To what extent is the male gaze portrayed in the films “Mean Girls” and “Clueless”?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Male Gaze in “Mean Girls” and “Clueless”: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
The concept of the male gaze, as theorized by Laura Mulvey, refers to the depiction of women in visual media from a heterosexual male perspective, emphasizing their physical attractiveness and objectifying them for the pleasure of the viewer. In the films “Mean Girls” and “Clueless,” both set in high school environments, the presence of the male gaze is evident in various ways. This essay will explore the extent to which the male gaze is portrayed in these two iconic teen comedies and analyze how it influences the portrayal of female characters.
Key Terms
Male Gaze: The perspective of a heterosexual male viewer that objectifies and sexualizes women in visual media.
Mean Girls: A 2004 film directed by Mark Waters, depicting high school social dynamics and teenage girl cliques.
Clueless: A 1995 film directed by Amy Heckerling, following the life of a wealthy teenage girl navigating high school life.
Points of Analysis
Character Representation: How female characters are portrayed in relation to the male gaze.
Costume and Appearance: The emphasis on physical appearance and clothing choices in the context of the male gaze.
Narrative Focus: Whether the storyline and themes of the films reinforce or challenge the male gaze.
Thesis Statement
While both “Mean Girls” and “Clueless” showcase elements of the male gaze through character representation, costume design, and narrative focus, they also provide nuanced portrayals of female agency and empowerment that subvert traditional gender norms.
Body Paragraphs
1. Character Representation
In both “Mean Girls” and “Clueless,” female characters are often presented through a lens that caters to the male gaze. The protagonists, Cady Heron in “Mean Girls” and Cher Horowitz in “Clueless,” are initially introduced as attractive young women whose actions and decisions are influenced by their interactions with male characters.
For instance, in “Mean Girls,” Cady’s transformation from a socially awkward newcomer to a popular “Plastic” aligns with traditional narratives of female attractiveness and desirability. Similarly, Cher’s navigation of romantic relationships and social status in “Clueless” reflects a focus on external validation and male attention.
2. Costume and Appearance
The emphasis on costume and appearance in both films plays a significant role in reinforcing the male gaze. The characters in “Mean Girls” and “Clueless” are often depicted wearing fashionable outfits that highlight their physical attributes and conform to conventional standards of beauty.
In “Mean Girls,” the Plastics’ revealing clothing and attention to makeup underscore their status as objects of desire within the high school hierarchy. Likewise, Cher’s designer wardrobe in “Clueless” serves as a visual representation of her wealth and social standing, reinforcing stereotypes of femininity tied to material possessions.
3. Narrative Focus
While both films contain elements of the male gaze, they also incorporate themes that challenge traditional gender roles and empower their female characters. In “Mean Girls,” the narrative ultimately critiques the toxicity of female competition and encourages solidarity among women. Cady’s realization that true fulfillment comes from personal growth rather than male approval subverts typical coming-of-age tropes.
Similarly, “Clueless” subverts expectations by portraying Cher as a confident and independent young woman who navigates her own path to self-discovery. The film’s emphasis on female friendships and empowerment highlights a departure from solely catering to the male gaze, promoting themes of self-actualization and agency.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the male gaze is present in varying degrees in “Mean Girls” and “Clueless,” both films offer nuanced portrayals of female characters that transcend traditional stereotypes. Through character representation, costume design, and narrative focus, these teen comedies navigate themes of identity, empowerment, and self-discovery that challenge the confines of the male gaze.
By weaving elements of female agency and empowerment into their narratives, “Mean Girls” and “Clueless” subvert expectations and offer audiences complex portrayals of young women navigating adolescence. While the influence of the male gaze is undeniable in popular media, these films serve as examples of how storytelling can transcend objectification and empower female characters to define their own narratives on their own terms.
