The Representation of Women in Relation to The Cabin in the Woods (Goddard, 2012)

1. What were Jeremy Tunstall's 4 character roles for women and do they apply to Cabin In The Woods?

Jeremy Tunstall created four character roles of women relating to how they were represented in the media. He did this by looking at existing research on gender representation in the media. The four character roles are as follows:
domestic - housewives
marital - content mothers
sexual - object not a person
consumer - eager

The most obvious role in Cabin in the Woods is the ex object. This is easily identifiable as Jules who is the dumb, slutty girl of the movie.

2. How is Dana typical of Clover's final girl theory? Please mention: the ending; Dana's appearance and her actions during the film.

Dana does follow Clover's final girl theory for a number of reasons. First of all she is ginger. This is very significant as it is very rare for a blonde to be the final girl, as they are stereo typically the slutty girls that always get killed off for their sins. Dana is not into sex and drugs, she is an innocent, hard working girl who spends a lot of time studying (as shown by her packing books to take on vacation). Another thing that stands out is how Dana thinks about what she is doing before she does it, and doesn't just ignore what is going on around her. Dana is also a victim of masculine rage, and has watched many of her friends get brutally murdered right in front of her eyes. She has suffered a lot. Finally, a big part of the final girl theory is that they fight back against the evil/killer. This, along with the other points mentioned is valid to Dana, as she gets back up after being knocked down many times, close to death, and finds a way to slow down or incapacitate the killer. An example of this is on the river bank, when she smashes the killer over the head with a pole sending him into the depths below.

3. Jules undergoes mental and physical transformations during the film, what are they and how do they cause her to become a horror archetype?

Jules had brown hair, but then she decides to dye it blonde, making her the perfect stereotype of a typical girl in a horror film. The blonde hair is iconic to the dumb, slutty girl that sleeps around and gets killed first. Also, there is a mental change that also occurs in Jules. The fumes that are released into the environment cause her hormones to go crazy, and become extremely aroused and horny.

4. Is Mulvey's Male Gaze theory exemplified in the film and if so, how? Think about framing, camera angles and POV shots.

Mulvey's male gaze theory is exemplified in the film as Jules is shown as a sexual object throughout the film, rather than a person. During the drinking scene, Jules is seen doing an erotic dance over the fireplace. This is what males want to see in the film as it is making horror films sexy, and more watchable. Camera angles play a part in the male gaze theory. In this scene a low camera angle is used, so you look up to the sexual object and see her from an attractive angle, and also gives a nice view of her behind. Point of view (POV) shot is also used in this scene, as it's as if we as the viewer are sitting on the sofa watching Jules perform her erotic dance.

5. In the film we, as an audience, are made to be voyeurs; when does this happen and why is it important in regards to representation of character?


During the film we as the audience are made to be voyeurs. This is apparent during the scene where Holden discovers that the mirror shows what is on the other side (the next room) on one side of it. He removes the picture off of the wall and sees Dana beginning to get undressed. Now as this is happening, we are in the same situation as Holden, and feel the sexual tension and arousal as she begins to undress. It's as if we are made to be Holden for this scene. What this says about character types is that Dana is not outgoing, and is very shy compared to Jules, as she is horrified to learn that the mirror has exposed her body. It also says that Holden is not a jerk, and has morals compared to the typical alpha male.


6. (Briefly) summarize the way women are represented in The Cabin in the Woods. Are they objectified and there to provide satisfaction for heterosexual males and/or do they fulfill another role/purpose?

On the whole, women are represented in two very different ways. On on end the typical sexual object to satisfy heterosexual males is amplified by Jules, being a typical blonde, sexy girl, with an appealing body. However, on the opposite end Dana is not seen as a sexual object at all. She is seen as the good, innocent virgin. She fulfills the hero character role.