Gender Roles In It Happened One Night

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By definition, the word “gender” refers particularly to the biological differences of a male and female. However, gender can certainly be interpreted through the nature of human beings and the roles in which men and women partake in society. The movie It Happened One Night illustrates a distinction of gender in American society by characterizing the lead woman, Ellie Andrews, as a helpless and vulnerable individual, while the lead male, Peter Warne, is depicted as the exact opposite: firm and persistent. This juxtaposition also coincides with general stereotypes in American society; for example, the stereotype of males’ having more power than women. Considering the aspect of gender distinction, Peter Warne exemplifies a dominating male figure in the movie over Ellie Andrews. Throughout the film, Peter Warne displays his street-smart behavior, which makes it clear that he seems to always know what he is …show more content…
In Judith Andres’ article, she poses the question: “why is the sexual power of women over men considered funny?” (Andres). The hitchhiking scene in It Happened One Night shows a perfect example of the sexual power of women over men in a comedic state. In the scene, Peter Warne is having a tough time finding a ride, after he claims he knows what he is doing. After Warne fails miserably, Ellie decides to reveal her leg, which shows sexual appeal. One of the cars stops immediately and Warne replies, “Why didn’t you take off all your clothes? You could have stopped forty cars.” Peter Warne’s comment shows a direct relationship to the objectification of women by showing that a woman can easily capture the attention of man by revealing a body part. Additionally, this scene displays the common stereotype about women being portrayed as sexual objects, but using it in a comedic approach, so that it seems appropriate to laugh about

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