More Thoughts on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Was the brutality of the film meant to teach us? Is the aesthetic of "the girl" poignant or insulting?

I initially posted When Rated “R” Isn’t Enough, onto a public forum and received several responses. One of the commenters was a friend of mine. He stated that he felt it insulting that in order for the character of Lisbeth to be understood by public audiences as insane; she was presented with tattoos, piercings and dark clothing. Or, “Hot Topic gear” as he put it. He believed that Lisbeth’s appearance unfairly served as an explanation as to why she had problems. Her appearance was meant to separate her from those who are considered normal. He went on to say that he believed the problems she endures are not rarities and her character would be interesting enough, without the dark and mysterious aesthetic.

When I was watching the film in the theater, all of the concerns he mentioned were actually worming away in my head. When I later read his response to my blog post, it didn’t surprise me that someone from my generation -- my tribe, would have similar musings. If you're not considered mainstream, or at the very least you were not at one time; most likely you will see a character like Lisbeth and know that she’s not “weird”, but familiar.  

When I was in high school and college I wore dark clothing and bright colored hair. I didn’t think that I was aesthetically “different” because I knew there were many out there like me. What I was doing wasn’t fresh and new and if there was anything special and unique about me it wasn’t my clothing. I bought what I liked, I wore what I liked. The end.

My issues of depression and traumatizing issues with family didn’t make me unique either. I had those issues before I started dying my hair magenta.

I explained to my friend that although he and I shared the same concerns, I was able to look at the film in a different way. Lisbeth does not represent the typical heroine. I find her to be quite pretty and she is certainly not a woman whom you’d fine walking a red carpet, or modeling on a runway. She’s an non-conventional beauty. And although she is a heroine, she is not a typical heroine. She has emotional issues that go beyond what we usually see and because of her issues she is not completely idolized. I think this is a good thing. I don’t need my heroes and heroines to be perfect. Yes she kicks ass, but she’s vulnerable as well. She is resilient, yet awkward. She's brilliant, yet guarded. She's determined, yet struggling to keep her head above water. She's marching forward, yet she is weathered.

There is a lot of nudity in the film and a lot of sex. Some consensual and some not. Although, I can always do without nudity in films, it was a bit refreshing to see a woman of her “type” considered attractive and interesting. Again she’s not the typical bombshell we are used to seeing and I love that. 

The consensual sex in the film is incredibly vivid. There is no holding back. Most of the nudity belongs to Lisbeth. That’s not a shocker as it is often a woman’s nudity that is emphasized on screen.

There is also no holding back when it comes to the rape scenes. I have never seen rape like this on film. Or rather, I had never seen rape like this as I was hiding behind my knees and clenching my vaginal muscles.

As I was peeking through my knees I remember wanting to immediately know what was going on through the writers’ heads when they planned this out. I hadn’t read the book, but asked others who had, after I had seen the film. They informed me that the books are equally as violent. I did some digging and learned some things about the late author Steig Larsson.  

It seems that as a boy, Larsson had witnessed a gang rape and did not intervene. According to ABC news, he had asked the girl to forgive him but she refused. Her name was Lisbeth and that of course is the main character of the film.

Larson also wrote two follow up books entitled, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. Both books feature Lisbeth as the central character. The trilogy is known as The Millennium Trilogy. The witnessed rape had a deep effect on him and ultimately influenced his novels. 

Larsson was definitely a man of conscience and morality. He was a feminist and a political activist. According to the easy breezy access of Wikipedia, Larsson was politically involved with the Kommunistiska Arbetareförbundet (Communist Workers League). In 1977 He worked as a photographer and journalist for various political publications. He also conducted independent research of right-wing extremism in Sweden. Larsson died in 2004 of a heart attack. He was 50 years old. 

Larsson’s stories are interesting ways to spread awareness. We are not just witnessing a rape on screen but we are witnessing something that happens every day. In other words, this is not an isolated event that disappears once the scene has passed. It’s easier to be a voyeur than to admit that this is a real problem. It’s easier to ignore the fact that rape occurs as frequently as it does. After all, who wants to think about rape? It’s not fun. It’s a downer; it’s exhausting; it can damper one’s day. But know that those who have been raped are thinking about it and it is putting a damper on their LIVES. 

Chances are you know a rape victim. If you don’t, you certainly know women who understand the importance of caution. Men, certainly need to be cautious in their own lives but not in the same way that women do.

When I'm at a party I find myself checking my surroundings for the simple joy of observation, but I also do it for safety precaution. If I'm drinking something, I keep my drink in my hands at all times. Luckily, I don't drink alcohol, so I don't need to worry myself about assuring myself of a designated driver. I always check the backseat of my car before I enter it. I watch for shadows behind me when I walk at night, and if I can, I walk with others. I catch myself scanning an area to make sure that other women have people around them as well.
 
Safety is always a concern and I don't think that men always have safety on their minds. Men are not bad people but rapists are; and rapist are almost always men.

In the film Lisbeth gets the ultimate revenge against her rapist. It’s brutal, it’s grotesque and in many ways clever. I did not enjoy this scene either. I again was hiding behind my knees as the scene unfolded. I’m sure many were rooting her on but I’m not a fan of violence unless it is out of self defense. This act of revenge occurred much later, after Lisbeth’s rape. I imagine though, if I were raped I would want my rapist to understand the pain he caused. And of course, no amount of revenge could truly convey what his actions had done or how they would affect my future.

I think there are many reasons as to why the books are so popular and why this film is getting attention. No doubt, word of the violence within this film has gotten around. I think the violence may be a draw for some people. I think people want to know just how violent, violent can be. I also, think that violence intrigues people on a level that humor and romance do not. Violence is all around us, and yet some crave more of it. Some of us want to see how creative and artful violence can be depicted on screen and some just want their fill of shooting, stabbing, and killing.  
 
I hope that Larsson’s attempts to wisen us all up aren’t lost on audiences. It took me a while to absorb what was happening on screen. I walked to my car and spoke to my companion about the film. When I was on my own I continued to think about the film. 
 
I tried to get a handle on the importance of the rape scenes. Rape is never positive and I would imagine that a thinking novelist would not want to glorify rape and nor would movie makers who are bringing someone else’s work to life. I didn’t know what the script writers meant to capture and I had hoped that they understood as I did, that the rape revealed a sickness within our world that needs to be dealt with. That is part of the reason why I rushed to a computer to do some research about the film, the book and the author. 
 
Not everyone is going to do the same, so what others are left with is what is on screen. The film should speak for itself, without the use of the internet for backup. So, I cannot predict what others will get from the film. I am particularly interested in what men think of the film. I don’t know how men react when they watch sexual violence. I don’t know if some cringe as many of us ladies do, I don’t know if they feel sadness or anger. I don’t know if they feel that rape is an issue that needs addressing.  
 
I’ve spoken with a few male friends, but the men in my life are a small number compared to the larger population. Rape is not just a women’s issue. That is what I am stressing. 
 
I am considering reading one of Larsson’s books from The Millennium Trilogy. I find myself curious as to how Larsson continues to build upon the story of Lisbeth. I am curious if the issue of rape continues to be presented in ways that will educate others. Others have warned me that violence exists within the other novels and I really don’t know if I’ll put myself through that. I am curious though; but sometimes curiosity kills the cat.