ScreeningreportofGingerSnaps

FS2015Mar2013GingerSnapsandLindaWilliamssquot;Whenthewomanlooksquot;Thisfilmisaperfectexampleofthepunishmentforgazingandtheaffinitybetweenmonsterandwoman.Obviously,thetwosisters,BrigitteandGingeraretheobjectsofmalegaze.Theyarebeinglookedatbymenfromteenagestudentstoanoldman,thecleaner.Gingerisparticularlycharacterizedasthe“desiringlookofthemale-voyeur-object”,especiallywhenshebeginstomenstruateforthefirsttime.Theslowmotionofhernicefigureasshewalksintotheschoolisaneroticobjectforthecharacters.Traditionally,awomanwouldbepunishedwhensheactivelylooksatthemonster.Inthefilm,Gingerisbittenandturnsintoawerewolf-the“other”.Thatisthepunishmentforherlookingattheunknownmonsterintheparkatnight.Alsomeninthefilmwhohavegazedatthetwosistersarepunished,eitherkilledorturnedintoawerewolf.Menarethemainvictimsinthefilmbecausetheyarepunishedfortheirvoyeuristicgaze.Theirvulnerabilitiescomparedtothepowerofmonstrous-feminineGingermakethemafraidofthemutilationandtransformation,whichpreventsthemfrombeing“normalquot;malesanymore.Inthereading,Williamssaysthatthereexistsan“affinitybetweenmonsterandwoman,thesenseinwhichherlookatthemonsterrecognizestheirsimilarstatuswithinpatriarchalstructuresofseeing”(62).Inthefilm,itisnotonlybecauseBrigitterecognizestheirsimilarstatusas“other”,butalsobecausetheyare“togetherforever”sisters.Inschool,theyaredifferentfromthemajoritystudentsintermsoftheircrazyinterestsandpersonality;theystayisolatedfromotherstudentsandarealwaysjeeredandbulliedbyarrogantgirls.SotheirsimilarunpleasantexperiencesallowBrigittetohavemorecompassiontoGinger.AfterGingerbecomesinfected,Brigitteknowsherfearsandanxietyabouttheunknownchangehappeningtoher.Withthebondoffamilythatlinkedthem,BrigitteismoresympathetictoGingerthanfearful.ThedifferentrelationshipbetweenmonsterandmanorwomanisalsoimpliedbyGinger’sfatherandmother.Eventhoughthefatherdoesn’tshowupveryoften,heistheonewhoalwaysdoubtsandquestionshisdaughters’uncommonbehaviors.Whilethemotherisalwaysbelievesandtoleratesherdaughters.Aftershefindsoutherdaughtersarethemurdererofthedeadgirl,shedoesn’tsendthemtojailormakethemtakeresponsibility,butshechoosetoletthemgoanddestroytheevidenceofeverythingtheyhavedonewrong.Thusthoughbothfatherandmotherhaveafamilybondwiththeirdaughters,thewomanismoresympathetictothemonster.