Postmodern feminism has long held that gender identification is due more to linguistic construct than any other cultural mechanism. As an 11 year old girl, Hit Girl confronts movie audiences with a seemingly innocent prepubescent female who displays behaviors not expected of a preteen in American society.
The scene that everyone comments on is the one where Hit Girl wreaks havoc on a drug den, killing 8 men and 1 woman using a variety of methods. The brutal murders were not the shocking focal point of the scene though. Eyebrows were raised, however, with her use of the "c" word, long considered unkosher due to its ability to repulse movie audiences.
Not only is Hit Girl's use of the C word jarring to hear given her supposed gender role in society, she also uses the term in reference to men, releasing the profanity from a culturally specific descriptive term, and transforming it to a generalist, non-gender specifc term of disdain. In utilizing the word this way, Hit Girl frees up the cuss word from its historical usage as a cultural more in defining gender.
Hit Girl's role as a trained, brainwashed killer is not unique here; the filmmaker pay homage to other females in murderous roles, most specifically the Kill Bill series. The scene where Hit Girl is trapped behind the wet bar cabinet recalls a very similar scene in the classic movie "La Femme Nikita," whose very title contrasts a killer with the words traditionally used to define her gender. Again, postmodern feminist theory is reaffirmed.
Our cultural identity so strongly stereotypes the role of a young girl in society that we cannot accept a killing machine with such a cherubic face; whenever Hit Girl wreaks her havok, she must be in disguise, a costume that covers her body and face and at time her eyes as well.
The tearing down of our gender-assigned expectations of prepubescent female behavior all come to nought, however, as the highest compliment paid to Hit Girl by her nemesis the Mob Boss is "I wish you were my son." Thus, the highest goal that this girl can hope to attain is the role of a boy. Or is it? It is clear that when the Mob Boss wishes Hit Girl were his son, he is not thinking of his son as Red Mist is presently constituted, he is thinking of an idealized son capable of the most efficient and cold blooded murders possible. To that end, Hit Girl is on her way toward dismissing any linguistic constructs restricting her path toward killing excellence.
How did I do?
The scene that everyone comments on is the one where Hit Girl wreaks havoc on a drug den, killing 8 men and 1 woman using a variety of methods. The brutal murders were not the shocking focal point of the scene though. Eyebrows were raised, however, with her use of the "c" word, long considered unkosher due to its ability to repulse movie audiences.
Not only is Hit Girl's use of the C word jarring to hear given her supposed gender role in society, she also uses the term in reference to men, releasing the profanity from a culturally specific descriptive term, and transforming it to a generalist, non-gender specifc term of disdain. In utilizing the word this way, Hit Girl frees up the cuss word from its historical usage as a cultural more in defining gender.
Hit Girl's role as a trained, brainwashed killer is not unique here; the filmmaker pay homage to other females in murderous roles, most specifically the Kill Bill series. The scene where Hit Girl is trapped behind the wet bar cabinet recalls a very similar scene in the classic movie "La Femme Nikita," whose very title contrasts a killer with the words traditionally used to define her gender. Again, postmodern feminist theory is reaffirmed.
Our cultural identity so strongly stereotypes the role of a young girl in society that we cannot accept a killing machine with such a cherubic face; whenever Hit Girl wreaks her havok, she must be in disguise, a costume that covers her body and face and at time her eyes as well.
The tearing down of our gender-assigned expectations of prepubescent female behavior all come to nought, however, as the highest compliment paid to Hit Girl by her nemesis the Mob Boss is "I wish you were my son." Thus, the highest goal that this girl can hope to attain is the role of a boy. Or is it? It is clear that when the Mob Boss wishes Hit Girl were his son, he is not thinking of his son as Red Mist is presently constituted, he is thinking of an idealized son capable of the most efficient and cold blooded murders possible. To that end, Hit Girl is on her way toward dismissing any linguistic constructs restricting her path toward killing excellence.
How did I do?
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