Coming of age grrlz

Girl Trouble: Rebellion, Conflict and Coming of Age

Coming of age

Coming of age is the transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies. Such a change is sometimes associated with sexual maturity and/or associated with religious responsibility.

Coming of age

The term coming of age is also used in reference to different media such as stories, songs, movies, etc. that have a young character or characters who, by the end of the story, have developed in some way, through the undertaking of responsibility, or by learning a lesson.

How do we define what it is to be a woman?

Who do we want girls to grow up to be?

What is Misogyny?

Do you think that we as a culture, are afraid of women?

Why/Why not?

Female Stereotypes

In the essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, Laura Mulvey introduced the concept of The Male Gaze as a feature of power asymmetry.

Theoretically, the male gaze has much influenced feminist film theory and communications media studies.

The ‘Male Gaze’

In film, the male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of a heterosexual man. For example, a scene may linger on the curves of a woman's body. Laura Mulvey argues that the male gaze takes precedence over the female gaze.

The ‘Male Gaze’

The theory suggests that the male gaze denies women human agency, relegating them to the status of objects, hence, the woman reader and the woman viewer must experience the text's narrative secondarily, by identifying with a man's perspective.

The ‘Male Gaze’

Carrie was first published as a novel by Stephen King in 1974. It is one of the most frequently banned books in United States schools. Much of the book is written in an epistolary structure, through newspaper clippings, magazine articles, letters, and excerpts from books.

Carrie 1976 dir. Brian De Palma

The film stars Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Betty Buckley, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, William Katt, John Travolta, and Priscilla Pointer.

Carrie 1976 dir. Brian De Palma

The film spawned a sequel The Rage: Carrie 2 and a made for television remake, released in 2002, neither of which involved De Palma. During a survey taken in October 2008, it was revealed that Carrie was considered one of the most popular movies teens watch on Halloween.

Pretty in Pink, 1986, dir. Howard Deutch

A teen romantic comedy-drama film about teenage love and social cliques in 1980s American high schools. It is one of a group of John Hughes films starring Molly Ringwald, and is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film. The title of the film comes from the song of the same name by British music group The Psychedelic Furs.

Heathers, 1989, dir. Michael Lehmann

A black comedy starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school. The girls- three of whom are named Heather- rule the school through intimidation, contempt, and sex appeal.

The Clueless novel series, 2005 written by H. B. Gilmour or

Randi Reisfeld

Clueless, 1995, dir. Amy Heckerling

A comedy based loosely on the 1815 Jane Austen novel Emma. It is set in a Beverly Hills high school. The film stars Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash and Brittany Murphy.

The film spun off a television show and a series of books.

Clueless tv series, 1996-1999

Emma, Jane Austen 1815

Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like.” In the very first sentence she introduces the title character as "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich." Emma, however, is also spoiled; she greatly overestimates her matchmaking abilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives and is often mistaken about the meanings of others' actions.

Mean Girls, 2004, dir. Mark Waters

Mean Girls is based on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate, and the effect they can have on girls. The movie is also based on Fey's experiences at Upper Darby High School.

Mean Girls, 2004, dir. Mark Waters

Written by and co-starring Tina Fey, Director Mark Waters described the film as "Clueless meets Heathers”, the latter of which was written by his brother, Daniel Waters.

Mean Girls, 2004, dir. Mark Waters

Written by Diablo Cody, Ellen Page stars as the Juno, an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her.

Juno, 2007, dir. Jason Reitman

"The Juno Effect”

"The Juno Effect”

In 2008, after 17 students under sixteen years of age at a Gloucester, Massachusetts high school became pregnant, Time magazine called it the "Juno Effect”. Time stated that some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip while others accused films such as Juno and Knocked Up for glamorizing teenage pregnancy.

Jennifer’s Body, 2009, dir. Karyn Kusama

Aa black comedy horror film written by Diablo Cody. The film stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody and Johnny Simmons and portrays a newly-possessed teenage serial killer specializing in killing her male classmates as her best friend strives to stop her.

Cody said she wanted the film to speak to female empowerment and explore the complex relationships between best friends.

Jennifer’s Body, 2009, dir. Karyn Kusama

Jennifer’s Body, 2009, dir. Karyn Kusama

The title is a reference to the song of the same name by Hole on their album Live Through This (1994).

Jennifer’s Body, 2009, dir. Karyn Kusama

As a tie-in to the film, the produced made a Jennifer's Body graphic novel, released in

August 2009.

The novel expands on the film's universe and Jennifer's murders of the boys. It focuses on following her soon-to-be victims and provides information on their personalities not elaborated on in the film so that readers can decide whether the boys deserved to be murdered.

Jennifer's Body, 2009 (graphic novel)

Writer(s): Rick SpearsArtist(s): Jim Mahfood, Ming Doyle, Nikki Cook, Tim Seeley

The novel consists of four chapters, with a prologue and an epilogue, with art provided for each by different artists. Each one follows a different boy and what is happening in his life just before Jennifer kills him.