Perfectionism and Gender Dynamics in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman
(1) Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
(2) Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
(3) Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
This study examines the portrayal of perfectionism and gender dynamics in Barbie and Wonder Woman. It utilizes Greimas’s Actantial Model and an intrinsic narrative analysis to explore how both films depict these themes. Barbie and Wonder Woman investigate the societal roots of perfectionism and its effects, offering distinct perspectives on gender roles, expectations, and power structures. A qualitative methodology, applied in this study, enables an in-depth analysis of shaping the protagonists' identities. The findings reveal that both films challenge traditional norms and empower their female leads, demonstrating how media critiques and redefines cultural perceptions of gender and perfectionism. Ultimately, this study underscores film’s potential as a tool for raising awareness and fostering positive social change, emphasizing its role in shaping discourse around gender expectations and the pursuit of perfection.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Burns, D. D. (1980). The perfectionist's script for self-defeat. Psychology Today, 14(6), 34–52.
Chang, E. C. (1998). Cultural influences on perfectionism: A study of Asian American and European American college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 45(3), 422–429. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.45.3.422
Chatman, S. (1978). Story and discourse: Narrative structure in fiction and film. Cornell University Press.
Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(3), 456–470. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.60.3.456
Frost, R. O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14(5), 449–468. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01172967
Gerwig, G. (Director). (2023). Barbie [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.
Gerwig, G., & Baumbach, N. (n.d.). BARBIE.
https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/barbie-2023.pdf
Greimas, A. J. (1983). Structural semantics: An attempt at a method. University of Nebraska Press.
Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., & Mikail, S. F. (2017). Perfectionism: A relational approach to conceptualization, assessment, and treatment. Guilford Press.
Jenkins, P. (Director). (2017). Wonder Woman [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.
Lévi-Strauss, C. (1963). Structural anthropology. Basic Books.
McKeown, A. (2023). Barbie and the impossible perfection of feminism. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com
Meister, J. (2005). The narrative turn in literary theory. In R. L. Jackson & G. M. Houghton (Eds.), Narrative theory and the cognitive sciences (pp. 91-104). John Benjamins.
Saussure, F. de. (1916). Course in general linguistics (C. Bally, A. Sechehaye, & A. Riedlinger, Eds.). Philosophical Library. (Original work published 1916)
Sukada, A. (2013). The role of intrinsic elements in literary works. Jakarta: Literary Press.
Tasker, Y., & Negra, D. (Eds.). (2007). Interrogating postfeminism: Gender and the politics of popular culture. Duke University Press.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30998/inference.v7i3.28277
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
| Pascasarjana Universitas Indraprasta PGRI Address: English Education Program, Campus A Building 2, 3rd Floor | Jl. Nangka No. 58 C (TB. Simatupang), Kel. Tanjung Barat, Kec. Jagakarsa, Jakarta Selatan 12530, Jakarta, Indonesia. |
|
|
|

