Cinema and Otherness: Bend it Like Beckham - Case Study Example

The concept of race as a determining factor in our lives is more than simply noticing differences in people’s skin color or clothing choices. A key concept in the philosophy of identity includes the idea of the Other as being essential to determining a definition of the self. This is explained in the statement “[w]hat appears to be cultural units – human beings, words, meanings, ideas, philosophical systems, social organizations – are maintained in their apparent unity only through an active process of exclusion, opposition, and hierarchization. Other phenomena or units must be represented as foreign or ‘other’ through representing a hierarchal dualism in which the unit is ‘privileged’ or favored, and the other is devalued in some way” (Cahoone, 1996). In order to obtain a definition of self, this concept indicates, we must first determine a definition of what is not self, what is Other. In creating this definition, we inadvertently end up viewing the Other as being somehow less than or less valued in some fundamental way. Additionally, this concept indicates that without a definition of the Other, a definition of the self is not possible. Therefore, it is through an individual’s perception of what is ‘normal’ versus what is ‘particular’ that one defines the Other and, by extension, themselves. In addition, individuals who differ greatly from the majority of the society in which they live, who are ‘peculiar’, will frequently identify themselves with the Other without consciously thinking about it and place themselves into submissive roles as a result. Rather than identifying themselves by their achievements, goals and aspirations as those of the dominant race might, individuals who identify with the Other or minority race tend to think of themselves only as they exist in their private lives. However, the idea that the Other must always be considered something less than does not necessarily follow as a natural conclusion of this process once it is examined in closer detail. Contemporary films, such as Bend it Like Beckham, take a deep look at the concepts of race and racism to demonstrate that while the Other is used to help define oneself, a close look at these peculiarities can help us engage with the Other to reveal that the Other and the self are not necessarily as different or as negative as was assumed at first glance. As might be imagined, determinations regarding what constitutes the Other are wide-ranging and varied depending upon the accepted norms within a society. Although they are frequently generalized under the umbrella concept of race, these definitions are actually selectively applied in a variety of areas including gender and religious differences, societal roles, sexuality, ability, physicality and ethnicity. How one sees oneself in relation to these factors and the accepted dominant ideal helps to determine how one sees one’s place within the society in which they live as well as the possibilities available to them in terms of lifetime goals or aspirations. Although these concepts often overlap in various ways, it is the degree to which an individual accepts or denies their association with the Other that determines whether they will be bound by definitions imposed upon them from without. In Bend it Like Beckham, many of these examples of the Other are present including gender roles, religious teachings, ability and ethnicity on both the societal and personal levels. Gender roles are especially important within the film as the main character Jesminder, aka “Jess”, explores how her gender constricts her within the society in which she lives. Simply by virtue of being female, Jess is already identified as being the Other as indicated by De Beauvoir, who calls the Other the minority, the least favored one when compared to a man because, “for a man represents both the positive and the neutral, as indicated by the common use of man to designate human beings in general; whereas woman represents only the negative, defined by limiting criteria, without reciprocity” (McCann, Kim, 2002). Demonstrating that she has, in fact, accepted this definition of herself, Jess knows she is expected to be able to cook, maintain a household and take care of a family because she is a woman and feels guilt when she crosses these boundaries. Her main objectives in life are defined by those around her as remaining physically attractive to the opposite sex and to find a good husband to be father to her children and provider to the family. These ideals are represented in the activities of her sister, Pinky, who is embroiled in the activities and preparations for her own arranged marriage, and the sisters’ normal daytime activity of shopping, one of the only culturally acceptable activities for women. That these ideals are not strictly limited to Jess’ traditional Sikh family is evident in the family of Jess’ best friend Juliette, or “Jules”, as she appears with her mother, also shopping. Jules’ mother presents a very two-dimensional figure whose only concern is that Jules remain attractive to men in order to find herself a good husband. She detests the idea that her daughter is a footballer for the simple reason that her muscles will get big and no man will be attracted to a woman with bigger muscles than he has. The very shallow nature of Jules’ mother further indicates the results of these strict gender roles and its effect on the self who identifies with them, perhaps against early aspirations to the contrary. Finally, these roles are reinforced by the society surrounding the girls as seen in the ideas that girls are not expected to join the boys playing football in the neighborhood park and in the portrayal that women’s sports teams are considered unworthy of experienced coaches, any kind of pay structures or even a hint of professional status. Yet, even given these definitions of the self as identified with the Other on a gender basis, both Jess and Jules find ways to circumnavigate the boundaries assigned to them. Rather than accepting the constraints placed on them by their gender, each girl has pursued a love of football to the point that they are able to win the respect of the neighborhood boys on the field. In Jess’ skill at the sport, she has found acceptance among the boys, but she has not changed gender, religion, or ethnicity and still remains the only player on the field who has always worn full-length pants. Rather than being seen as less than, these differences are now merely accepted with little to no comment. While other girls sit on the bench and behave as young girls are supposed to, i.e. watching the boys play and marveling at their physique, Jess and Jules have learned how to join them on their own playing field, achieving equal status by virtue of skill and talent and thereby transcending the gender barriers. Rather than acceding to her mother’s wishes to purchase frilly, decorative undergarments, Jules fights to locate practical, supportive garments suitable for her type of heavy activity. In relationships, each girl takes an equal part of the responsibility for the development and maintenance of the relationships they value, rather than waiting for someone else to ‘make the next move’ or for permission from another as Pinky must when her wedding is cancelled. In Jess’ relationship with Jules, she makes an attempt to reconcile after the misunderstanding in Germany. Once Jules understands the situation, she also does her part to correct the breach. Despite her fears regarding her parents’ reaction to the idea of her dating an Englishman (they are all alike, her mother says), Jess does not ask permission to give Joe a parting kiss before leaving for the United States. And, of course, each girl defies the rules regarding women in sports by finding a way to participate in the closest thing to a professional team they can accomplish, eventually achieving their public goals in favor of the private aspirations of the families involved. However, Jess is classified by more than just her gender into identifying with the Other as she is a part of the minority Sikh population in London. Growing up within a strict traditional home, her family’s beliefs and obvious ethnicity serve to isolate her from the rest of society. This is immediately recognized in the lights strung up on the house in which she lives as the family prepares to celebrate Pinky’s wedding. Such outside decoration is not normal behavior for the neighbors surrounding them and serves to isolate the very house from the rest of the block, even during the daytime. The noisy party held in the backyard in celebration later in the film further emphasizes this isolation as other nearby backyards are shown to be completely devoid of any kind of human activity. The traditions of her religious beliefs hold even more tightly to the concept of woman as homemaker, wife and mother, with little opportunity for any kind of public life. Indeed, public life, such as being a professional sports figure, is shunned as being completely unacceptable to a woman of proper Sikh upbringing. These ideas are well-known to the surrounding community, who has had some interactions with the minority population as is evidenced in the reaction of Jules’ mother upon meeting Jess. She is thrilled her daughter has befriended a Sikh because perhaps now Jules will learn how to behave more like a proper girl instead of running around the football field all day. This reaction is so ingrained it is immediate upon seeing Jess’ face and the words are said before Jess has had a chance to say much more than hello. Thus, the concepts of racism are brought into stark relief for the audience, forcing an understanding of how automatic the reaction can be. Like her sister, Jess is expected to wear suitable clothing that does not expose inordinate amounts of skin, such as the shorts that are a required part of the footballer’s uniform. For Jess, this rule is even more stringent because she has been scarred from a cooking burn and this ‘unattractive’ scar might serve to frighten away potential suitors. Yet even differences in culture, once examined fully, turn out to reveal only further similarities which lead to an appreciation of the differences rather than a shunning of them. This is shown even in terms of the house lights. Despite the differences in symbols of celebration, Jess lives within the modern city of London and interacts with its inhabitants on a daily basis. Although the house might seem isolated from the surrounding structures, the truth remains that there are surrounding structures. Just as the basic house underneath the lights looks much the same as the houses on either side of it, Jess looks different on the outside but remains a part of the society she lives in. As soon as Jules’ mother realizes Jess is also a footballer, Jess is instantly reclassified into a different type of Other and the welcome is cooled. When Jess is seen in the required shorts as part of her football team uniform, her mother’s reaction is horror because her daughter is exposing her legs and the burn scar that they’ve tried to keep covered up so much, yet the uniform itself indicates a similarity to the greater culture around her as those in the greater community focus on the symbol of the uniform rather than the fact that a Sikh woman is showing her legs. Even the scar links her to the outside culture as it is a feature she shares only with Joe, the team coach. While the physical cause was different, the reason behind each scar revealed the same underlying desire for parental approval and disregard for individual limitations. Jess and Joe are the same, but different, and the differences are more like the icing on the cake rather than monstrous subhuman distortions. This expected identification with the submissive Other leads her cultural group to believe Jess’ own abilities, strengths and ambitions should conform to the dictates and time-honored traditions of a devout household. Any deviations from this are firmly denounced, ignored or forbidden with the expectation that they will simply go away as she becomes more involved in becoming the proper young lady she was brought up to be. When she expresses her love for football and her desire to play on a women’s semi-pro team that has been recently formed, exposing her peculiarity within her own society, Jess’ parents immediately refuse the request as being inappropriate for a woman: “What family is going to want a daughter-in-law who can kick a ball but cannot cook a dinner” is the expected and given response by the strictly traditional mother while the father merely relates his own experience in trying to play football in the predominantly white world. If it was a disaster for a man, it is doubly a disaster for a woman, who belongs in the home anyway. Guilty in their response to this difference within their daughter as the outside world was in the response to them, Jess’ parents are slow to accept the idea that the Other seen in their daughter is not necessarily wrong, it is simply not the same. Despite strict control of her schedule and activities, Jess still manages to get caught several times on the football field or with the team, yet her family remains adamant that she must not play sports and instead must follow the proper course for a proper woman by attending the university of her parents’ choice and marrying the Indian man they have selected for her. Jess’ room, papered in images of “that skinhead” Beckham, is far from the colorful frills and flounces expected to be found in a suitable girl’s room. Even her older sister Pinky, living the expected life that her culture has laid out for her, finds herself identifying with the Other as she escapes the rigours of her traditional life by having secret trysts with her fiancé while her parents think she’s at work. In this defiance of parental rules and surveillance, both Jess and Pinky are expressing typical teenage rebellion, each at their own level and in their own way. In this, they are each peculiar from the society in which they live as Pinky meets with her boyfriend at the airport and as Jess sneaks out to the football field, yet they are the same in that both are protesting against the rules imposed upon them in the name of normalcy. By struggling to maintain their differences, they prove to be the same as every other teenager since the dawn of time. Taking the advice of the outer culture, Jess does what any normal teenager would do and lies to her parents about her whereabouts once she is told she cannot play football anymore. Despite being caught several times, she continues to play the game. However, in her increasing identification with her larger social sphere, Jess finds ways to remain true to her background and in touch with that Otherness. In discussing his relationship with his father, Jess encourages Joe to contact him. “He’d probably be proud that you didn’t just quit” she says, and ends up having a positive effect on Joe as a result of her peculiarity (among teenagers) of having a large degree of respect and love for her own parents. She is not alone in loving her parents, nor is she alone in respecting them. What she is alone in, however, is the willingness to let others know about it. After lying to her parents regarding her football dreams for so long, Jess finally figures out that her difficulties on the field are a direct result of having her culture standing between her and the goal, something many people never figure out. If she is to make a success of a sports career, she must have the blessings of her family and her society. Although this honesty might initially be seen as a peculiarity, a deeper inspection reveals that this desire for approval is a driving force for many individuals throughout most of the world’s societies. Jess is not the only individual to come to terms with the Other in the family, though. Finding out that his daughter is still playing football even after she has been told she can’t, Jess’ father relates his own experiences in trying to follow his football dreams. Although he says he was pretty good at the sport, the all-English team members consistently ridiculed him until he gave up on his dream. When he gave up on football, he also gave up on blending into the greater London society, retreating into the small world of the minority population of which he is a part. Although he recognizes the limitations this placed on his own life, he nevertheless struggles to keep his daughter from discovering this same truth for herself. He fears she is giving up any hope of a respectable marriage in her deviation from Sikh traditions to pursue a dream that can only end in heartbreak and ruin since the English will never allow her to play. After watching her play, he finally realizes her passion for the sport, but remains unwilling to accept the peculiarity within his own family because of the implications to the family’s traditions. At the same time, this peculiarity links him with her in a profound way in that her goals mimic the goals he had as a younger man. She is normal in that she has goals and dreams, and these are goals and dreams he can understand because they are placed within the sphere of the normal “male” perspective, making it easier for him to make the final decision to allow her to attend school in the United States. Thus, Bend it Like Beckham serves to illustrate just how an examination of an individual’s differences can expose how they are more similar than was originally anticipated. While Jess is different from Jules in that she is Sikh and Indian, the girls are the same in that they are each rebellious teenagers who wish to play football professionally and gain national recognition. While the Sikh traditions are seen to hold more traditional beliefs regarding the proper role of women as being in the home, the film illustrates the still commonly held beliefs also exist in the wider community as shown by Jules’ mother’s protests against her daughter participating in football. It is the other within the other where growth and acceptance begin, though. As a member of the female gender group, Jess is not accepted among the boys as an equal, but as an exceptional football player, she is eagerly welcomed. The fact that she is female ceases to be a negative and instead is an interesting oddity. Her desire to participate in football, a non-traditional vocation for a woman and shamefully public, is an oddity within her community for a girl, but the desire to participate in sporting events in England is an ideal held by many. Although she is his daughter and therefore seen as the female Other, Jess’ father is able to understand her through the ‘normal’ male language of public aspirations enough to realize the depth of her passion and allow her to attend a school that will let her play. The film thus epitomizes the concepts explored by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam as they explore the concepts of postcolonialism and the various ways in which the binary oppositions of race and gender are broken down in this postcolonized generation (1994: Ch. 1). Through the experience of this film, one begins to identify with the many similarities inherent in a coming-of-age story even while appreciating the individual facets that make Jess’ society different from one’s own. References Bend it Like Beckham. (2002) [DVD]. Dir. Gurinder Chadha. Fox Searchlight. Cahoone, Lawrence. (1996). From Modernism to Postmodernism: An Anthology. Cambridge: Blackwell. McCann, Carole R. and Kim, Seung-Kyung, eds. (2002). Feminist Theory Reader: Local and Global Perspectives. New York: Rutledge. Shohat, Ella & Robert Stam. (1994). Unthinking Eurocentrism. London: Routledge. Read More