Pretty Woman

Vivian tells Molly, “…you are only as interesting as you are useful to someone…” (170). Vivian is chosen first by a couple who runs a sewing business. Vivian is treated like an employee instead of like a daughter. She was not shown any kindness from Mrs. Byrnes, but instead was barely accepted by her. She is expected to sew and design clothes for women. She was deprived of any schooling. Mrs. Byrne tells Vivian the rules during dinner on the first night that Vivian is there. She is to assist with dishes and laundry at night plus her sewing chores during the day, and she sleeps on the floor in the hall. She must put it away during the day in the closet below the stairs. Her food is restricted and she uses an outhouse. After the Wall Street crash of 1929, The Byrnes could no longer afford to keep her, and she was returned to the Children's Aid Society. The next family was the Grote family where she lived. This situation was inferior to the Byrnes; however, she was allowed to go to school. There was no electricity or running water. When The Grote family comes down with lice, Vivian is held responsible. Mr. Grote cut her very short. Vivian misses four days of school. One night Mr. Grote was sleeping on the couch. He invites Vivian into the room and attempts to rape her. Mrs. Grote caught Mr. Grote caught them together. She ordered Vivian to leave right away. She walked in four miles of snow. She was found by Mr. Post the next morning. Miss

Ciar takes her to his small house. They get to know each other over the rest

The women author Leslie Bell interviews in Selections from Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom share their stories of how they found sexual freedom by not submitting to their environments beliefs. Bell describes to the reader the quandaries of these women who decided to reject the principles of their society and how they chose to deal with the tension it causes. Society leads people to the decisions they choose, which is why it causes conflict between its codes and the concept of individualism. In reaction to this conflict, each of Bell’s patients, mentioned in the passage, acted defensively in a way they felt was best to achieve their own freedom.

Technically his book, The Sublime Object of Ideology, was published in 1989, so one can only wonder about whether Zizek would have included commentary on the quasi-Cinderella romantic comedy, Pretty Woman, released in the following year. It certainly warrants a more exhaustive study, but focusing briefly on a few key points in the movie – particularly in the light of theory concepts such as ideology, fetishism, and the commodity-form – should prove equally interesting. While some critics attacked the movie's fantastical plot – charming hooker/heroine Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, is “picked up” and essentially “rented” by troubled corporate mogul Edward Lewis, played by Richard Gere, with the pair eventually falling in love and living “happily ever after” – it was a complete box office success. The film has brought in 178 million dollars since its release in 1990, placing it among the top 50 grossing movies of all time (Internet Movie Database Ltd.).

At the beginning of Legally Blonde, Elle Woods loses the man she loves to a different girl, which makes her very upset. Vivian, the girl Elle’s ex ended up going out with after Elle and her boyfriend broke up, was extremely mean to Elle, but she didn’t let it get the best of her. When asked how her first day continued after meeting Vivian, Elle describes it as, “good, except for this horrible preppy girl..who made me look bad in front of the professor. But no biggie” (SergeiK). Despite being bullied by Vivian for the remainder of the movie, Elle chooses to put their differences aside in the end and try to comfort

Both protagonists ascend through social classes with the help of two men with ability to access higher classes via profession and wealth. The film establishes Edward’s social superiority by depicting him above all the guests at his party utilising a Bird’s Eye View, supporting this, his ex-girlfriend admonishes him “you think I’m at your beck and call”. However, he can see below him but he cannot break out of the glass window. Further supporting his inability, he becomes lost in Hollywood requiring directions from Vivienne. The cross cutting of Vivienne and Edward foreshadows and sets up their romance. In direct contrast, Higgins did not need saving at the slightest, happily being a “confirmed old bachelor” as he believes that

The adverse effects of prostitution and sex trafficking can be extremely negative and can actual hinder these individuals from getting the help they need. While speaking with Amanda she made me realize that although she loves her job and that this organization has a big positive impact there is always more that can be done. In relation of this interview to what I have learned in this course, I found similar sentiments about this idea that prostitution can be harmful to a variety of different people and aspects of life. Also, through Amanda’s story I was able to see that pimps and those who exploit women are being prosecuted but it does not come with ease and the need to have these females to testify is extremely beneficial to the prosecution of these individuals. This idea of the difficulty of prosecuting these pimps and traffickers is something we talked extensively about throughout this section of the course, and we also realized though how important it

As the novel progresses, Vivian reveals more of her complex character and distinctive ability. Vivian’s plots are complexly woven, and her lies have a direct purpose: to protect Carmen. She even has a strong sense of fairness, holding up her end of Eddie Mars’s deal and upholding Marlowe’s moral standards. Later on in the novel, Vivian maintains her initial struggle for independence, but begins to succumb to Marlowe’s overpowering strength and ability.

The best description for the movie came from Ellie Woodward when she described this movie as the “PRETTY WOMAN follows the love story of a hooker with a heart of gold, Vivian (Julia Roberts), and a stoic, detached, wealthy business mogul, Edward (Richard Gere), who treats all facets of life like a business merger. Vivian is a charismatic, "innocent" prostitute looking to make ends meet. Driving along the Hollywood strip one night, Edward stops and asks Vivian for directions. She drives him back to his hotel and stays the night. Bemused by her company, Edward hires her for the week at a rate of $3,000. Predictably, their relationship develops into more than that of employer/employee.” (Woodward) This predictable story could have been different if Vivian had been like her prostitute friends and had been hooked on drugs when Edward picked her up.

Have you ever seen immoral films? I have. According to the dictionary of American English (4th Ed. Longman), Immoral is defined as morally wrong, and not acceptable by society. Pretty Woman and Breakfast at Tiffany’s are two very immoral movie pictures. Although, they have a lot of differences; however, they are similar in three specific ways: their attraction, their poverty, and their transformation

Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) in Pretty Woman comes from a small town in Georgia, and works as a prostitute on the streets of Hollywood to support herself. Although Vivian's social position is very low, she has a strong sense of personal dignity and independence. Even though sometimes she have to stand by the street with empty stomach to wait for clients, Vivian and her friend Kit still

Upon entering the circus, Edward spots a beautiful girl whom he vows to marry. However, she soon vanishes and he never learns her name. The ringmaster, Amos, agrees to provide Edward with clues about the girl each month that he works for him. He does everything Amos asks of him, which includes sticking his head in a lion’s mouth, washing an obese circus performer, cleaning up after the elephants, and being fired from a cannon. Edward completes every task with a smile knowing that he is one step closer to meeting his future wife.

Children always looking for a positive role model to have, and many end up choosing superheroes they see in their favorite comic books or ones they have seen in the media. Since children are so easily affected by things they see in their childhood, having discriminatory elements in these influential characters may be problematic. “The Wonder Woman Precedent: Female (Super) Heroism on Trial” written by Julie D. O’Reilly, was published in the Journal of American Culture in 2005. O’Reilly is a professor of communication and women and gender at Heidelberg University. In “The Wonder Woman Precedent”, she writes about the hardships that female superheroes in the media must face that male superheroes do not go

Going from a life of luxury where she is comfortable and in a position of authority and power, Violet is suddenly turned upside-down as she finds herself providing the exact services she had witnessed and spied upon to men that she had once laughed at (21). In her courtesan house, Violet performs and pleases many men that she has no connection with whatsoever (167). However, her conflict with the adult world served to humble her from her seat of power and ignorance, to appreciate the genuine affections that are very rarely gifted to courtesan girls. From there, Violet begins to understand severity, such as the moment her daughter is ripped away from her (242), and passion, with a suitor named Loyalty Fang, her first love (160). She also grows to understand the difference between love and lust, as her feelings for her husband, Edward, grow and change, and she compares them to her feelings for Loyalty (267). At the end of it all, Violet has gone from a child in an adult world, to an adult with a vast understanding for her

> s apprehensive to be in a nice hotel with champagne and room service, etc. She is accustomed to being utilized as a cheap sex object. Edward is so nervous about their secret tryst that he becomes paranoid and believes that Vivian possesses illegal drugs. When Edward sees the substance in question is dental floss, he remarks “…very few people surprise me.” The implication is that he has been hurt before and expects to be hurt perpetually.