The Problem with the Final Girl Trope
When a person thinks back to the golden age of the slasher sub genre in mainstream pop culture in the 1970s and ‘80s, a particular image comes to mind; masked killers hell-bent on revenge and “Final Girls” that stop their reign of terror. The trope of the “Final Girl” is deeply rooted in misogyny, as they are typically distinguished by their innocence and virginity. Anyone else who didn't fit this stereotype, essentially a polar opposite to the protagonist, is eliminated. Although this may seem like a feminist concept, it is incredibly outdated as it plays into the traditional notion that a women has to be pure to be worth saving.
Since the 1970s and 1980s, the final girl has certainly evolved. This is evident in Wes Craven’s 1996 horror classic Scream, with the new and improved Final Girl, Sydney Prescott. Although Sydney is not seen as “pure”, she is multi-faceted, resourceful, and defeats the killer in the end. This modern take of the Final Girl gives us hope for the inevitable resurgence of slasher films that has been seen in the last few years, as we hope to see a more feminist take on the Final Girl.
In an essay on the character, The "Final Girl" horror trope is rooted in misogyny, needs to be examined, Grace Pullman writes, “[the] Final Girl is the gold standard, the role model for the impressionable female viewer.” This damaging character has an integral effect on young women everywhere, as this depiction of what makes a woman worth saving is deeply rooted in misogyny.
Hope is not lost for the classic Final Girl. The modern-take on Final Girls gives them a much more visceral personality that can make a positive impact on young female viewers. The problem with the Final Girl trope is not yet solved, but is slowly getting better.
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