Gender Roles In The Castle

An Australian male; outgoing, masculine, hard working and courageous who can concur anything with a cold one in his left hand, a snag in the other and a hot shiela by his side. This seems exactly the life Australian blokes are living, so were told or rather yet shown. This perception of a dominate brute male, with his submissive shiela by his side is the typical representation displayed within mainstream Australian films. Although this view on gender roles outside of the big screen is not the case. Australian women are stepping out into the world in 6 inch heels ready to destroy the marriage obsessed, uneducated and husband orientated image illustrated in these such films. House wives are taking on a new status removing barriers and breaking
In the film Sal every morning, day and night caters to her family making food. The film projects a mother to be uneducated and bound to the kitchen. Sal within the film does not have an occupation or any educational merit, certification or qualification. This depiction of an Australian mother restricted and chained to the kitchen which misrepresents the majority of Australian mothers. This ‘Australian’ motherly characteristics are repeated in Australian film“Muriel’s Wedding,”directed by P.J Hogan. Betty Heslop mother to 4 children works and cleans tirelessly in hopes to maintain a steady and clean environment for her troubled children. This representation of the mother can be both constructive and destructive in aiming to achieve the identity of an Australian mother. The repeated similarity in both films in which, both women do not obtain an occupation but simply cook subjects women to the kitchen and implies that they don't need to have their own carrier and work. The mothers portrayed in the films are dressed in baggy and unflattering clothing presenting Australian mothers to be non sophisticated, non elegant and careless beings in how they present themselves. Although the kind hearted and loving nature of a mother in some aspects are represented within the films. More specifically in The Castle, Sal is represented as a loving and caring mother who wants to look after and care for her family who also has her own hobbies and some what small time goals. However Betty within “Muriel’s Wedding’ is treated horribly and is portrayed as to be harshly honest a push over. The children within the film ignore, hit and disregard the mother. Her character lacks ambition of any sort and