E “A”SY

When I first saw the preview for the film in the movie theater two months ago, I was anticipating its release. However, since I have become extremely active with work and other activities, I still have not had the opportunity to see this film. What grabbed my attention about this movie was the fact that it was the typical high school drama. The movie spotlights something I like to call “the rumor virus,” which in this case, infects practically every character. The main character, Olive Prendergast, experiences how quickly a little white lie can spread and ruin reputations. A faked sexual encounter causes her entire school to talk. She is both glorified and ridiculed. While some students put her on a pedestal, other students paint her as the Whore of Babylon. The icing on the cake is the writers’ display of wittiness by making an illusion to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s masterpiece,
The Scarlet Letter. The red letter “A” (which represents adulterer) was used in the book to identify and dehumanize Hester Prynne. This identifying mark served as an all access granted pass to judge, mistreat and scorn Prynne. Easy “A” pushes home the idea that a bad reputation sticks. Olive decides to use her false negative reputation by voluntarily wearing the red A on her shirt.

In my own high school experience, there were many girls who were treated in a similar fashion to Olive. Some were guilty and some were innocent. The issue is not whether we can correctly identify the “whore” on campus, but rather if we can allow women to be as sexually active to their heart’s content without the possibility of ridicule and mistreatment. Sexuality is another double standard. Men can allow their sexual desires to run rampant and unchecked with multiple sexual partners and still be respected by most of society. For many women that is not the case; they are still expected to remain in monogamous relationships. Having multiple partners opens the doors for women to be considered “whores,” “tricks,” “harlots,” and much worse. To be involved with multiple people results in sacrificing that woman’s image to a society that is unforgiving and evil.

Society develops morals and values which, the majority of the time, are not consistent. Referring back to The Scarlet Letter, should men too be forced to wear the red “A” if they commit adultery? A man should receive equal embarrassment and humiliation by society as a women should if this is the way society chooses to handle this situations. It should still be considered cheating regardless if the act if carried out by the husband or the wife. For those who are not in a relationship and want to be sexually liberated, let them! What goes on behind closed doors, (or maybe, if they are free spirited), open doors, is the participants’ concern and those unaffected should not have an issue.