The traditional "good" woman has many stereotypical characteristics.
doesn't talk to men first and doesn't ask them to dance but waits for them to approach .
her. Rushing into sex never happens. In fact, more than casual kissing on the first date is .
a rarity. If you want to get into the extreme stereotype, you can go the way of June .
Cleaver. Staying at home all day, she cooks and cleans happily while the man works all .
day and his only contribution to the family duties is tossing around a ball in the evening .
with the kids. This typical "good" woman has been portrayed throughout our history as .
the ideal woman. She is the perfect wife and mother. .
I believe that Rita is a traditional "good" woman. She fits into the traditional role .
in many ways but she also strays from some of our typical stereotypes.
As the movie begins, we meet Rita. She is a nice, accommodating woman who is .
happy and eager to please others. In that aspect she is staying in the traditional gender .
role of our stereotype woman. She goes to great lengths to ensure everyone's needs are .
met without showing us any concern for her own. Rita is always smiling and chipper .
towards everyone, no matter how unhappy they might be.
In the other aspect, as the movie begins, we can tell that she is as eager to please .
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as she is strong and independent. She retains her independence while still maintaining .
the respect of the people working under her. They only obvious exception is Phil, who is .
technically one of those under her, believes he is not and is actually the star or as he likes .
to say, "talent". Even with that hurdle, she is still as respected by the other coworkers as .
a strong working women. This, in our typical society, being an independent woman goes .
out of our traditional scope of how women are supposed to act or behave. .
In many ways throughout the movie, you can plainly tell that Rita continues to be .
independent while still staying within the more typical gender styled character.
