In
my paper I plan on looking into the similarities and differences between the
representation of makeovers in fictional movies and non-fictional television
shows. My intention is to unpack the way in which fictional makeovers are often
seen as fun, comedic, and overall acceptable, while in the context of reality
shows (particularly surgical ones), they are frowned upon. I aim to expose that
both represent the same primary idea- that in our society, a woman’s appearance
is what determines her personal identity and how she is perceived and treated
by those around her.
To
do this, I will focus on movies such as Mean
Girls and Clueless and television
shows such as Extreme Makeover, The Swan and Bridalplasty. I think that these will be good examples of how in fiction,
average girls get made over with more revealing clothing and more makeup and
miraculously become popular amongst other girls, desirable by men, and
seemingly more confident in themselves and their place in the world. The
reality shows I’ve chosen will work to display how these seemingly comedic
fictional makeovers are very real and very extreme. Women see models in
magazines and on billboards and are made to believe that they need to
surgically alter themselves to be worthy. Consumerism, the male gaze and the
body as power will all go into this argument.
The
projected conclusion of my paper is that society has caused women to feel the
need to change their physical appearance in order to be “better” in the eyes of
other women, men and themselves. Whether
in harmless fictional films that are widely popular, or in nonfictional
television that is scrutinized, the same idea and representation of the female
body is represented.
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