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Indian Parents on Sex Education

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In a time when college campuses are becoming hubs for discussions on topics like LGBTQ and gender rights, how far have our parents come in terms of having open discussions about sex to their college-going kids? How far has the Indian household come?

When I was little, I had once asked my Mom- “From where did I come?” and she answered with a smile that she prayed and so it happened. The conversation could have ended then, but I asked her another question in return. “Mama, don’t the nuns pray all the time; why don’t they get babies?” That question remained unanswered, and it does so years later as well.

The elephant in the room that is never addressed is the way Indian parents see sex. The sad reality is that parents never discuss sex with their children, and yet expect them to have already known all this through various media-based platforms. The ambiguity about it is so well-maintained that we never expect them to tell us either. The relationship shared among the coming-of-age teenagers, and their culturally and traditionally submerged parents is so drastically aloof from the western style of parenting that a lot of sensitive topics are left unmentioned.

A silent understanding is reached where the latter expects the first to be smart and efficient in understanding such matters, without ever making sure that it so happens. Indian parents generally shush such matters, and when they do arise unintentionally, then these topics are manipulatively buried beneath the carpet so as to keep the kids away from it. We all must have experienced that awkward moment when a kissing scene comes on television, and we don’t know what to do when with our parents around us. Sex-based conversations are sensitive, often offensive, and have materialised into taboos.

It becomes all the more problematic with girls, where they are forced to hide their love lives from their parents, and live in the constant fear of being caught and may even experience guilt about hiding secrets from them. Most girls in the Indian society are given regulated freedom to the extent that they can study and build a life for themselves, but the basic decisions and steps in it are controlled. A matter as private as physical intimacy is turned into a monstrosity, a sin that unmarried woman must not engage in. She is told to suppress her feelings as long as a stranger is not arranged for her to get married to.

Indian parents have surely become westernised, with their almost-addictive tendencies towards their smartphones, but they have somehow stayed traditionally conservative on topics like sex. This lack of discussion is not only unhealthy for the child, but also vicious because the child is, at times, left without guidance and ends up in trouble. The vicious cycle then continues where it is never okay to discuss sex, generation-after-generation, no matter how modernised we become.

Certainly, that is not the case with all parents and the trend seems to be shifting with time. But it is still gradual beyond liking, and it remains something that parents seem to not easily adapt. The spine-chilling pieces of news of honour killings of couples to protect the family’s societal image, and forced marriages of youngsters when found having a lover or a partner are nothing new to us.

It is important that families communicate openly, so that children realise the boundaries of consent, contraception, and even intimacy, and it is important for the parents to understand that sex is natural and normal. Breaking the taboo around sex is not only important for larger goals like population control, but for better family dynamics as well. Sex may be a topic that parents and kids both may be too shy to put forward. But it is important as this would not only allow you to have such discussions in the future but would also allow them to see you as adults. Thus, it’s up to us as individuals to take the stand. Psychologically, certain discussions a mandatory to happen if one desires development and growth. Sex, if not in our parents times, but at least in ours should be a topic that the future generations aren’t afraid to discuss.

Image Credits: Netflix

Image Caption: Stand-up Comic, Hasan Minhaj, explained the communication gap and taboo of sex in Indian families.

Stephen Mathew

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Arts & Culture

A Review: ‘God Promise’ by Pratibimb

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A commentary on religion and its impact on the present-day society- this play by Pratibimb deserves a watch. Read the review, and catch a screening soon.

Religion is a part of every individual’s identity and, in the Indian context, the framework for the society as well. For centuries, the Indian subcontinent has seen the influx of new religions owing to foreign invasions, trade, and migrations. With the caste system in place, religion has also been used to dictate one’s position in the social atmosphere and to determine one’s social status.

Caste and religion have been used to deny access to spaces (social and religious) to members of communities which are considered ‘lower’, and they thus remain marginalised. India is no stranger to religious violence and stereotypes which have found themselves ingrained in religious identity. Having received praise for their previous production on drug addiction called ‘TripT’, the Dramatics Society of Delhi Technological University (DTU)- Pratibimb- is back again with their annual street production titled ‘God Promise’ which explores the concept of religion in the present-day scenario, its relation to identity, its various interpretations, and religion as a ‘tool’ devised by humans, for humans.

The play explores multiple scenarios revolving around religion and its societal impact. The most memorable scene from the play, in my perspective, was the build-up in the forest. The actors are seen mimicking voices of animals and birds, and if you’d close your eyes, you might as well confuse it for a real forest. The drum-beats start slow, the birds chirp softly, and an animal is seen lurking in between. He is scared with his eyes frantically search for comfort and familiarity. The drum-beats and the animals’ screeches get louder, and his limbs shake; is he in danger? The drum-beats get faster, the animals launch themselves on him; he is a new prey to their system. Storytelling through street theatre involves the usage of the human body as an instrument, and the play delivers that perfectly.
A parallel storyline runs in the play as the audience moves from scene-to-scene with the creation of a zanjeer– a metal chain. Two workers focus on building the zanjeer, and their boss tells them it isn’t heavy enough every single time, until the zanjeer becomes too heavy to lift and needs to be molten down. With brilliant performance by Naman Roy, the zanjeer serves as a metaphor for the concept of religion and the principles of religion. With time, it becomes too heavy for the society and the society crumbles as a result.

The story moves fluidly and the role of sound plays in a significantly remarkable fashion throughout the performance. The play ends with narratives of different religions, exploring death, love, and loss, with unity in times of grief and distress, leaving the audience with food for thought.

Click here to follow Pratibimb’s Facebook page.

Image Credits: Jaishree Kumar for DU Beat

Jaishree Kumar

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Arts & Culture

A Review: 'God Promise’ by Pratibimb

By

A commentary on religion and its impact on the present-day society- this play by Pratibimb deserves a watch. Read the review, and catch a screening soon. Religion is a part of every individual’s identity and, in the Indian context, the framework for the society as well. For centuries, the Indian subcontinent has seen the influx of new religions owing to foreign invasions, trade, and migrations. With the caste system in place, religion has also been used to dictate one’s position in the social atmosphere and to determine one’s social status. Caste and religion have been used to deny access to spaces (social and religious) to members of communities which are considered ‘lower’, and they thus remain marginalised. India is no stranger to religious violence and stereotypes which have found themselves ingrained in religious identity. Having received praise for their previous production on drug addiction called ‘TripT’, the Dramatics Society of Delhi Technological University (DTU)- Pratibimb- is back again with their annual street production titled ‘God Promise’ which explores the concept of religion in the present-day scenario, its relation to identity, its various interpretations, and religion as a ‘tool’ devised by humans, for humans. The play explores multiple scenarios revolving around religion and its societal impact. The most memorable scene from the play, in my perspective, was the build-up in the forest. The actors are seen mimicking voices of animals and birds, and if you’d close your eyes, you might as well confuse it for a real forest. The drum-beats start slow, the birds chirp softly, and an animal is seen lurking in between. He is scared with his eyes frantically search for comfort and familiarity. The drum-beats and the animals’ screeches get louder, and his limbs shake; is he in danger? The drum-beats get faster, the animals launch themselves on him; he is a new prey to their system. Storytelling through street theatre involves the usage of the human body as an instrument, and the play delivers that perfectly. A parallel storyline runs in the play as the audience moves from scene-to-scene with the creation of a zanjeer– a metal chain. Two workers focus on building the zanjeer, and their boss tells them it isn’t heavy enough every single time, until the zanjeer becomes too heavy to lift and needs to be molten down. With brilliant performance by Naman Roy, the zanjeer serves as a metaphor for the concept of religion and the principles of religion. With time, it becomes too heavy for the society and the society crumbles as a result. The story moves fluidly and the role of sound plays in a significantly remarkable fashion throughout the performance. The play ends with narratives of different religions, exploring death, love, and loss, with unity in times of grief and distress, leaving the audience with food for thought. Click here to follow Pratibimb’s Facebook page. Image Credits: Jaishree Kumar for DU Beat Jaishree Kumar [email protected]]]>

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Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

A Match Not Made in Heaven: Politics and Art

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Is it the purpose of art to suit certain political sides? Is it necessary that it subverts opinions? The age-old question of the politics in, and of art remains, but should its consumption be denied solely based on that?

Arundhati Roy, the Booker Prize-winning writer, said, “Ignoring of things is as political as the addressing of them.” The significance of the activist cum writer’s words becomes more evident when one takes a good look at the current
discourse surrounding art in India. With the elections about to commence amid a fervour of political blame-shifting,
staining of opposing strategies, and the power play of the entire nation, ‘propaganda’ is a word found commonly
conjunct with films these days. There is certainty that this theme of thought cannot be let go off without a patient
analysis, unlike the way it has been conveniently ignored by the members of the film fraternity meeting with the
Prime Minister as fans-in-awe instead of citizens-in-power.
The Accidental Prime Minister, Uri: The Surgical Strike, PM Narendra Modi, a biopic on our Prime Minister, are some of the films with nationalist, or an explicit political sentiment endorsed in their content. It is foolish to deny the
agenda meant to be fulfilled by them, to target the audience that is soon going to vote. But a question that arises in the storm of posts filled with the criticism of these films is: is art essentially only political? The answer to this should not be the direct conclusion to the question: should art be dismissed solely based on its political propaganda?

At the risk of inviting backlash, the answer to these questions is a plain negative. This does not deny that ‘personal is political’, but the purpose of art was not to live up to the standards of morality, simply because morality may change according to cultures, subjectivities, and circumstances. Even if one disagrees with the politics of a certain artwork, making that the primary reason for its non-consumption or criticism is a problematic course of action. If individuals decide that the dismissal of art on the sole criterion, i.e. its impact on the mindset of society, is the road to take, then a dangerous form of censorship rises to the pedestal. It is the misguided way of justifying a curb on free speech. One of the parameters for the consumption or criticism of any art, according to academicians James Bruce Ross and Mary Martin McLaughlin, is the context in which it is placed, and the political baggage of it cannot be left behind. To look at art as art, not a theoretical course or an argument in itself, it is important to first consume it with patient judgment. There will always be a political debate brewing in its context, and if the dismissal of art is confined to it, then there will probably be not much art left to consume without a feeling of guilt towards one’s political and ethical ideologies. It is absolutely possible to be critical of art, but it is only through its consumption that one can become informed, and misinformed choices are not the way to take in the attention-grabbing era of political marketing.

Feature Image Credits: Artmajeur

Anushree Joshi
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Campus Central

A Horror Tale of Major Human Error in DU Results

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As the results are out, nightmarish stories of students scoring a zero on their mark-sheets emerge. The question remains- are such major human errors forgivable?

Over the years, the checking and rechecking process at the Delhi University (DU) for its semester exams has been a subject of great disappointment. This year too, stories of some major discrepancies between the marks expected by the students and the marks they have scored have arisen, but the most shocking is the story of nine girls scoring an absolute zero in their fifth semester.

On 22nd January, 2019 the results for 3rd year students of BA (Honours) History were declared. Nine girls from Jesus and Mary College scored a zero in their transcripts in the paper named ‘Modern Europe’. The girls have consecutive roll numbers, and sit consecutively in the examination hall as well.

One of the students told DU Beat- “Firstly, it’s almost next to impossible to score a zero in a theory subject; it’s only possible if you leave the whole answer sheet blank. Secondly, it’s the fifth semester for those girls; they can’t afford to have this major discrepancy in their transcripts. Girls have to apply for higher studies, some aspire to go out of India, and deadlines are approaching really fast.” Similar stories have also been heard from Human Resource Management (HRM) courses at the College of Vocational Studies and in the History Departments of Maitreyi College and Dyal Singh College. Two History students from St. Stephen’s College also got a zero in their mark-sheet.

When asked for a comment, the administration and authorities did not respond to DU Beat. Such scores in a student’s mark-sheets are a blot on their already uncertain future, and undoubtedly do not help with their forthcoming endeavours. The revaluation procedure at Delhi University is a challenge in itself. Some call it a money-minting process which takes half a semester to revalue and recheck mark-sheets, and has an overly underwhelming response. Ms. Maya John, a Professor at the History Department of JMC was of the view that, “It is extremely unfortunate that over the years, the exam reforms have only lead to a rise in the revaluation costs.”

The Professor went on to clarify that at the moment, teachers and departments have encouraged students who scored low and were expecting higher marks, to send representatives from their respective colleges and departments. The Department of History, North Campus, and the South Campus branches have been informed of the same. She also added, “It is extremely crucial that an impartial enquiry is held into this matter since it is largely unfair for all those and have been coerced to spend thousands on revaluation fee.”

In order to prevent an unjustified and undeserved backlog, a fast-track result of the aforementioned procedure is integral.

Such technical glitches are plausible, but their quantity has increased over the years. These errors not only show the University in a bad light, but also disturb mental and physical peace of many students and their families. Being the foundations of education, it’s high time that these institutions take necessary steps in ensuring correct and timely checking and rechecking of answer sheets, to prevent losses in the students’ future endeavours.

Image Credits: Collegedunia

Sakshi Arora

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Campus Central

#NotMe: The Cry of SRCC

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SRES’19 brought to light the role of institutions in ignoring and normalising sexist conditioning. Read on to find out how.

On 18th and 19th January 2019, the Economics Society of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) organised the 2019-edition of the Shri Ram Economics Summit (SRES). SRES’19 was in the news for hosting the former President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, but his closing address had to be substituted with a panel of SRCC professors, due to the former’s absence owing to unavoidable circumstances.

The panel’s objective was to have a dialogue on the role of SRCC in tackling gender disparity and inequality issues.Including the staff heads of the Internal Complaints’ Committee (ICC), Ms. Reena Chadha, and the Women’s Development Cell (WDC), Dr. Monika Bansal, held deliberations that spiraled into a tokenistic appreciative rant, instead of an analytical discussion among academicians with a platform to influence. For instance, Ms. Chadha stated that the era of #MeToo had a significant impact on the way gender inequality gaps were to be bridged, but she also explicitly suggested in the same breath that SRCC had received no complaints in the wave of #MeToo. Another female professor was asked to share her experiences of working ‘freely and safely till 9 p.m.’ at SRCC, as compared to how the society treated her outside the campus for being an independent woman who reached home late.

The faculty head of ICC did encourage the students to report sexual harassment claims, but the majority of the discussion was focussed on SRCC’s pride in not being amid controversies pertaining to the movement, and the implied absence of gender disparity and discrimination in the campus. With an estimated strength of 2800 students, statistics imply that students from all over the gender spectrum must be enrolled at the college, claiming to present an absolute lack of problematic sexism.

Suhani Singhal, the first female President of the Finance and Investment Cell (FIC) at SRCC shared, “FIC is one of the very few societies where all posts were allocated on the basis of commitment and capabilities, and where the cabinet ended up having a female majority. Our seniors at FIC were fair, and a factor like gender was not given consideration. But a few people in the college had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that a female is leading a Cell oriented towards finance.” Nikita Bhatia, a student of SRCC,stated, “Most societies in SRCC have had male presidents for years. Enactus, the Dramatics Society, Debating Society, Economics Society, and Placement Cell have normally had male presidents, and this trend still continues. With the exception of English Literary Society or Fine Arts Society, which aren’t givenmuch priority in a Commerce college anyway, all other major roles are held by men. This isn’t meant to undermine their credibility or merit, but it only begs us to wonder why, in a college with almost the same number of male and female students, are these trends of disproportionality so evident. The idea here is that dogmatic gender roles are so deeply entrenched in our society that often we fail to pinpoint gender disparity because it has been normalised. I believethat asking questions as to why these trends are prevalent becomes important in discussions about gender disparity, especially at an event as televised and marketed as SRES’19.” To be proud of stating that the ICC did not receive complaints in the #MeToo wave about similar problematic actions is along the lines of survivor voice oppression; for self-blame, humiliation, and a fear of retaliation manifest in the survivor’s psyche after sexual abuse in many cases, and to present a seemingly perfect picture of their abuser’s house may instil more apprehension to speak up. According to Psychology Today, “Many (sexually assaulted college women) are afraid to report the rape to their college administration because of a long history of cases being mishandled.”
Thus, praises of how well the college has maintained its clean record status should be replaced with an acceptance of the truth of misogynistic cultural conditioning, so that the administration appears more approachable to them wronged students. Arundhati Roy summed up the methodical suppression- by-suggestion when she said, “There’s really no such thing as the ‘voiceless’. There are only the deliberately silenced
or the preferably unheard.”

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat

Anushree Joshi

[email protected]

(With inputs from Nikita Bhatia)

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Bazinga

Bazinga: DU Prohibits Certain Clothing Items During Fests

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The University of Delhi (DU) has released a notice which announces prohibition on particular items of clothing at all the fests of colleges in the university. Students have heavily criticised the move. Read on to find why.

In a notice released by the University of Delhi (DU) on Tuesday, 22nd January 2019,the authorities have prohibited specific forms of clothing to be worn during inter-collegiate festivals inside college premises. The notice was undersigned by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Yogesh K Tyagi, of the varsity, and it has been applied with an official statement by the varsity, citing the need for ‘security, decorum, and civic entertainment’ at college fests.
Some of the prohibitions mentioned in the notice include “skirts/shorts 2 inchesabove knees, tank tops, off-shoulder shirts, muscle shirts, spaghetti straps, strapless tops, any clothing item (specifically, but not limited to t-shirts) with offensive statements (towards any religion, caste,creed, race, gender, and/or community).”

The notice specifies that midriffs must not be bared in any attire, and ‘overtly baggy’ apparels are also not allowed becauseof weapons and other dangerous or objectionable items that may be hidden there. Outraged, the students took to social networking platforms like Twitter to express their discontent. Popular comic and the host of web talk show ‘Shut Up Ya Kunal’, Kunal Kamra posted the following: “Hum fascist nahi hain, hum bas tumhara wardrobe decide karenge.”(We are not fascists; we will only decide your wardrobe). Niharika Dabral, a third- year student at Cluster Innovation Centre(CIC), stated, “In a time when the fight is to incorporate diversity of thoughts and identities amid our conditioning systems, the only real objective behind the regulation seems to be the jargon of sanskaar (values) and the need to fit the youth in a perceived picture of traditional,accepted values. Every other given reason is an excuse to disguise these motivations.”

In light of the college fest season being just round the corner, several protests and demonstrations have been announced to oppose the regulations. Students from colleges such as Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Miranda House, Hindu College, Ramjas College, and Hansraj College have shared on social media platforms that they will be organising a protest on Friday, 25th January at 5 p.m. outside the Faculty of
Arts.
According to the students, the move is a violation of their freedom of expression, and they find the intervening regulations threatening to educational spaces. In a central university like DU, the regulations act as a curb on diversity and difference of opinions, forcing the students to modify their appearance – an aspect crucial to their identity – as per a believed value system.
Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

 

Feature Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat.

 

Anushree Joshi

[email protected]

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Campus Central

Learning, Language, and Left-out: Treatment and Experiences of Minority Communities in DU

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Studying cultural relativism is considerably easy, but applying it in a world where intolerance and oppression come easy is a lesson in empathy. This is a piece which will help you find out what minority communities’ students experience in the educational hub of the country.

With the recent political developments in the country all parties, candidates, and persons with political ambitions, are gearing up for elections and have decided to garner the support of their respective vote-banks. The move to
provide reservation to the General category candidates from economically backward groups in higher education
and government employment is a part of the political agendas, being used to appease the majority of voters. A
democracy, though, is ideally supposed to be inclusive and fair to the minority’s desires and choices as well. So, what is the way our education system treats the minority groups in the time of politically motivated communal and religious intolerance?

There exists an Equal Opportunity Cell in the University of Delhi (DU) to incorporate the needs of minority groups. Different colleges too have outreach programmes and Cells to make minority groups comfortable in the environment of the city and college. But the working of these Cells is often under the supervision of non-minority
individuals and this stumps the factor of representation.

Another issue with the functioning of the cell and initiatives of the likes is its accessibility to the students of the
School of Open Learning (SOL). Take for instance, a 21-year-old Dalit girl studying at SOL, committed suicide on
facing casteist ill-treatment at the hands of her boyfriend. As per the report of The Indian Express, the authorities at
DU were of no help because she had no access to the Internal Complaints’ Committees as a student of SOL.

There appears to be a lack of empathy in trying to understand the way minority groups cope in the educational
atmosphere. In a survey conducted by DU Beat, 57.1% people- ranging from minority and non-minority groups
responded that the professors in DU colleges are usually ignorant to the differences when dealing with students from minority groups in a classroom discussion. In fact, linguistic distinctions are taken for granted to such an extent
by the authorities that there is a compulsory test in Hindi (CTH), which must be taken up by students who have
not studied the language in the course of their schooling years. In a country with over twenty-two official working
languages, this imposition of a North Indian tongue is unjustified. A shocking 42.9 percent responses in the survey
indicated an imposition of culture and language, by non-minority peer groups and/or by teaching methods and
authorities.

Numerous people feel a sense of insecurity in ‘fitting in’ with the crowd at DU, and even undergo mental health problems in lieu of this desire to be a part of a circle. One student of Hansraj College revealed on the condition of anonymity that she/he had to visit three different psychiatrists in three semesters because of the mental health issues their minority identity presented in DU. The psychiatrists were seldom understanding of the crisis, they stated, and most people do not even have the privilege of availing therapy.

There are some safe spaces in the city for revisiting this form of one’s identity. Kartik Chauhan of Hindu College states,“However, there are some places like the Meraki events, where Northeastern Indian students meet each other.
Likewise for the South Indian students, they organise various events and celebrate the festivals together, far from
home.” Nida from Lady Shri Ram College finds her safe space in Jamia Masjid Area at Chandni Chowk, while some responders feel there is no real escape from this lack of empathy.

The best way to create an actual environment that is safe by virtue for all groups appears to be a task based on
the mindset of the people, as per the survey. Most people believe that being thoughtful about cultural differences
and learning respect are the ways to go for a larger change, so as to invite students from all spheres in a holistic
environment where they can feel at home.

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat.

Anushree Joshi

[email protected]

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The Auburn Umbrella

Sweater Styles to Slay

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The exam season is over, and the new semester has arrived in all its glory of hectic schedules as well as the excitement of college fests.

It is finally time to get out of the blanket, and dress up for the designated socialising. Here are five sweater styles
you must try this winter to ace the appearance and the comfort factors:
1. Turtleneck
The thing about turtlenecks is that these are hard to resist because of the wholesome vibe in freezing winters.
They are favourable for winters because every inch of the torso feels uniformly warm. Add to the warmth with the
regal and sophisticated appearance turtlenecks have, and then make sure to add this king of sweater styles in your
wardrobe’s must-have list.

Image Credits: Yes Style
Image Credits: Yes Style

2. Fisherman Sweater
With the best type of knit, the cable-knit adds to the aesthetic of this sweater, the Fisherman makes you fall in love
instantly upon wearing. The knit makes it the warmest style of sweater, and the styling is easy-going. To make the best of your attire, wear a fedora hat and boots with it.
3. Ribbed Sweaters
More tame than the versatile fashion of cable-knit, this style of sweater provides more textures to experiment with. The many layers one has to don to brace the cold, the texture provides a way to overlook the bulk. When oversized, these stylish sweaters give a fresh look of an entire dress. Pair with white sneakers for a cool and chic look.

Image Credits: Namshi
Image Credits: Namshi

4. Cardigans
There is no winter wardrobe more incomplete than the one without good cardigans. Available in a wide-ranging variety of options in patterns, fabrics, and colours, they make the best everyday companions. The cropped cardigan look is also an excellent choice for pairing with pants, skirts, or denim. Cropped cardigans make for a cute
appearance with frocks and blend just as beautifully with tops.

Image Credits: Diksha Rawat
Image Credits: Diksha Rawat

5. Zip sweaters
Due to the many, many clothes one has to carry around in the winters, the lives of outstation students become
a packing nightmare. Having half-zip or full-zip sweaters to your wardrobe increases your styling options due to the
versatility. These are amicable towards other sweaters, for you get to wear button-down shirts and many other things underneath. Throw it on while heading to the destination in the cold, and take it off if you feel warm in an indoor setting.

Image Credits: LLBean
Image Credits: LLBean

 

Feature Image Credits: LLBean

Anushree Joshi
[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

500 Ways of Representation: Manic Pixie Dream Girl

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The Manic Pixie Dream Girl has often been used as a stock character to brighten the male’s life. (500) Days of Summer tells you that shedding the wrong conditioning is your only hope if you wish for a healthy relationship. Read on to know how.

Moving into a year after the waves of feminism and accountability in art is probably a good time to revisit the archetypes, and tropes used in literature, sexist or internally misogynistic, but easily dismissed on the argument of deeper threads running in its problematic nature. To question the literature and those tropes, it is significant to remember and to remind oneself that no literature or art is ever devoid, or in isolation of, a cultural baggage. So, when one talks about the girl who is chirpy, fun, happy-go-lucky, caring, and a thousand other positive things the boy is not, it should not be forgotten that this is how women were supposed to be.

The famous ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ManicPixieDreamGirl) trope has existed in literature for as long as the male gaze, and the male voice, has been the dominant one, which can be traced back to, well, forever. But it was only in the 21st century that the trope received its fancy christening, and became the talk of the town for art enthusiasts to dissect and analyse. Credited with the nomenclature, Nathan Rabin used the term in his review of the 2005-film Elizabethtown. The later usage of the term and the trope made Rabin distance himself from further association. According to Rabin, this originally stock character “exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries.”

There are many examples of the trope, but the one that stands out the most in the 21st century memory for a rather subversive portrayal, and yet its apt representation, of the trope is found in (500) Days of Summer. YouTube channel- ‘Movies Under The Surface’- has deconstructed the trope and critically analysed its utilisation in the film, revealing that the character of Summer Finn, played by Zooey Deschanel, is only viewed through Tom Hansen’s (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) lens, and the character of Summer changes its hues completely according to the way she is associated with the male protagonist of the story. The interesting subversion is in the very manner of how the story ultimately pans out.

Gordon-Levitt’s character, Tom, looks at Summer in a fashion that shows his expectations to her of being able to free him from his greeting-card-writing, discontent existence. His bedroom eyes, dreamy shots of Summer in his mind, and the growth of his feelings towards her is in a unidirectional manner, focusing on how she makes him feel about his own self. There is no transaction of mutual affection, or even expectations for that matter, portrayed in the film. But the film does not endorse this point of view in a twenty-first century man looking for love.

Summer is not a Manic Pixie Dream Girl in reality; she is that from the perspective of Tom, and that is the major portion of the film. She does have disappointments and goals of her own, as she reveals in an initial sequence in the bar, but the interpretation of those dreams and ambitions is again from a lens neither objective in any sense, nor her own. This is not a love healthy enough to last in a committed relationship, where one person only considers the other as their extension. In heterosexual relationships, with our cultural conditioning, the burden of having to live half an existence is usually expected to fall upon women. Tom is, thus, a guy brought up to believe that a woman is the way ‘to bring colour’ to his life. Quite literally, the colour-schemes of the movie frames are relatively vibrant when Tom and Summer are happy together, from his perspective again.

What makes a revolution out of this romantic film is that the male voice is not concluded to be the correct, or the only, voice. The inevitability of Tom’s flaws in believing that the love of his life has no life of her own, no individuality of her person to cater to, is not romanticised in the tone of the film. The non-linear structure of the film, built around how Tom revisits his days and memories with Summer, is a literary device to depict the non-linear manner of his growth.

The movie is not so much about the togetherness, as it is about the ending to it. The break-up is not shown in a manner propagated by Indian cinema, and many other communities of cinema, where one party obsesses over the other till they are back together in their toxic proximity. It is portrayed from Tom’s eyes, in the utter grit of its naked helplessness. Tom and Summer end because of a lot of reasons, but they cannot end up together because their love would always be tainted by the beginning with Tom’s “you complete me” baggage. In an era where it is often easy to get a debate started on political correctness, the movie chooses its honesty. It does not deny that men have been brought up with the hopes of falling for their Manic Pixie Dream Girls, but it ends up being firm on the rationale that accepting the trope and its sexist threads is not the way you get to keep the relationship alive, or the girl happy.

Image Courtesy: Still from (500) Days of Summer

Image Caption: Tom laughs because he finds Summer to be the source of happiness in his life.

Anushree Joshi

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