Flipped: Willpower and Resolution of The Heroine

Flipped is a 2010 American romantic-comedy drama film directed by Rob Reiner and based on Wendelin Van Draaven’s novel which was published on 2001. It tells a love story between the adolescent boy, Bryce Loski and girl, Juli Baker who have known each other since childhood.Although the story is about love, the characteristic of the female protagonist exudes a unique and strong personality charm, becomes a major highlight in representing female power.

The film starts with a sunny day when second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet. The moment Julisaw Bryce eyes, she falls in love. He does not return her love and continuously avoiding her. She follows him throughout their childhood years.Juli has never been able to get Bryce from her mind. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that hedoes not like to be around her. During their eight grade year, Juli overheard a conversation that involved Bryce in which he and his friend joke about her family. And also, Bryce has been throwing out the eggs Juli offered to his family which she find disrespectful and cruel. An ironic flip takes place at point whereby the more Juli ignores Bryce, the interested in her he becomes. Bryce now sees Juli’s intelligence and admires her spirit.

The story restores a pure love story in a fantastic pastoral style in the 20th century; it brings the audience a sense of nostalgic growth memory. From the movie, the background is in the 20th century, the early 60s, this period is the Feminist movement, the second wave. Through describing what exactly happened in the early 1960s, the author input some symbolized feature into Juli, the awakening of women’s feminine consciousness in the United States was fully reflected in characteristics represented by Juli.

The heroine surely knows what she likes and she wants. In the line “The first day I met Bryce Loski, I flipped.” She falls in love with Bryce and she takes action on what she feels. In face of the friendship and love, she is brave and dares to speak out her love and reveal her heart.When she was disappointed, she chooses to depend on herself and leave without hesitation. She knows how to love and when to leave which shows female power. Her taking initiative to pursue her love is a symbol of awakening of women’s consciousness and her abandonment at her unrequited loverepresents her independence and wisdom.

The character of Juli is tenacious and a fighter. She has the willpower to protect what she admired. When workers show up to cut down an old Sycamore tree which she loves, she climbs the tree and refuses to leave until fire and police arrived. She remained at the top of the tree even though her classmates including Bryce just ignored her. Her endeavor to prevent the tree from being cut down shows her spirit and resistance.

In the part of the story where Bryce and his family degraded the family of Juli basing on its structure and design. When made aware of the forlorn state of her family’s unkempt rental property, she has the resolution to defend her dignity and her family. She spends weeks transforming their front yard into a well-cleaned and worthy house.

In conclusion, the film tells a story about the love story of the two adolescents and many points the characteristic of the heroine in the story shows female power. The film is analyzed through the perspective of feminism. That is shown in the parts where the heroine clearly wants what she want, her willpower to protect what her beliefs and her resolution to defend her dignity and her family in her own hands.