2020 School Magazine

ENGLISH In 2020, Year 12 students studied proto-feminist classic, Jane Eyre , and contemporary film Brooklyn to explore how these texts might contribute to contemporary conversations about female agency. Below is an example of work by Fiona Brown (12G).

Garden of Eden or ‘Rayless cells’? The Complex and Particular Nature of Agency in Women’s Lives

W illy Wonka and his Chocolate Factory, Tyrell and his pyramid, Mr Magorium and his Wonder Emporium. Women are left scratching their heads at these mediocre men and their fantastical monuments, wondering if it’s too much to have a seat at the table of their own lives. Fiona Brown (12G) will consider whether agency is within reach, or relegated to the utopian world of our imaginations, buried somewhere behind the Truffula trees. Last February, Greta Gerwig’s long-anticipated adaptation of Little Women hit cinemas. Despite critics’ rave reviews, and a successful award season—an Oscar for best costume design and a host of nominations—Greta herself was robbed of a nomination for her masterful direction. Such a blatant snub starkly illustrated our film industry’s underlying bias. A glaringly obvious link lies between the lack of female directors nominated and underrepresentation of women on the Oscars panel: unsurprisingly a mere 32 per cent are women. The Academy received ubiquitous criticism for this failure to recognise female brilliance. It appears society is becoming more ‘woke’ and such underrepresentation will spark more controversy. Yet, in all spaces the consistent denial of women’s just merits remains pervasive (just look to women’s sport). Is our vision of progressivism simply a dream? The myth about female agency has long been considered by authors and auteurs alike. Charlotte Brontë’s classic 1847 novel Jane Eyre , written and set in Victorian England, and John Crowley’s 2015 film Brooklyn , set in 1951, demonstrate the complexity of women’s agency across a century, emphasising its fleeting and conditional nature. Trapped in a time warp, we’re left questioning the appearance versus truth of women’s lives in the twenty-first century. The jury is still out: is female agency a reality, or a figment of our imaginations? Promisingly, a woman’s voice remains her most powerful tool. Both Jane and Eilis find strength to speak truth to power and confront misogyny. After St John offers to take Jane to India as his wife— in history’s most tragic proposal—Jane insists she’ll ‘never undergo it... [and] will tell him so,’ if she must ‘argue’ and ‘resist’ his ignorance. The high modality in the assertive and finite word ‘never’ alongside Jane’s motivation to ‘argue’ her point, present her admirable resolve. This desire to defend her position with all her might speaks to her authenticity. How audacious! We’re supposed to—and do—accept Jane’s perspective, as her civil language and behaviour inspires us to celebrate her self- expression, and instead loath the all-too-familiar controlling voice of St John. Agency achieved—on this front at least. Similarly to Jane, Eilis test drives the power of her newfound voice in her savage criticism of the Irish boys’ club. She attacks the homogeneity of the Irish men who ‘All look the same. It’s the blazer and the hair oil’. The shot quickly transitions from a close up of Eilis, to Jim, who sits in silent defeat, the costume choice of blazer and slicked hair delivering golden ironic humour. Crowley commends Eilis’ uncharacteristic comment which confronts the patriarchal norms underlying male appearance. Not only does Eilis win this small battle—at the cost of Jim’s ego—she also gains Jim’s developing affection. We support his attraction to Eilis’ earnestness, as it speaks to the fact that despite his defeat, she can still voice her mind. Eilis is clearly in the driver’s seat—looks like Jim’s on his learners! Where’s her voice driving her? Towards her agentic utopia. The #metoo movement has become a unifying platform for women who were victims of horrific sexual assault. Like Jane and Eilis, these brave women share their truths in the face of oppressive bullies (serves you right Harvey Weinstein), despite their vulnerability. The empowering voices of Jane, Eilis and the women of the #metoo movement, clearly reverberate that female agency is more fact than fiction.

70 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2020