Premium Essay

Tomboy Movie Identity

Submitted By
Words 1564
Pages 7
As Americans, it is easy forget that the world does not revolve around us. There is an infinite amount of different cultures from around the world, each as valuable and complex as mainstream American culture. An easy way to be reminded of this significance is through the arts; film being an extremely successful method. The reason for film’s success in this area is that they are able to transport the viewer into a whole new world, with complex cultures and different experiences. Films featuring gender from various foreign cultures are vital as they off a higher level of understanding of the diversity of cultural norms.
A struggle that can be universally understood is the theme of having no place of belonging in a male dominated society. This …show more content…
For Ida, identity was always a simple thing. She saw herself as an orphan, raised in a convict and aspiring to be a nun. This previously solidified image of herself is shattered when she learns of her heritage, and discovers that she is from a Jewish family and therefor is Jewish herself. Ida must attempt to incorporate her newly discovered past into her current identity, and struggles to determine who she truly is. Ida’s Aunt Wanda, her only remaining relative, encourages her to explore her options in life before becoming a nun. Wanda raises the point to Ida that “You should try, otherwise what sort of sacrifice are these vows of yours?” While Ida at first resists, she begins to take this advice to heart after Wanda commits suicide. Ida explores the risqué aspects of mainstream culture, and after embracing this new side of herself decides to return to the convict and become a nun. The significance of this all lies in how Ida went from having a very simple view of identity and what identity meant to her, to a muddied and complex image that needed to be navigated before any life decisions could be made. The film “Tomboy” has equally if not more complex treatment of identity. In the film “Tomboy”, the 10-year old character Laure moves to a new area and is able to pass as a boy under the name Mikael. Mikael explores their gender identity by presenting as a male around their friends and a female around their family. They go from referring to themselves as female and contently responding to female pronouns at home, to stuffing their speedo with phallic shaped Play-Doh while swimming with friends. Despite being assigned and expressing as female for the previous years of their life, Mikael is absolutely able to fully experience what it means to be a male in

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Gender & Communication Disney Princesses

...Megan Woodrow December 10, 2012 Human Symbolic Activity Final Paper Gender and Communication: Disney Princesses Evolve Over Time Women have been around since the beginning of time, and have been stereotyped towards having “weaker natures and bodies” and “silly and emotional desires”. The women in the classic Walt Disney films are no exception to this criticism. But there is a saving grace. As women in real life have changed over time, our counterparts in fantasy film animation have also changed. The classic Walt Disney Princesses have therefore evolved through, and with, the media. After thinking back on what made Disney such a huge hit and major part of all of our lives, one answer came to mind: The Disney Princesses. Walt Disney and the Disney Company started out with young and beautiful Snow White, and then eventually moving onto the long line of famous Disney heroines such as Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Mulan, and many more to recent date. There have been so many princesses (and other strong heroines) added to the Disney list, but has anyone ever thought of how these princesses have changed over time, or how they have evolved due to how women in real life are represented in the media today? Before I go into any more on the Princesses themselves, I first need to explain what events and stereotypes have made the basis for the Disney Princesses of the past, and even the for the women of the past, due to how the media and others have portrayed...

Words: 2481 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Internal Truth

...life in Pennsylvania, focusing on her difficult relationship with her closeted homosexual pedophile father. The main focus in this memoir are sexual orientation and social gender role; which for both Bruce and Alison, was something they were about to learn. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes. Sexual orientation also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions”. Sexual orientation is something that everybody will experience sometime in their life, which for once allows us to be “standard”; but, the difference of identities is what makes us all anomalous. Within this world, society is made up of heterosexuals, homosexuals, and bisexuals, who are either feminine or masculine. Not one is better than the other, but particular identities like masculine females (dykes) or feminine males (fags) have the worst “to cope with the social stigma against homosexuality, [and] this pattern of prejudice can have serious negative effects on health and well-being” (APA) . We shall explore in further detail, how Alison’s open lesbian life succeeds against her father’s closet-hidden gay being and which is feminine or masculine. Fun Home originates from a young girl’s daily journal entries that finished “A year after her father died, when she...

Words: 2817 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Evoluton of Homosexualty in the Philippnes

...Evolution of Homosexuality in the Philippines Introduction US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton once said: “Gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths. They are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes. And whether we know it, or whether we acknowledge it, they are family, our friends, and our neighbors. Being gay is not a western invention. It is a human reality.” Homosexuality can be tracked throughout history. In ancient Rome, philosophers, such as Socrates, were having sexual practices with their students. They believed it was a part of becoming a man. The Bible, one of the oldest books in literature, discusses homosexual practices among the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. Some of the most influential people throughout history were discovered to be homosexual: Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and Tennessee Williams (1914-1983). http://main.uab.edu/Sites/students/life/safe-zone/33566/ Homosexuality is worldwide and has a global impact on society. It transcends borders, cultures, and governments. The homosexual society even bears its own international flag, a rainbow which signifies the bond between different people all over the world. The society shows how peace can be achieved throughout the...

Words: 4284 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Media Sexualization of Young Girls

...CHALLENGE THE MEDIA Table of Contents: Introduction Testimonials Websites Activity Article: Media and Girls Books and Reports Take Action 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 End the Sexualization of Girls and Young Women in Mainstream Media Children are exposed to a barrage of sexual and violent images through mainstream and other media. As children gain more access to media through technology such as phones and computers, the time per day that children are exposed to images is increasing. The average high school student spends as much as 8-10 hours a day with some type of media, according to recent findings from the Geena Davis Institute. Studies estimate that counting all ads, logos, labels, and announcements a child is exposed to 16,000 images in one day. (Youth Media Reporter 2009). Media and Violence Against Women Often, media such as TV, commercials, movies, music lyrics, and even Halloween costumes, sexually exploits girls and young women; and it perpetuates unhealthy and unrealistic stereotypical portrayals of both young men and women. Sexually violent material can contribute to a social climate in which violence against women is more accepted. According to several studies by the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls (2007), men and women exposed to sexually objectifying and violent images of women from mainstream media were more accepting of rape myths, sexual harassment, sex role stereotypes, and interpersonal violence. Such structures of violence allow violence against...

Words: 3836 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Lesson Guide

...Terese Wilhelmsen Master’s thesis PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF CHILDREN Exploring how intergenerational transfer of habitus frame boys and girls opportunity to generate and negotiate physical activity within their everyday life. NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management Department of Sociology and Political Science Master’s thesis in Sport Science Trondheim, January 2012 Terese Wilhelmsen PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF CHILDREN Exploring how intergenerational transfer of habitus frame boys and girls opportunity to generate and negotiate physical activity within their everyday life. Master in Sport Science Department of Sociology and Political Science Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU Trondheim, Norway. 1 ABSTRACT Several indicators of social background and gender expectations are found to have an important impact on children’s physical activity patterns, yet few studies have explored intergenerational transfer of habitus through the use of triangulation of methods. The aim of this study is to explore how intergenerational transfer of habitus frames children’s opportunit to generate and negotiate physical activity in their everyday life. This is done by examining the relationship between children’s physical activity pattern’s and: parental capital, parental perception of gender appropriate...

Words: 57260 - Pages: 230

Premium Essay

Personal Growth

...Personality Theorists Assignment | Personal Growth Lab | Submitted by :Neeraja Padman (11PGDMHR32) | ALFRED ADLER – INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY Although his writings revealed great insight into the depth and complexities of human personality, Adler evolved a basically simple and parsimonious theory. To Adler, people are born with weak, inferior bodies—a condition that leads to feelings of inferiority and a consequent dependence on other people. Therefore, a feeling of unity with others (social interest) is inherent in people and the ultimate standard for psychological health. More specifically, the main tenets of Adlerian theory can be stated in outline form. The following is adapted from a list that represents the final statement of individual psychology (Adler, 1964). Alfred Adler postulates a single "drive" or motivating force behind all our behavior and experience. By the time his theory had gelled into its most mature form, he called that motivating force the striving for perfection. It is the desire we all have to fulfill our potentials, to come closer and closer to our ideal. It is, as many of you will already see, very similar to the more popular idea of self-actualization. "Perfection" and "ideal" are troublesome words, though. On the one hand, they are very positive goals. Shouldn't we all be striving for the ideal? And yet, in psychology, they are often given a rather negative connotation. Perfection and ideals are, practically by definition, things...

Words: 15787 - Pages: 64

Premium Essay

Homosexuality

...ROSKILDE UNIVERSITY 2005 HOMOSEXUALITY Joanna Barnecka Kinga Karp Mie Lollike Psychology, Modul Autumn Semester 2005 Group Number 107 Supervisor: Bettina Hjortholt Characters: 106.189 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 2 ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. 2 MOTIVATION.............................................................................................................. 3 PROBLEM DEFINITION ............................................................................................... 4 CARDINAL QUESTION ................................................................................................ 4 SUB-QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................... 4 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION TO THE TERM HOMOSEXUALITY .................................... 6 THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDS FOR UNDERSTANDING HOMOSEXUALITY................................................................................................... 9 HOMOSEXUALITY FROM A BEHAVIOURISTIC POINT OF VIEW ................................ 10 HOMOSEXUALITY FROM A BIOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW ....................................... 16 HOMOSEXUALITY FROM A PSYCHODYNAMIC POINT OF VIEW....

Words: 16665 - Pages: 67

Free Essay

Getting

...International Relations Theory The new edition of International Relations Theory: A critical introduction introduces students to the main theories in international relations. It explains and analyzes each theory, allowing students to understand and critically engage with the myths and assumptions behind each theory. Key features of this textbook include: • discussion of all of the main theories: realism and (neo)realism, idealism and (neo)idealism, liberalism, constructivism, postmodernism, gender, and globalization two new chapters on the “clash of civilizations” and Hardt and Negri’s Empire innovative use of narratives from films that students will be familiar with: Lord of the Flies, Independence Day, Wag the Dog, Fatal Attraction, The Truman Show, East is East, and Memento an accessible and exciting writing style which is well-illustrated with boxed key concepts and guides to further reading. • • • This breakthrough textbook has been designed to unravel the complexities of international relations theory in a way that allows students a clearer idea of how the theories work and the myths that are associated with them. Cynthia Weber is Professor of International Studies at the University of Lancaster. She is the author of several books and numerous articles in the field of international relations. International Relations Theory A critical introduction Second edition Cynthia Weber First published 2001 by Routledge Second edition published 2005 by Routledge...

Words: 74303 - Pages: 298

Free Essay

Sometihing

...Moore−Parker: Critical Thinking, Ninth Edition 5. Persuasion Through Rhetoric: Common Devices and Techniques Text © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 Chapter Persuasion Through Rhetoric 5 It’s just the way things are: Images and impressions tend to sell more products than good arguments do. At least some of the images are fun. Common Devices and Techniques W hen the military uses the phrase “self-injurious behavior incidents” regarding detainees at Guantánamo Bay, it means what most of us call “attempted suicides.” In fact, when the word “detainees” is used, it means what most of us call “prisoners.” “Waterboarding” sounds at first like something you’d expect to see young people doing on a California beach, not a torture technique that involves forced simulated drowning. Less remarkable, perhaps, but possibly more relevant for most of us, we’ve heard the term “downsized” used when someone is fired or laid off. “Ethnic cleansing” covers everything from deportation to genocide. What we have to say may be important, but the words we choose to say it with can be equally important. The examples just given are cases of a certain type of linguistic coercion—an attempt to get us to adopt a particular attitude toward a subject that, if described differently, would seem less attractive to us. Words have tremendous persuasive power, or what we have called their rhetorical force or emotive meaning—their power to express and elicit images, feelings, and emotional...

Words: 15202 - Pages: 61

Premium Essay

Bauws

...CURRICULUM DIRECTED BY ZANA BRISKI AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THE HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION PROGRAM AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTORS OF THIS CURRICULUM GUIDE. WITHOUT THEIR DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO THE ISSUES THAT EMANATE FROM THE FILM, THIS GUIDE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. WRITERS CLARE GARVIE SHEETAL KHEMCHANDANI HEATHER SHPIRO EDITORS CLARE GARVIE SHEETAL KHEMCHANDANI MELISSA ROBINSON CONTRIBUTORS KIM ALLEN MARY ARCHER ADDIE BOSTON REBECCA CATRON SAMANTHA LEE SONAM DOLKER EMILY LESSER KAREN ROBINSON MELISSA ROBINSON 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION FROM THE FILMMAKER | 4 FROM THE EDITORS | 5 MOVIE DISCUSSION GUIDE | 7 LESSON 1 PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY | 9 APPENDIX 1 – Handouts | 18 THE TRANSORMATIVE POWER OF ART | 23 APPENDIX 2 – Handouts | 32 DISCRIMINATION AND THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION | 49 APPENDIX 3 – Handouts | 54 FILM CLIPS | 61 GLOSSARY OF TERMS | 63 OPTIONAL TEACHER RESOURCE 1 – Red Light Districts around the World | 65 OPTIONAL TEACHER RESOURCE 2 – Q&A about the Calcutta Red Light District | 68 OPTIONAL TEACHER RESOURCE 3 – Fact Sheet on Internally Displaced Peoples and Refugees | 70 OPTIONAL TEACHER RESOURCE 4 – Timeline of Conflict in Bosnia/Herzegovina | 72 LESSON 2 LESSON 3 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RESOURCE STRENGTHENING FEEDBACK FORM | 74 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE FILMMAKER ZANA BRISKI When I first went...

Words: 23284 - Pages: 94

Premium Essay

Godfather

...“THE GODFATHER IS A STAGGERING TRIUMPH...THE DEFINITIVE NOVEL ABOUT A SINISTER FRATERNITY OF CRIME...” --Saturday Review “YOU CAN’T STOP READING IT, AND YOU’LL FIND IT HARD TO STOP DREAMING ABOUT IT!” --New York Magazine THE GODFATHER THE GODFATHER Mario Puzo Copyright © Mario Puzo 1969 All rights reserved For Anthony Cleri THE GODFATHER BOOK I Behind every great fortune there is a crime. --BALZAC Chapter 1 Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her. The judge, a formidably heavy-featured man, rolled up the sleeves of his black robe as if to physically chastise the two young men standing before the bench. His face was cold with majestic contempt. But there was something false in all this that Amerigo Bonasera sensed but did not yet understand. “You acted like the worst kind of degenerates,” the judge said harshly. Yes, yes, thought Amerigo Bonasera. Animals. Animals. The two young men, glossy hair crew cut, scrubbed clean-cut faces composed into humble contrition, bowed their heads in submission. The judge went on. “You acted like wild beasts in a jungle and you are fortunate you did not sexually molest that poor girl or I’d put you behind bars for twenty years.” The judge paused, his eyes beneath impressively thick brows flickered slyly toward the sallow-faced Amerigo Bonasera, then lowered to a stack of probation reports...

Words: 172795 - Pages: 692

Free Essay

The Satanic Verses

...Copyright Salman Rushdie, 1988 All rights reserved VIKING Published by the Penguin Group Viking Penguin Inc., 40 West 23rd Street, New York, New York 10010, U.S.A. Penguin Books Ltd, 27 Wrights Lane, London W8 5TZ, England Penguin Books Australia Ltd. Ringwood, Victoria, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 2801 John Street, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 1B4 Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, 182-190, Wairau Road, Auckland ro, New Zealand Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England Published in 1989 by Viking Penguin Inc. For Marianne Contents I The Angel Gibreel II Mahound III Ellowen Deeowen IV Ayesha V A City Visible but Unseen VI Return to Jahilia VII The Angel Azraeel VIII The Parting of the Arabian Seas IX A Wonderful Lamp Satan, being thus confined to a vagabond, wandering, unsettled condition, is without any certain abode; for though he has, in consequence of his angelic nature, a kind of empire in the liquid waste or air, yet this is certainly part of his punishment, that he is . . . without any fixed place, or space, allowed him to rest the sole of his foot upon. Daniel Defoe, _The History of the Devil_ I The Angel Gibreel "To be born again," sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, "first you have to die. Hoji! Hoji! To land upon the bosomy earth, first one needs to fly. Tat-taa! Taka-thun! How to ever smile again, if first you won't cry? How to win the darling's love, mister, without a sigh? Baba, if you want to get born again...

Words: 195828 - Pages: 784

Premium Essay

Barron 3500

...6 Build Your Vocabulary ■ ■ ■ ■ The SAT High-Frequency Word List The SAT Hot Prospects Word List The 3,500 Basic Word List Basic Word Parts be facing on the test. First, look over the words on our SAT High-Frequency Word List, which you’ll find on the following pages. Each of these words has appeared (as answer choices or as question words) from eight to forty times on SATs published in the past two decades. Next, look over the words on our Hot Prospects List, which appears immediately after the High-Frequency List. Though these words don’t appear as often as the high-frequency words do, when they do appear, the odds are that they’re key words in questions. As such, they deserve your special attention. Now you’re ready to master the words on the High-Frequency and Hot Prospects Word Lists. First, check off those words you think you know. Then, look up all the words and their definitions in our 3,500 Basic Word List. Pay particular attention to the words you thought you knew. See whether any of them are defined in an unexpected way. If they are, make a special note of them. As you know from the preceding chapters, SAT often stumps students with questions based on unfamiliar meanings of familiar-looking words. Use the flash cards in the back of this book and create others for the words you want to master. Work up memory tricks to help yourself remember them. Try using them on your parents and friends. Not only will going over these high-frequency words reassure you that you...

Words: 92038 - Pages: 369

Premium Essay

Business

...C h a p t e r 1 Prewriting GETTING STARTED (OR SOUP-CAN LABELS CAN BE FASCINATING) For many writers, getting started is the hardest part. You may have noticed that when it is time to begin a writing assignment, you suddenly develop an enormous desire to straighten your books, water your plants, or sharpen your pencils for the fifth time. If this situation sounds familiar, you may find it reassuring to know that many professionals undergo these same strange compulsions before they begin writing. Jean Kerr, author of Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, admits that she often finds herself in the kitchen reading soup-can labels—or anything—in order to prolong the moments before taking pen in hand. John C. Calhoun, vice president under Andrew Jackson, insisted he had to plow his fields before he could write, and Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim and other novels, is said to have cried on occasion from the sheer dread of sitting down to compose his stories. To spare you as much hand-wringing as possible, this chapter presents some practical suggestions on how to begin writing your short essay. Although all writers must find the methods that work best for them, you may find some of the following ideas helpful. But no matter how you actually begin putting words on paper, it is absolutely essential to maintain two basic ideas concerning your writing task. Before you write a single sentence, you should always remind yourself that 1. You have some valuable ideas to tell your reader,...

Words: 234754 - Pages: 940

Free Essay

Growing Up Asian in Australia

...Growing Up Asian in Australia file:///D|/ /Calibre Library/Wei Zhi/Growing Up Asian in Australia (799)/text/part0000.html[2014-6-18 23:54:32] Growing Up Asian in Australia file:///D|/ /Calibre Library/Wei Zhi/Growing Up Asian in Australia (799)/text/part0000.html[2014-6-18 23:54:32] Growing Up Asian in Australia Growing up Asian in Australia file:///D|/ /Calibre Library/Wei Zhi/Growing Up Asian in Australia (799)/text/part0001.html[2014-6-18 23:54:33] Growing Up Asian in Australia Growing up Asian in Australia ...................................... Alice Pung Edited by file:///D|/ /Calibre Library/Wei Zhi/Growing Up Asian in Australia (799)/text/part0002.html[2014-6-18 23:54:33] Growing Up Asian in Australia Published by Black Inc., an imprint of Schwartz Media Pty Ltd Level 5, 289 Flinders Lane Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia email: enquiries@blackincbooks.com http://www.blackincbooks.com Introduction and this collection © Alice Pung & Black Inc. Individual works © retained by the authors. Reprinted 2008 . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2008. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior consent of the publishers. Photo of Hoa Pham by Alister Air. Photo of Joy Hopwood by Yanna Black. The National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Pung, Alice (ed.) Growing up...

Words: 113124 - Pages: 453