The Mummy is a movie that originally hit theaters in May of 1999. It was well received gaining two sequels in 2001 and 2008. The two main protagonists of the movies are Evelyn Carnahan and Rick O’Connell. The two main antagonists are Imhotep and Ank-Su-Namun. The story of the first film revolves around Evelyn and Rick accidentally awakening Imhotep, who has been locked away and cursed for the last two thousand years. It is soon discovered that unless he is defeated, Imhotep will grow in power and ultimately destroy the world. Destroying the world, however, is his second goal, his first is resurrecting Ank-Su-Namun, his love for whom caused him to be cursed. In this portfolio, we will be diving into the ways in which the characters disestablish or ultimately uphold gender stereotypes.
First up, Evelyn Carnahan. She first appears working in a library in Cairo, Egypt. We see her on the top of a ladder putting books back on their shelves. She quickly makes a mess of the library by accidentally knocking all the bookshelves in the room over. After we see her reaction to the chaos, her boss enters the scene and scolds her for the mess. He verbally wonders out loud why he puts up with her. Evelyn responds assertively by reminding him that she can read and write ancient Egyptian, as well as being the only person in the city that knows how to properly organize the library. We see her confident in her abilities as a historian and librarian. Her response is quickly refuted by her boss, but for audience her assertiveness has been established.
She doesn’t uphold the gender stereotype of a quiet woman who doesn’t get angry when she is confronted. Evelyn shows anger, because she knows her knowledge, and her value in her workplace. Evelyn goes against gender stereotypes by being assertive and confident. She’s unafraid to voice her opinion to her superior.
Shared by: Cora McMains
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