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  • Essay / Cher as a representation of the materialistic woman in the film Clueless

    In many films, a stereotypical character presented is the materialistic woman. She struts through life shopping at the mall with "daddy's credit card" and is out of touch with the reality of the world. She buys expensive things without worrying about the price and is seen as vain by everyone. In the movie Clueless, the main character, Cher, accurately represents the stereotype of a materialistic woman due to her specific actions and what she says throughout the movie. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Near the beginning of the film, Cher is getting ready for school in her big, fancy bedroom. She goes through her closet full of designer clothes and accessories, but doesn't know what to wear to school. As she prepares, she says "but seriously, I actually have a pretty normal life for a teenager." She then uses a touch-screen computer that tells her which pieces of her many clothes go well together and which don't. Cher doesn't realize that most teenage girls, especially in the 90s, don't have a computer to tell them what clothes make a good outfit combination. She has lost touch with the way most people live without all the materialistic things she owns and takes for granted. This scene introduces Cher to the audience and lets them know that she is rich and materialistic based on how she acts. The fact that she has so many designer clothes, but still can't choose any, shows that she just wants more and more clothes that she doesn't actually need. Next, Cher represents this stereotype because whenever she feels like everything is going wrong in her life, she goes shopping to ease her mind. Standing in the hallway after failing to convince her teacher to change her grade, she says, "I felt brash and out of control, which I really hate." I needed to find refuge in a place where I could collect my thoughts and regain my strength.” It then shows Cher and her best friend checking out a store at the mall, and they both have handfuls of shopping bags. The mall is where she feels the most confident and in control, showing that shopping is all she is good at to the people around her. Being surrounded by materialistic things makes her feel comfortable and she doesn't worry about how much she spends. She can use her father's credit card because he's a successful lawyer who doesn't care how much she spends. She has to have materialistic things to make her feel better and become herself again. Finally, Cher represents the stereotype of a materialistic woman when she doesn't want to ruin her dress when she is robbed at gunpoint later in the film. She had just been left abandoned in a parking lot after a party because the guy she was riding with tried to kiss her when she didn't want to. While she was on the phone to get a taxi, a man put a gun to her head and told her to get on the ground. She easily handed over her phone and her bag which definitely had money in it, showing that she doesn't care about the money as much as she does the stuff. When he tells her to get back on the ground, she explains “oh no. You don't understand. She’s an Alaia,” and she looks at her dress. She is upset because it is a dress made by a famous designer and she does not want it to be damaged, despite the fact that he tells her that he will shoot her, 1995.