Winter's Bone

The film Winter’s Bone is unlike many other Hollywood films. Bearing a strong female lead, Winter’s Bone is able to portray women in a light in which most other films do not. Many aspects of the film contribute to the uncommon characterization of women in today’s movie industry. Winter’s Bone is made out to be a feminist film because of the character dynamics presented throughout the film. There are numerous instances in the film in which the interactions between and the portrayal of characters support Winter’s Bone being a feminist film. The film depicts both men and women as being strong and ruthless, despite the obvious patriarchy in the town. The women of the film are not presented through the “male gaze”, they are not sexualized, objectified,

“Jessup Dolly is dead. He’s lying in a crappy grave somewhere or become piles of shit in a hog pen. Maybe he’s been left out plain in the open, but wherever he is, he’s there dead.” As Ree speaks of her deceased father, she does so in a way which is unheard of coming from a woman’s mouth. In this scene alone, we see Ree as vulgar and desensitized, characteristics which are not typical of a woman. From hunting and providing, to getting beat up, to possessing a bag of her dead father’s hands, Ree is depicted in a way that is not common for women in film to be

Ree’s first encounter, and every encounter thereafter consists of her seeking help from a man but having to go through a woman to get there. Ree’s uncle Teardrop and his wife Victoria are an illustration of the woman being a passageway to the man, and the dominance men have over women in the film. “Shut up”… “I said shut up once already with my mouth.”, threatens Teardrop in his conversation with Victoria and Ree. Teardrop’s character is careless and fear provoking. His ability to scare off the Milton boys and even the sheriff, speaks to his authority established by fear. Teardrop is just one of many power hungry men in the film. Thump Milton barely even has to speak in the film and we can still see his utter dominance and power. The way other characters simply talk about Thump develops his character as the most feared and regnant male in the film. The interactions and power relations between men and women develop the underlying feminist theme in the film. This depiction of male dominance and patriarchy in Winter’s Bone aids to the feminist aspect of the film by representing the social gender inequality of the real