Stereotypes in '50 First Dates'

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer shows how stereotyping functions throughout the course of '50 First Dates', on not only an ethnic and racial level, but also on the level of gender and sexuality. The writer discusses that it is not the native Hawaiian Islanders or the gender-ambiguous individuals who matter much in the scheme of '50 First Dates'. The writer maintains that without the "exotic" locale and the individuals who come attached to it, one has a typical Hollywood story about two "normal" (i.e. white, heterosexual) individuals and their romantic entanglement. This is quite stereotypical in itself, as an emblem of Hollywood's machinery, in that it refuses to deviate from such norms. The writer concludes that stereotypes in '50 First Dates' thus serve a double purpose: to reinforce preconceived societal notions about ethnic and gender minorities, while asserting the supremacy of those who are "lucky" enough not to fit into such "restrictive" categories.

From the Paper:

" The interactions between Lucy and Henry are rooted in repetition. This is because Lucy, it is revealed the following day when he approaches her in the restaurant and she does not seem to recognize him, suffers from anterograde amnesia owing to an automobile accident that she suffered with her father two years prior. Her short-term memory has been affected, although she does have long-term memory. As a result, each time she goes to bed each night, she wakes up the following day believing that it is still October 13, 2002. Her father and brother, having been informed by the doctors that the disorder is likely irreversible, decide to "play along" with Lucy's delusion. Thus, the father has had copies of the October 13, 2002 printed out, and the staff at the diner where she goes for breakfast each morning has been instructed to play along, as well. The matriarchal owner of the diner had been friends with Lucy's deceased mother, and promised her that she would take care of her. For this reason, the diner owner is particularly hostile to Henry's advances."

Sample of Sources Used:

• 50 First Dates - Director - Peter Segal

More papers on Stereotypes in '50 First Dates':

• Research Paper # 72869 : "Gender Stereotypes in Children's Books"
• Term Paper # 139340 : "Stereotypes in American Life"
• Analytical Essay # 141522 : "Gender Stereotypes in "Boys and Girls" And "Girl"

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