Bend It Like Beckham/as You Like It free essay sample

Belonging is a necessary human desire of acceptance and inclusion which can be represented in several different ways. Shakespeare’s classic, As you like it and in Gurinda Chadra’s comedy, Bend it like Beckham, are both representations of the concept of belonging. Bend it like Beckham is a modern interpretation which explores similar notions as Shakespeare’s classic As you like it. In all three texts belonging is represented through gender roles, family influence and the connection of marriage. The central character, Jessminder, in bend it like beckham must overcome her cultural restraints as a young indian girl raised in a western civilisation in order to belong to her family and satisfy her own goals. This is seen in the opening scene as Jessminders Her parents adhere to their strict sihk faith customs which clash with Jessminders dream of becoming an alete football player just as David Beckham. The extended metaphor of football within bend it like beckham is used to shape Chadras representation of belonging and not belonging. We will write a custom essay sample on Bend It Like Beckham/as You Like It or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Bend it like Beckham is a film based around the life of a young Indian girl, Jessminder, whose parents follow the Sikh religion. Without question, Jess is expected to follow the cultural traditions besides being raised within a westernised culture in England. The title Bend it like Beckham is the reference to David Beckham’s ability to curve the football across the field scoring a goal. Football is used as an extended metaphor throughout the film which has helped shape Chadra’s representation of Jessminder not being able to belong to the gender prejudice sport, football. Shakespeare’s As you like it uses similar concepts as Bend it like Beckham to communicate a significance of belonging. Members of the court are exiled and flee to the forest of Arden for fear of Gender roles are reversed in the movie ‘Bend it like Beckham’. Tony is a friend of Jessminder who also enjoys playing football, but when he explains he â€Å"really, really likes Beckham† we understand that he has feelings for the opposite sex. Tony believes his true identity will be ridiculed in an Indian family therefore keeping it a secret. Jessminder understands Tony’s cultural restrictions in being himself completely, which forms the basis of their empathetic relationship. Rosalind in As you like it has the ability to subvert the limitations that society imposes on her as a woman in order to isolate herself from the common conformities of belonging in her society. With the courage and wit of a male, announces to Celia where she describes that she will wear a warrior look like many cowardly men do which insinuates that a man’s manner and attire show’s nothing of their courage. The dramatic irony imposed on the audience when Rosalind disguises herself is used as a technique to entertain and humour the viewers as their knowledge of the correct situation is seen as advantageous. Rosalind disguises herself as a man named Ganymede in order to apprise and woo her love interest Orlando. Well have a swashing and a martial outside, as many other mannish cowards have That do outface it with their semblances. (1. 3. 125) is a quote in which Roseland During her deception as Ganymede, Orlando is instructed on the ways to woo a woman to Rosalind’s desire. The pair become intimate in their rehearsal roles and share a kiss after the line †¦. To an Elizabethan audience, homoeroticism was seen as entertaining in an outrageous sense. The idea of homosexuality was highly dammed by the Elizabethan society with little awareness about such possibilities. A scene containing same sex interest without the dramatic irony would not be allowed to be performed. We note both Juliette and Jessminder obtaining boyish characteristics which lead to the misconception of Juliette being attracted to Jessminder by her mother, and Jessminder’s family misunderstanding seeing her kissing a boy, when in fact it was their strong friendship sparking these accusations. The irony placed in these situations adds humour to the movie while still pertaining to the mistaken identity stereotypes seem to carry in society. Juliette and Jessminder form a friendship because of their shared passion for ootball and their struggle to balance family and cultural setbacks in the pursuit of self determination. Jessminder’s family believes that football is not appropriate for a young women to be playing as she has far more culturist traditions to be learning, such as how to cook a full Indian dinner. Although Mr. Bhamra’s underlying dilemma he faced when trying to play cricket in a western society was the reason he did not wish for his daughter to parti cipate in such sport. Mr. Bhamra was a victim of racial discrimination as members of the team ‘kicked him out of their club like a dog’. Mr. Bhamra believed his daughter should be rewarded with an opportunity to fight for her dreams, and only then is Jessminder’s goals supported by her family. The connection to a place and the way in which we react to a certain society plays an impeccable part of how the characters from both As you like it and Bend it like Beckham are perceived to belong. In Bend it like Beckham there is prejudice and stereotyping of Jessminder’s Indian heritage when living in a westernised country whereas in As you like it the prejudice is based around the ability to articulate wit and knowledge from an educated background in the Court. We imagine the forest of Arden as a place â€Å"free from public taunt† where the characters can learn better values. The forest is personified as a teacher with â€Å"tongues in trees† and â€Å"sermons in stones†, the end of this line â€Å"and good in everything† is used to exaggerate the idea that the forest is a teacher of good values. The Indian and western civilisation is juxtaposed throughout the film to enhance the notion of self determination and breaking free of cultural boundaries. In the preparation for Pinky’s wedding (Jessminder’s sister) we are confronted of a high angle shot that places two parallel backyards together. In the fading frame, we see the celebration for Pinky’s engagement, full of colours and festive food. Opposite this we see an English women removing clothes form her washing line. Her backyard is bare and she seems oblivious to the party next door. This scene employs a sense of incongruity, therefore allowing us to understand the tribulations Jessminder faces in abandoning her family morals. â€Å"Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness! luttishness may come hereafter. † This cynicism might be a symptom of the life of an observer of the court while never truly belonging there. One gets the impression through his speech, occupation, and mannerisms that Touchstone may not have been born of noble blood, but rather adopted into the court as a fool. Such a life would have given him ample justification for distrust, disdain, and, most importantly, as a result of his lack of a sense o In the text As you like it, there is a high placed juxtaposition between the place of the Court and the forest of Arden. The court is perceived as a place of high standard in which people are Stereotyping is used by both the Indian and Westernised culture in ‘Bend it like Beckham’. We see the distorted perceptions of Juliette’s mother Paula, as she discourages Jules from playing football. ‘All Im saying is, theres a reason why Sporty Spice is the only one without a fella! † is quoted by Paula in the film as she tries to hinder Juliette’s interest in football by insinuating her ‘boyish’ behaviour will affect her relationships. This is then rectified toward the end of the film when Paula advises Juliette about a woman on the football team who is happily married with two children. Shakespeare in this play also uses a Greek god , hymen, as a symbol to show how the marriages are blessed when in the forest. The Greek belief was if Hymen was not present at weddings the marriage was supposed to be disastrous. By using Hyman as a symbol of a blessed future we see how the forest of Arden through a sense of belonging has strengthened the characters bonds to one another and advanced their own individual identities. ow the concept of belonging is conveyed through the representations of people, relationships, ideas, places, events, and societies that they encounter in the prescribed text and texts of their own choosing related to the Area of Study assumptions underlying various representations of the concept of belonging how the composer’s choice of language modes, forms, features and structures shapes and is sh aped by a sense of belonging their own experiences of belonging, in a variety of contexts the ways in which they perceive the world through texts he ways in which exploring the concept and significance of belonging may broaden and deepen their understanding of themselves and their world Belonging is a necessary human desire of acceptance and inclusion which can be represented in several different ways. Shakespeare’s classic, As you like it and Gurinda Chadra’s comedy, Bend it like Beckham both explore the variation of ways that the concept of belonging can be explored in a text. The notions that contribute to the concept of belonging include gender roles, identity David Beckham is England’s most prized player when concerning football as he obtains the trademark ability to curve the ball across the pitch and into the net, resulting in a goal. Bend it like Beckham is a comedic film directed by Gurinda Chadra that explores many themes relating to prejudice stereotypes and its effects on achieving goals. The film spirals into endless tangents from the prejudice theme revealing issues such as gender roles, racism but most prominent, the notion of belonging. Using football as an extended metaphor throughout the film has helped Chadra achieve the concept of belonging to a group, as you would a team in football. Several characters in the film struggle to identify in groups they have chosen to belong to or have been morally condemned to follow. Jessminder is a young Indian girl whose parents follow the Sikh religion. Without question, Jess is expected to follow the cultural traditions besides being raised in England. Jess’ aspirations for playing professional football is introduced to the audience in a Montage. The series of fast projected scenes of Jess playing football along side her hero Beckham, portray to the audience that this is her fantasy. We can then gather from Mrs. Bhamra’s role as a harsh critic in the Montage that this is not a reality, but just a dream as it is suddenly disrupted by the reality of Mrs. Bhamra, Jess’ mother, continuing to yell in disapproval. As an audience we begin to understand the duties an Indian household regulates as a comparison to our Westernised manner as Mrs. Bhamra continues to shout at Jess to help her sister with her marriage preparations. Stereotyping is used by both the Indian and Westernised culture in ‘Bend it like Beckham’. We see the distorted perceptions of Juliette’s mother Paula, as she discourages Jules from playing football. ‘All Im saying is, theres a reason why Sporty Spice is the only one without a fella! † is quoted by Paula in the film as she tries to hinder Juliette’s interest in football by insinuating her ‘boyish’ behaviour will affect her relationships. This is then rectified toward the end of the film when Paula advises Juliette about a woman on the football team who is happily married with two children. Juliette and Jessminder form a friendship because of their shared passion for football and their struggle to balance family and cultural setbacks in the pursuit of self determination. Jessminder’s family believes that football is not appropriate for a young women to be playing as she has far more culturist traditions to be learning, such as how to cook a full Indian dinner. Although Mr. Bhamra’s underlying dilemma he faced when trying to play cricket in a western society was the reason he did not wish for his daughter to participate in such sport. Mr. Bhamra was a victim of racial discrimination as members of the team ‘kicked him out of their club like a dog’. Mr. Bhamra believed his daughter should be rewarded with an opportunity to fight for her dreams, and only then is Jessminder’s goals supported by her family. The Indian and western civilisation is juxtaposed throughout the film to enhance the notion of self determination and breaking free of cultural boundaries. In the preparation for Pinky’s wedding (Jessminder’s sister) we are confronted of a high angle shot that places two parallel backyards together. In the fading frame, we see the celebration for Pinky’s engagement, full of colours and festive food. Opposite this we see an English women removing clothes form her washing line. Her backyard is bare and green and she seems oblivious to the party next door. This scene employs a sense of incongruity, therefore allowing us to understand the tribulations Jessminder faces in abandoning her family morals. Gender roles are reversed in the movie ‘Bend it like Beckham’. Tony is a friend of Jessminder who also enjoys playing football, but when he explains he â€Å"really, really likes Beckham† we understand that he has feelings for the opposite sex. Tony believes his true identity will be ridiculed in an Indian family therefore keeping it a secret. Jessminder understands Tony’s cultural restrictions in being himself completely, which forms the basis of their empathetic relationship. We note both Juliette and Jessminder obtaining boyish characteristics which lead to the misconception of Juliette being attracted to Jessminder by her mother, and Jessminder’s family misunderstanding seeing her kissing a boy, when in fact it was their strong friendship sparking these accusations. The irony placed in these situations adds humour to the movie while still pertaining to the mistaken identity stereotypes seem to carry in society. The antithesis placed between the posted above Jessminder’s wall and the frame above the mantle in her home are apparent in the film â€Å"Bend it like Beckham†. We notice her family worshiping the first of ten guru’s that set the foundation of the Sikh faith, Baba Ji. A poster of Baba ji is framed neatly above the mantle in the living room and is constantly referred back to throughout the movie. For example, When Jessminder’s grades arrive in the post to determine her future career, Mrs. Bhamra prays repeatedly to the poster in hopes Jessminder receives good grades. Jessminder is seen idolising the poster of Beckham throughout the film as she repeatedly speaks to him about her family’s unacceptance of her playing football. The contrasting perception placed upon her hero and her family’s allow us to identify Jessminder from a different perspective, one of self perseverance. Music is used throughout the film to address the underscoring thematic notions in particular scenes. This is used to promote the idea and juxtaposition of culture vs. self ambitions. The music we here in Jessminder’s living room is native to India, displaying the families desire to stay true to their traditional culture, despite living in a westernised country. The paradox between the next scene of Jessminder playing football is contrasted with the mainstream hit â€Å"Move on Up† as if to imply of moving beyond culture restraints. Bend it like Beckham successfully explores the concept of belonging through the concepts of cultural freedom, reversed gender roles and stereotypes. The movie continues to entertain and inspire a sense of justice in the pursuit of self ambitions and goals. Yasmin Khedr Belonging is a necessary human desire of acceptance and inclusion which can be represented in several different ways. Shakespeare’s classic, As you like it and in Gurinda Chadra’s comedy, Bend it like Beckham, are both representations of the concept of belonging. Bend it like Beckham is a modern interpretation which explores similar notions as Shakespeare’s classic As you like it. In all three texts belonging is represented through gender roles, family influence and the connection of marriage. Marriage is a centre theme and the resolution of the text As you like it. As a symbol of unity and belonging marriage is used in the play to join the characters together, pleasing the audience at the commencement. The film Bilb contains the wedding of Jessminder’s sister, pinky. The wedding day lands on the same day as Jess’ football match which displays the juxtaposition between what jess’ desires and what her family traditions entail for her. When asked at the wedding by a distant relative if Jess would rather â€Å"a clean shaven boy like her sister or a proper Indian man with a full beard and turban† we understand that Jess’ expected not only marry in her future but to marry an Indian man. Rosalind in As you like it has the ability to subvert the limitations that society imposes on her as a woman in order to isolate herself from the common conformities of belonging in her society. With the courage and wit of a male, Rosalind disguises herself as a man named Ganymede in order to apprise and woo her love interest Orlando. Well have a swashing and a martial outside, as many other mannish cowards have That do outface it with their semblances† is a quote in which Roseland announces to Celia where she describes that she will wear a warrior look like many cowardly men do which insinuates that a man’s manner and attire show’s nothing of their courage. The dramatic irony imposed on the audience when Rosalind disguises herself is used as a technique to entertain and humour the viewers as their knowledge of the correct situation is seen as advantageous. There is a similar strand of deceit in the film Bend it like Beckham as Jessminder tries desperately to balance belonging to her family traditions and to her goals and personal desires. Jessminder lies to her parents explaining that she has a part time job when in fact she had been using this time at football training. Gender roles are reversed in the movie ‘Bend it like Beckham’. Tony is a friend of Jessminder who also enjoys playing football, but when he explains he â€Å"really, really likes Beckham† we understand that he has feelings for the opposite sex. Tony believes his true identity will be ridiculed in an Indian family therefore keeping it a secret. Jessminder understands Tony’s cultural restrictions in being himself completely, which forms the basis of their empathetic relationship. We imagine the forest of Arden as a place â€Å"free from public taunt† where the characters can learn better values. The forest is personified as a teacher with â€Å"tongues in trees† and â€Å"sermons in stones†, the end of this line â€Å"and good in everything† is used to exaggerate the idea that the forest is a teacher of good values. In the text As you like it, there is a high placed juxtaposition between the lace of the Court and the forest of Arden. The court is perceived as a place of high standard in which people are expected to be highly articulated and educated. The forrets however, is redeemed as a place of shepards and low lifes lol The Indian and western civilisation is juxtaposed throughout the film Bend it like Beckham to enhance the notion of self determination and breaking free of cultural boundaries. In the preparation for Pinky’s wedding we are confronted of a high angle shot that places two parallel backyards together. One is of an average home and the other of the Bhamra’s having a celebration for her engagements. In the fading frame, we see the celebration for Pinky’s engagement, full of colours and festive food. Opposite this we see an English women removing clothes form her washing line. Her backyard is bare and she seems oblivious to the party next door. This scene employs a sense of incongruity, therefore allowing bandoning her family morals. TOUCHSTONE [Aside] I am not in the mind but I were better to be married of him than of another; for he is not like to marry me well; and not being well married, it will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my wife. (3. 3. 90)