Iron Jawed Angels Movie Analysis

A. SELECT AND DESCRIBE 5 CHARACTERS

1. Inez Milholland Boissevain
Inez is a socialite, born from a wealthy family. She believes that women, deserved to be treated
like how men are treated during their time. Her father, influenced her to be an activist and a
fighter for women equality because her father also support the same cause. That could be liked
to how much she believes that gender equality should be allowed.
“Mr. President, How long must women wait for liberty?"
2. Alice Paul

She was a member of the women’s political. She joined National women’s Party to fight for
women’s rights. She was arrested several times. While she was imprisoned, she participated in
hunger strike and she was being forced fed. For her, she chooses to forego a relationship with
Weissman in order to devote herself completely to the suffrage cause. She Is motivated by the
vision she has always have: freedom of women. Her mother was an outspoken person, and she
became one as well.

"When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row.

3. Ben Weissman

He works as an editorial cartoonist. He joins in on the fight for suffrage because he is interested
to Alice Paul. His purpose in the movie to show the personal side of Alice Paul. He is an obstacle,
a complication that she has to get over. Moreover, he has been driven by his attraction and
curiosity to the suffragists’ cause.

“What will women do with their vote, reform politics?”

4. Tom Leighton

When Senator Tom Leighton found out that his wife donates in the National Women’s Party, he
cuts off the allowance of his wife because he is against suffrage for women. He was born and
raised to a kind of world where men are superior that women. It has been that way since he was
young and changing it is a big mistake for him. But when he saw his wife is in a withered state,
his love for her cause him to have a change of heart.

Senator Leighton: And how are you going to stop me? Can you afford an attorney?

Emily Leighton: An attorney? To prove what? That I'm their mother? What will your judge say?
That this is your house and your children? What am I to you, Tom, in your house? Chattel? This is
how you punish me? I am their mother! They are not your children to take!
5. Emily Leighton

She is Tom Leighton’s wife. Before she joined the suffragists, she was a very timid house wife.
She most often do not voice out her opinions and whenever she has to make a decision, her
husband has to have a say for it first. Analyzing this, he character portrays that women at that
time in general. She is used to being a simple housewife, so she tried to stay one. But She then
realized that amendments shall be made, for the future of her children and for the betterment
of her country. Even if her husband objects for her increasing involvement with the National
Women’s Party, she sticks on her decision and she walks out on him.

“They are the only reason I am here.” (Pertaining to her children)

B. 10 MATERIAL CULTURES
1. Red roses of the opposing senators
o The red roses symbolizes a “NO” vote whereas the yellow symbolizes a “YES”.
o The men who voted a no doesn’t want change. They think that gender equality is an
unimportant issue. This represents the thinking of most people during that time.
2. White horse of Inez Milholland Boissevain
o It symbolizes freedom and bravery. Inez is a free woman. She knows what she wants and
know what she has to do. She is a brave person, leading a march that many people
opposes. Just like a stallion, she is courageous.
3. Coin of Lucy burns
o In the start of the film, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns tossed a coin to decide who would get
the Hat. It symbolizes the risks they have to take, in order to get what they want. They
knew they’ll be persecuted, but still, they stood to what they believed in. Just like in a toss
coin, you take a chance, and see where it’ll get you.
4. Eye Glasses of Mabel Vernon
o It symbolizes intelligence. Not only is it that women are very resilient, they are also
intelligent. To relate it to Mabel Vernon, Mabel Vernon is a college degree holder and a
teacher before she joined the suffrages. She is a very intelligent person.

5. Clothes of Rose Winslow

o Rose Winslow is a poor foreign immigrant. She started working in a factory when she was
11 years of age. Her clothes, tattered and unclean at times, symbolizes the hardships
women face.
6. Ben Weismann’s Canvas
 o His canvas, represents his ideas and creativity. Being the cartoonist of Washington post,
he is a very talented person. He could express his feeling more when his hands work on a
canvas.
7. Harry Burn’s yellow rose
o If red is a “no”, then yellow is a yes. His yellow rose symbolizes the division of the male
population that supports gender equality and hope. Harry Burns broke the tie during the
voting, which gave the suffrages hope.
8. Feeding tube of Alice Paul
o This symbolizes the desperation of the government to keep or stick to the societal norms.
They do not want people to know what Alice has been doing: having a hunger strike. They
knew that people will give her sympathy that later join her cause. The immoral way of
force feeding her symbolizes the unruly government.
9. Graduates’ graduation gowns
o This symbolizes the achievements and contributions that the female college graduates
give to their country. They are as smart and as useful as the male population, and wearing
them in the parade is one way of them saying that “we’re all college degree holders, why
not let us vote?”
10. The Suffragist
o This is their official publication which symbolizes their cry for freedom. Women who are
concerned of their future, write and express what they had to say in order for people to
be aware of the current situation.

C. CULTURES
 Dominant Cultures
1. Gender Culture – manifested by the fine division of male and female privileges in the
society.
2. Political Culture – manifested by the legislators and senators; they set the standards on
how politicians should govern, how they should address the issue. They manifested it by
voting.
3. Legal Culture – manifested by the government as a whole, mostly the president. The
president used his power to prosecute the suffrages and have them arrested on an
account of crimes that they did not commit.

 Subcultures
1. Posh Culture – Manifested by the social gathering the people attend to. They wear their
most elegant clothing and they possess an elegant flair.
 2. American Political Culture – As manifested by the leaders of the United States of
America. It took them a long time to accept the petition of women for freedom, unlike
the German Political Culture that lets females vote during that time.
3. Jazz culture – Manifested by the frequent meetings of Weissman and Paul in a Jazz Bar.
They enjoy jazz music more than any other genre.

 Countercultures
1. Feminist Culture - manifested by the suffrages; they fight for their rights as a citizen and
as a human being who is indeed equal to the male population.
2. Anarchist Culture – manifested by the feelings of the suffrages, especially when they
were imprisoned. They fought for their freedom because they knew that they were right.
3. Oppressive Culture – manifested by the majority of the people throughout the film.
They do not want to change what they already have, and they are ready to hurt people
for it.

D. UTILIZING CONFLICT THEORY

The dynamics that causes and change and development in the film are when the women
fight for their rights to vote. The women want a change in the society because they believe to
their abilities that they can also be part of the government. They believe that they can also do
what other men can do and they can suggest some ideas that will improve the society. They are
promoting these changes because they want to fight for what are they rights.
Those men that have a position in government rejects the change because they do not
trust the abilities if women, their pride and they are not accepting for having an equal rights in
elections.

E. POST MODERN PERSPECTIVE: SUMMARY

Alice Paul dreams of equality, dreams of a place where women and their beliefs and skills
are much needed and appreciated. They do not want to stay as a “shadow population”, what
they wanted is a new perspective and a new law that would them feel like they really are a vital
part of their nation. Not only for themselves but also for their families and the future generation.
Together with her friends with the same vision, they entered a fight that will change their lives
forever.
They formed a separate group because the National American Women's Suffrage Association
do not want to support them because they do not want to fight the president. But the suffrages
with Alice Paul wanted change. They wanted freedom and they want it now. They organized a
parade during the president’s inauguration, which lead to a disaster. But their determination did
not die, they continued to spread the word. The continued to fight for their rights. Inez died
fighting for freedom. They went to jail because they wanted change. Even after the president
announced a martial law, making their protests a bad thing, they continued to do it. With their
determination and hunger for reforms they succeeded.
F. SELECTION OF CHARACTER IN THE FILM
Jalyssa Alano:
I think I am parallel to Emily Leighton because as a wife she really did mentioned herself
as a wife to her husband and mother to her children. She knows her rights and she stood for it
and that's why I chose her. I will also stand for what I believe I can do and not being manipulated
by other people even if he's my husband or relative. I stand for what is right, no biases.

The character who is anti-thesis to my own self is Ben Weissman because he will only
cause problems to the future. It will be hard to achieve what you want if there are people like
him who will only slow you down or hinder you from doing it.

Chelsie Manipis:
When I watched the movie Iron Jawed Angels, I like the character of Alice Paul for being
a brave leader but I think I am more parallel to the character of Emily Leighton because even if
her husband is a senator, she still chose to support the women’s party for the women’s rights. As
a mother, she also thinks about the future of her children especially her daughter. She also stick
to her decision in cooperating for fighting for the women’s rights even if her husband is against
for women’s suffrage and she is ready to face the consequences of it even if she will be in
imprisoned and leaving her family.
For me, the character who is anti-thesis for my own self is Tom Leighton because for him,
his position is more important than his wife in the beginning. He always thinks that he is right
and he never listens to what his wife’s opinion because of his pride.

Monique San Lorenzo:

The character that struck me the most is Inez Milholland Boissevain. Mostly because I
feel like we are parallel in many ways. She is someone who do not give up or back down when
she believes something is right, when something is needed to be changed and when she knew
that she could do something about it. Even though her health is slowly deteriorating, she still
stick to what she believes in and kept her promise to her friend, Alice Paul. The promise of
helping her fight for freedom. And well, she did. Till her last breath. But her death did not go to
vain. All their efforts are being felt by women around the word. (well mostly)
In my opinion, the anti-thesis for my own self is President Woodrow Wilson. I know
deep Down he knew that the suffrages were right, but he stood to what the people want. Also,
even if he knows getting the suffrages in prison is not ethically correct because he is abusing his
power, he still did it. He only let the bill be passed because people knew what he was doing. In
a nutshell, He is in contrast to what I believe in.