Let's
contrive a very unlikely example. Ethan sees that Emma is very
beautiful. Finding that the object of her affection is the President
of the Chess club, Ethan joins the Chess club, reads Kasparov,
competes like a demon, and wins the county Chess King tournament.
His over-awed peers elect him President of the Chess Club. Emma,
being predictable, because this is just an example, succumbs to his
advances and we have Nirvana – Boy gets Girl. I know we are all
laughing, but this is the stylized result that Ethan envisions. The
point we all miss is that the kiss at the end of the movie is only
the start of the relationship. Up to this point, Ethan had a
goal: Become President of the Chess Club/Win Emma's affections.
Consider
Ethan's situation first: Victorious though he may be, he is
automatically insecure. Even in this ideal world, he is not going to
become World Chess King. Worse yet, he doesn't WANT to. He
finds that Emma is in love with someone he is not, and as beautiful
as Emma is, he discovers that he is not in love with who she is. She
has become a trophy. He loses county Chess King next time around,
and Emma discovers that he is mortally fallible.
And
what of Emma's part? She cannot believe that she has been “deceived”
by a man who claims to be a Chess Champion, but all he ever really
wanted to be was a Vet! It is academic who dumps who.
Consider
what opinions of the opposite sex have been re-enforced. Ethan has
“learned” that there is no point changing to please a girl. He
has “learned” that “All Girls” don't love you for who you
are. Emma has “learned” “All Men” will do anything as long
as they are in pursuit, but don't really want to be “in a
relationship.” Furthermore, “All Men” want her only for her
looks.
This
would be bad enough if Ethan and Emma met their ideal mate the very
next time they ventured “out there.” BUT when Cameron shows up
to try and win Emma's affections, he has a very negative stereotype
to overcome. Neither is Ethan particularly kind to Harper. Harper
loves animals, and thinks Vets are the unsung heroes of the New
Millennium. Ethan thinks it's an act, and is skeptical. Harper
feels like he doesn't trust her, and therefore doesn't love her.
Harper finally concludes that he is more in love with her looks than
her character and although he really thinks she's prettier than Emma,
it ends up not mattering.
The
point is this: Preconceptions are self fulfilling. Multiply this
out by many years, and factor in that relationships are less
commonplace than Untested Crushes, (these last remaining unchallenged
by reality,) and it is a marvel that Cross-Gender relations,
(admittedly bad,) are not worse to than they actually are.
Recapitulating,
we recall that Ethan modified his identity to obtain Emma's
affections.
