I want you to want me
10 Things I Hate About You directed by Gil Junger is an attempt to make people see how radical the lives of teenagers are. They show us examples of radical romance, but really throughout the plot; and at the end, the movie maintains the status quo. The status quo is kept by the high school students, parents, and leading figures. 10 Things I Hate About You starts off with a new kid in school (Cameron) who is blown away by a beautiful girl who has just crossed his path; Bianca. He wants to date Bianca, but there are two problems. Bianca is not part of his click, her standards, or her "class." Bianca is a Stratford, her sister Kat is considered a heinous bitch by most, which shows us the threat to men that a righteous and strong woman can create to the first sex, gender, and authority in society; men. Cameron's only hope to take Bianca out is to find someone who will date her sister. At first the problem only seemed to be that Bianca was out of his league, and not allowed to date; but later Cameron and Michael realize that the only way for Cameron to get someone to take Kat out, is by paying them to do so. This movie seemed like an example of the teenage life but then I realized it is a mirror of today’s society. These teenagers in high school already have either constructed or have been fed their personal ideal and opinions about woman. Cameron wants the girl, he must pursuit, and however his respect for women is not that great. He does not care about Kat’s feelings; he is even willing to put a price on her. This not only shows the viewer the threat that men feel towards an independent, educated, and outspoken woman but it shows that women still carry the parallel of seventeenth century, like in some of the literature mentioned in the movie. When women were nothing but property, women were slave-like, had no word, no freedom; and the outcome of when they desired change or an opportunity to speak. Seventeenth century is not the only time that women had no voice, for as long as history has been written woman have always been portrayed as passive, and content. In this movie we have different profiles of women, we have Bianca who wants to be accepted, her friend who is willing to be a mat, and we have Kat who is the ideal modern woman. The conflict is not that Cameron cannot have Bianca; it is that she is torn whether she wants to play the acceptance dummy like her friend or the independent woman she can become. Bianca’s friend is in her shadow; she must abide, agree, and stick with Bianca because she is the one that appeals to everyone. The only way out for Bianca’s friend to exit her shadow is to give up the capacity of being a self. She then follows the route of acceptance, she wants to be the popular “one” but if she is popular that then means that she is part of a construction to be a certain way ignore sacrifices she must make like her virginity or promiscuity for popularity. Kat is the example of an educated, independent, and outspoken woman. She is the modern role of how woman are becoming. Even if Kat is being the heinous bitch, she is seeking independence and freedom from what ties her to the society that constructs what women must do for “love”. Purity is something that has been dramatized in this movie, Bianca is the pure one, she is desired because she is still untouchable, and Kat is the angry example of when “love” goes wrong. She is angry at the sacrifice she made for acceptance from someone who she thought loved her and respected who she was. Her giving up her virginity to the cutest boy who seemed to respect who she actually was is an example of how males are fed a construction of who they have to be or literally screw over to get ahead. Kat was nothing but a trampoline Joey had to jump to get his reputation going; to some men, women are nothing but reputation. This movie has shown us the example of structure, agency, and the creation which society makes us to be. These three characters portray the evolution of women, the journey and decisions they must make in order to confirm who they are. In earlier times the woman had to abide by the rules, had no voice, no freedom to decide or become educated. As time went on we have the woman who has made decisions, appealed to the social norms and expectations; to become a new type of woman. Through time some women have become “lost in translation”. The new woman is one who does not care for “out of the ordinary”, someone who does not mind to speak and actually have their own point of view. The new woman is educated, demands respect, and feels autonomist.
Like Kat wanting romance, wanting to be loved, Cameron, Michael, and Patrick show us that we are not "autonomous" because Cameron has to depend on Michael; but they both must depend on Joey. Joey is the wallet, he is who provides Patrick the money to take Kat out, and therefore they all depend on each other. We are always already "unstable" and "in play" because we always depend on one another.
If Joey is the one with the money, is he then considered the owner or master, are those relationships not present as well? They are, because in order for Joey to get Bianca, Cameron and Michael must convince, advice, and help Patrick seduce Kat. They are all dependent. Bianca relies on Cameron to be able to go out, while she decides who she wants to be, and who she wants to be represented by or seen with. In a relationship we are the advertisers of the other partner. We advertise who the other is. Whether the person is high class, low-class, ugly, beautiful, educated or ignorant.
If Joey is the one with the money, is he then considered the owner or master, are those relationships not present as well? They are, because in order for Joey to get Bianca, Cameron and Michael must convince, advice, and help Patrick seduce Kat. They are all dependent. Bianca relies on Cameron to be able to go out, while she decides who she wants to be, and who she wants to be represented by or seen with. In a relationship we are the advertisers of the other partner. We advertise who the other is. Whether the person is high class, low-class, ugly, beautiful, educated or ignorant.
Kat depends on Patrick to be the different person that proves her concept of males wrong. Michael depends on Cameron and Patrick’s success to get Kat to go out; in order for Joey to admit that Michael exists. Reputation is not the only issue; there is also a problem with acceptance, and existence. Why must someone be accepted? Who is to decide the standards that become requirements for acceptance? These are questions proposed in this movie, it shows us that high school is a society of its own, that reflects society in a bigger picture. This small internal society constructs standards, which must be met in order to be embraced by the “high school society.” The ironic part is that usually the people in power are those of economical power; in Joey’s case that is exactly who he is. There are economical and social relationships that coincide with the present standards in our society. Men in this movie have the position of power; have the privilege and luxury to be in command, and in control of the woman. Bianca and Kat's father is an uptight person who believes that his daughters are in danger if they take action in everyday life. He is the traditional male who is only afraid of his daughter’s decisions because of his concept of how easy, passive, and naïve women are. He makes and breaks the rules. He does not want Kat to go away for college; he tries to hold her back. In a sense it is a parallel of how he wants control over his daughters; but most of all control as the male in power and command. The father resembles the owner and the master.
Joey is the character that represents the "Successful American." Joey purchases everything. Joey is like a character plugged in from the movie American Physco. Joey puts a value on it all, not sentimental, but economical value. Joey is a product of capitalism and commercialism. He buys things in order to replenish what he is missing mentally and emotionally.
10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic comedy that shows us the switching of roles, the desire of sex, and the construction of characters that define different economical positions, situations, and gender roles, even within the same gender. Bianca's friend is a free spirit that believes in getting ahead, she is the female version of Joey; without the money. She is willing to get everything she wants without taking the consequences into consideration. After Joey treats Bianca carelessly, Bianca's friend is still interested in Joey. Bianca in this movie represents what “good” woman should be like in Joey’s/mens eyes. Bianca represents purity, untouched love, and morality. Since Bianca is a character that has these qualities, she is the desired. Bianca thinks she is loved by everyone, but really she is sexually wanted "What does this chick have, beer flavored nipples?" (Heath Ledger/Patrick). Her intelligence does not matter, what matters is the assumption of her being a virgin. She has her own concept of self, and does not realize what others actually think, until she makes the decision of what kind of woman she wants to be.
Throughout the entire movie we see what is thought of as radical romance. Situations like Kat once being popular, but giving away her virginity to Joey, now using that situation as a motive to be the bitch people make her out to be. However even if Patrick and Kat's love seem radical because they both have a horrible reputation, Kat only has wanted love all along, and even if the road was bumpy; love is what she finds in Patrick. However, even that love has tweaks and flaws. Would all women forgive a man after hurting them? Is the concept of forgiveness realistic in real life? A bass can be a form of a sexual representation according to Freud. Is Patrick not buying her off as well? Is Kat giving in to societies rules for acceptance? This movie is one of the most incredible examples of something with a facade of radical romance, but within the masks, maintaining the status quo. Kat and Patrick's relationship gives us an example of radical romance, switching of the roles, and the modern woman. Joey shows us how he is the representation of the powerful man in charge, the woman and man compared to the master and slave. Cameron willing to have someone purchase Bianca's attention for him shows us the dependence, and the construction of what we think is extreme; only being an example of daily situations people act out for their own convenience. 10 Things I Hate About You is the modern romantic comedy that has a radical but normal twist, it proves to us that things have not changed. We have and always will be a constructed society, with a designated created self. We are not autonomist, we are not unique, we all must abide by the expectations and become products of profit and society.
10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic comedy that shows us the switching of roles, the desire of sex, and the construction of characters that define different economical positions, situations, and gender roles, even within the same gender. Bianca's friend is a free spirit that believes in getting ahead, she is the female version of Joey; without the money. She is willing to get everything she wants without taking the consequences into consideration. After Joey treats Bianca carelessly, Bianca's friend is still interested in Joey. Bianca in this movie represents what “good” woman should be like in Joey’s/mens eyes. Bianca represents purity, untouched love, and morality. Since Bianca is a character that has these qualities, she is the desired. Bianca thinks she is loved by everyone, but really she is sexually wanted "What does this chick have, beer flavored nipples?" (Heath Ledger/Patrick). Her intelligence does not matter, what matters is the assumption of her being a virgin. She has her own concept of self, and does not realize what others actually think, until she makes the decision of what kind of woman she wants to be.
Throughout the entire movie we see what is thought of as radical romance. Situations like Kat once being popular, but giving away her virginity to Joey, now using that situation as a motive to be the bitch people make her out to be. However even if Patrick and Kat's love seem radical because they both have a horrible reputation, Kat only has wanted love all along, and even if the road was bumpy; love is what she finds in Patrick. However, even that love has tweaks and flaws. Would all women forgive a man after hurting them? Is the concept of forgiveness realistic in real life? A bass can be a form of a sexual representation according to Freud. Is Patrick not buying her off as well? Is Kat giving in to societies rules for acceptance? This movie is one of the most incredible examples of something with a facade of radical romance, but within the masks, maintaining the status quo. Kat and Patrick's relationship gives us an example of radical romance, switching of the roles, and the modern woman. Joey shows us how he is the representation of the powerful man in charge, the woman and man compared to the master and slave. Cameron willing to have someone purchase Bianca's attention for him shows us the dependence, and the construction of what we think is extreme; only being an example of daily situations people act out for their own convenience. 10 Things I Hate About You is the modern romantic comedy that has a radical but normal twist, it proves to us that things have not changed. We have and always will be a constructed society, with a designated created self. We are not autonomist, we are not unique, we all must abide by the expectations and become products of profit and society.
WORKS CITED
Barker, Chris. Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice
De Beauvoir. The Second Sex
McDonald. The Romantic Comedy: Boy Meets Girl Meets Genre
Butler. “Imitation and Gender Insubordination”
Foucault. The History of Sexuality
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