I think the way the film portrays and challenges common stereotypes translates to 2009. At first, Thelma and Louise each seem to embody different female stereotypes; Thelma as the typical housewife dependent on her husband and Louise as a working, self-reliant woman. Towards the end of the movie, the women become increasingly comfortable with their newfound freedom and take the role of aggressors from the men. The men as a whole are seen in a negative light. We have the arrogant husband, macho rapist who thinks he's God's gift to women, sexist truck driver, and the boyfriend who is scared of commitment. To a certain extent, these stereotypes can easily be seen in society today.
Like the men, are there instances where women are portrayed negatively? Also, would the movie have completely lost it's meaning if instead of driving off a cliff at the end, it was just a three foot drop?
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I also saw that the portrayal of men and women holds to certain stereotypes that are still relevant in today's society. Thelma was extremely co-dependent on her husband, not being able to make decisions for herself. It didn't seem like something she particularly wanted, but was forced into a position of complacency. Louise on the other hand was pretty dependent and willing to defy a man to prove her point. They were both at the extremes of how a woman could act. Then men were all portrayed in a negative light. The worst was the man that took advantage of Thelma; he wasn't even apologetic after being caught and threatened at gun point. The other men also acted according to most stereotypes: macho, in charge, abusive, care-free, not accountable to any woman.
ReplyDeleteWhy did the women have to drive off the cliff? Could there have been another ending that served the same point with a "happier" ending?