Choose ONE of the Questions Below and Answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES

CONCEPT 67 Stereotypes and Character Reversals

When I was a geeky freshman, my parents sent me to modeling classes to learn poise. These were taught by a humorless woman who looked like Wallis Warfield Simpson, exhibited a fondness for pillbox hats and had a poodle named Bruce. At semester’s end, one of my classmates wanted to have a tea at her parent’s house. My mother forbade me to go, citing that protocol would have demanded me to reciprocate. In the vernacular of Long Island, my classmate was NOCD (“not our crowd, dear”) and would have had my mother fretting about the possibilities of stolen silver. Yes, you guessed it: my classmate was of a different culture, a scenario which caused my mother to parrot the same ugly biases that had been felt by her parents. Interestingly, screenwriters exhibit a similar mindset when it comes to the prejudicial depiction of dumb blonds, miserly Scots, sleazy lawyers, Italian mobsters, etc. While political correctness has done much to combat the perpetuation of global “isms” (racism, sexism, etc.), too often authors resort to typecasting as a lazy way to fill up space. In doing so, however, they inject predictability into these characters’ actions (e.g., the blond will always do something stupid) and, thus, dilute a story’s element of surprise. Arghghghgh!) Development people groan whenever they encounter hackneyed stereotypes. In order to make them say “wow!” instead, you need to employ the art of reversals, imbuing a sensitive biker who does needlepoint, an old lady who knows jujitsu, a redneck who plays classical music, a librarian who’s a part-time bounty hunter. In short, don’t bore us with characters that generations of prejudice have lumped into false preconceptions.

LOOK & LEARN

The Color Purple, adapted from a novel by Alice Walker, is a powerful film that speaks volumes regarding the fragility – and indestructibility – of the human spirit. Through the eyes and poignant words of its central character, Celie, we see the cruelties wrought by racism and sexism against that unforgiving backdrop of the rural South in the early part of the twentieth century, Contrast this meek young woman’s submissiveness to the more driven persona of Sofia (portrayed by Oprah Winfrey), a woman determined to live by her own rules. Pay close attention as well to the turning points which ultimately redefine the stereotypical roles and attitudes of Celie, Shug Avery and “Mister.”

BRAINSTORMERS

Choose ONE of the questions below and answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES. 1. Which do you feel perpetuate stereotypes more: sitcoms or TV dramas? Provide three examples from each to support your answer. 2. The following occupations are often portrayed in film and TV as stereotypes: hairdressers, truck drivers, bartenders, Hollywood agents, fast food clerks, school principals, fashion models, bank security guards. Pick one of them and create a reversal we wouldn’t expect (e.g., a parking attendant who sings opera).

Screenwriting for Teens, (Hamlett) pp. 133-134