Fear, Consumption, Exploitation

Tara Ekmekci

Prof. Wexler

English 313

13 October 2010

Fear, Consumption, Exploitation

Language is the only way to communicate with one’s self and with other selfs. Without language there would be no understanding of the self. The postmodern self is a fragmented self. The person one thinks they are is an assembly of so many small fragments, pieced together to create a whole. Not only is the self created, it is "rearrang[ed], transform[ed] and correct[ed]" (Bordo 1099). With all the technology available to us today, god— as the creator— has been replaced by surgeons. This postmodern rhetoric of choice and technology has allowed people (mostly women) to constantly find a reason to be dissatisfied with their bodies. This dissatisfaction leads to the postmodern plastic discourse. In this discourse, "all sense of history and all ability (or inclination) to sustain cultural criticism, to make the distinctions and discriminations which would permit such criticism, have disappeared" (Bordo 1104). This means that because the post-modern self is relative, no one passes judgment anymore. There is this "you do what you want and I'll do what I want" attitude in the air. This discourse no longer allows there to be an underlying truth.

Because of this, there is a postmodern angst developing. These non-judgmental people seem respectful towards the actions, comments and opinions of individual others, but under that veil there are true bottled up opinions. "Television is of course, the great teacher here, our prime modeler of plastic pluralism" (Bordo 1104). Instead of judging each other or setting limits for the post-modern self, society finds the television to be a better role model. As long as someone on TV says it looks beautiful, or it'll make everything look and feel okay, then society feels that it is worthy of being mimicked. Technology has taken away the role of human contact and communication. The post-modern self has created a dialogic relationship with the Television, rather than with humans. With this said, how are relationships between male and female supposed to arise in this world lacking true communication? Is love based off traditional concepts anymore? Is there a decline in marriage? Has it become yet another institution governing the lives of many? In the 21^st century, where identity is constantly produced and reproduced, this fragmented idea of love and relationships has been constructed by the core of postmodern culture, television

In Elizabeth Gilbert’s, Eat Prey Love, Elizabeth is on a radical quest to find her true self. Elizabeth is unsatisfied with cultural norms. She is tired of her traditional path to marriage and creating a family. Elizabeth has come to a point in her life where a home, car, job and an outgrown soul-mate no longer suffice. The agony of living in this "in-between", where she's neither happy or sad is far more painful than the thought of breaking both her and her husband's heart. Elizabeth finalizes the divorce and soon after is on a journey to find her true identity.

This film is comprised of bits and pieces of the radical, sex and romantic comedy. This is the story of "girl divorces husband, girl finds a younger man, girl is not satisfied with younger man, girl tries to find herself, girl meets man again, girl and man fall in love." The reason why this film does not follow the typical arc of the romantic comedy, because "a romantic comedy is a film which has as its central narrative motor a quest for love, which portrays this quest in a light hearted way and almost always to a successful conclusion." This story is not about the quest for love. It’s about the quest for spiritual love, faith, courage and happiness. It does not start out with a girl meeting a boy element, it begins with a divorce.

Eat Pray love is a twisted version of a traditional romantic comedy, but there are so many sub-genres weaved into it that interrupt the linear play of the usual romantic comedy arc. After Elizabeth’s divorce, she finds a rebound partner. She is satisfied with his youth and free spirit, as well as their sexual connection. Although she abolishes the idea of marriage and the opposing idea of having no strings attached, Elizabeth is still unhappy. She realizes that finding another man is not going to be the solution to the void she is constantly experiencing. She still has no idea of what it is that will fulfill her true self.

Once Elizabeth realizes her relationship with the younger man needs to end, she decides to take a year long trip to Italy, India and Bali. The film and Elizabeth are on this profound non-conservative journey of finding one’s true self through exploration. Now is it a postmodern characteristic for a woman to leave a traditional marriage in order to find her self? In today’s society, it is a rightful choice to be able to divorce and change one’s life. Even though there are people who disagree with one’s choice of divorce and taking off to different countries, no one is really able to force their opinion on each other. Elizabeth is free to make her own decisions without worrying about their repercussions. She is unhappy and she has one life to live right? There isn’t one truth when it comes to the happiness of an individual. Two people could have different conceptions on the idea of happiness and marriage. There are multiple truths available in a postmodern world. The sky is the limit and Elizabeth can build her identity whenever she pleases. What are the implications of this radial romantic film on its viewers?

Work Cited

Barker, Chris. Cultural Studies Theory and Practice. 3rd ed. London: Sage Publications, 2008.Print.

Bordo, Susan. "'Material Girl': The Effacements of Postmodern Culture."Print.

McDonald, Tamar Jeffers. Romantic Comedy: Boy Meets Girl Meets Genre. London: Wallflower Press, 2007. Print.