English FOA

Ariel Takach Takach 1 Mr. George HL English: language and literature 19 October 2014

English FOA Intro:    

The study of how ethnic identity (gender) is explored through language (verbal and non-verbal) and how this language impacts cultures/people Political satire Purpose of humor and political/ cultural commentary Plays into stereotypes as a form of humor

1. Stereotypical Roles of Females  Even though the female bodyguards have the trappings of power, they are superficial because they don’t exert any power or force as evidenced by the fact that most of their activities involve stereotypical female roles of caring, compassion, and consoling  Not only do they not have any real authority, we find out that their real purpose is to provide sexual pleasure on command  If they are not fulfilling a male sexual fantasy or engaging in stereotypical female behavior, they are disregarded  Notice how the Chinese dignitary degrades his wife by taking advantage of her language deficiency. He utilized her ignorance of the English language as a comedic device for the entertainment of his male peers. 2. Ridicule of Intelligent Women  The way an intelligent woman is portrayed is as physically inferior and devoid of sexuality ( comment on the way Aladeen perceives/treats Zoe because of her appearance)  Notice how powerful women are “masculinized”

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Takach 2 Zoe is seen wearing unflattering/unattractive/unrevealing clothing Zoe speaks and acts as an authority figure, though her presence is made to be less than that of Aladeen

3. Objectification of Women  The only female guard that does not conform to the overtly sexualized security personnel is duplicitous in nature and physically unattractive. The personification of an objectified woman, her comically large breasts are used as a weapon. 4. Women and Culture  One of the major themes of the movie is to play upon the West’s opinion of how poorly Arab cultures treat their women  By choosing a misogynistic character, the director is able to provide insight into/probe how Arab cultures see themselves, as well as poking fun at the western illusion of superiority in this regard 5. Film Elements ( how media is used to convey meaning/ message)  Color, position on stage, height differences  The superior status of the male is reinforced by his tall stature compared to all the females in the movie  Non-verbal body language and position on the screen indicates submissiveness. Such as when…( examples of Zoe interacting with Aladeen during the rooftop kissing scene, in the grocery store)  Men are seen wearing bright colours and formal attire while women are seen as wearing reveling clothing that fades into the background  Note in the “democracy” scene the juxtaposition of male confidence and female insecurity ( in the shadows, cowering) 6. Personification of Democracy  If Zoe is a personification of democracy, it is interesting to wonder if the director intended to capture the political arena of the present where many Arab nations are “flirting with democracy”. At the end of the movie when he embraces democracy (both theoretical and physical), it is important to note that she is only accepted with modifications  Voice and manner of Zoe change  Conforms to his ideals of female beauty (shaved armpits)  Gives up some of her freedoms