Cool Movie “Sex and the City” Essay Example

show's main character and a sex columnist, narrates her own experiences and those of her friends.

Carrie and her friends have a strong bond, similar to that of sisters. They offer unwavering support to each other in both good and bad times (Hawkins, 2003). The character of Carrie Bradshaw is portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker as a well-known columnist for the fictional "New York Star." She is considered part of New York's elite and frequently seen in social establishments either alone or with companions. Carrie has a unique fashion sense and often wears designer outfits. Occasionally, people mistake her for a high-end prostitute. With her laptop always beside her, she works from her apartment writing articles that explore her past relationships while intertwining the experiences of her friends. Despite living a sophisticated lifestyle, Carrie remains down-to-earth and open-minded as she seeks love and enjoys life.

Samantha Jones (Kim Catrall) has the ability to connect with different women, both in her fictional world and in real life, who are interested in her stories. She goes through moments of happiness and loneliness while enjoying her independence, which surprisingly many people can relate to. Among her group of friends, Samantha is noticeable for being the oldest and most adventurous, especially when it comes to sex. However, it is important to understand that Samantha's sexual confidence should not be confused with nymphomania. While some may see her as a sophisticated promiscuous woman, others admire her bravery (Akass & McCae, 2004, p. 105; Hawkins, 2003, p. 5).

Samantha is currently employed at a public relations firm where she derives satisfaction from her job and the level of authority and freedom it affords her.

She exudes confidence, strength, and a bold personality, especially in matters of sexual exploration, as she eagerly embraces various experiences as personal challenges. This is evident in her numerous casual sexual encounters, including one with a younger model named Smith Jerrod. Samantha takes pride in her sexual adventures and openly boasts about them without any sense of shame or reservation (Hawkins, 2003, p. 6).

Samantha is known for her loyalty to her friends and has repeatedly demonstrated this quality. Despite her seemingly liberated attitude, she also has a sensitive and caring nature, particularly towards her friends. It would be unfair and too harsh to quickly label her as promiscuous or use any derogatory term to describe her habit of dating many men. On the other hand, Charlotte York works in an art gallery and appears to be more conservative due to her upbringing. She is the most optimistic member of the group and believes in emotional and romantic love rather than lust. Charlotte is considered a true romantic unlike Samantha, who is more open to experimentation and often mocks or resents Charlotte's preference. Charlotte holds traditional views on relationships and is searching for her ideal man (Akass & McCae, 2004 p. 126; Hawkins, 2003, p.).

6). Despite her traditional outlook, Miranda Davis (Cynthia Nixon) has been known to bend her own rules, which even surprises her reserved friends. She is the only one among her friends who has been married, though it ended in divorce. Miranda is a career-driven lawyer who is cynical about relationships and men. She is closest to Carrie and acts as her foil, grounding her in reality with her voice of reason. Additionally,

she challenges Charlotte's conventional views on relationships.

Despite being the only single mother in the group, Miranda has successfully managed her career and motherhood. It is evident that Miranda has always been a high achiever and strives to maintain her success without any interruptions. Interestingly, her perspective may have been influenced by a past relationship that resulted in the birth of her son named Brady. The irony lies in the fact that she chose to keep the baby while she was pregnant with him. Similar to Samantha, Miranda is open to entering relationships but establishes clear boundaries when it comes to commitments, avoiding complete devotion (Hawkins, 2003, p. 6; Akass ; McCae, 2004, p. 72; Jermyn, 2009, p.38).

Collectively, these four women seem to mirror contemporary American society. Despite their affluent lifestyle, many women can relate to them. It can be deduced that numerous women in the United States, and possibly globally, undergo similar experiences in modern relationships. By observing these four women, it becomes evident that seeking happiness in a relationship is challenging. This highlights the notion that despite their successful careers, they still feel a sense of dissatisfaction, with the exception of Miranda who holds a contrasting viewpoint due to her personal experiences.

The article examines the similarities between the struggles of "Sex and the City" characters and those in "Desperate Housewives," while acknowledging that they are different stories. However, there is an undeniable common factor linking these two shows (Jermyn, 2009, p. 92). The study's objective is to compare and contrast the foursome from "Sex and the City" with characters from American literature, theater, television, and film. It specifically aims to identify similarities between these

four women and characters from previous narratives like Blanche De Bois from "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Blanche starts the play as a societal outcast due to her promiscuity, causing her to lose everything. Insecure and displaced, she desperately seeks a stable relationship, but her attempts prove futile, ultimately resulting in her institutionalization. One could draw comparisons between Blanche and Samantha, both displaying a lack of shame in their adventurous behavior.

Blanche and Samantha come from different backgrounds, resulting in their contrasting behaviors. Blanche, raised as a Southern belle with traditional values, shocks those around her with her actions, leading to social rejection. In contrast, Samantha hails from the fast-paced and chaotic Manhattan where people are career-driven. In this environment, certain aspects of life can be overlooked, making such behavior acceptable in a "work hard, play hard" society. Moreover, Samantha's case represents the shift towards liberalism over conservatism in Manhattan during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This change in attitudes is also exemplified by Beneatha Younger in "Raisin in the Sun."

Bennie, like the four women, shares the commonality of ambition. Her aspiration to become a doctor drives her focus and dedication. However, her pursuit of her dreams causes conflict with her mother's more conservative values. One aspect that aligns her with the foursome is her involvement with two different men: Joseph Asagai, a Nigerian, and George Murchison, a man from a wealthy background. While it could be argued that her liberated attitude leads her to explore multiple relationships, Joseph challenges her to find a balance between conservatism and liberalism, respecting women in the process. Unlike the four women, Beneatha has found self-acceptance and happiness at a

younger age, as the foursome are older and more mature. This is similar to Harper Pitt from "Angels in America."

"At the start of the play, Ouisa Kitteridge appears as an unhappy and miserable wife of Joe. She frequently experiences hallucinations, suffers from agoraphobia, and is dependent on valium. However, her transformation begins when she has a dream about being with Prior, which reveals that her husband is homosexual and is having an affair with Louis Ironson. This realization prompts Ouisa to take control of her own life and become independent, distancing herself from her previous state. Her subsequent personality aligns with that of the Manhattan foursome as they too prioritize independence and resist being dominated by men, despite their search for love." - Ouisa Kitteridge from "Six Degrees of Separation".

Her personality goes through a similar transformation to Harper's, shifting from being superficial to becoming more empathetic towards others. Initially, she shares similarities with Miranda, who becomes cynical after encountering Paul Poitier and eventually plays a role in his surrender to the police. Additionally, she resembles Martha Dobie and Karen Wright from "The Children's Hour." While Martha seems more vulnerable, being highly strung and nervous, she always relies on Karen for support.

This dependence is so extreme that it becomes attachment, as shown when Karen is on the brink of marrying her fiance Joe. In contrast to Martha, Karen is emotionally stable and has a more positive outlook. Martha's emotional instability led her to self-destruction, resulting in her suicide, which deeply affected Karen. Both sets provide support for each other compared to the foursome, although Karen mainly supports Martha. The difference lies in the fact that

the loss of one led to the downfall of the other in Martha and Karen's case. This differs from the foursome because they all have strong personalities, especially Samantha and Miranda, enabling them to cope with challenges and move forward. Overall, "Sex and the City" exemplifies modern American women regarding socio-economic and political status to some extent. Additionally, they serve as role models for problem-solving methods, contributing to their huge following.

These women are viewed as the new symbols of feminism but their feminism is different from the radical concept of "women's liberation." They embody feminism by having successful careers and not depending heavily on men for their material needs. Nevertheless, they still maintain a feminine side and desire genuine relationships, especially Carrie and Charlotte. Through these characters, women can relate to their struggles, making them relatable rather than exaggerated versions of real people. Additionally, they demonstrate how wealth has empowered them as Samantha and Miranda refuse to let men dominate them professionally or intimately. This stands in stark contrast to the helpless and dependent women of previous centuries. However, their liberated personalities do not mean they have abandoned propriety like Blanch De Bois and similar characters who often face criticism for being promiscuous.

Furthermore, women have demonstrated their independence by finding support in each other rather than relying solely on men. The narratives of "Sex and the City" effectively depict the experiences of contemporary women in various aspects of life, including their personal relationships, careers, and broader societal dynamics.