Let's talk about Wondrous Women
By Keona Tang
Well, it has been a while, so I thought I'd post my thoughts about a couple of things that have captured my attention of late...
There are people in my life who mean more to me than anyone in the world, and many of them happen to be women. For example, my best friend is a woman who inspires me to continue writing, to learn more about myself, and become a better person. She's a fantastic writer herself (she's the lead writer for an amazing website called Personality Growth), and my favorite person on the planet. To me, she's the embodiment of Wonder Woman: someone who is passionate and strong and feisty, but also kindhearted, caring, supportive, and generous. She has a lovely soul, and we communicate with each other everyday. I'm so proud of her, and I appreciate everything she has ever done for me. Thanks, Kirsten.
Now, let's discuss Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins' incredible Wonder Woman movie. Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd see the DC Universe's Trinity on the big screen. That was a huge moment in Batman v Superman, and it was even more notable in that it presented a Diana who was the central figure, and the most inspiring and noble of them all. In Jenkins' film, which functions as an origin story for Diana as well as the cinematic foundation for her character, these characteristics place her at the forefront of the DCEU, not just in terms of the quality of the film, but also in terms of her bravery, emotional strength, and perseverance.
Jenkins directs the movie with aplomb, giving us a window into Diana's formative years on Themyscira and her idealism as she enters man's world for the first time. I don't believe that the film impugns her for being idealistic and passionate, either. In fact, it clearly shows that she is right. When she berates a military general for not standing on the front lines with his troops during World War I, we realize that she isn't wrong. To him, war is a numbers game. Sacrifices must be made. To her, every life is valuable and meaningful. This is how it should be. Wonder Woman's strength goes far beyond her muscles. Her true power comes from the love she has for every person, and that is a very noble and inspiring lesson to impart, particularly during these trying times.
That's not to say that her idealistic notions of justice aren't tested. In the film, Diana's hope for humanity and the end of war is all but dashed by her experiences on the battlefield. She sees the result of humanity's cruelty firsthand, and she comes to the realization that she cannot stop all the suffering in the world. Even after defeating Ares, the god of war himself, she still faces the emptiness and loneliness of living without the person she fell in love with, and she feels the sting of living in an uncaring, chaotic world. Diana doesn't give up, but she is battered by this knowledge. Things were simpler before she travelled to man's world. Modern society is very complex, and the answers we discover to the big questions we have are not always easy to accept or satisfactory.
Personally, I find Diana to be the most complicated and relatable character in the DCEU so far. She is a person who values human life so much that she will sacrifice everything to preserve it. She is naive and idealistic, but that is a strength, not a weakness. She feels things very deeply, and she allows herself time to come to terms with the horrors she has witnessed. For all her strength, Diana is also vulnerable and open. She is emotional, but she draws power from those same emotions. The No Man's Land scene demonstrates this perfectly. She cannot bear to see innocents mowed down by indiscriminate gunfire, so she becomes Wonder Woman in that moment. Gone is the naive, childlike Diana, and in her place is a warrior who can go toe to toe with a tank and flip it end over end.
I loved this version of Wonder Woman from the moment she saved Batman from Doomsday's energy blast in BvS, and Jenkins' film simply made me fall for her even more. Not simply due to her beauty; Gal Gadot is a singularly gorgeous woman and a fine actress, but there was more to it than that. It had to do with her passionate adherence to her ideals, and the fact that her emotions weren't treated as an expression of her "losing it" or becoming illogical. They were not something to be cast aside. Rather, they gave her strength and a sense of nobility and empathy.
If there's one thing in short supply in the world right now, it's empathy.
This is why I believe Diana Prince, the Wonder Woman, is the quintessential hero of our times. She is a strong, capable person. Noble, true, and loving. Compassionate and caring. May we all aspire to be like her in these dark, chaotic times.
Thanks for reading, my friends. If you want to keep in touch with me, please follow me on Twitter and check out my page on Facebook! Share and comment on this piece if you wish, and know that I appreciate you taking time out to read this! Peace!
Well, it has been a while, so I thought I'd post my thoughts about a couple of things that have captured my attention of late...
There are people in my life who mean more to me than anyone in the world, and many of them happen to be women. For example, my best friend is a woman who inspires me to continue writing, to learn more about myself, and become a better person. She's a fantastic writer herself (she's the lead writer for an amazing website called Personality Growth), and my favorite person on the planet. To me, she's the embodiment of Wonder Woman: someone who is passionate and strong and feisty, but also kindhearted, caring, supportive, and generous. She has a lovely soul, and we communicate with each other everyday. I'm so proud of her, and I appreciate everything she has ever done for me. Thanks, Kirsten.
Now, let's discuss Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins' incredible Wonder Woman movie. Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd see the DC Universe's Trinity on the big screen. That was a huge moment in Batman v Superman, and it was even more notable in that it presented a Diana who was the central figure, and the most inspiring and noble of them all. In Jenkins' film, which functions as an origin story for Diana as well as the cinematic foundation for her character, these characteristics place her at the forefront of the DCEU, not just in terms of the quality of the film, but also in terms of her bravery, emotional strength, and perseverance.
Jenkins directs the movie with aplomb, giving us a window into Diana's formative years on Themyscira and her idealism as she enters man's world for the first time. I don't believe that the film impugns her for being idealistic and passionate, either. In fact, it clearly shows that she is right. When she berates a military general for not standing on the front lines with his troops during World War I, we realize that she isn't wrong. To him, war is a numbers game. Sacrifices must be made. To her, every life is valuable and meaningful. This is how it should be. Wonder Woman's strength goes far beyond her muscles. Her true power comes from the love she has for every person, and that is a very noble and inspiring lesson to impart, particularly during these trying times.
That's not to say that her idealistic notions of justice aren't tested. In the film, Diana's hope for humanity and the end of war is all but dashed by her experiences on the battlefield. She sees the result of humanity's cruelty firsthand, and she comes to the realization that she cannot stop all the suffering in the world. Even after defeating Ares, the god of war himself, she still faces the emptiness and loneliness of living without the person she fell in love with, and she feels the sting of living in an uncaring, chaotic world. Diana doesn't give up, but she is battered by this knowledge. Things were simpler before she travelled to man's world. Modern society is very complex, and the answers we discover to the big questions we have are not always easy to accept or satisfactory.
Personally, I find Diana to be the most complicated and relatable character in the DCEU so far. She is a person who values human life so much that she will sacrifice everything to preserve it. She is naive and idealistic, but that is a strength, not a weakness. She feels things very deeply, and she allows herself time to come to terms with the horrors she has witnessed. For all her strength, Diana is also vulnerable and open. She is emotional, but she draws power from those same emotions. The No Man's Land scene demonstrates this perfectly. She cannot bear to see innocents mowed down by indiscriminate gunfire, so she becomes Wonder Woman in that moment. Gone is the naive, childlike Diana, and in her place is a warrior who can go toe to toe with a tank and flip it end over end.
I loved this version of Wonder Woman from the moment she saved Batman from Doomsday's energy blast in BvS, and Jenkins' film simply made me fall for her even more. Not simply due to her beauty; Gal Gadot is a singularly gorgeous woman and a fine actress, but there was more to it than that. It had to do with her passionate adherence to her ideals, and the fact that her emotions weren't treated as an expression of her "losing it" or becoming illogical. They were not something to be cast aside. Rather, they gave her strength and a sense of nobility and empathy.
If there's one thing in short supply in the world right now, it's empathy.
This is why I believe Diana Prince, the Wonder Woman, is the quintessential hero of our times. She is a strong, capable person. Noble, true, and loving. Compassionate and caring. May we all aspire to be like her in these dark, chaotic times.
Thanks for reading, my friends. If you want to keep in touch with me, please follow me on Twitter and check out my page on Facebook! Share and comment on this piece if you wish, and know that I appreciate you taking time out to read this! Peace!
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