Halle Berry
Liberal Feminism: Luisa Rey
Luisa Rey is a journalist during 1970s America. She meets a physicist named Rufus Sixsmith, who warns her about a cover-up of a report about the issues with a nuclear power reactor. He was not supposed to know this, as he is later found assassinated. She realizes that there is more to the story, and strives to found out what is really going on so she can cover it. A man named Joe Napier shows up to protect her, and together they escape an attempted assassination of them. In the end, she writes an article covering the nuclear reactor, which leads to the shut down of the plant.
Scenes:
Luisa Rey exhibits the characteristics of a liberal feminist perspective because she defies any gender expectations that could apply to her. She is following in the footsteps of her journalist father, and does not flaunt that she is a woman. Rather, she is very much herself, which is a woman who is as powerful, confrontational, and courageous as any male character would be. From a liberal feminist perspective, she does not exemplify qualities of a woman, but rather more-so of how a typical male character would act. She is consistently compared to her father and also idolizes him, wishing to be just like he was. She is a powerful person and does not view the fact that she is a woman as a limitation nor does she believe herself to be different or weaker than any man.
Luisa Rey is a journalist during 1970s America. She meets a physicist named Rufus Sixsmith, who warns her about a cover-up of a report about the issues with a nuclear power reactor. He was not supposed to know this, as he is later found assassinated. She realizes that there is more to the story, and strives to found out what is really going on so she can cover it. A man named Joe Napier shows up to protect her, and together they escape an attempted assassination of them. In the end, she writes an article covering the nuclear reactor, which leads to the shut down of the plant.
Scenes:
- Trapped in the elevator with Rufus Sixsmith. He asks her, "As a journalist, what price would you pay to protect a source?" She responds, "Any." She admits that she would protect a source even if it came to imprisonment or compromising her safety. She states that her father was caught in very dangerous situations when it came to journalism says, "What kind of daughter would I be if I bailed when things got a little tough?"
- When first entering the nuclear power plant, Rey sneaks into one of the offices and frantically searches through the desk files. She is caught, but cleverly lies that she was searching for the bathroom. Later, when she and the man she is caught by are talking, she asks him why he covered for her when she was caught sneaking. He says that he is compromised as he knows what's going on isn't right. She says to him, "You have to do what you can't NOT do."
- When she is in her apartment with Napier, she is beginning to figure out what is really going on with the nuclear reactor. Napier says, "You've got that same look your father used to get."
Luisa Rey exhibits the characteristics of a liberal feminist perspective because she defies any gender expectations that could apply to her. She is following in the footsteps of her journalist father, and does not flaunt that she is a woman. Rather, she is very much herself, which is a woman who is as powerful, confrontational, and courageous as any male character would be. From a liberal feminist perspective, she does not exemplify qualities of a woman, but rather more-so of how a typical male character would act. She is consistently compared to her father and also idolizes him, wishing to be just like he was. She is a powerful person and does not view the fact that she is a woman as a limitation nor does she believe herself to be different or weaker than any man.
Cultural Feminism: Meronym
Meronym is a member of an advanced society of people called the Prescients during the post apocalyptic world. She arrives to a lowly society in Hawaii where she meets a man named Zachry, and asks to live with them so that she can find a sacred place on their island that most people are very afraid of. Zachry finally agrees to take her there when he needs her assistance as she can heal people on the island quickly with her advanced technology. When they reach the dreaded facility, she reveals to him that his "God," Somni-451 was just a human. She also tells him that her people and all others are doomed to die unless they reach the offworld colonies, which is why she needs his help. When they return to the island, Zachry's entire village has been attached, and Meroym uses her high-tech weapons to kill the attackers. In the end, they discover the offworld colonies and become married.
Scenes:
Meronym is a special woman who fits into the cultural feminist role. She is a woman who is on a journey, and although it is dangerous and possibly pointless, she is fulfilling her duty and doing what she needs to do to save her people. Rather than trying to blend in, she outwardly exhibits the qualities of a woman -- one whom is graceful and kind, while also powerful and assertive in a gentle way. She is also a healer and very amiable toward Zachry even though he is skeptical of her at first. From a cultural feminist perspective, this character undoubtedly stresses positive feminine qualities.
Meronym is a member of an advanced society of people called the Prescients during the post apocalyptic world. She arrives to a lowly society in Hawaii where she meets a man named Zachry, and asks to live with them so that she can find a sacred place on their island that most people are very afraid of. Zachry finally agrees to take her there when he needs her assistance as she can heal people on the island quickly with her advanced technology. When they reach the dreaded facility, she reveals to him that his "God," Somni-451 was just a human. She also tells him that her people and all others are doomed to die unless they reach the offworld colonies, which is why she needs his help. When they return to the island, Zachry's entire village has been attached, and Meroym uses her high-tech weapons to kill the attackers. In the end, they discover the offworld colonies and become married.
Scenes:
- When Meronym first arrives to Zachry's island, he doesn't trust her and thinks poorly of her. She keeps her composure, and says, "Feelin' like I owe you a real kowtow for 'vadin your house with no sayso. True sorrysome." She is extremely apologetic, as she is doing what she feels is her duty to her people. His demeanor toward her then changes to a more accepting one.
- Zachry's daughter, Katkin, falls fatally ill. When Meronym walks in, although some are not particularly welcoming, she pulls out one of her advanced objects and heals Katkin gracefully.
- Whey Zachry and Meronym are in the old facility, Meronym exhibits a wisdom and knowledge, as she reveals the truth to Zachry. She tells him about the facility and says that Somni-451 was nothing but a human by showing him videos of her. She welcomes Zachry and all his people to the offworld colonies once her quest is successful but he initially refuses.
Meronym is a special woman who fits into the cultural feminist role. She is a woman who is on a journey, and although it is dangerous and possibly pointless, she is fulfilling her duty and doing what she needs to do to save her people. Rather than trying to blend in, she outwardly exhibits the qualities of a woman -- one whom is graceful and kind, while also powerful and assertive in a gentle way. She is also a healer and very amiable toward Zachry even though he is skeptical of her at first. From a cultural feminist perspective, this character undoubtedly stresses positive feminine qualities.
Post-Modern Feminism: Jocasta Arys
During the 1930s, a young man named Robert Frobisher becomes the apprentice of a great composer named Vyvyan Arys. The old man's wife is Jocasta Arys, and she is clearly very beautiful and much younger than her husband, thereby giving the impression of a rich man's trophy-wife. She becomes engaged in a sexual relationship with Robert, which ultimately tears his relationship with Vyvyan apart, leading to threats. Additionally, and more behind the scenes, we see that Jocasta has an old lover named Tadeusz, who ultimately rejects her because she is Jewish.
Scenes:
Jocasta's character fulfilled a post-modern role given that she defies typical assumptions about women. Post-modernist thinkers believe that there is no objective truth about the nature of women, and that if a woman is going to be analyzed, one should focus on her individual experience. While Jocasta originally appears to be a typical trophy wife, the storyline discreetly slips some insight into her personal life, developing her into a side character that also has her own unique story. She is not just the young trophy wife of a rich man, but a Jewish woman who's relationship could never work with the man she loved and who felt empty and barren until she made love with Robert.
During the 1930s, a young man named Robert Frobisher becomes the apprentice of a great composer named Vyvyan Arys. The old man's wife is Jocasta Arys, and she is clearly very beautiful and much younger than her husband, thereby giving the impression of a rich man's trophy-wife. She becomes engaged in a sexual relationship with Robert, which ultimately tears his relationship with Vyvyan apart, leading to threats. Additionally, and more behind the scenes, we see that Jocasta has an old lover named Tadeusz, who ultimately rejects her because she is Jewish.
Scenes:
- When Vyvyan, Robert, Jocasta, and Tadeusz (Jocasta's former lover and a conductor) are dining together, Jocasta gets up from the dining table and leaves, giving Tadeusz a dissatisfied glance as she turns. Robert narrates, "The only broken note in the room was Ayrs' wife, Jocasta, excusing herself early. Sensed a buried bone." When Robert asks about it, Vyvyan explains that Jocasta is a jew, and therefore a relationship with Tadeusz was "obviously impossible."
- Robert and Jocasta become engaged in a sexual relationship. Robert narrates, "Last week Jocasta and I became lovers. Women's hearts, like their desires, remain a mystery to me. Afterward she cried and thanked me for bringing life back into their home."
Jocasta's character fulfilled a post-modern role given that she defies typical assumptions about women. Post-modernist thinkers believe that there is no objective truth about the nature of women, and that if a woman is going to be analyzed, one should focus on her individual experience. While Jocasta originally appears to be a typical trophy wife, the storyline discreetly slips some insight into her personal life, developing her into a side character that also has her own unique story. She is not just the young trophy wife of a rich man, but a Jewish woman who's relationship could never work with the man she loved and who felt empty and barren until she made love with Robert.