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Title Page

  • Thesis title: Like a Lesbian: The Representation of Female Desire and Agency in the Film Fantasies of Heavenly Creatures

  • Author: Sharon Marie Ross, B.A.

  • Year: 1997

  • Institution: The Ohio State University

  • Master's Examination Committee: Dr. Judith Mayne, Adviser; Dr. Linda Mizejewski

Abstract

  • Focus on lesbian representation, female desire, and agency in film, particularly in Heavenly Creatures by Peter Jackson.

  • Exploration through feminist film theory and fantasy in cinema, examining fantasy sequences in the film.

  • Highlights the challenges of representing female desire and how it intertwines with the reality of women's lives in a patriarchal society.

  • Discusses how oppression manifests through gender norms and boundaries, reflected in the film's fantasy versus reality.

Dedication

  • Dedicated to influential women who write against conventional norms.

Acknowledgments

  • Thanks to adviser Dr. Judith Mayne for support; Dr. Linda Mizejewski for suggestions; Women's Studies faculty for guidance; class members and office staff for support during the process.

Vita

  • Personal information and educational background of Sharon Marie Ross.

Table of Contents

  • Chapters outlining topics such as Female Solidarity, Strategies of Split Subjecthood, Mad Sexuality, and the culmination of events leading to the murder within the narrative.

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Discussion of Wilgefortis as a symbol of female resistance and comparison to Peter Jackson’s filmmaking.

  • Examines societal perceptions of female sexuality and monstrosity in historical context.

Chapter 2: Female Solidarity and Spirituality

  • The bond between Pauline and Juliet, illustrating themes of loyalty and devotion.

  • Description of fantasy sequences that parallel their real-life struggles and societal pressures based on class and gender.

Chapter 3: Strategies and Fantasies of Split Subjecthood

  • Examination of female identity and agency in the context of societal expectations.

  • Analysis of the character development and the symbolic significance of their fantasy creations.

Chapter 4: Strategies for Resisting Symbolic Annihilation

  • Exploration of the clash between oppressive patriarchal institutions and the girls' friendship.

  • Delves into parental influences and societal expectations that impact Pauline and Juliet's lives.

Chapter 5: Mad Sexuality: