Lena is going to Greece to visit
her grandparents, Bridget is going to soccer camp, Carmen is heading to her
fathers, and Tibby is working at Walmens, but how will these inseparable best
friends tell each other about the boys they meet and the difficulties they faced?
The answer was in a magical pair of jeans. While they were shopping one day
they found a pair of jeans that fit the slender, long body of Bridget; the
short legs of Lena; the long legs and wide hips of Tibby; and the short, stocky
body of Carmen. Sister of the Traveling
Pants tells the story of four best friends who take separate paths for the
summer, but stay in contact through a pair of pants. Each sister is faced with
a different battle, for some it was love and for others it was loss, but they
are only able to face these difficulties when they band together and rely on
one another. This film scored twelve points on the Representation Test, and
served to give light to the female character in non-stereotypical ways.
Although
not perfect in its representation of woman, this film is powerful in showcasing
woman of different sizes, races, and likes. Geena Davis in Miss Representation stated, “Between 1987 and 2005, they were only
thirteen female protagonists in animated movies.” This film was produced in
2005, and featured four female protagonists. Each of the four protagonists has
clear strengths and flaws, but they work to balance off of each other. For
instance, Tibby is not your typical blond hair, blues eyes, shockingly
beautiful girl like Bridget, but she is one of the most self-confident
characters in the film, where Bridget is arguably the most lost, uncertain
characters. The film showcases four girls that each carry a variety of
different talents, and it capitalizes on using their differences to show their
strengths. I think that this film earned the score that it received on the
representation test, but that does not mean there are parts of the film that
limit it from earning more points.
Carmen is
one character who drew points away from the test because she was stereotyped
against due to her Puerto Rican background. In one scene in the film, she is
trying on bridesmaid’s dresses for her father’s wedding and does not fit in the
dress. After being publically humiliated about it not fitting her body, she
burst out of the dressing room and makes it clear to her step-mother that she
is not built the same as her daughter, rather she was born with a larger
backside. Carmen is the only protagonist that is a different race than white, and
her race is used against her throughout the course of the film. Another
character that took points away from the final score was Bridget and her lack
of clothes on multiple occasions. In one scene she is running on the beach
wearing a sports bra and spandex, not too mention she was running next to her
trainer who she ends up kissing later in the film. Gloria Steinem in Miss Representation talked about women
critiquing and downgrading their appearance every time they walk in front of
mirror, and the impact that other woman have on criticizing others
appearance. Carmen represents someone
who criticizes herself for her image, while Bridget represents the skinny,
beautiful girl who everyone should strive to be like.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is one
example of a film that deserved the score it received. However, I believe that there are many films
who received a score that does not reflect the content of the film simply
because they chose to have a male protagonist, rather than a disabled or
homosexual character. I believe that the lack of roles that woman play in films
is shocking and the way that woman are exposed and valued is degrading, but I
do not think that this test is realistic in nature. The majority of films produced have a male
protagonist, and that is not likely to change because they make money. I think
that woman should focus their time less on being the led actor and more on the
demeanor that films give woman. For me, I do not care whether the lead actor is
a man or a woman, but I do care when a man is after a woman’s body, or a when a
woman is wearing so little clothing she might as well be wearing nothing, or
when a man hits a woman and takes advantage of her. I do not think that this
test takes into account the supporting actors or the way that woman, disabled
people, or homosexuals are treated. I think
that Cory Booker in Miss Representation
said it well when he said that a woman told him that she could not believe how
difficult it is for men in America.
Although I hope that woman will one day receive equal rights and
representation as men, I do think that we overlook how difficult it is to be a
man; they cannot express emotion without being seen as soft and they are taught
to not be vulnerable because men are tough and handle things themselves.
In my
opinion Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
earned the score it received because it took a dynamic stance on the female
characters. The film feature four female protagonists each with a different set
of characteristics. This opened an eye to a variety of different woman and the
power in each of them. I would rate this
film a five out of five pickles because the score well represented the content
in the film. Although not perfect in nature, it gave points where points were
due.
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