Homework 1: Legally Blonde - character, narrative and genre analysis

Legally Blonde - court room scene.

In this scene, Elle successfully wins her first case in the court room.

Characters

Heroine: Elle Woods - bubbly outgoing soroity girl.

Princess: Emmette Richmond - the young, male attorney that Elle falls in love with at Harvard.

Villain: Vivian Kensington - the posh, snobby girl who is the fiancee of Elle's ex-boyfriend. Later in the film, she and Elle become friends when Vivian is inspired by Elle and starts to be nice.

Anti-hero: Professor Callahan - originally suggested to help Elle and want only the best for her, they seem to be allies. However, he starts to flirt with Elle and make her feel upset. When the audience see his bad side, this is the same time Vivian shows her good side.

Main helper: Paulette Coolidge - is Elle's best friend while at Harvard and is her confidante. The two help each other overcome obstacles in their lives.

Donor: Professor Stromwell - donates wisdom and encouragement to make Elle feel worthy and confident, full of courage. 

 Narrative

Equilibrium:

Elle is living in a soroity house and is in a happy relationship with her boyfriend Warner. She is content with her materialistic life and is in love with Warner. She believes that soon he will ask her to marry him and this is the most important thing in her life.

Disruption:

Elle goes to dinner with Warner, believing this to be the time when he will propose. She is ready for his proposal and all the girls in her soroity believe it also. However, his life plans don't coincide with Elle's, when instead of proposing, he breaks up with her. He tells her how he is goign to Harvard Law school, and how he is expected to be extremely successful and find a sensible girl more appropriate for marraige. This break up is what causes Elle to enter Harvard Law, so that she can show Warner she is the kind of girl he needs and to win him back.

Restoration:

When Elle wins her first case, while still a student, not yet a fully qualified laywer, she shows her true intelligence and courage. She is made head-speaker at the graduation ceremony, and is in a happy relationship with Emmette. Her situtation is completely different to the beginning, she is no longer naive and ignorant, living in a soroity house, or in a relationship with Warner. She is now much more educated and experience, living in Massachusetts and in a serious relationship with Emmette.

Genre

 Legally Blonde is a romantic comedys. 

The romantic aspect is portrayed through Warner and Emmette. The whole reason for the film, the core motive for the film, for Elle applying to Harvard is for love: to win back Warner. The blossoming relationship between Elle and Emmette also portrays the romantic feature.  
The comedy aspect is prtrayed continuously throughout the films, mainly through the characters' representations. The stereotypical, soroity girl Elle at the beginning is comical and the stereotypes are exaggerated for comic reasons. The character Paulette also portrays humour throughout the film, with many of the most well-known, funny scenes including her, such as the 'bend and snap':