent of 10-year-olds were afraid of being fat. The data is 15 years old, said Lynn Grefe, executive director of the National Eating Disorders Association, but the aversion to fat has likely only gotten more exaggerated.
''Everybody has been brainwashed. I grew up with me mother talking about Marilyn Monroe, and I thought it was ok to be shapely and curvy,'' Grefe said. ''Young people now are scared of ay fat''
The Devil Wears Prada promotes the issue of the size 0 as Andy the protagonist is the average size and is still considered as being fat. Furthermore the character of Emile who is slim is on the mission of losing more weight for the fashion event being held in Paris and all she eats is salads and lo fat food. However and the end Andy is the one that gets to go on the trip instead of Emile this could suggest that the film is promoting the idea that you don’t need to be a size 0 to achieve success passing the idea onto the audience suggesting that they don’t need to be a size 0 to look great or appealing.
Hathaway: 'Hollywood executives encourage size zero'
BY: WENN | Wednesday, March 7, 2007
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
star Anne Hathaway has slammed Hollywood executives for encouraging the size zero culture, insisting actresses should not be forced to slim down for roles.
The 24-year-old, who is completely satisfied with her curvaceous figure, has turned down acting parts in the past because she objects to directors putting pressure on her to lose weight.
She says, "It's completely understandable as a teenager to fret about your body. It's scary because you don't know how it's going to wind up. But I'm not a teenager any more; my body's chosen its shape.
"I'd rather be strong than skinny for most roles. I'm not a size zero, and I've had directors say to me, 'You're the best actress for the role, but you've put on weight recently.' If people can't understand you've put on five pounds (2.27 kilograms), I don't want to deal with them."
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
star Anne Hathaway has slammed Hollywood executives for encouraging the size zero culture, insisting actresses should not be forced to slim down for roles.
The 24-year-old, who is completely satisfied with her curvaceous figure, has turned down acting parts in the past because she objects to directors putting pressure on her to lose weight.
She says, "It's completely understandable as a teenager to fret about your body. It's scary because you don't know how it's going to wind up. But I'm not a teenager any more; my body's chosen its shape.
"I'd rather be strong than skinny for most roles. I'm not a size zero, and I've had directors say to me, 'You're the best actress for the role, but you've put on weight recently.' If people can't understand you've put on five pounds (2.27 kilograms), I don't want to deal with them."
How has the representation of women changed in movies?
1920s
This period bought in change in the social reform of women in the United States. Women were legislated the right to vote due to the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution. This led to women’s suffrage movement helping women to escape from the out dated way of living. These changes didn’t only give women new rights but it also gave a new sense of freedom. During this time in the media women’s new role was portrayed in movies particularly by a new industry called motion pictures. “The motion picture industry not only depicted what as going on in the lives of women at the time; it also trained women in new fashions and social roles that were being promoted at the time” (Women, Film and the 1920s).
"Movies during the 1920s depicted what a new “modern” woman should be and served as an instructional manual for young women of the time” (Women, Film and the 1920s). Young women of the 1920s looked, dressed, and acted different than their conservative Victorian mothers after viewing popular movie stars of their era (Women, Film and the 1920s). Women began to move away from classic long hair and conservatively dressed appearance. Short “bobs” became a popular hairstyle with women along with wearing make up to appear more attractive (Women, Film and
the 1920s). Women began to dress more revealing by shortening their skirts and dresses. One actress, Gloria Swanson, was a strong influence on this fashion change. She appears in several movies wearing a skirt cut just above the knee, a look that she helped make popular during this period. Movie stars, like Swanson, became the idols of many women, causing them to copy their style.
Along with Gloria Swanson, actresses such as Clara Bow, also had short hair and wore heavy make up. “Women now sought to use cosmetics to recreate the faces of the celebrities of the films”(Women, Film and the 1920s). Because movies were so popular amongst women in the 1920s, they were the ones being directly targeted. “A Photoplay article in 1924 suggests that 75 percent of the audiences were women, and in 1927 Moving Pictures World stated that 83 percent of the audiences were women” (Studlar). The movies portrayed these women as glamorous beauties with newly formed fashions and lifestyles. The photos of the two actresses give off the idea that these women are independent, attractive, and stylish.
Women in the movies of the 1920s demonstrated how a modern woman should behave. Women in the movies were seen as progressive individuals with far more independence. This behaviour impacted women of the 1920s, and they wanted to be like their favourite movie stars. This was true even before talking films were made. For example, the movies depicted new freedoms for women such as drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in public, dancing more provocatively, and going into the workforce (Women, Film and the 1920s). These new carefree women were often refereed to as “Flappers.” You would find images of Flappers in the silent films of the 1920s. Notice the woman has shorter hair and a shorter dress for this period. We can see from the images seen in movies from the 1920s that the Flappers were smoking and drinking in public to prove that they no longer had to be proper; they were challenging traditional moral standards, just like the movie stars. New dances were also invented to better suit the progressive women. Women in the movies performed these dances, such as the Charleston, and the women viewers quickly jumped on board. Women in the 1920s were also portrayed in movies as moving into the workforce. Actresses were seen playing roles such as secretaries, sales clerks, and typists. “The American Film Institute Catalog lists 49 sale clerks, 28 stenographers, and no less than 114 secretaries who appeared on the screen between 1921 and 1930. These films tended to glorify these professions…” (Women, Film and the 1920s). Women who saw these movies were influenced; they found new confidence to seek careers of their own and gained financial independence. The movie, "Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl" (1926), demonstrated just this. In the movie the woman worked her way up from having a factory job, to being a telephone operator, to becoming a model and lastly become a fashion designer. From a historical perspective this was a positive influence of movies in the 1920s because they encouraged women to become independent and successful for themselves. This era of movies was one that brought women into a new light, portraying them as independent, unique individuals, and inspiring them to become more independent and glamorous.
1940s
This era brought a closing to World War II. Men were returning home to their wives, and starting families. “After four years of wartime instability, both women and men seemed to want to return to a patriarchal order, with women in the home” (Banner 137). During the 40’s and 50’s, women stayed at home with the family while men in most cases were the wage earners. This stereotypical image was also presented by the media, in particular the movies. “The women who were featured were limited to family roles. Women were shown doing housework and men were the beneficiaries of their work. On the other hand, men were employed, had careers, and were doing something outside the home” (Stupor). For example, the movie "Picnic" made in 1956 involves a schoolteacher who is desperate for marriage so that she can feel secure with a man. The female in the film is portrayed as weak because it is implied that she is not capable of being independent and needs a man to allow her to feel secure with herself. Many women of that time felt just like the woman in the film. The media and movie influence was that marriage should be a priority, and that caring for the family came along with the marriage.
1950s
“Many have claimed that pictures in the 1950s reaffirmed male dominance and female subservience, that women's roles were confined to sex role stereotypes of pretty, amusing or child-like” (Rose). Male dominance in movies reinforced male dominance in real life. For example, in the movie, "The African Queen", a woman missionary, played by Katherine Hepburn, in Africa during WWI is force to leave her base after her village is destroyed. She runs into a male Canadian supplier, played by Humphrey Bogart, who offers to guide her to civilization, but she wants to travel down the river to sink a German cruiser instead (Reel Classics). The male is the dominant character, and refuses to let her go through with such a dangerous procedure. This movie sends the message that women should not be independent, should
not lead, and cannot be successful without the help of a man.
As you can see, there is obvious danger in the background while the man is rescuing the beautiful woman. This example of male dominance was common in the movies and imitated by society during this era. As a result, women during this time were mainly housewives and lacked motivation to go into the workforce. The media, especially movies, reinforced the message to women that they should be highly dependent on the male. During this era, it seems that the depiction of women in the movies slowed the pace of progress and returned them to a more conservative role.
Present
In the era we live in today with the increasing popularity of movies and availability of movies at home, the way that women are portrayed in the media and movies continue to have a significant impact on roles, fashion, and behavior. Women today are generally portrayed in a variety of roles ranging from “sex objects” to dominators, often in the same movie. Additionally, women today are being portrayed as serious professional women. For example, in the movie "Tomb Raider", Angelina Jolie is on a mission to retrieve an ancient metallic triangle that found in a tomb chamber, the typical action movie. However, the plot synopsis, when describing Jolie’s character, says otherwise.
“She is everything you could wish her to be – cool, but oh so hot and totally in control, ready to save the universe. Her soft whimsical sighs reinforce her femininity and vulnerability. She is her own woman: sexy, confident, a dare devil and a tomboy but still a lady, in essence as well as name. And Angelina Jolie embodies the cartoon-like character with curvaceous abandon and extraordinary grace, athleticism, style and charisma. She is fabulous to watch – sexy, sassy and without question, all woman” (IMDb).
The media is unveiling the message to the viewers that the woman in this movie is sexually appealing, and therefore will get more viewers. Women, who see the movie or read the synopsis, get the impression that they must be “sexy” and “feminine” regardless of any circumstance.
In opposition of this claim, in our era there are also movies that show women as real people, not sex objects. For example, in the movie "The Silence of the Lambs", the main female character, Clarice Starling, is portrayed very differently from the Angelina Jolie’s character in "Tomb Raider." “She is intelligent, independent, career-oriented, and has an engaging personality. Furthermore, the film lacks a conventional romantic subplot even though it establishes the expectation of one when Starling is assigned to work with an older male agent” (229). In the movie, she rejects any male passes, wears conservative apparel, and is very successful in her career. A movie such as this one sends women the message that it is acceptable to be a serious professional focused on your work without having to be glamorous or sexy to achieve their goals.
One issue with today’s movies is the increasing pressure on women to be thin, because most female movie stars appear that way. It is very rare that we see women in the movies appear as “normal size.” This may be why the majority of women who compare themselves to the thin movie stars they see in the movies are not happy with their body image. Actresses such as Jennifer Aniston and Mischa Barton are prime examples. Because of this, eating disorders have become common in young women today. “Research suggests that about one percent (1%) of female adolescents have anorexia. That means that about one out of every one hundred young women between ten and twenty are starving themselves, sometimes to death” (ANRED). This has in my opinion had an extremely negative impact on young women of today. Movies in the present era have shown women to be both progressive and independent, yet still in a sense, inferior to men.
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