Feminist analysisHow is gender represented in Jennifer’s body by the use of micro-elements

The theme gender is represented in Jennifer’s body the most. In the film the elements that consist of it questions the expectations of the audience, however it mostly this is shown through the conventions of a horror film. The title is explicit itself reviling to the audience that it is about mostly circle around her, mainly how her physical appearance and femininity make her an unsuspecting killer who only kills people of the opposite sex for revenge peruses. Jenifer’s character as a female villain reinstalls a balance between genders. In the film it is the female characters that show spuriousness all the way through, for example Jennifer and her relationship sparks an interest when looking at feminism. The two protagonist are identified to be binary opposites described by Levi Strauss, Needy embodies simplicity and follows the Texas Chainsaw Massacre notion of being the female “lone survivor”, the reason why Jennifer kills boys may be admired as it is and extreme attempt to abolish patriarch.   Jennifer’s Body initially alters the audience’s expectations in a verity of ways. Male audiences often side female character significantly, Jennifer and Needy are revealed in the same shot immediately able allowing the audience to make a judgment based on how they look. The camera angle is also manipulated in this shot as it is took from inside of Jennifer’s bedroom; a close-up of Jennifer’s face is used to make the audience feel closer to her whilst Needy is outside of her room looking on through the window in a hooded jumper. Looking at this from a feminist perspective, the director influences our opinions of the two girls by giving us a direct comparison and leading us to believe that one is more innocent than the other. This scene also includes a shot reverse shot which is used in many horror films where the ‘victim’ looks over at where the audience know the ‘villain’ is, but they have disappeared from the shot. A voice over from Need’s perspective begins by stating, “hell is a teenage girl”,  a statement which can be seen in a number of ways considering the background of the film. The fact that this film is aimed at teenagers encompasses the idea that growing up is difficult, but also that Jennifer is the person, which Needy must overcome. Needy also controls the narrative at this point; therefore what the audience are learning about is bias as we see and flashbacks from her perspective. Once the audience become aware that Jennifer is the real ‘villain’ of the duo later in the film, the early scenes of the film become ironic as Needy is proven to be innocent. The audience may struggle to side with Needy as she is presented as the killer in this scene, but it would seem she is more relatable as a teenage character than Jennifer as she becomes very expressive and open about the complications she’s met.

So the audience could know who Needy was a jump was distinguished, when they met him again in a prison. Careful consideration is given to the mis-en-scene at this point as her character is humanized through the use of the props a teddy bear is in the shot, which she is revealed Suggesting she has not left her childhood behind notwithstanding being in an adult

environment where she is considered mentally insane. Needy is exposed in a medium close-up shot with her back to the camera, with only her hair the most identifiable quality about her on show. Being blonde subverts the traditional connotations of her being the innocent, attractive ‘victim’ she is in fact in plain, appears to have committee a crime and is deemed too unstable to leave the security she’s been placed under. The voice over continues as the camera tilts down to an array of gifts to which she somewhat inappropriately says, “at least I have my fans” which are mostly “perverts” suggesting that some men will still objectify women despite the knowledge that their physical appearance cannot refuse the fact that they’re a bad person. The first male character in this film is revealed as ‘Raymondo Who Needy has no respect for however he still has power over her still maintains power over her. Gender differences seem insignificant at this point, as Needy feels little compassion towards anyone neglects the fact that his power could impact her damagingly.

One of the male protagonists is then introduced through the camera moving off from her scars and zooming in on a picture of a male called Chip. Seeing there is no break between these two shots, it could suggest that she obtained the scars whilst fighting whatever it was that might have come between her and Chip. The way that this character is introduced through the camera zooming into his picture would suggest they once shared a close relationship, and possibly that he was defeated by what attacked Needy. Feminist critics at this point of the film would praise Need’s survival as the gender of the attack remains unknown, presumably the audience would assume that a male committed the murder, as typically the ‘villain’ character archetype is not female. The entire opening of the film can be likened to what Barthes describes asThe hermeneutic code that being that there are many unanswered questions, which the audience begins to search for answers as the film progresses. Several cuts surrounding mis-en-scene also twist the idea of Needy being mental; her animal slippers induce thoughts of a childlike innocence. The second scene of the film opens by showing a yearbooks photos of the protagonist characters. This allows the audience to start to understand what Jennifer’s character is like, just by looking at the picture, the cheerleader outfits represents and shows the audience that she is a popular student, which could give an idea that the only way that she has succeeded this far id based on her looks. Mulvey’s ideology about the male gaze showing her stomach, wearing tight jeans appeals to both the male audience watching, and the characters in the film. Feminists may admire Jennifer’s ownership of her Sexuality and feistiness, as she is the one who directs the action, removing the only male from the narrative, which is shown through the scene where she is going to the club with Needy When all the typical conventions of a horror film adhere to codes and conventions, but the audience of a film can seek and identify to different types of pleasure when there expectations are not as what they hoped which Barthes says.