Narrative Criticism Of Women In The Film A League Of Their Own

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The 1940s was a prosperous time in women’s history. Women’s roles and expectations in society were changing rapidly. Previously, women had very little say in society and were expected to stay home, make babies, to be good homemakers and wives. However, the 1940s were different. Life for women was expanding, the men were at war, so someone had to step up and take their place. The film A League of Their Own tells a story that mirrors these changing times where women see and understand that there is more to life than staying at home. They realized that they had the option to make more of their lives.
This paper looks at the story A League of Their Own and argues that the stories of the women in this film prove that women have choices, they do
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449). As well, “[these stories] contribute to viewers’ sense of who they are and can influence their general disposition to act in a particular manner” (Young, 2000, p. 460). In the movie, the women see that other females are breaking the stereotypes and agree that it is acceptable to do what they truly want with their lives, which may or may not include getting married and raising a family. Stories are powerful and have the potential to change the future. In this case, the future of what it means to be a woman. Additionally, “these films [stories] entertain us, but at a formal level, they are also invoking and creating values that help us get through everyday experiences that are formally similar” (Brummett, 2013, p. 64). Women in the 40s were changing and growing. This film helps other women understand and accept these changes and realize that they are not setbacks, yet instead, …show more content…
This film showcases the decisions these women made that either support or defy society’s beliefs that women should be housewives and mothers. A League of Their Own is a classic time period film for the 1940s. To this day, this movie continues to inspire women in modern society. According to Box Office Mojo, the film has a “domestic total gross of $107,533,928, ranks number one in the baseball sports genre, and ranks number ten on the 1992 yearly chart.” Further, according to the online Metro News Toronto article by Victoria Ahearn, many girls claim, “I play sports because of that movie and I look up to the women in this movie.” This film allows young girls and women to form connections, as well as, to aspire to live stories that reflect strong and successful women who happen to play baseball. Narrative criticism makes the most sense when analyzing this film because it tells the story of the beginning of women being able to make their own decisions about their own lives, which marks the 1940s as a progressive

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