In The Ballad of Little Jo the attitude toward one woman in particular is changing greatly. That is of course because Jo pretended to be a man for many years after she was kicked out of her home for having an illigitimate child. There are times throughout the film when it appears that people are suspicious of the actions of Jo and one in particular is Tinman Wong, who everyone thinks is an idiot. It turns out that he is the only one who figured out that Jo was a woman all on his own. "Women are inferior beings because, in submitting, they open themselves up.(Tompkins, 56)" That is exactly why Jo is not an inferior human being in this film. For years Jo does not allow herself to become vulnerable because she never opens her true self up to anybody. In fact, she becomes a relatively successful man. "It is by talking that on eopens up to another person and becomes vulnerable. It is by putting words to an emotion that it becomes feminized.(Tompkins 56)" Tompkins goes on to discuss this quote saying that not speaking demonstrates the control that a man has over his feelings and over the people around him and as long as he can maintain that control he can divide himself from the world. In The Ballad of Little Jo she becomes hermetic and separates herself from the world for the most part for her own safety. It is a difficult life in the west for a young single woman and becoming a man was her way out of that life. Not only was it a way out but it brought her success in what she did and much respect up until the day she died.
"By becoming a solid object, not only is a man relieved of the burden of relatedness and responsiveness to others, he is relieved on consciousness itself, which is to say, primarily, consciousness of self.(Tompkins 57)" In High Noon, Will Kane does not play the typical Aplha Male Cowboy type. Yes he is a strong male and he is the Marshall of the town but the difference between him and all of the others is that he is in love. He is not only in love but he is giving it all up to start a new life with Amy, his new bride. Amy does not play just your typical female in this film. There comes on a time when Amy takes on the role of the male and takes control of the situation when Will does not have it. The reversal of roles in this film is a significant moment for the change in the view of women in films. Amy decides to get off of the train and shoots Ben followed by her distraction of Frank giving Kane enough time to kill him. This is the first movie that we have watched that contains a woman playing such a large role in the final battle scene. From what we see in The Balled of Little Jo and High Noon it appears that it is the woman's turn to take control and it is not just the hermetic male.
In The Ballad of Little Jo the attitude toward one woman in particular is changing greatly. That is of course because Jo pretended to be a man for many years after she was kicked out of her home for having an illigitimate child. There are times throughout the film when it appears that people are suspicious of the actions of Jo and one in particular is Tinman Wong, who everyone thinks is an idiot. It turns out that he is the only one who figured out that Jo was a woman all on his own. "Women are inferior beings because, in submitting, they open themselves up.(Tompkins, 56)" That is exactly why Jo is not an inferior human being in this film. For years Jo does not allow herself to become vulnerable because she never opens her true self up to anybody. In fact, she becomes a relatively successful man. "It is by talking that on eopens up to another person and becomes vulnerable. It is by putting words to an emotion that it becomes feminized.(Tompkins 56)" Tompkins goes on to discuss this quote saying that not speaking demonstrates the control that a man has over his feelings and over the people around him and as long as he can maintain that control he can divide himself from the world. In The Ballad of Little Jo she becomes hermetic and separates herself from the world for the most part for her own safety. It is a difficult life in the west for a young single woman and becoming a man was her way out of that life. Not only was it a way out but it brought her success in what she did and much respect up until the day she died.
ReplyDeleteHigh Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo are extremely significant movies because of their cultural relevance. They relate directly to the women's movement and the empowering of women in America. It focuses on the strength of women through the symbolism of the gun, particularly in High Noon. Vienna's use of a gun is a symbol of the taking of power from men to women and rising up as a strong movement.
"By becoming a solid object, not only is a man relieved of the burden of relatedness and responsiveness to others, he is relieved on consciousness itself, which is to say, primarily, consciousness of self.(Tompkins 57)" In High Noon, Will Kane does not play the typical Aplha Male Cowboy type. Yes he is a strong male and he is the Marshall of the town but the difference between him and all of the others is that he is in love. He is not only in love but he is giving it all up to start a new life with Amy, his new bride. Amy does not play just your typical female in this film. There comes on a time when Amy takes on the role of the male and takes control of the situation when Will does not have it. The reversal of roles in this film is a significant moment for the change in the view of women in films. Amy decides to get off of the train and shoots Ben followed by her distraction of Frank giving Kane enough time to kill him. This is the first movie that we have watched that contains a woman playing such a large role in the final battle scene. From what we see in The Balled of Little Jo and High Noon it appears that it is the woman's turn to take control and it is not just the hermetic male.