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HBO’s Sharp Objects and How We View Women

By Prachi Bhatia

Sharp Objects is a 2018 psychological thriller HBO miniseries based on 2006 Gillan Flynn novel of the same name. It stars Amy Adams as Camille Preaker, a crime reporter who comes back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to investigate the murder of two young girls. While in Wind Gap, a lot of Camille’s childhood trauma resurfaces as she meets with her mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson) who is very well known and praised in town.

No one would even suspect who killed the girls as we progress further in the show. Camille’s alcoholism and her history of self harm mingled with her living under Adora’s roof and having to deal with Amma’s (Eliza Scanlen) nightly adventures kind of leads us astray but when we do get a rough idea that it might be her mother’s sick and twisted ways that lead those two girls to their deaths, we’re met with another shocking twist at the very end of episode 8. If 13 year old Amma’s “don’t tell mama” followed by a quick snippet of her brutally strangling the victims doesn’t send a chill down your spine then you’re truly invincible.

How we, as a society, view women plays a lot into this. They’re seen as fragile, non violent creatures and that even when they are violent, it is never something direct, it’s always a whack in the back, it is subtle, much like poisoning. Their type of violence always appears to be of secondary nature (almost how some of us view women’s issues), quick and barely painful. Through Sharp Objects, Flynn reminds us that women are capable of extreme violence too. When we do get a chance to evaluate someone’s evil, a woman’s exterior is never really questioned. There were a number of times Amma’s behaviour could’ve brought her under suspicion but no one reads into it.

Which raises one very important question. Why are usually only male characters portrayed as these complex, almost impossible to decipher mysterious beings in mainstream media and women, the complete opposite? A female character will be introduced and that is all. She’s immediately an open book, every aspect of her is laid out on a platter then and there when, in the real world, it is believed to be the other way around. This does not mean that men aren’t capable of complex emotions but the exaggeration and the sheer ignorance towards the character development of their female counterparts is honestly getting sort of boring at this point and desperately requires change.

“I’ve grown quite weary of the spunky heroines, brave rape victims, soul-searching fashionistas that stock so many books. I particularly mourn the lack of female villains — good, potent female villains. Not ill-tempered women who scheme about landing good men and better shoes (as if we had nothing more interesting to war over), not chilly WASP mothers (emotionally distant isn’t necessarily evil), not soapy vixens (merely bitchy doesn’t qualify either). I’m talking violent, wicked women. Scary women. Don’t tell me you don’t know some. The point is, women have spent so many years girl-powering ourselves — to the point of almost parodic encouragement — we’ve left no room to acknowledge our dark side. Dark sides are important. They should be nurtured like nasty black orchids.”

— Gillian Flynn

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Alias Grace: Netflix’s Best Miniseries Yet?

By Prachi Bhatia

Over the years Netflix has given us a number of brilliant shows and movies that we know, love and cherish but Alias Grace, however, still stands out. Directed by Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter, Mary Harron, Alias Grace is an adaption of a 1996 Margaret Atwood novel of the same name and is based on true events. It was released in 2017, alongside Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu which is another Atwood adaptation and the reason why it did not receive the recognition it should’ve when it was initially released.

Set in 19th century Canada, Alias Grace tells us the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), an Irish woman convicted of the murder of her employer and his housekeeper in 1843. James McDermott (Kerr Logan) who worked at Kinnear’s as a stablehand is believed to be the one who did the “dirty work” and is hanged, Grace, however, is imprisoned for life and seemed to have made quite a reputation for herself. She’s a celebrated murderess since 16 years of age. Throughout the six episode run time we never truly know if Grace is guilty or not, we’re left at the hands of Doctor Simon Jordan (Edward Holcroft) to figure out who exactly is Grace Marks and what led her to the Kingston penitentiary.

Being an Atwood adaptation, Alias Grace is also easily a commentary on the patriarchy at that time, how men controlled every aspect of a woman’s life and were convinced they owned them till they no longer could. Mary Whitney’s (Rebecca Liddiard) aspect clearly showcases just how limited options women had back then and the way there was no respect for them if they were no longer considered pious. A lot of unmarried pregnant women who weren’t offered any support were forced into prostitution or just simply tried to get rid of the child through unethical means, risking their lives in the process.

Grace being constantly pursued by every man she interacts with is also an important part to this. Even Dr. Jordan who seems like a respectful and well behaved man, finds himself completely awestruck by Grace and occasionally daydreams about her. Women being mildly polite was always seen as some sort of “sign” as if they’re asking to be pursued, which was awful but also the ugly truth back then and even today at times. A woman’s politeness is interpreted as some sort of romantic gesture when it’s just human but when they’re truly being human and displaying their more intense emotions—anger or hurt, they’re deemed insane or out of their minds.

Alias Grace is a beautifully written and directed masterpiece by women for women with a lot of excerpts from the book that leaves you astonished for hours on end. “For they make the bed the most noticeable thing in a room. And then I have thought, it’s for a warning. Because you may think a bed is a peaceful thing, Sir, and to you it may mean rest and comfort and a good night’s sleep. But it isn’t so for everyone; and there are many dangerous things that may take place in a bed. It is where we are born, and that is our first peril in life; and it is where the women give birth, which is often their last. And it is where the act takes place between men and women that I will not mention to you, Sir, but I suppose you know what it is; and some call it love, and others despair, or else merely an indignity which they must suffer through. And finally beds are what we sleep in, and where we dream, and often where we die.” is one such excerpt.

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Top 5 Songs From Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Why Everyone Should Listen to Them at least Once

By Prachi Bhatia

On June 24, 2020 Taylor Swift released her eighth studio album, Folklore. This sudden announcement made across all her social media accounts shocked the fans, mostly because it hadn’t even been a whole year since Swift’s seventh studio album Lover. And well, Miss Americana’s quarantine project paid off which was expected, but this was something extremely different than anything the 30 year old had ever put out. Folklore isn’t just about Swift (as we know her) and the various complexities of love and her experience with it, this time she played with made up fictional characters. We go on this journey and get to explore how their stories progress throughout the 16 tracks. Following are the top 5 tracks from what is considered to be Swift’s maturest work so far:

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5. Peace

The fifteenth track, Peace, produced by Aaron Dessner, is a song about not being able to give your all to a relationship despite your love for that person. Swift sings repeatedly throughout the track “would it be enough if I could never give you peace” which reflects upon her fame, what’s it like to be someone close to her and how she’s always being watched, from what she wears to who she’s with, this is evident further in the track where she sings “I’d give you my sunshine, give you my best but the rain is always gonna come if you’re standing with me” According to Swift and Dessner, this track also touches on the subject of mental illness and how it impacts an individual’s relationships (romantic or platonic). Swift talks about how in spite of the song being called “Peace” it’s not so much about that and that irony makes it even more amusing in a way.

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4. Mad Woman

Why is a woman only ever considered “mad” or “crazy” when she’s standing up for herself? The message of Folklore’s twelfth track is clear as day. This song is a direct reference to Swift’s feud with Scooter Braun regarding the ownership of her music. She described the production to be something that sounded a lot like “female rage” to her. From the beginning of the first verse itself she does not hold back, “does a scorpion sting when fighting back? they strike to kill and you know I will” And well she did not lie. She has been rerecording all her albums and Fearless (Taylor’s version) is out now everywhere.

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3. Betty

Young love is something so thrilling but also brings about so much pain especially because we hadn’t experienced any of it ever before. Betty is a song about young love and all its aspects from a perspective of a 17 year old boy, James. He seemed to have been unfaithful towards Betty and is realising and accepting his mistakes. “I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything but I know I miss you” has so much innocence to it, it’s hard to not feel sorry for the culprit himself. Swift goes back to her roots with this track, the production is very evocative of her older albums when she herself was quite young. This upbeat song is going to well up a tear or two whether you like it or not.

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2. This is Me Trying

Another track about Swift not being able to give a relationship her all but also just an individual’s failures and struggles caused by depression or some other mental illness. The lyricism on this track is so brilliant that no one should be allowed to skip it. If “and it’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound” doesn’t make you roll up in ball and cry your eyes out have you truly struggled? Not being able to take part in everyday activities or even be in a room full of people just because you’re not in a good state of mind is something each and everyone of us can relate to.

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1. Seven

This track is reminiscent of Swift’s childhood in Pennsylvania and a friend who had a troubled home life. “And though I can’t recall your face, I still got love for you” She seemed to have forgotten her face but she remembers what her company made her feel like. Swift talked about how this track reminded her of a little kid throwing a tantrum at a supermarket. “Passed down like folk songs, our love lasts so long” Just like folklores and folk songs, Swift’s love for this friend has not been lost and will last forever.