Body/Sexuality Blog

Seabury Stoneburner

Nina Perez

17 February 2010

WST 3015

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover

Feminism is represented all over the media today, whether it is through advertising a product or in a movie or television show. Movies do a decent job demonstrating how women can be manipulated because of their gender. Legally Blonde is a prime example of people judging the main character, Elle Woods, by her outside appearance. This movie also demonstrates various stereotypes.

Throughout the film, audiences can pinpoint a diverse range of stereotypes. “Stereotyping involves making a simple generalization about a group and claiming that all members of the group conform to it. Stereotypes are behavioral and psychological attributes, they are commonly help beliefs about groups rather than individual beliefs about individuals; and they persist in spire of contradictory evidence” (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey 96). To state the obvious, there is the “dumb blonde” stereotype presented by Elle Woods. Elle Woods represents the typical blonde, sorority girl who is all about looks and designer fashion. Elle’s main reason for attending Harvard Law is to convince her boyfriend, Warner, to get back together with her. It is not until later that Elle Woods actually fights the stereotype to prove she is professional, wise, and completely opposite of the stereotype herself. Another stereotype, within the film, is the one represented by Enid. She is a law student as well who comes off as a bra-burning lesbian or feminist. Throughout the movie, she despises Elle because of her “dumb blonde” actions and appearance. The last example to be highlighted in Legally Blonde is presented by Brooke Windham. She is the character being accused for murdering her husband, who is an older and wealthier man. It seems to be that many people, the jury included, are convinced that Brooke is a “gold digger” settling for such an older man. These were just a few typical stereotypes that are distributed throughout the film.

At the start of the film it seems that all the women are interested in romance, however, as the movie progresses the goal in romance dwindles down and fades. The only reason Elle Woods applies to Harvard Law is because Warner wants to be with a woman who is intelligent and serious. In hopes to prove that she is worthy enough to marry Warner, Elle attends Harvard. Many of the students at Harvard Law have a nasty habit of judging a book by its cover. So many people are convinced that Elle is weak and that she will eventually drop out. Warner seems to turn into some sort of prize to win between Elle and Vivian, his fiancé.

The phrase “never judge a book by its cover” definitely relates to Elle Woods. Behind that Barbie-doll appearance, Elle is a wonderful role model for women. Although her priorities in the beginning of the film were not entirely straight, she became a good example of what a woman can accomplish if their heart is set on it. A main turning point for Elle in the film is when Professor Callahan disrespects her. He gives the impression that she has only made it so far because of her physical appearance. Unfortunately, Vivian witnesses Professor Callahan’s move towards Elle and also believes that she has just slept her way through law school instead of hard work. It seems that this misrepresentation that is being distributed caused Elle to prove all of Harvard Law wrong and show how she is just as smart and important, “the importance of self-definition and self-naming” (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey 159). With her determined mind, intelligence, and winning a great court case, she was able to present herself as a great, educated lawyer. The end of the film expresses that she will have success in her future and that she even got to have the final ‘no’ to Warner and start a new romance with a better man.

Work Cited:

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Identities and Social Locations: Who Am I? Who Are My People?". Women's Lives: Multicultural Presepectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 96. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Women's Sexuality". Women's Lives: Multicultural Presepectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 159. Print.