preview

Pretty Little Liars Analysis

Better Essays

Pretty Little Feminism (2.2)
“The Feminism of Pretty Little Liars,” an article by Morgan Glennon, argues through the use of pathos and ethos the connection between the popular teen show Pretty Little Liars and the concept of feminism. Morgan Glennon is a freelance writer who often contributes articles, including this particular one, to The Huffington Post and has her own blog. The Huffington Post is “an American news and blog network run by author and political activist Arianna Huffington and owned by AOL.” This article speaks to many controversial topics that surround the show, but centers on how Pretty Little Liars empowers the concept of feminism. The importance of the show is detailed throughout the article and connects readers to the positives …show more content…

The show has sparked much controversy with people because of the rather risky plots ABC Family created to change the pace from that of their typical shows. The public has not been silent in forming their own opinions about the concepts presented in the show due to the fact that the main demographic consists of teenage girls. One topic that has been ignored by many critics is the “subtle feminism that runs through the show” (Glennon 1). This article is profoundly relevant to the Pretty Little Liar fandom and goes into great detail about how people seem to miss the most important elements of the show.
The imagined audience for Glennon’s article is teenagers that are currently in high school and are avid fans of Pretty Little Liars. These teenagers are experiencing what the show’s “bigger picture” revolves around, which allows them to connect on a deeper level with the show. According to Glennon, “Adolescence is a time when teens begin figuring out their identities, and sometimes hiding the parts they find shameful” (Glennon 15). The “bigger picture” in the show exemplifies the danger of adolescence through the character “A” and how this character uses the secrets that …show more content…

However, it has been argued in a recent dissertation called “Marketing Post-Feminism Through Social Media: Fan Identification and Fashion on Pretty Little Liars” by Anna Donatelle that “many shows depict women using their bodies as a source of power” because “fashion and style highlight power by showing off the body in flattering ways” (Donatelle 41). This source helps further the argument that Glennon is making in her article that critics of the show have to be able to see past the clothes that are used in the show to be able to see the real world concepts that are hidden underneath them in the actual characters. Donatelle’s argument coincides with Glennon’s that the fashion on the show is the way it is to “[encourage girl] power” in the teenage viewers (Donatelle 41). She also expands her argument to claim that the “characters as a whole depict the ultimate can-do girl [by being] smart and athletic, yet feminine with a sexy edge” (Donatelle 42). Pretty Little Liars ultimately uses the characters fashion throughout the entire series to delineate a feminist

Get Access