Have you watched the movie Mona Lisa Smile? It is a movie inspired by the painting Mona Lisa, a masterpiece of one of the greatest artist in the planet, Leonardo da Vinci. I can't remember how many times I have watched this movie and this movie has inspired me a lot.
Monalisa Smile is a 2003 American drama movie. This movie is starring Julia Roberts, Kristen Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhall, Julie stiles and Ginnifer Goodwin. The movie setting was in 1953, Wellesley college in Massachusetts. It is about Katherine Ann Watson ( Julia Roberts), a History of arts teacher. She was an independent woman wanting to make change with the society.
The society or the norm that time is that a woman's greatest achievement is to become a good housewife. That is why college, women are taught how to do household chores properly. How to take care of children. Proper manner during a wedding and how to interact with in laws and a lot more.
Katherine went there to teach history of art but what she did is she tried to change the girls perspective of a great achievement. The was a girl on the story named Betty. She is a great student, a brilliant one. She has potential. She always want to follow the norm. She dreamt of becoming a good wife to her future husband. Then, they got married and she skipped class because she got married. The school allowed it thinking she is doing the right thing but not Katherine.
After which Katherine scolded her for skipping her class, she started criticizing Katherine's independence and liberal thinking. But in the end, it turns out that Katherine is right. One of her friends saw Betty's husband flirting with another girl. She told Betty about it but she didn't believe her. But then, betty found out about it and she left him. She went to her parents house and told her parents but instead her mom told her to return to his husband and do not file for a divorce.
Without a choice since her parents shooed her away, she went to Katherine. Katherine was there to encourage her. She was there to comfort her and help her think things throught. She decided to proceed with the divorce and by the end of the story decides to continue studying law in Yale University.
Katherine's different view with womanhood was not taken very well by the alumni and other faculty members. So, they in order for Katherine to stay for the next term, she needs to follow the schools guidelines for her. It means, she should not have a personal relationship with co-instructors, no mendling with her students affairs. She also cannot share her thoughts about what should a woman do.
Knowing herself, she didn't take another term. Instead she wen't somewhere to explore and fight for what she believed. By the end of the story, she left the school in tears of joy because most of her students have realized that a woman shouldn't just stay home and be a good housewife. They can also be something else. While on a taxi, her students chased her. Its only a proof that she really made a great impact on their lives.
I like this movie very much because it shows that woman should not look down on themselves. If being a housewife makes them happy, then do it with all your heart. But if not, no one should tell you what to and what not to do. If you are a man reading this, if you have a woman in your life be it your mom or wife or daughter, respect her. Know that she can do great things in life. Support her and don't make her feel inferior because of her gender.
If you are a woman reading this I would like to tell you to be strong and courageous and you should be proud of yourself. You're a star that will shine bright. You can do it! I wish you well.
:) ellimacandrea
Hopefully I can do better