Preview

The Unrealistic Expectations Of Women In The Film Mona Lisa Smile

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
645 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Unrealistic Expectations Of Women In The Film Mona Lisa Smile
Being a woman is hard, there are unrealistic expectations about the way women are supposed to look, act, speak, and even think. These expectations can be damaging, they make young girls believe they are supposed to be something other than themselves. They think they have to dress a certain way in order to find a boyfriend, they think that they are defined by whether or not boys find them attractive. Women should never be made to feel that their identities are dependent on the men in their lives, and it’s sad they still do.
In the movie Mona Lisa Smile (2003) the intricacies of being a woman in the 1950’s are showcased in Wellesley College, a prestigious all girls school. This movie brings to attention many of the pressures women faced in society at that time, and continue to face today. There is an emphasis on the girls to be the perfect housewife, and that finding a husband was their ultimate goal in life. This isn’t a pressure women feel as strongly today, but there is still a degree of fear around the idea of never finding a husband. This overwhelming pressure for women to be perfect specimen of obedience and grace has been challenged, and fought against with tooth and nail, but somehow still exists today. It is less obvious that women are being told that …show more content…
The fact that she starts her journey chasing after a man doesn’t negate the strength that she shows, sometimes the reality of being a woman is being in love. Elle Woods goes above and beyond, and shows the being smart and being pretty don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In a world that tries to tell women that all blondes are stupid, and all nerdy girls are ugly, this is an important message for girls to receive. A girls intelligence isn’t limited, or determined by, her
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Women's Room Analysis
    • 884 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Women's Room Analysis

    Marilyn French who is the author of the book “The Women’s Room” illustrates the lives of a couple women from the time period of the 1950’s also known as the baby boom and the time period goes on until this present day. These women are not out of the ordinary. These women they either go off to college and then they decide to get married, or they decide to get married in the absence of even caring about the display of college, and after all, they do know that college is the only way to find economical promising husband’s. Mira, who is the main character her lifestyle is discovered in parts of the book, roughly ponders why she is not happy cooking pot roast, changing dirty diapers of her two children Normie and Clark when they were babies, and…

    • 884 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Post Modern American Women
    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Post Modern American Women

    Thus, in an attempt to further promote equal opportunity between men and women, a second wave of feminism emerged between 1968 and the 1980’s, which can be best characterized by women’s refusal to acclimate to society’s rigid belief of what an ideal woman should be or act like (Mancia, Class, 12/2). This problem is perfectly illustrated in the Feminine Mystique, written by Betty Friedan, in which Friedan discussed the unhappiness of many young women in the 1950’s and early 1960’s despite many of them being married and having children, living the life a woman is “supposed” to have. Furthermore, Friedan complained of young women who were being taught that “truly feminine women do not want careers, higher education, political rights” (Friedan, p. 271). Instead, they were being taught that it was a woman’s “job” to essentially be a housewife (i.e. stay home, clean the house, make food for her family, take care of the kids, etc...) (Friedan, p. 273). However, Friedan largely opposed this view and believed that it embodied the false prototypical stereotype about women. Rather, Friedan believed that a truly feminine woman would do just the exact opposite and does aim for a career, higher education, and political rights in the same way that a man would (Mancia, Class,…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Honor Code David Brooks Summary
    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Honor Code David Brooks Summary

    In society, there are different ways that a male or female should present themselves and what is normal for them could be weird to others. In “Honor Code” by David Brooks, he explains what it is like for a boy to be in school and the ways it is the school's fault for their learning troubles. Deborah Tannen’s, “His Politeness Is Her Powerlessness,” persuades her readers to see that women are viewed as powerless, while men are the powerful ones when it comes to things like communicating. Inferences can be made after reading these articles about whether these authors wrote because of personal experiences or just what they have seen. Also from personal experience, many people most likely see things that follow or go against gender norms.…

    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mother Of All Rebecca Solnit Summary
    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Mother Of All Rebecca Solnit Summary

    n the essay, The Mother of All Questions by Rebecca Solnit, Solnit is bombarded with questions regarding her decision to not marry and have children. Instead of her interviewers focusing on her work, the thing she has dedicated her life to, she is instead held down by the stereotypes that plague women today. Many people in today’s society still had the notion that main responsibility for women is to give birth and care for that child. The fact that this notion is still prevalent in society bothers me because it prevents men from realizing that women have passions and desires that they want to accomplish in life outside of this cult of domesticity. An accomplished women will never get the respect she deserves if we give into the notion that…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Why I Want A Wife
    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Why I Want A Wife

    In the 1970’s, the fight for women’s suffrage was a major highlighted impact amongst the nation as women everywhere fought for their equality with men. Within this time, women were considered to be obligated to take of the family and the home without any gratitude. Judy Brady effectively points this out to the readers of Ms. Magazine in 1972, where she publishes an article that opens eyes across the nation. In her article, “Why I Want a wife,” Brady uses techniques such as pathos to discuss her duties as a wife and to show the unfairness and inequality that her position upholds.…

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Matriarchal Misrepresentation
    • 1263 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Matriarchal Misrepresentation

    Judy Brady’s essay, “I Want a Wife” was first published in Ms. Magazine in 1971 in support of the feminist movement; initially the essay was written in the hopes that it would create public awareness of the unfair expectations created by the wife stereotype. During the 1970’s American popular culture, women seemed to have no identity besides that of being a family caretaker. In fact, the mere idea of a woman procuring a career was seen as a radical notion throughout the course of history. In addition to being the family caretaker, the wife was generally expected that after a woman had earned her desired education she was to marry, have children and become a loyal servant to her family. Moreover, this expectation was engrained in the minds of the American public by way of popular television shows like “Leave it to Beaver”, which projected the prototypical image of what a wife was expected to be inside the living room of every home. Along with the wife being expected to be the loyal servant, she was also anticipated to be sensitive to the husband's sexual needs. For example, the wife was expected to have sex with her husband even if she was tired or not in the mood. These projections became the accepted norm of how a woman should represent herself once she became a wife/mother. That is, society thinks that the responsibilities of raising children and maintaining a stable home are often solely placed upon the wife; however this kind of stability can only be upheld with the help of the husband and wife together.…

    • 1263 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Saplings In The Storm
    • 1607 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Saplings In The Storm

    Gender is defined as “organisms are classified on the basis of their reproductive organs and functions” (American Heritage Dictionary), nothing more than your reproductive organs. There are no cultural traits that go along with one’s gender, everything that you have been taught as to what a girl or boy may be, has been taught to you through social constructs. All of these constructs are taught during adolescence. “Saplings in the Storm” by Mary Pipher explores the young females and their challenges in their adolescent and teenage years. Essentially the girls lose all of their value during these years when they trade it for traditional female traits such as being idealistic and superficial.…

    • 1607 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Women's Suffrage Movement: The First Wave Of The Feminist Movement
    • 4751 Words
    • 20 Pages

    The Women's Suffrage Movement: The First Wave Of The Feminist Movement

    “The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years in the minds of American women. It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the twentieth century in the United States. Each suburban wife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night--she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question--"Is this all?"…

    • 4751 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Declaration Of Sentiments
    • 759 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Declaration Of Sentiments

    Another subtle way in which sexism exists isn’t even committed by men—women are taking part in a cycle of misogyny and hatred of the members of their own gender. Very commonly nowadays you see young girls and even grown women claim to be different from their female peers in order to seem more appealing to men. It’s a very simple self-perpetuating way for misogyny to exist without ever being perpetrated by males. With the “not-like-other-girls” mindset, women are pitted against other women, as opposed to standing in solidarity against the very institutional sexism they have been unknowingly perpetuating. Girl-on-girl hate has been sensationalized and normalize in the media via television shows (see Gossip Girl), movies (see Mean Girls), and books (see The Clique series) all of these are specifically targeted for young girls. Often the antagonists of these stories are female peers and the happy ending or “reward” is finally getting to be with which ever boy that has been lusted over for the length of the story. While they do highlight the very real issue of bullying in schools, these stories do little to nothing to promote the friendship and commonality that young girls have together. In relation to the aforementioned grievance, self-image doesn’t have to be limited to one’s personality or appearance—it can refer to one’s gender, and can lead to the dislike of members of one’s own…

    • 759 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Feminine Mystique Analysis
    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Feminine Mystique Analysis

    Gail Collins argues, “The Feminine Mystique is a very specific cry of rage about the way intelligent, well-educated women were kept out of the mainstream of American professional life and regarded as little more than a set of reproductive organs in heels” (1). At a time when women were at their academic peak with the highest college attendance and graduation rates, one would assume that women would confidently take on more important roles in the workforce, especially following the Rosie the Riveter campaign that empowered female workers during World War II; however, women took on more domestic roles in higher percentages, forgetting the progress in women’s rights their mothers and grandmothers worked so hard to achieve. Louis Menand explains, “When Friedan was writing her book, the issue of gender equality was barely on the public’s radar screen. On the contrary: it was almost taken for granted that the proper goal for intelligent women was marriage” (2). A large contributor to this decision is the false sense of accomplishment women were promised in return for their spousal duties. Critic Catherine Judd explains, “Friedan notes that suburban housewives have been told by the media, by the medical community, and by educators that they…

    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Gender Roles
    • 911 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gender Roles

    Society has many expectations on men; men are supposed to be brave and stronger than woman. An article on The Social Roles of Men and Women states “It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine.” People believe that men should be bold, strong, and powerful but that’s not always the case. Men should act the way they want! Just because society or their parents expect them to be masculine doesn’t mean they have to. Another example from The Social Roles of Men and Women adds “Traditionally, fathers teach boys how to fix and build things.” I’m sure everyone expects men to teach their sons how to fix or build things. Some fathers don’t even follow this concept with their sons. Sometimes when these kids grow up and don’t know how to build or fix things there are looked at differently as if they are worthless. Moreover from a different article Gender and Society says "Men have always been afraid that women could get along without them." This quote is basically stating that men think that women can live without them, when in reality they can. Men are afraid of this because they believe that women should stay home, keep the house clean and have dinner waiting for them once they come back from work. Men shouldn’t be afraid that women can be independent; I think it’s great that women can be independent and not rely on anyone but themselves.…

    • 911 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    College Essay On The Importance Of Education
    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages

    College Essay On The Importance Of Education

    My mother was a child in the sixties and a teenager in the seventies. During this time, educational opportunities for women expanded, as well as female participation in sports, politics, and business. My mother decided to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher at Bridgewater State College. She says, “For me, it was never a question of going to college. It was an expectation.” She received an undergraduate degree in secondary education and English and a master’s degree in high school educational administration. For my mother, teaching was about empowering other girls to pursue their desired careers. She wanted to be a positive female role model for her students. Teaching has also given my mother opportunities to travel. She taught overseas in Greece at the American Community School and now regularly takes her classes on trips to Europe on school vacations. Recently, she has taken students to Italy, France, Germany, England, and Greece. Today, she teaches at Hopkinton High School. In contrast to her mother, Marie is a single mother with one child. Education allows woe to be more financially independent. A generation prior to my mother's, women simply could not afford to be single parents. As a clear example of how the times and expectations have changed, Marie states, “I wanted a daughter who could be a strong woman, for whom higher education wasn’t even a…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Definition Of Womanhood During The 1950's
    • 127 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Definition Of Womanhood During The 1950's

    A woman should not change herself to fit the views that society has toward womanhood, and should ultimately be able to follow her dreams and not be told what her limits are. The best way to describe womanhood in America today, is choice. Women have the choice to vote, the choice to marry whomever we’d like, as well as the choice to work. Womanhood fifty years ago was a completely different story. Housekeeping and raising a family were considered ideal female roles during the 1950s, as well as being the “perfect housewife.” Today womanhood means so much more than our biological ability to have children and be the “perfect housewife” for our husbands. It is in our sense of agency, not dictated ability, that we become Woman.…

    • 127 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Gender Stereotyping In Society
    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Gender Stereotyping In Society

    Changing the mind-set of people’s views about gender narratives, can greatly reduce the problems associated with them. For example, allowing a woman to feel confident in her own skin and not ridiculed for her appearance. Allowing men to reverse the provider role and be a stay at home dad. In addition, using the media as a tool for change against these stereotypes can educate the population about what is acceptable behavior associated with different genders. Furthermore, not pressuring boys to grow-up before they are ready and allowing them to be kids, will reduce the violent tendencies related to male stereotyping. Thus, allowing boys the opportunity to develop self-worth and individual identity. We can only hope that one day, when a woman is sitting in the oval office she is viewed as an intellectual and not a sex…

    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Happy Housewife Heroine Analysis
    • 1881 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Happy Housewife Heroine Analysis

    Betty Friedan launches her nonfiction account of the twentieth-century crisis among American women by describing their trouble as so deeply ingrained that few people can see it. She calls the trouble with women’s identity “the problem that has no name” and says it has no name because women are told to believe—and often do believe—that “the problem” doesn’t exist. The problem, as Friedan describes it, is that women are increasingly taught to believe that their existence and happiness is limited to the roles of spouse, mother, and housewife. Because so few women are able to recognize that these roles are limited or that they might be unhappy with them, the problem has “no name.”…

    • 1881 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More