Could have been that Fifty Shades of Grey might have presented the connection between Christian and Anastasia somehow unhealthy for women?
When analysing the relationship between the two characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, you don’t have to be a conservative to see the multitude of unhealthy situations. Any woman with a strong self esteem would see the signs of the abusive bond between Anastasia and Christian.
1. It Promotes Unhealthy Relationships
Leaving aside the good look and sex appeal of Christian Grey, do we really want a man like that in our lives? Is the relationship between him and Anastasia healthy for women or is it kind of dangerous to be involved in? If a guy used Grey’s famous “I don’t do romance” with any self-respecting woman in real life he would probably get a slap on the face, but not Anastasia. She’s sitting there all googly-eyed and submissive.
2. Anastasia Steele has no Redeeming Qualities…
Isn’t Fifty shades of Grey’s, Anastasia Steele character too much of a stereotype? She is an introverted person with low self esteem, has issues after her father left her, she seems to have only one close friend who bullies her and despite the fact of working in a hardware store she doesn’t appear to own any skills apart from cooking for her roommate and for herself.
3. …That is, of course, Until Grey Comes into her Life
Obviously, her life gains a whole new meaning once the dashing mister Grey appears into her life. Although Anastasia doesn’t seem to have any sexual identity until Christian Grey pops up and asks her to become his submissive sexual partner, she quickly goes from the innocent little virgin to this creep’s sexual ‘punching’ bag.
4. Anastasia Turns into Grey’s Human Pet
…Nobody Bats an Eyelash.
Anastasia has to sign a detailed contract and among other requirements, she has to go to the gym four times a week with a trainer provided by Christian, who has to report her progress to him. She is allowed to eat only from a list of foods that Christian supplies for her, has to sleep eight hours per night and take birth control so that Christian will not have to wear condoms.
4. Grey’s Demands are Absolute
…but her Opinions don’t seem to Matter.
She tries to negotiate a few demands, like going to the gym three times per week instead of four, but all the negotiating is within his framework and none of the demands are her’s. In fact nothing in their relationship comes from her or is controlled by her. All of these things promote the idea of the guy being in control, while the woman can do nothing but submit.
5. It Promotes the Idea that Getting Slapped Around by a Sociopath is Totally Fine
Moving on, the character of Christian Grey is a rich powerful business man who was abused in his childhood and goes to therapy. As the relationship with Anastasia develops, his controlling behavior highly impacts her life. For example, when her friend takes pictures of her for his exhibition, Christian buys them all as he doesn’t want anybody else to be looking at her.
6. Somehow, it is OK to “Belong” to Someone
… In the Sense that Your Entire Existence is Conditioned by that Someone.
She gets a job as an assistant at a publishing company and he buys the entire company just to make sure she is alright working there. When she goes out with her only friend, he flies from New York to Washington against her wishes just to express how angry he was and to control her.
When she refuses to immediately change her name at the office, he shows up unannounced at the office and starts a fight. When she asks him why was it so important for him to change her name, he responded because he wanted everyone to know she belonged to him.
So, this is how a romantic relationship should be like? Do we really want the presence of a man like this in our lives? Should women consider normal this kind of behavior?
7. Is Anastasia Seriously Nothing More than a Trophy?
…Oh wait, she’s not even that.
Going on, after exchanging the wedding vows his first words were “Finally you are mine”. This doesn’t show his love for her but his possession. Does Christian really not see Anastasia as a person, let alone an independent and strong woman? He demands her to obey him, and that’s exactly what she does. Haven’t we all passed that era when the woman lived for the man and tended to his every needs?
8. It is Reminiscent of an Era When a Woman’s Opinions Didn’t Matter
… and completely misses the point of BDSM.
When her mother asked her if she was going to travel with her wedding dress on, her response was that “Christian likes this dress, and I want to please him”. Even when it comes to their sexual interaction, she only wants to try all the kinky things in the Red Room of Pain, because she wants to demonstrate her love for him and not her own sexual pleasures and desires.
9. It’s OK to get Abused
… As long as the Dude is Rich.
She doesn’t seem to have any word on their relationship and has to accept verbal and emotional abuse from him and every time she tries to stand up to him, he makes her feel guilty and beats her down until she says she is sorry and acts submissive.
Another example, when being in the Red Room of Pain, and Anastasia uses the “safe word”, so he stops he shows his anger of her using the safe word and doesn’t seem interested at all in why she used it and what bothered her. He only cares about the things that affect him.
10. He Couldn’t Care Less About her Feelings
…But she cares even less than him.
The question that many of us maybe have asked themselves is why did Anastasia continue to stay with him and the only answer would be her low self-esteem and lack of self value. She only feels desirable when he says she is and when he insults her or talks down on her, she takes his words as the truth.
Its like her whole life and worth has been created by Christian, and she considered herself as being worth nothing before she met him. She only feels sexy when he is around and based her physical confidence is based on him. She marries him just because she wanted to prove him she was not going to leave him after he told her that the only way to prove that was by becoming his wife. Desperation shouldn’t really be the reason to marry someone.
BONUS: Grey is Portrayed as an”Alpha Male”
… Who doesn’t ‘do romance’.
Where is Sean Connery when you need him? The moment she finds out she is pregnant and tells Christian the news, he becomes angry and accuses her of doing this on purpose and storms out of the house, and disappears for hours.
So is this truly what the American culture is sexually fantasising about? Good sex but being trapped in a sick and traumatic relationship?
From the moment Random House bought the rights for the trilogy in 2012, the book has sold over worldwide in over 100 million copies. The trailer of the movie 50 Shades of Grey has been watched 250 million times. When looking at the trailer no doubt there were many people who have been counting the days until the releases of the 50 Shades of Grey movie and we can understand why. The cast has been chosen very carefully, Anastasia is played by Dakota Johnson and the very attractive and alluring Christian Grey is played by Jamie Dornan.
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