cas100c

Our Final paper

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Group 7: Brown, Graham, Ortiz, Ritschel

Hillary Jones

CAS 100C

5 May 2008

Washed Up: A Critique of Stereotyping in Knocked Up

Guys, what if you “knocked up” someone who you intended to be a one-night-stand? Ladies, what if you got “knocked up” by an unemployed stoner whom you did not know? Or, as the cover of the recently released movie, Knocked Up asks above the picture of a goofy looking guy, “What if This Guy Got You Pregnant?” This romantic comedy was released in 2007 and gained popularity quickly. Critics applauded the film for its humor and charm (Scott, 2007). Though this film is very funny, when you look beyond the plotline, there are controversial and stereotypical underlying themes. Some of the issues the writers play off of are stereotypical differences in socioeconomic class, degradation and role of women, strong advancement of a masculine identity divided into young-males along with adult-males, and the distortion of the American dream. When analyzing Knocked Up, it is possible to see that numerous aspects of socioeconomic class divisions, the disenfranchisement of feminine identity, the advancement of masculine identities, and the erosion of the American dream can be found in the text; and how these themes are harmful to the credibility of the film.

Directed by Judd Apatow and starring Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen, Knocked Up follows the path of a successful, middle-class woman named Alison, who went out to celebrate her promotion, got intoxicated, and had sex with an unemployed stoner named Ben. Eight weeks later, when Alison finds out she is pregnant, she and Ben decide to go through with the pregnancy and try to build a relationship since they will be having a child together. Their relationship has a promising start, but it gains tension as the pregnancy draws nearer. The movie takes the viewers through the ups and downs of the nine months of pregnancy, as Alison and Ben try to overcome their differences in lifestyles and backgrounds to make the relationship work.

I: Socio-Economic Class

Carolyn Graham

Knocked Up is not only the story of an accidental pregnancy between two young people; it is also the classic story of two people from different classes and backgrounds finding love in each other. Though the depiction of class in this film is not as prevalent as it is in classics like Cinderella, it is still very present.

The very opening scenes immediately show us the two different worlds of these characters as they juxtapose scenes of Ben’s small run down house with a dirty pool in the backyard, and an old broken down car in the driveway with the scene of the perfect house surrounded by a well kept garden and white picket fence, beautiful pool, and the pool-house that Alison calls home. The film begins this way for a reason – to give us the basic information about each character. These opening shots, through the stereotype of small house vs. big house tell us that Alison is middle class and Ben is lower class. Before the dialogue of the film even begins we have a sense of where the two main characters come from.

As we get to know the characters better, we learn that Alison lives with her older sister and her family, and does not pay her rent, but instead helps take care of her sister’s family. However, because she has a respectable job, dresses nicely, and is well mannered, viewers see her as middle class and as the “norm” of the film. Even though Ben pays rent and Alison does not, she is seen as the more well off character because of her appearance and lifestyle. The summary of the movie on the International Movie Database describes how the two characters are portrayed in the beginning of its synopsis of the film: “Ben Stone is a 23-year-old slacker who is in the process of establishing fleshofthestars.com, a website that lists the exact moment in time at which nude scenes with famous actresses occur in films. Alison Scott is a responsible young woman who works behind the scenes at E! Television Network. Although she is on the career fast track, she lives in the pool house behind her sister Debbie's home, and plays an active role in helping her and her husband Pete raise their daughters.” This paragraph sheds light on how the characters should be interpreted. The first word used to describe Ben is “slacker” while the first word used to define Alison is “responsible.” Clearly the viewer is supposed to respect Alison more than Ben. This is also portrayed through the description of what they do in their free time. While Alison graciously volunteers to help care for her nieces, Ben creates a website of nudity, something not considered very moral. This difference in moral character also makes the audience think higher of Alison.

Another prevalent socioeconomic stereotype in this text is marijuana. Many people associate users of marijuana with being unmotivated, lazy, and irresponsible. In this movie this assumption is taken to the extreme. Ben and his roommates use marijuana on a daily basis and never get anything done on the website they have been working on for months. They are depicted as unproductive, not smart, and are used as comic relief. Their use of this drug, and others, make people view them as lower in society because they disregard society’s laws against these illegal drugs, and usually illegal activity is frowned upon. Alison does not do drugs, and again, this makes viewers associate her with a higher class.

The use of marijuana is not the only rule of society that Ben ignores. He is an illegal immigrant from Vancouver, Canada, so he does not pay taxes. This underlines the fact that Ben is an un-contributing member of society. Ben has never even worked a day in his life. Instead he is living off fourteen thousand dollars from the government and has been living off of it for years. At one point he says “I have about 2,000 dollars left, so that should last me about another few years.” These two aspects of his life make him come across as a pathetic person, further degrading him in the eyes of the audience.

Despite their differences in class, lifestyle, and values, Ben and Alison meet at a bar one night when he takes a beer from behind the bar and hands it too her because she was not getting a response by patiently waiting in line and asking for a drink. This difference in behavior highlights their differences in values and also seems to attract them to one another.

Their different backgrounds and classes have a lot to do with how they treat each other in their relationship. When they have sex, she definitely seems to be the one in control of the situation. Part of it is because she is more attractive; Ben even points this out by saying in awe “You’re prettier than me!” She tells him what to do, and he listens. He does not put a condom on because she tells him to “just do it already.” They also go back to her house instead of his, probably because her house is nicer and more acceptable to society than his is.

Later, when Alison discovers that Ben got her pregnant that night, the only way she can contact Ben is through his unfinished website because he does not even posses a cell phone. In this day and age, a young man in his twenties not owning a cell phone is almost unheard of. This really emphasizes his lack of money and possessions. It also helps the average viewer better identify with Alison because having a cell phone is considered to be so normal. He says the reason he does not have a cell phone is because of “payment issues.” This also implies that he is irresponsible with his finances. The next time they hang out, Alison picks him up in her car since he does not have one. Since this goes against the normal social and gender roles, it stands out that she is the one with more money and possessions, like a car.

Even the way they treat each other throughout their relationship sometimes has to do with their different backgrounds. During a big fight while they are in the car, Alison demands that Ben get out of the car, as if he were a child. She probably treats him like a child in this scene because he often acts like a child; he has no job, no responsibilities, and poor values. During this same fight, Ben calls Alison a “stuck up bitch”. The fact that he chose to include “stuck up” in his insult shows that he realizes that Alison thinks she is superior to him. Their fights always seem to be about Alison being too controlling or demanding, clearly showing that she is the dominant one in the relationship. This again goes against the usual gender and social rules, highlighting that she is the dominant one because of her higher socioeconomic class.

Through the stereotypical depiction of classes, this movie supports the status quo, but because Alison and Ben break through the status quo and fall in love, the movie breaks the status quo as well. In the end, Ben seems to transcend his class and background. He buys a nice apartment, gets a real job, and stops smoking pot. These actions change the viewers’ attitude of Ben, and associate him with the same socioeconomic class as Alison, even though their backgrounds are still very different. This suggests that only when people have a similar socioeconomic status can they truly be together in a successful relationship.

II: Femininity and the Role of Women

Nicole Ritschel

While entertaining and funny, this movie has a lot of underlying themes that can be considered to be degrading towards women and their theories and ideals of equality. In the film women are treated and portrayed unfairly. Also, the option of an abortion is hardly considered, which is extremely unrealistic in today’s modern society. It is possible to analyze and further understand women and their role in the movie Knocked Up by evaluating aspects of the film in which women play an important role, and approaching the content from a point of view sensitive to women and their rights as equals.

When Alison finds out she is pregnant, eight weeks after her one night stand with Ben, she is devastated, and alerts Ben of her intentions to keep the baby. Abortion is never actually considered by the characters except in joking, which is ridiculous because it is such a commonly chosen path. The only character in the film that even hints at an abortion is Alison’s mother, and she never directly comes out says the term. It seems like Apatow is trying to criminalize the term ‘abortion,’ turning it into dark and untreadable waters. They make it seem like it is a word that shouldn’t be mentioned, by using taboos like “the a-word” in the characters’ dialogue. What makes this situation ironic is that the director never hesitates to show the pregnant women doubled-over puking in a toilet and sick lying on the bathroom floor, as if that is more appropriate than maturely discussing an abortion. A lot of critics of the film cite the movie as “pro-life propaganda” and that it is completely unfair to the pro-choice agenda because it completely blows over the entire reality that abortion is often considered in this situation. This complete disregard for the option of abortion really cuts into the films credibility, and makes the plot much less believable.

Women are obviously an important part of the film, but the roles that they are portrayed in seem to degrade them, and seem extremely unfair. They are often portrayed as a secondary character, and this example is no exception. Apatow uses Heigl’s character as a vehicle for Rogen’s characters motivation. In any other situation Rogen’s character would have no reason to ‘get off the couch’ and do something about his life, because he was perfectly happy about doing nothing. He never feels a pull to change his life until he feels that a woman needs his assistance and that she would be helpless without him, even though she is the one with the solid career and good car. Ben grows up when he feels like he has to because of societal norms that says a man must care for a woman when she is having a baby. The argument being made is not that men should not care for women, but more that the film portrays women as unable to care for themselves which is completely false and unfounded. Another role that Apatow unfairly puts women into is the ‘nagging-mother’ role. He portrays both of the main women in the movie, Alison and Debbie as controlling and overbearing freaks. They both try to control the men in their lives and overreact in even situations. This vision of women as ‘nagging and overbearing’ is a very male-driven interpretation of women’s action as a whole, and pigeon-holes and lumps them all into one offensive category. When the director makes this a trait of the only main women in the movie, it makes it seem like he is trying to make a statement about the actions of women as a whole. Overall the universal characteristics that are given to women in the film are very cliché and untrue, and is constricted to a narrow-minded view of a director who cannot see past the stereotypes of an entire gender.

Knocked Up is a funny movie, but the creators use a lot of ridiculous stereotypes in their work. The first obvious stereotype, which was discussed earlier, was how the men in the movie need to take care of the women. Alison has a career, a great job, and a decent amount of money, yet she still feels like she needs to have Ben’s character take care of her. Another point of discussion with stereotypes is the interaction between the women in the movie and how they act around each other. Debbie and Alison often talk and chat in the movie, but when they talk it seems like it is only focusing on one of the topics: men, themselves, and what clothes they are going to wear that day. When normal women get together that is not the only thing they can think of to discuss, and it grossly stereotypes women’s interactions and character. Honestly, there are people who are shallow and only do talk about men and clothes, but Apatow seemed like he was making a statement for all women when he portrayed his main women characters to be this way. The two women also battle many self-image problems. All stereotypes are rooted in truth, and many women do experience image problems, but Alison and Debbie are obsessed with looking beautiful and not growing old to the point of absurdity. They try practically every moment of the day to stop “aging,” and claim like they need to be beautiful and young for their husbands, when the guys in their lives love them regardless. These stereotypes of women in the film make this movie unbelievable and unrealistic as a statement about femininity and the entire female gender. This leads the viewer to see women as the weaker and second hand character, and that women as a whole are incapable to function without the help and the approval of their husbands.

The movie Knocked Up, directed by Judd Apatow, was a blockbuster hit and had young and old alike flocking to the movie theater. However, when one looks past the frilly surface to the core themes and meaning in the film it is easy to find parts that are degrading and unfair towards women. Not only does this film have parts that are degrading towards women, but it goes as far as to speak for women as a whole which is severely problematic. The stereotypes, lack of pro-choice information, and roles of both women and men in the film lead the analyst to find anti-feministic themes within the artifact.

III: Masculinity and the Role of Men

Enrique Ortiz

The opening scene of Knocked Up displays the various male characters engaging in American Gladiators-styled fighting scenes, which employ pugil-stick combat, boxing, and other quasi-violent tactics to personify the quintessential tough-guy masculine image. The notion of masculinity is advanced in several forms throughout the film, both in a stereotypical fashion, and manners which defy the violence-prone centrality of masculinity. Renowned professor of communications at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst & media analyst, Dr. Sut Jhally, along with the co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention, Jackson Katz, claim that the media advance the ideal of a real man as one which is inextricably linked to violence. Furthermore, the film Tough Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity by Jhally and Katz, state that the media is a major perpetrator in developing a masculine identity synonymous with violence, power, dominance, as well as invulnerability (Jhally, 1999). Knocked Up introduces the viewer to Ben and his friends in the aforementioned quasi-violent manner to allow the viewer to develop an impression of the immature, violent, drug-consuming nature of the characters, and their ultimate adoption of Hollywood-based masculine identity. However as the film progresses, the viewer is able to distinguish a disconnection from traditional Hollywood-produced masculine identity, particularly as the imminent birth approaches. In all, the film embodies traditional aspects of media-generated violent masculine identity to build an “Average Joe” in Ben, while at the same time promoting masculine independence as well as male superiority through his ultimate maturity.

At a nightclub scene which thoroughly confirms the previous theories laid out by Jhally and Katz, Ben is pictured telling his friends that any sexual encounters arising out of their nocturnal escapade will be due to Eric Bana’s performance in the film Munich. The dialogue excerpt below, from Knocked Up, confirms the violent and sexual nature of young-masculine identity as portrayed by Hollywood, as well as embodied by Ben and his friends.

“BEN: That movie was Eric Bana kicking fuckin’ ass!

They all agree.

BEN (cont’d): Dude, every movie with Jews, we’re the ones getting killed. ‘Munich’ flips it on its ear. We cappin’ motherfuckers.

JONAH: Not only killing, but fuckin’, like, takin’ names.

BEN: If any of us get laid tonight, it’s because of Eric Bana in ‘Munich.’”(Knocked Up, 2007)

Knocked Up goes on to confirm the young masculine-identity previously mentioned by media critics, and establishes additional evidence when Alison phones Ben. As might be expected, Ben, along with his roommates, enact inappropriate sexual gestures, and lewd acts on themselves as Alison requests a second meeting with the male protagonist to discuss her pregnancy. The roommates are heard in the background making comments derogatory of women, and in reference to male genitalia. As presented, the earlier information appear to be the character traits of an immature, teenage-boy, but such characteristics serve as a means to highlight the differences between Ben’s transformed persona. (Ben is different as a character at the beginning of the movie than at the end.)

Masculinity as it pertains to the young-immature friends of Ben is showcased in a different light, which unequivocally holds a homophobic element. As Jhally and Katz believe, masculinity is constructed by the media in a manner which advances the tough-guy ideal, and promotes a macho-culture. A perfect example of such instance can be witnessed in Knocked Up when Ben informs his buddies as to his impregnating Alison, and consulting that same group on the future of such pregnancy. At that stage, Jay, is the only character that is supportive of the couple’s decision to keep the baby, and offers humanitarian support to Ben. Jay makes the following claim, “I will help rear your child” (Knocked Up, 2007), and shows a compassionate, caring side to his personality. Unfortunately, Jay is labeled by his friends as a homosexual, who tends to “…aim right into a dude’s ass.” (Knocked Up, 2007) The incident fruitfully justifies the diverse work conducted by Jhally and Katz, but is indicative of Hollywood’s distaste for male characters with a sensitive side. Knocked Up, You Me & Dupree, along with the 40 Year Old Virgin contain homophobic elements which depict sensitive male characters as less than full-males. (Refer to earlier example, Matt Dillon’s homophobic response to Dupree’s poetry writings in You Me & Dupree, and Seth Rogen’s “How I know you’re gay” scene from 40 Year Old Virgin, respectively.) Coincidentally, Judd Apatow directed the 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, while Seth Rogen appeared in You, Me & Dupree, along with the film presently being analyzed. Apatow and Rogen, despite being accomplished directors and actors respectively, have a history of labeling characters that do not meet macho/tough-guy expectations as homosexuals.

The construction of masculinity takes on a different form as the movie gradually transforms Ben into a father-to-be from the once sexually-obsessed, homophobic individual. As much as the audience is gratified by the maturity of Ben, the director in this production advances the masculine-identity notion of protector through his work in Knocked Up. Ben is transformed before the viewer’s eyes, and acquires a job, apartment, and a sense of responsibility. However, as admirable as the latter may be, the film presses forward an ideology which attempts to place men as individuals without emotions, and dominant-controllers of women. In fact, the film refers to several scenes towards the end of the plot, where Ben is admired by Alison and her sister for his ability to control them. While Alison is in a bathtub trying to relax, as her contractions are 7-minutes apart, Ben comforts her by taking control of the situation, and takes on the classic masculinity advocated by the Hollywood film industry. Similarly, Alison’s once “bitchy” (Knocked Up, 2007) sister, who previously despised Ben for his inability to produce money, comes to admire his coming of age, and adoption of values expected from the stereotypical male-provider. Naturally, Alison is in a state which requires assistance from fellow community members after giving birth, but the film leads the audience to accept Ben’s metamorphosis, and come to love his fatherly figure. Yet, the film is rather typical, since it does not take into consideration the amount of single-mother households, or stay-at-home dads which might not be able to relate to this storyline.

The contrast between Ben’s character at the beginning of the film and his personality at the conclusion of the film is one of immense detraction. Such detraction allows the audience to view the violence-loving and sexually-obsessed youth-masculine identity of Ben’s friends, with the mature paternal figure epitomized by Pete and Ben’s character at the end of the film. Moreover, Knocked Up emphasizes the dichotomy between youth-masculine identity, and adult-masculinity. The film portrays young-males as the violence-loving, sexually-obsessed characters with disregard for women as individuals, as can be seen when Alison phones Ben to talk about her pregnancy. Furthermore, the producers advance the adult-masculine identity of a bread-providing, paternal figure with the power to control women (whereas women once controlled him), and indoctrinate viewers with views which are disrespectful to the masculine identities of stay-at-home dads, single-mother households, and LGBT community members. In all, the film is a classical Hollywood/US production with prejudiced as well as stereotypical views on home-life, family, and what it truly means to be a male. Prudence would ask that films encompassing the theme of Knocked Up be mindful of the millions of males who are proud of the masculinity, and choose to represent it as a gay man, stay-at-home dad, or a man in touch with his emotions.

IV: The American Dream

Scot Brown

Ever since there has been a land known as America, there has existed what we call “The American Dream.” It is what motivated the many of the great waves of immigration to the land throughout history. It is enshrined in our national Declaration of Independence. It is given voice and form through our popular media, and it is struggled for every day by many of the people of this land. One contemporary example of the belief in the American Dream at work is in the film Knocked Up. A very specific version of the dream is offered here, one that rejects a self centered lifestyle and instead offers a more constrained and traditional alternative. It appeals to the youth of society with its humor, which is very risque and sexual in nature. But the lessons it teaches are lessons about success and responsibility that film makers and audiences of the fifties would be very comfortable with. Even though this film positions itself as raunchy and subversive, it uses the appeal of explicit and sexual humor to reinforce the traditional American myth of success and prosperity.

The film opens with a montage of the people who will come to be know as the stoners. They screw around and smoke weed all day, and generally live as they please. This is followed by an introduction to Allison and her sister’s family, who live quietly and relatively modestly. The style of the two scenes prepares audiences to respond to them very differently. Where the opening with the stoner household is very fast paced and energetic, with creative cuts and angles, and a general sense of energy to the pacing, the following scenes with Allison and the family are much more traditional and slow. They follow all of the normal rules of film making, so as to not disturb the audience's suspension of disbelief. This is significant, for it sets the stage for what will eventually become normalized and accepted through the rest of the movie. While the opening scenes with the stoners are funnier and more energetic, the scenes with Allison and her family have a greater sense of realism to them. This sense of realism is part of the history of Hollywood cinema, where the form and style of the film are made to be as invisible as possible, to allow the audience to respond to what happens on the screen as if were happening in real life. Techniques like the 180 degree rule, line of sight levels, 90 degree rule, and shot/reverse shot, put the audience in the position of someone in the room at the time the scene is happening, inviting a belief that these scenes are actually happening, and not simply put together in a Hollywood studio. The fact that the opening scenes with the stoners do not follow these conventions lets one know that, while they may be funny characters, and one may initially be sympathetic to them, they do not represent real life, or real life possibilities. One will come to learn, and accept, the alternative, family centered approach, not because it is more fun, but because it is more “real,” and follows the American model of success.

If one discusses the American dream itself, one finds several ways in which it applies to this movie. First, although the idea of the American dream seems to have universal applicability, one must recognize that it does not. The purpose of this paper is not to elaborate on all of the failings of the American Dream, but one that is very applicable to this film is in the implications for gender relations. One must recognize that the American Dream has always been a male centric phenomenon, and has had significantly less applicability for women. This starts simply with the very language used to talk about it. The Declaration of Independence describes how “all men are created equal” (italics not in original), with the rights to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (NARA). While American feminism has a long and noble history, it has been only rather recently that real strides have been made for changing social norms and increased gender equality. “Knocked Up” does not conform to modern feminist expectations. It instead fits in the mold of the traditional American story, where the woman must subsume her ambitions and aspirations for the promotion of the man’s. Many writers have already noted the way in which sexism plays out in the film's treatment of its main characters (Queenan, 2007; Stevens, 2007; Corliss, 2007). Perhaps the best articulation of this came from Joe Queenan, who writes “that the new genre of romantic comedies are not really upbeat, coming-of-age motion pictures about young male schmucks who are saved by the love of a good woman, but heart-rending tragedies about beautiful young women who are doomed to spend the rest of their lives with juvenile, not especially good-looking dorks” (Queenan, 2007). Now, though the idea of the troubled male who needs his female muse to propel him forward to greater things is one with a history that is far longer than that of America, the American cinema has long operated under this principle. Just as Dante needed Beatrice, Mr. Smith needed Clarissa, Rocky needed Adrian, and Beast needed Beauty. And so, even though he may not know it, Ben inherits from this grand tradition. It is through Alison’s own drive and ambition that Ben learns he needs to move out, get a place of his own, stop doing drugs, and get a job. The problem is that the women never seem to gain as much as the men out of these muse relationships, unless of course one counts romantic love. As Queenan noted, all Alison gets out of this relationship is the promise that Ben will prove to be a better man than he has in the past. Even considering that Ben manages to improve himself to the point where he becomes a responsible member of society, in terms of simple sexual attractiveness, the scale is obviously not equal. Which is part of the humor of the film, of course, but the hypocrisy of the point is made clear when the gender is reversed. Rare indeed is the film that celebrates an ugly woman hooking up with a sexually attractive man.

It has already been noted elsewhere in this paper the somewhat absurd way the topic of abortion is treated in the film. While the talk, or lack of it, of an abortion strains credibility, it also functions as a vehicle for the storyline. If an abortion was carried out, where would be the film be? Going further though, if one recognizes the vision of success and happiness that is being pushed by the film, one understands why abortion would never be a serious option. Success here is a highly gendered phenomenon, where women are not prohibited from becoming successful, but they are expected to sacrifice their success if required to by a man. Take for example the conversation between Alison and her mother. Her mother recommends abortion, just like her sister had, so that Alison can continue her career and have a real baby later (Knocked Up, 2007). But the cold and emotionally detached way with which the mother delivers these lines leads one to believe that her advise may not be the best to follow. Any potential doubts the audience may still harbor as to Alison’s decision to keep the baby are addressed in the scene where she speaks to employers, and they tell her not to be worried, and that they in fact like the pregnancy for what it does to the ratings. One can begin to question the motives for this plot element, after recognizing the simple fact that in real life, discrimination based on pregnancy still persists at high levels (Shellenbarger). Seen in this light, Alison’s move to keep the baby, along with her subsequent acceptance by her employers, suggests an attempt by the film makers to willfully undermine basic social realities. What the film does with all of this is to use it to build support for its argument about who gets to be successful, and how. Alison keeps the baby, and suffers little harmful consequences from this choice, due to the magical world the film makers have created. Ben, on the other hand, relies on the pregnancy and eventual baby to lift him out of the dredges of society into a productive and responsible role as man of the house. An abortion would likely have left him in his house of squalor, toking away his days. Because of the complete lack of any alternative forms of households in the film, such as homosexual, or single parent households, the traditional, two parent family is constructed as the sole way for men to reach their true potential, even if that would, in the real world, mean something negative for the woman.

Knocked Up appeals to the college age crowd because it is blunt and explicit in the way it deals with sex and relationships. It uses humor and sex to seem rebellious and progressive, while at the same time advocating a message that is both traditional and restrictive to the much of society (everyone who does not happen to be a white, heterosexual male). It envisions a society where the American Dream, as enumerated in the Constitution and through the history of our popular media, is both possible, and desired for men. This dream, of individual success through hard work and responsibility, is at the expense of the women in the story, who function as vehicles to help propel the men forward towards their completion as mature individuals.

V: Conclusion

The analysis process brought a lot of similar discoveries through the usage of multiple perspectives. We found that the topics of masculinity and femininity, while opposite, had a lot of similar themes that played off each other well, and ultimately a reason for why we kept those sections together. Both concepts relate to the role of the genders and how each finds their strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, the socioeconomic portion and the section pertaining to the American dream overlap in the way that classicism and monetary status define one's place in contemporary U.S. society. Also, the socioeconomic status analysis is inextricably tied to gender in the way that gender is part of the class equation. Through the different eyes of each member and the different angles of analysis, we were able to accomplish a more in depth analysis of Knocked Up.

The content of Knocked Up pertains to numerous aspects of socioeconomic class divisions, the disenfranchisement of feminine identity, the advancement of masculine identities according to level of maturity, and the erosion of the American dream. Socioeconomic-class divisions are expressed in an explicit fashion throughout the film, and serve as a means by which to regulate the power dynamics in Ben & Alison’s relationship. Ultimately, Knocked Up conveys a traditional view of a woman’s role, and pushes its female characters to the role of supportive actresses in an antiquated manner. Moreover, the approach used by the producers to inculcate a masculine identity is traditional, since the film advocates a tough, independent, non-emotional, female-controlling identity as the standard for a real-man. On a cinematic level, the film uses the pursuit of the American Dream as a tool to propel the male protagonist to persevere with the vital aid of the female lead, and eventually follow the traditions set down by the generations of Hollywood that came before it. However, despite the comedic value of Knocked Up, audiences must distinguish its interpretation of social issues, and learn to separate entertainment from ideological advocacy.