Tootsie Essay On Women

The movie Tootsie directed by Sydney Pollack illustrates Simone de Beauvoir's philosophy; women as other. Sydney Pollack illustrates this in her movie by showing how men oppress women by characterizing them, on every level, as the other. The men in the movie occupy the role as the subject whereas the women are portrayed as the object. Man is the essential, absolute, and transcendent. Women are inessential, incomplete, and mutilated. Fundamentally, Pollack was trying to elicit how men extend out into the world to impose their will on it, whereas the woman is doomed to immanence or inwardness. Man creates, acts, and invents; the waits for him to save her.

Tootsie shows how women are doomed to immanence or inwardness. From the start of the movie, we witness that women tended to end their speech with comments such as “this is stupid...I can’t do it as well as you” This shows that women feel inferior to their

male counterparts. Women feel as though what they have to say, regardless of what it is, is not worthy enough for others to hear. The man feels entitled to be able to speak his mind freely, without the fear of being ridiculed or judged. Women, on the other hand, suppress their thoughts because societal infringes that women do not, and cannot provide any insight into the world. Therefore, they are insignificant and displayed as the other.

The characterization of women is manifested throughout the entire movie.

Men rarely compliment women on features other than their physical appearance. They tend to give compliments that are directed towards a woman's body and face. Many of the praises that women receive from men are “you look pretty.” Comments like these, that are directed towards appearance, forces women to invest more energy and time in order to abide by societal standards and to be accepted as a woman in the terms of society. Women become hard-wired to look prettier, dress nicer, and maintain a specific personality in order to “have a value” and “be worthy” in the eyes of men. Comments like “you don’t wanna ruin that cute figure” are comments coming from other women. Not only are men objectifying women, but objectification has become the norm that women begin to objectify one another. Men rarely look at women as their equal. Men feel that they are entitled to women as though she were his property. Throughout many instances, we see that men kiss and touch women inappropriately without

consent.

Towards the end of the movie, Pollack communicates women as inessential, incomplete, and mutilated. The women that auditioned for a role in the play were often rejected without valid reason. None of the women retaliated against the director, nor have they made an effort to present their case. Rather, women accepted that they were inadequate to play the role. This isn’t the case when it comes to men. Men do not feel inferior to others, and fight for what they want, and demand a reason for why they can not obtain it. Specifically, when the protagonist auditioned for the role and was rejected, he refused to accept it. And demanded an explanation, only then was he able to secure a role in the play.

The protagonist, according to the producer was the “the first character who is her own person...who isn’t robbing another person to define herself.” Society defines women as incomplete without the presence of a man. Therefore, women are incapable of viewing themselves as a whole without having a man beside them.