AS IF

Considering Halloween is around the corner and I have 90’s pop culture ideas running through my head, naturally the movie, “Clueless,” hit me as a good example for a media product that represents Rayner’s elements of the narrative. The movie uses mode of address, conflict, and the process of equilibrium-disequilibrium-new equilibrium within its duration. The movie begins with scenes of friends and music lyrics that suggest being “young, free and alright,”and shows Cher driving around in her AWESOME white Jeep Wrangler (who else wanted dreamed of having one of those after seeing this movie? Well, until the new model of the Volkswagen Bug came out of course). This scene of harmony is what Rayner would call, the stage of “equilibrium” within a narrative context.

http://liebchen11.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/clueless.jpg

While watching Cher drive around in her sweet ride, we listen to her fill us in and give us intimate details on her life story. This, Rayner says, is the “mode of address” portion of a narrative.

Thirty or so minutes into the movie we meet the Tai, the hopeless character in DIRE need for a makeover (PROJECT). Tai is made over by Cher and Dionne to become just like them. In the process, Tai falls in love with Josh (Cher’s stepbrother). Insert conflict and disequilibrium.

Cher becomes jealous (anyone else think it’s weird that she likes her STEPBROTHER?) and Tai goes from being Cher’s best new accessory to her number one enemy. Tai becomes the evil force behind this conflict and disequilibrium that Rayner suggests is a major part of a formulaic narrative.

After mopping around and trying to relieve herself by shopping (duh), Cher realizes her love for Josh (still creepy) and decides to declare this and win him back.

In the end, Cher and Josh end up together at Miss Geist and Mr. Hall’s wedding where Cher catches the bouquet and kisses josh and the order is restored (new equilibrium).