During a memorable morning scene, an aerial view
of the
suburban
neighborhood shows automobiles pulling out of the driveways of each home
simultaneously. As each car files down the street, the men of the
household assume their roles as providers. This ritual is reinforced by
the fact that no men are seen during the day throughout the film. As the
traditional suburbanite breadwinner, males are portrayed to value only a
few, straight forward qualities: discipline and financial stability.
These two qualities in turn, allow him to distinguish himself in suburbia
through home improvement and maintenance. This result is seen during
weekend rituals of lawn
mowing(Raj Narayanan) and sprinkling(Thomas Choi),
and (before Edward Scissorhands arrival), shrubbery trimming. At the dinner table, which is the
location
for almost all family interaction during the film, we listen to
the father, Bill, discipline Edward
Scissorhands on basic laws of the community. When Edward would prefer to
"give [the money] to [his] loved ones," instead of reporting the lost
suitcase to the police, Bill is condescending in his reproach, and Kevin
(the younger child) is cruel with his cackling. The reaction from both
male figures of the family unit emphasizes their faith in the conformist
generic solutions to social issues. Neither male has any interest in
compassion or emotion which Edward intuitively feels. Suburbanite males, Bill specifically, are
depicted to be
very financially-oriented in their perceptions and priorities. In the
situation where Edward performs landscaping services to each family in
the community, Bill is particularly concerned that he is not charging for
his work. "A man cannot live off cookies, Peg," Bill snaps when his
wife attempts to understand Edward's actions. Similarly, he is indeed
pleased when he hears of Edward's plans of owning and operating a beauty
salon. He is unable to stop speaking of the financial dos and don'ts of
the operation. The typecast of the head of the household allows us to
perceive the distinct gender roles of men in suburbia. They seem to be
risk-averse and particular of status roles within the family unit, as
well as the community.
Film Summary | Themes and Interpretations | Female Roles |
Male Roles | Diversity Averse | Final Thoughts |