The Representation of Women in Pretty Woman, Thelma and Louise, and Hollywood in General

The Representation of Women in Pretty Woman, Thelma and Louise, and Hollywood in General

In this piece of coursework I will be writing an essay on how women

are represented in media in general and also in the films ‘Pretty

Woman’ and ‘Thelma and Louise.’ I will also be writing about how films

usually use stereotypes which gives a judgement of a type of person or

a group of people which may not true.

In these two films women are represented as housewives/sex objects,

for example in ‘Pretty Woman’ Vivien was on the bed half naked the

camera, show a close up taking in her body which makes a sexy scene

and usually in Hollywood films they use this technique most of the

time. For example they’ve used it in the film XXX (triple X) as well.

In ‘Thelma and Louise’ Thelma and Louise were represented as

housewives, mainly because the film was set back in the past when

women were not seen equal to men so there husband wouldn’t let them

work, which made them having to stay at home. In these two films women

are sometimes show as stereotypes, just like the media it only shows

bits and pieces of how women are really like. For example when Richard

first met Vivien she had a blonde coloured wig which gives the

audience an impression of her being a ‘bimbo’ which may was not true.

These two films have been chosen for me to watch in my English class

because it gives me two good different examples of representation of

women. In ‘Pretty Woman’ Vivien is a prostitute who does business with

rich clients and doesn’t get to emotional with them. One day she meets

a very rich client in the name of Richard which she does straight

business at first, but then sh...

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...because of its more difficult scenario. Younger audience would get

bored of the film because they wouldn’t understand it properly while

the older audience will understand it better.

In this media unit I have learnt and got a clearer idea of what

representation of women is, and also I got a better understanding of

stereotypes now as well. I have also improved in discussing and

writing about a film I have watched. In this unit I have learnt what

feminist means and when the movement started. This unit has made me

better at backing up the information I produce by giving examples. I

also have learnt that in Hollywood generally producers use stereotypes

and representations in films because it makes the film more

interesting for example this technique has been used in the following

films: American Pie, Desperado, Gigli etc.