Kissing Jessica Stein is a comedy of sorts about "the surface level" and the insecurities of dating in the modern world. It questions how people think about sexuality and proposes that sexuality is painted in shades of grey, and is not strictly black and white.
I think that Helen and Jessica's relationship ultimately did not work out because of their difference in personality, not because of their gender. Jessica is neurotic and uptight, and her analysis of everything was bound to wear Helen thin. The casual viewer might assume that the relationship failed because of Jessica's ultimate "straightness", and maybe that was a factor, but if she was with the right person I think she'd be able to get over it.
Ultimately, I think love is about the person you are with. Love also extends outside of romantic relationships, which seems to be neglected by the romantic comedy genre. Friendships can be full of love, love that is just as deep and valuable as romantic love. Friendships can also be slightly erotic, as we discussed in class. Relationships would fare much better if they weren't so rigidly defined by society.
Reflection on Class
This class has introduced me to a new way of looking at love and desire, and I really enjoyed the readings, movies, and class discussions. I especially liked that we did not focus on the fluffy, easier aspects of love and desire- what would be the point of that? Disney pretty much has that covered, in my opinion. I welcome the opportunity to look at this subject with a critical and analytical lens, questioning subjectivity itself.
Some of the readings I will keep in my library, such as Madame Bovary (my favorite novel of the semester), and I plan on buying Simple Passion and Kristeva's writing, since both were really interesting and valuable to me.
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