Analyse How an Adaptation of Your Choice Deals with Gender †Catwoman Essay

The representation of female super heroes in the media can be said to have had huge institutional, political and social influences that would suggest those in power are favoured at the expense of those without. Female super heroes tend to promote sexualisation and stereotypical gender roles of women, throughout comic books and super hero movies, but why? In this essay I will look at the character of Catwoman, and her representation as a female, particularly in the 2004 adaptation film â€Å"Catwoman†. Originally, she is an iconic character in the batman series. Created in 1940 by Bob Kane (batman creator) and Bill Finger, she has had a strong presence in batman comics and adaptations since then. Her role as a mysterious burglar and jewel thief led her to just miss out on a place in the top ten, ranking 11th in IGN’s ‘Top 100 comic book Villains of all time’ (2009) and 51st in Wizard magazines ‘100 greatest villains of all time’ list (2006). The character has been used in hundreds of comic books, as well as video games, radio stations, TV series, animated series and films. Although she is featured in mostly batman productions and texts, Catwoman was given her first comic book series in 1993, written mostly by Jim Balent. Several years down the line, Catwoman stared as the lead role in the feature film, made in 2004. The movie was an example of post feminism at its best, as in the 1970’s, only 15% of action adventure movies cast female leads. The movie was directed by Pitof and was released on July 23 by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures. The cast members include Halle Berry, who plays Catwoman, Benjamin Bratt, Sharon Stone and Frances Conroy. I have chosen to analyse this movie because females are not usually given dominant roles in superhero movies, especially as the lead character. There are many stereotypes that surround women, and I believe this movie challenges those. The film was inspired by the DC comics villain of the same name, however stars a new character, Patience Phillips. There are several similarities to the original character. For example, she has similar office job and is killed by someone she works for. In the 1992 movie staring Michelle Pfeiffer, she uncovers a dark secret in the company and is thrown to her death from a great height. The plot for the more recent movie is very like its predecessor. In both versions she is brought back to life by a group of wild cats. However the most relevant similarity is her appearance and costume. Throughout the film, Catwoman is dressed in a tight black latex costume, black connoting mystery and evil. This material is often associated with sexuality; it clings to her body and shows off her curves. Over the years her costumes have become even more provocative, with this Catwoman being more fetish than ever. These clothes represent Catwoman as a sexual image to be looked at by the opposite sex. Laura Mulvey describes this as the Male Gaze. She explains â€Å"In their traditional exhibitionist role, women are simultaneously looked at and displayed with their appearance, coded for strong visual and erotic impact so it can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness. † (1975, p33). It is arguable that woman in the genre of action, drama and super hero are not represented as women, rather an object of sexual desire. The women featured in such genres are slim, pretty, and all wear tight clothing. Lillian Robinson refers to woman super heroes as a pin up girl in a cape, rather than genuine characters (2006). The skimpy outfit has great erotic significance (Richard Reynolds 1994) and could create a negative portrayal of females, as well as being a very bad influence for the young women and girls who watch the movie, or read the comics. Clearly, the media heavily influences teenagers already. They follow the latest fashion trends from celebrities, coolest haircuts, and they diet and loose weight to look like the people they see on TV and in magazines. They look up to the people in the media, and the image of Halle Berry in the cat suit, may encourage young girls to objectify themselves in a similar way. Already, Playboy as a brand has become a fashionable thing, for young girls even at the age of 8. They have the playboy bunny pencil cases, posters and duvet covers. Just like this, cat woman may encourage youthful girls to dress inappropriately with increased sexuality. Even Catwoman’s make-up connotes sexualisation. Her lips are painted scarlet red, which draws your attention straight to her mouth, as well as being the colour of lust to stimulate sexual arousal. This idea is due to the fact men and women have more blood flowing through their lips whilst aroused, turning them a darker shade. Halle Berry was most likely cast because of her beauty. Her eyes, lips, body and sex appeal come before everything else in the movie, (Roger Ebert, 2006). The director of this movie has chosen to portray her as an object of sexual desire for men, rather than a role model for the power and liberation of women. Typical of Hollywood movies, the overtly sexualised view of women is rooted in the darkest chamber of male desire, (Kevin Maher, 2005). She appears powerful and dominant, however, she is in fact the opposite, and inferior to the gaze of men. Laura Mulvey says in her book Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, â€Å"Women as image, men as bearer of the look†, (1975). Personally this idea is predictable and brings nothing new to the genre. Wonder Woman first appeared on screen wearing a gold bra and blue knickers, and in those 36 years gone by, you have to ask yourself, why do superheroes need to be dressed so provocatively? Why can’t the action hero fight crime and ‘kick ass’ in a baggy jumper and a pair of dungarees? Kevin Maher, 2005). I believe the reason behind this is due to the fact that the representation of characters such as Catwoman and Wonder Woman where created by those with power over women. The institution DC comics created both in the 1940’s, which was largely if not entirely controlled by men. Women had no control over their creation and as powerful as Catwoman may be, she is still just an image of the male gaze. Created in a time where females had no authority, they where not able to argue against what could be considered as an unfair representation. Angelia McRobbie has a theory in defence of this sexualised representation, and believes men did not create this image. Women have gained the equality they where fighting for, and now they are using their assets to their advantages. In this case, Catwoman is willingly showing of her body to attract the male gaze, because it gives her power over men. She summarises that post feminism positively draws on and invokes feminism, (1994). However it’s not all negative, Over time things have changed, the presence of female leads in the super hero genre has increased, and to an extent therefore, time has favoured the female lead. Some 50 years ago, males where seen as the hero, there to protect the fragile women. Superman and Lois Lane are a classic example of where the lead role is given to a man, he is strong and courageous, while Lois is inferior to him, she has no special abilities and relies on him completely. However, the number of women in this genre proves a success for the feminist woman and an improvement in today’s society. Iconic actresses such as Angelina Jolie and Uma Thurman have stared as the female lead in modern action movies. Lara Croft, Tomb Raider and Kill Bill are both examples of woman taking active roles, and how accepting it is in this particular genre. Jolie also stared in Mr and Mrs Smith, which showed her as an equal to her husband, just as strong and just as capable of fulfilling the dominant lead. Catwoman has evolved over time, first known as The Cat in DC comics; she then progressed onto TV screens. Her sexual appearance made her an object of desire to the eyes of the male audience, and a role model to girls who wanted to be her, Suzan Colon (2004). In the Halle Berry adaptation, Catwoman is reborn a new woman, sleek, sexy, ambitious and not held back by the restraints of society. She is rebellious and follows her own desires as a feline crime fighter. This representation of Catwoman forces the question that perhaps contemporary women are constrained by the rules of society and are not free. Catwoman challenges the female stereotype and adopts the masculine lead role in this superhero movie. She is a protagonist, independent and capable of standing alone. A crucial scene in the movie shows Catwoman arguing with a large masculine looking man. She demands he turn down his music, which results in her physically attacking him. The argument ends with him lying on the floor with her foot on top of him. This scene portrays her as superior to the man, and the physical pose makes him vulnerable to her. This scene is important, because when she was her human self, known as Patience, the man would not listen to her. As Catwoman, her voice is heard. Simone de Beauvior Invokes ‘the independent women’ who wants to be active, wants to take things for themselves and refuses the passivity men try and want to impose on her. The modern woman accepts masculine values; she prides herself on thinking, getting a job and working to pay her own way, existing on the same terms as man, (1949). Catwoman does exactly that. She completely demolishes feminine stereotypes at the end of the movie when she rejects the love interest and chooses to be a free independent woman. She is not reliant on anyone, especially a man and because of that, I believe this movie demonstrates a victory for women. â€Å"Freedom is power† (Catwoman, 2004). Motivated by revenge, no man stands in her way. However another scene tells a very different story and shows off Catwoman as purely a vision of sexual desire. As she is transformed from patience Phillips, into Catwoman, supposedly now free and independent, we are reminded of her physical qualities. ‘Reminded’ is an understatement actually; it’s thrown in our faces. As she walks across a rooftop the camera angle starts from her feet, moves up her legs and to the top of her body. Paying particular attention to her bum, first impressions are everything! This scene completely confirms Mulvey’s theory, and as Liz Wells suggests, certain films objectify the female star, (2004). However Catwoman is not the only dominant female in this movie. Hedare Beauty is the company Patience works for, and is run by a man named George, or so you are made to believe. Yet in fact, the one calling all the shots is his wife, Laurel. She is controlling the strings of her puppet husband and forces him to her way of thinking. She is an evil, sinister character, full of greed, and in the end she kills her husband in cold blood. She is the villain in this movie, but also a woman in power and free from the constraints of society. In the early 1970’s, after the second wave of feminism, more women were gaining better professions and breaking out of the stereotypical roles. The post modern figure of a female became more appealing to both genders, and resulted in women wanting to achieve higher status in the world of work. An example of such acceptance was seen in the recently released song by male pop artist Ne-Yo, called ‘Miss Independent’. This continues the suggestion of the need for change in the way female super heroes where represented in order to capture the post-modern audience. Catwoman and Laurel Hedare are both great examples of female presence in superhero movies and the result of female empowerment. Judith Butler brings an interesting theory to the table. She believes gender is free floating, rather than fixed, that males and females aren’t simply masculine and feminine. She says that gender is a performance, rather than an aspect of our identity and we behave differently on different occasions. This theory suggests Catwoman isn’t necessarily challenging gender roles by taking on the masculine super hero, but rather an act she’s choosing to play. Women can be masculine because the individual chooses their gender identity. â€Å"When the constructed status of gender is theorized as radically independent of sex, gender itself becomes a free floating artifice, with the consequence that man and masculine might just as easily signify a female body as a male one, and woman and feminine a male body as easily as a female one† (Judith Butler, 1990, p6). Interestingly she suggests that if there where no longer conventional roles for either gender it would be considered the norm for a woman to be in a position of power at work or for a man to stay at home looking after the children. After looking into the history of Catwoman, her creation, and other adaptations in the past, I believe her image is over sexualised. The film is centralised around a beautiful woman, wearing the sexy, tight black costume to do none other than attract male attention. They do however promote that she is a powerful woman and has the freedom to do as she pleases. The fact that a female is the lead role in a movie of this genre is a positive thing. Although the message left behind is that to have freedom and power, you have to entail being objectified. In the end, this movie has done the same as its predecessors, portray woman in a sexualised, unrealistic and in a possibly insulting way.

Victorias Secret Essay Example

Victorias Secret Essay Example Victorias Secret Essay Victorias Secret Essay Store location is an important decision for retailers because location is â€Å"typically one of the most influential considerations in a customer’s store-choice decision† (Retailing, 167). Most consumers choose which store to visit based on close proximity to home or work, comfort level, and other surrounding retailers so shopping stays relaxing and a lot of driving isn’t needed. Victoria’s Secret in the Beverly Center is in a shopping mall. Reasoning behind the store being placed in the mall across from the elevators in the center is because malls have high amounts of traffic. Another reason why a mall location has its advantages, because malls provide the chance to combine shopping with entertainment, a great place to walk around catch up with friends while getting your shopping done, bringing in large numbers of people a day. Victoria’s Secret in the Beverly Center is a leader in lingerie, with Fredrick’s of Hollywood as their largest competitor is far from this location. Therefore shoppers at the Beverly Center who are looking for affordable lingerie will venture in to Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret is a multi-channel retailer, from stores, to online, to catalogs. All this was due to Sonia. One night lying in bed I decided I loved her and would do anything for her. I couldnt sleep thinking of her but I didnt care. The next day while taking a short cut coming home from school I saw some wild flowers and picked them for Sonia. I went by her window to give them to her. Oh sweetie, she said, theyre beautiful, and she told me to press my lips to the glass and kissed me. It was warm and wet and I held my lips there for a long time not wanting it to end. You better take off sweetie, she said I dont want to get into trouble. When I got home mother was more smothering than usual. I dont know whats gotten into you lately, she said. You look like youre in another world. Are you taking drugs? Because if I find out your taking drugs I will not let you leave the house. You will not have any privileges. Im going to arrange to have you drug-tested, Im calling the consoler at school. And to think of all Ive done and this is how you pay me back. Dont you roll your eyes at me. After that I laid in bed and thought of Sonia, how Id like to take her far far away, where itd just be me and her and we could just hold each other and talk. The next day when I went to see Sonia she told me to come closer to the window; she told me to put my ear against the glass, she didnt want anyone else to hear what she was about to say. Listen sweetie, she whispered, are you serious about me? I nodded. I dont mean like little boy puppy love stuff, I mean do you love me? I nodded again more emphatically. Look I cant stand another night of sitting in this window or Ill go nuts. Howd you like to bust me out of here and take me somewhere far, far away? Itll be just you and me. My heart almost burst out of my chest. Funny thing was because Id fantasied about going away with her and I already had a plan. I told Sonia Id be back that night. After mother fell asleep I tiptoed into her room and fumbled around for her car keys and twelve hundred in cash that she kept stashed in her drawer. When I pulled up to Victorias Secret, Sonia was awake. The street was eerily quiet. I threw a brick through the window, which triggered the alarm. I climbed in and scooped Sonia up and put her in the car. It was difficult getting her in the front seat, I had to bend her legs, she couldnt move them because they were stuck in the same position for so long. Step on it she said, the cops will be here any minute. I got on the freeway and headed south. Even though it was drizzling it was smooth sailing. I knew youd come through for me, youre my man-child, Sonia said. I gave her a quick kiss on the lips and held her hand. This was heaven. Sweetie when we settle in for the night Im going to do things to you that you never imagined. Im going to give you the ride of your life. Heaven just got a little better I thought. I saw a Best-Western and pulled off. Sonia told me to check in first, then to come out and get her, she still couldnt walk. The clerk looked at me suspiously. I told him my mom was in the car but she was sick and throwing up. When I pulled out a hundred he gave me the key. I carried Sonia into the room, locked the door and laid her on the bed. I looked at her lacy lingerie, her long legs spread slightly. I couldnt believe she was going to be mine. This was going to be the night of my life. Sonia, your quiet, I said. Dont tell me youre asleep? She didnt answer. I shook her but she didnt say anything, oddly her skin felt like plastic. I tried to wake her with a kiss but they tasted like plastic too. I feel asleep and when I came to she still wouldnt wake up. I started screaming at her. I needed her but she just lay there like a dummy. She didnt seem like a real person. Sonia, I yelled, you cant treat me like this. You promised me, that if I got you out youd be with me, you said I was your sweet man-child. I couldnt control myself. I yelled louder, you just used me, you bitch. Then I heard a key opening the door. It was the motel manager with the cops. They pinned me down and took me away. Mother had me committed. The consolers give me medication and a lot of therapy. They say I have to get back into reality. But they dont know that Sonia is the cause of all my problems. She just used me.

Organisation, Competition and enviroment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organisation, Competition and enviroment - Essay Example The public provided services and the government policies have its own implications on the market and the organizations. It is imperative to have a holistic understanding of the economic system in order to have clarity of the production and consumption of products and services in an organization. It also helps in comprehending the various reasons that leads to competition between organizations. An economic system is a process that decides economic policies and economic activity of a society. The production, distribution and consumption of products and services largely depend on it. There are three main features of an economic system. They are capitalism, free trade and free capital transfer and national economic policy. [Holte, n. d]. Capitalism refers to the production of goods by the privately owned firms and selling those products in competition with the other private organizations selling the same products. The policy which allow investment, production, distribution and consumption of products and services in a country by other countries and vice-versa is called free trade and free capital transfer. In this case, there is larger market for products and services since the customers are world-wide. ... [Comparative economic system, n. d]. In a traditional economic system, the methodology practiced for the production and distribution of the products and services by the people is the same as followed by their ancestors. The occupation of present generation remains the same as their parents and grandparents. For instance, many of the communities whose main occupation was agriculture still practice the same to make a living. Economic systems were the individuals decide their occupation and their role as a buyer and seller is called market economic system. In this type of e system, individuals are responsible for purchasing or selling goods and services. A command economic system is the one were the organizations exist and function based on the decision of the government. This kind of economic system allows the government to make decisions about the production of goods and services. It is solely the responsibility of the government to sell goods and services. [Comparative economic syste m, n. d]. The discretion of the implementation of various types of economic system largely depends on the state. However, different people have different views about the role of a state in deciding its economic system. Metzger [2004] states that "I am not the sort who believes the State is a necessary institution at all. However, many libertarians do think that a minimal State is useful." According to Kovcs and Kemny [1999] since state has the authority in deciding its economic system, they should revise the economic policy in accordance to the requirement of the given economic environment. Kotz [2004] reports that in a democratic socialist country the strategies implemented by the state can only lead to its development. There are states were the government is the single

Economics of war Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economics of war - Research Paper Example The causes of war have been different over the years and so have been their consequences. While come believe that wars are wrong no matter why they are caused and what is gained out of them; others believe that all’s well that ends well. But wars have never ended in good only. When it has resulted in a power fight and one nation seems to have won it, it has also lost the blood of many of its dedicated soldiers and other innocent nationals of its area. These days, almost every nation is equipped with nuclear weaponry making wars more deadly than ever. The first nuclear attack in the world was on Nagasaki and Hiroshima at the time of the end of World War 1. It marked the end of these cities and the civilizations that nurtured there. With the years going by, nuclear weaponry has only improved, thereby, indicating that now if one nation decided to blow up another using its nuclear power, it most likely to destruct a large part of the globe (Poast, 115). Indeed, the loss will be mu ch greater in emotional, financial and earthy sense than anyone can imagine. This is why it is very important for nations to carefully understand the economics of war before indulging themselves in such an activity. We are here not only to conquer places and make money but also to learn to live in harmony with each other. Every nation, color, creed and civilization is different from the other but this is no excuse for a war, we need to understand and accept these differences and in fact cherish them (Walzer, 200). Economics of war The most fundamental concept of Economics is of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the cost of what we forgo for what we gain or hope to gain from anything that we consume or purchase or decide about. For example, if a nation wishes to indulge in a war with another nation, it needs to first evaluate what it may gain. It may achieve success, money, land, power, slaves etc. it also needs to evaluate what it may lose in the process. And it may lose all tha t it may gain in addition to the lives of many innocent people. Also, it would waste its time and resources which may have been put to better use otherwise(Arnson, 45). Thus this evaluation of economics of war is essential for all the nations today. Any nation that decides to posing a war without thinking of its consequences will be doing more harm to itself and the world than it can imagine. Wastage of scarce resources The world is full of scarce resources. We need to use them very carefully or we will deprive ourselves and our coming generations of blessings like electricity, locomotives and other machines that make our lives much easier. Wars on the other hand require a lot of resources, a lot more than we can otherwise imagine consuming in the same time frame. Thus, when indulging in warfare, a country needs to be sure what it is at the risk of losing. Weaponry is expensive so is fuel that is used to drive large tanks and nuclear weapons and missiles are very expensive and destr uctive. A country may very well use the economic resources that it plans on warfare to improving its own nation’s industries, roads, parks and other national amenities thereby improving the living standard of its nationals (Egnal, 314). The world is a global village. We all live in a very interrelated surrounding. The ecosystem is balanced because one thing supports the other. It is all like a large heap of books, one on the other. The war may be a blow