Essay Overview/Prompt This week’s film is about a young girl who discovers she h

Essay Overview/Prompt
This week’s film is about a young girl who discovers she has telekinesis. In the film’s opening scenes, the film ties her acquisition of this power with her first menstruation. This week you’ll be looking at how menstruation is depicted in other aspects of American culture.
After being inspired by this week’s ads, select an item from contemporary culture that addresses menstruation. This could be an advertisement, a television show, a book, a movie, etc. Does your selected source depict menstruation/menstruating women in an EMPOWERING way, that is, as powerful/strong? Or does your selected source depict menstruation/menstruating women in an OPPRESSIVE or non-empowering way, that is, as dangerous/threatening/deviant? (This will be your thesis in the paper).
Consider how menstruation is specifically depicted in the source. That is, what message(s) does your source convey about how society responds to menstruation and/or menstruating women? What advice, warnings or lessons to women (or maybe even men) does the source provide?
Does this source contain any color symbolism or hidden metaphors (as we may have seen in the ads for this week)?
Consider how your source compares with at least one of the readings on menstruation we’ve seen so far. How is your source similar and/or different?
Consider how your source compares with this week’s film, Carrie. Do you view Carrie as an empowering or oppressive commentary on menstruation? Explain why. How is your source similar and/or different from Carrie? Do you think your source or Carrie offers a more empowering view of menstruation? Explain why.
Essay Requirements
This paper should average about 4-5 pages, double spaced. I would recommend writing a 2-4 sentence “introduction” where you state your position on the overall question. I would then devote a paragraph to each scene that you’re analyzing to support your position.
This paper should be proofread for grammar and spelling. I always encourage students to write as they speak-albeit with the usual attention to strong grammar and spelling.
You do not need a Works Cited page or footnotes/citations, since you will be doing all of the analysis yourself using just one film. I don’t even care about MLA, Chicago, APA style. Whatever style works for you, works for me! 🙂

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