The Good Wife
RachelCraig FeministJurisprudenceDraft1 November7th2012 ACriticalAnalysisofTheGoodWife ThefollowingwaswritteninNovemberof2012.TheGoodWifeis currentlyinitsfourthseason.Thispaperisbasedonthecharacterand eventsthattakeplacefromthewhenseriesbeganin2009until November7,2012. “Now,giventhatyouareawomanlawyer,areyoufeelingalittle schizoid?”1 ‐CatharineMacKinnon I. IntroductionandPurpose EverySundayeveningat9p.m.,anestimated9.54millionviewerstuneinto CBS’slegaldramaTheGoodWife.2TheshowportraysChicagopolitics,ahumiliating sexscandal,andapowerfullawfirmhandlingdramaticandcompellingcaseseach week.Theseriesalsoregularlyconfrontsissueslikesexism,racialdiscrimination 1CatharineMacKinnon,OnExceptionality:WomenasWomeninLaw,inFeminism Unmodified:DiscoursesonLifeandLaw75(1987) 2http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/10/29/tv‐ratings‐sunday‐football‐ beats‐world‐series‐once‐upon‐a‐time‐up‐revenge‐the‐amazing‐race‐the‐ mentalistthe‐good‐wife‐down/155003/(lastaccessedonNovember7,2011) 1 andsexualorientationeachweek.3Televisionandlawhasalwayshadalively relationship;legaldramashavebeenafixtureoneachnetworksincethe1950s4. Theinfluenceoftelevisiononthepublic’sperceptionoflawyerscannotbeprecisely measured,butthepervasivenessoftelevisioninAmericancultureisundeniable.5 99%ofallAmericanhouseholdspossessatleastonetelevision,and6Americans watcharound250billionhoursoftelevisionperyear.7Televisionisapowerful socializingagent;mediaanalystGeorgeGerbnerhascalledtelevision“thenew religion.”8Televisioncanformpublicopinion,anditcanalsovalidatepre‐existing 3SeeTheGoodWife(CBSbroadcast,2009‐Present)Forexample,oneofthemain charactersisbisexualandsemi‐closeted,thetitlecharacter’ssondatesanAfrican‐ Americangirlandmakeshisgrandmotheruncomfortableandcritical,oneofthe femalelawyersistoldbyajudgethatsheisnotallowedtowearpantsinhis courtroometc… 4Stark,SteveD.42 U. Miami L. Rev 231 (1987‐1988) Perry Mason Meets Sonny Crockett: The History of Lawyers and the Police as Television Heroes, 231. 5http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html 6Id. 7Id. 8GeorgeGerbner,TheDynamicsofCulturalResistance,inHearthHome:Imagesof WomenintheMassMedia,47. 2 publicattitudesandperceptions.9Thispaperseekstocriticallyexaminethe portrayaloffemalelawyersontheshowTheGoodWifethroughthelensofthird‐ wavefeminism,andinparticular,theconceptofintersectionality.Thegoalofthis paperistoexaminewhatTheGoodWifeportraystothepublic,andifTheGoodWife accuratelyreflectsthegeneralperceptionoffemalelawyersintheAmericanpublic. Thispaperalsoseeksandsuggestswaystoincorporatemoreintersectionalityand awarenesstoTheGoodWifeandtelevisionshowslikeTheGoodWife. II. Third‐WaveFeminismandIntersectionality Itisdifficulttolabelexactlywhatthirdwavefeminismis,sinceitisstillan emergingoutlook.Thirdwavefeminismis,inmanyways,abacklashagainst perceivedlimitationsandfailuresofsecondwavefeminism.10Thethird‐wave avoidsessentialistdefinitionsofwhatwomenare,andwhatisgoodforallwomen. Thethirdwavealsoembraceshavingconflictingidentitiesandinclusivenessforall typesofsexualorientation,economicclassandrace.Thispaperwillfocusonthe “inclusiveness”aspectofthird‐wavefeminism,termed“intersectionality.” Intersectionalitybeganasacriticismofsecond‐wavefeminism,whichthird‐wave 9Cling,OnCameraSexDiscimination:ADisparateImpactSuitagainsttheTV NetworksandMajorStudios,4Law&Inequality509,511(1986) 10Heywood, Leslie L., ed. 2006a. The Women’s Movement Today: An Encyclopedia of Third‐Wave Feminism, vol. 1, A–Z. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 3 feministsperceivedasbasedsolelyontheexperiencesofupper‐classwhitewomen, andignoredmarginalizedwomenlikethepoororwomenofcolor.11Sincemedia hasbeenidentifiedbymanythird‐wavetextsasoneoftheprimarymethodsthatthe third‐wavemovementraisesculturalconsciousnessandhowthethird‐wave examinesandmeasurespopularculture,itseemsappropriatetosurveytelevision showsthatfeaturefeministdialoguethroughthecriticismsofthethird‐wave ideals.12 III. UnderrepresentationofRace TheGoodWifeexhibitsamajorgapofrepresentationofrace.Accordingto TheAssociationforLegalCareerProfessionals(NALP),in2010,17.6%ofall associatesinlawfirmsinChicagowereofaminoritybackground,and9.8%ofall associateswereminoritywomen.135.97%ofallminoritylawyerswerefirm 11R.ClaireSnyder,WhatisThird‐WaveFeminism?ANewDirectionsEssay,The University of Chicago Press http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/588436 (last accessed Nov 7 2012) 12Toward A Third‐Wave Feminist Legal Theory: Young Women, Pornography and the Praxis of Pleasure, 14 Mich. J. Gender & L. 99, 125 (2007). 13 A Closer Look at NALP Findings on Women and Minorities in Law Firms by Race and Ethnicity, http://www.nalp.org/jan2011wom_min#table1 (last accessed November 7th 2012) 4 partners,and1.96%offemaleminoritylawyerswerefirmpartners.14However, infourseasonsand77episodes,theshowhasfeaturedonlytwoblacklawyers employedatthelawfirm,andneitherofthemappearsregularly.15Noneofthe lawyerswhoworkatthefictitiouslawfirmthattheseriesiscenteredaroundare minoritywomen.16Veryfewminorcharactersofcolorappearirregularlyinthe series,buttherearenomaincharactersthatarelawyersatthefirm.17Thereisa maincharacterthatplaysaninvestigatoratthefirmwhoisafemaleminority, butsheisnotalawyer.18 ThelackofracialdiversityshowninTheGoodWifeismisleading;Chicagois anethnicallydiversecity,andwhilethenumberofminoritywomenwhoare attorneysinChicagoisnothigh,itisnotrealisticthatalargefirmwouldhaveno minoritymenorwomenlawyersemployed.19ItalsodoesTheGoodWife’s 14 Id. 15 See The Good wife, generally (Michael Ealy, playing Derrick Bond, appeared in 12 episodes and is no longer part of the series, and Michael Boatman who plays Julius Cain has appeared in 15 episodes.) 16 See The Good Wife, generally 17 Id. 18 Kalinda Sharma, played by Archie Panjabi, is a key character, however, she is not an attorney, and this paper is focused on the portrayal of the legal professionals on the show. 19 NALP numbers 5 feministdiscourseadisservicebyeliminatingnon‐whitewomen’sviewpoints andnarrativesontheirexperiencesinthelegalprofession.Adiversityof viewpointsbasedonwomen’sraceisanimportantpreceptinthird‐wave feminism,andisoneofthewaysthethird‐wavemovementtriestodistinguish itselffromsecondwavefeminism.20 ThislackofdiversitylendsitselftothecriticismthatwhileTheGoodWife doesconfrontissueslikesexismandracisminitsplot,itsnarrativeisalways basedonhowawhite,upperclasswoman’sexperiencesgenderandrace.This lackofintersectionalityisoneofthecentralcriticismsofsecond‐wavefeminism thatthethird‐wavepointsout.Completelackofrepresentationisproblematic notonlybecauseitissimplynotrealisticanderroneouslyportraystothepublic thatminoritiesarenotusuallylawyers,butbecauseitdiminishesthevalueof anyfeministorgenderdiscoursetheshowtackles.Thethird‐waveresiststhe exclusionofdiverseethnicbackgroundsbecausethevoicesofallwomendonot soundthesame.TheGoodWifesetsupitsfeministdialoguefromanexclusively whitestandpoint‐creatingonevoiceforwomenontheshowthatisculturally homogenous. Heywood, Leslie L., ed. 2006a. The Women’s Movement Today: An Encyclopedia of 20 Third‐Wave Feminism, vol. 1, A–Z. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 6 IV. Alicia’sPathwaytoaLegalCareer AliciaFlorrick,thetitular“GoodWife,”graduatedfromGeorgetownLaw School,alongwithherhusbandPeterFlorrick.Shechoosesto“optout”ofthe workforce21andstayathomewithherandPeter’stwochildren,ZackandGrace. InthefirstseasonofTheGoodWife,Aliciamustworktosupportherfamily becauseherhusband,theState’sAttorneyofCookCounty,hasbeenimprisoned oncorruptioncharges.22Heisaccusedofusingcountymoneytopaya prostitute,andfordecliningtoprosecutecasesbasedonhisassociationwiththis prostitute.AliciastartsatthelawfirmofStern,Lockhart&Gardnerasafirst‐ yearassociateinthelitigationdepartment.23Aliciastartsatthebottomrungof theworkladderasanewhire,surroundedbymuchyoungerpeers,likeCary Agos,ayoungmanwhoisfreshfromlawschool.24 Alicia’sprofessionallifefulfillsherandexcitesherrightaway.Theshow portraysherre‐foundpassionforthelawasAlicia’schiefliberationfromher roleas“TheGoodWife.”AsPeter’s“goodwife”Aliciastoicallyenduresthe Mainiero, LA and SE Sullivan. “Kaleidoscope Careers: An Alternate Explanation for the 21 ‘Opt‐ Out’ Revolution” Academy of Management Executive 19.1: 106‐123 Social Sciences Citation Index, Web (last accessed November 7th, 2012) 22 See Season 1 of Good wife, generally 23 Id. 24 Id. 7 humiliationofherhusband’ssexscandal,andthehardshiphisincarceration worksagainstherfamily.Theopeningshotsoftheseriesincludehersilently standingbyPeter’ssideasheholdsapressconferenceexplaininghowhis “indiscretions”havecausedhisfamilypainandhispersonalregretsabouthis mistakes25 Theimageisfamiliar.TheGoodWifeislooselybasedontheprostitution scandalsurroundingEliotSpitzer,26andsexscandalslikethesearefamiliar featuresoftheAmericanpoliticallandscape.27Onepersistentimagecommonly createdbythesescandalsisthatofthesilentwife,whoremainsatthesideofthe disgracedhusband.Alicialiterallyhasnovoiceintheopeningscenesofthe series,asPeterspeakstoaraptaudienceatapressconference,andAlicia 25 See The Good Wife, Season 1, Episode 1 (Peter: Good morning. An hour ago, I resigned as States Attorney of Cook County. I did this with a heavy heart and a deep commitment to fight these scurrilous charges. At the same time, I need time to atone for my private failings with my wife, Alicia, and our two children. I have never traded lighter sentences for either financial or sexual favors. But I do admit to a failure of judgment in my private dealings with these women. The money used in these transactions was mine, and mine alone. No public funds were ever utilized.) 26 The Daily Princetonian http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2011/05/06/28517/ 27 http://www.cbsnews.com/2300‐504083_162‐10006790‐6.html?tag=page;next (detailing modern scandals from the 1980’s and on, such as the John Edwards/Rielle Hunter scandal and the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinksy scandal) 8 silentlystandsnexttohim.Metaphorically,Aliciaregainsthisvoiceastheshow goeson.Herprofessionalandpersonallifebecomesthecenteroftheseries‐ despitethelongshadowthatbeingPeter’swifecasts.Themajorityofthe storytellingcomesfromAlicia’sperspective,andtheaudienceslowlylearnshow shefeelsaboutthescandal,hernewjob,andwhetherornotsheoughttodivorce Peter.Aliciabecomesanindividualinherownrightattheoffice;allthe attorneysandlegalstaffatStern,Lockhart&GardnerknowaboutAlicia’sskills andAlicia’sthoughtsasanindividual.Everyoneoutsideofheroffice,likeherold friendsfromhersuburbanneighborhood,andthegeneralpublicseehersolely asMrs.PeterFlorrick,thescornedwife.Atwork,sheisjustAliciaFlorrick,an exceptionalattorney.28 Herjobprovidestheoutletsheneedstofeelincontrol‐Aliciadisplays confidenceandskillasshenavigateshercasesandtheofficepolitics.Sheis unafraidtoaskformoredifficultassignments.29Sheexcelsprofessionallyinthe courtroom,winningacasenearlyeveryepisode.30Sheiswell‐likedand respectedbycolleaguesandclients.However,theaudienceseesAliciadisplay uncertaintyandpaininherpersonallife‐shebreaksdownintearsmultiple timesandexperiencesdoubtandinsecuritywhenthinkingaboutordiscussing hermarriageandherroleasPeter’swife.Workliberatesherfromthisroleof See The Good Wife 28 29 See The Good Wife episode ____ 30 See The Good Wife, generally 9 theuncertain,long‐sufferingwife,whoselifewascenteredonworkinginahome insupportofaspousewhobetraysher. Herhomelifeiscompletelyuprooted,metaphoricallyandliterally‐the FlorrickfamilymustmovefromasuburbanmansiontoanapartmentinChicago becauseofPeter’sdisplacement.Aliciaisliterally“freed”fromthelarge suburbanmansionwhereshetoiledasahousewife,anddeliveredintoamuch smallerapartment,wheretheamountofhouseworkisgreatlydiminished,and wherePeter’smothertakesovertheroleofhomemaker(foratime),doing choresandmakingmealsforthefamilysoshecanworkthelonghoursrequired foranewassociate.Sheisalsometaphoricallyliberatedfromherroleasa housewifebyembracinghernewstatusandidentityasaprofessional.31 III. The“WorkasLiberation”Idea Thefeministideathatworkoutsidethehomeliberateswomenisnotnew, andisoneofthekeyphilosophiesintheseminalandrevolutionaryfeminist bookTheFeminineMystiquebyBettyFriedan,firstpublishedin1963.32The Id. 31 32 bell hooks, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, p.95 10 “workliberation”ideainfeminismrunsdeepwithinmanyfeministtheories,33 andinparticular,theoriesandideasstemmingfrom“second‐wave”feminism.34 Alicia’sfulfillmentwithherjobishighlightedwhenPetergetsoutofprison andtheneedforAliciatoworkceases.35Aliciachoosestocontinueworking, despitetheexpectationthatshewouldreturntofull‐timehome‐makingwhen Peterwasreleased.36However,theappearanceofthecommonfeministideaof womenliberatedthroughworkoutsidethehomeinTheGoodWifereflectsat leastsomelevelof“bourgeoisclassbias”37tomanyphilosopherswhoespouse theneedforfeministawarenessofothereconomicclasses.Formanyupperand middle‐classwomen,findingworkoutsideofthehomeisnotaboutnecessity, butself‐fulfillmentandliberation,allowingthemtostopbeing“just”housewives, andpossiblyfreeingthemfromfinancialdependencyonworkingmen.38 However,thisideaignoresthelegionsofwomenwhoworkbecausetheymust 33 Need to plug in research here 34 Mann, SA and DJ Huffman “The decentering of second wave feminism and the rise of the third wave.” Science & Society 69 no. 1:56‐91 (accessed October 30th, 2012) 35 See Good Wife Episode ___ 36 See Good wife Episode ____ (in which Peter tells Alicia not to worry since she “won’t have to play breadwinner” much longer, since he believes he will be released from prison in the near future) 37 bell hooks, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, p.95 38 Id. 11 worktosupportthemselvesandpossiblytheirfamilies.39Italsoassumesthat workfoundoutsidethehomewillbemeaningfulorenjoyableforthewoman andthereforefulfilling.40However,thisviewcompletelyignorestheexperiences ofthemajorityofwomenwhomustworkoutsidethehome,andwhosework doesnotgrantthemanyeconomicfreedomfrommen,oranyself‐reliance.41As BenjaminBarber,acriticofthisworkliberationtenet,pointsout,mostwomen willnothavethefortuneofpursuingafulfillingprofessionlikeAlicia,since “forafewluckymen,forfarfewerwomen,workhasoccasionallybeena sourceformeaningandcreativity.Butformostoftheraceitremainseven nowforceddrudgeryinfrontofploughs,machines,wordsornumbers‐ pushingproduct,pushingswitches,pushingpaperstoekeoutthe wherewithalofmaterialexistence…”42 Alicia’ssuccessasaprofessionalandherdesiretocontinueworkingoutsidethe homeisaninspiringjourneytowatch,andthecharacterofAliciaFlorrickisa positiveimageofafemalelawyeronprimetimenetworktelevision.However,while herliberationfromthesilenthousewifetoskilledattorneyisaspirational,itisnot necessarilyrelatableforalargemajorityofwomen,anditisanimageofafeminist tenetthatisbasedsolelyontheexperiencesandperspectivesofwomennotfacing thecommonrealitiesofeconomichardshiporstruggle.Lackofawarenessofother Id. 39 40 Id. 41 Id. 42Benjamin Barber, Liberating Feminism, p. 52 12 economicstrataisonecriticismthatthethird‐waveleviesagainstsecond‐wave feministideas.Third‐wavefeminismhasbeendeliberatetoincludevoicesof marginalizedeconomicclassesandhasrejectedideasbasedsolelymainstream feministperspective.43 V. Alicia’sMotherhood Ontheshow,Aliciaisconsistentlythevoiceofcompassion.Herjobisoftento “hand‐hold”theclients,arolethatshefindsfrustratingattimes,butarolethatshe admitsshenaturallydoeswell.44Aliciaalsoexhibitsmorequalmsanddiscomfort aboutrepresentingguiltyclientsthandoherco‐workers.45Aliciaisacapable, confidentattorney,justlikehertheotherlawyerssheworkswith,butshe consistentlyshowsmorecompassionandempathyforthosearoundher,andclients regularlytellAliciathattheyfeelclosetoherandreliantonhertotakecareofthem. 43 Stacey K. Sowards & Valerie R. Renegar, “The rhetorical functions of consciousness‐ raising in third wave feminism” page 540(last accessed on 11/7/12) http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10510970409388637 44SeeTheGoodWife,generally.Forexample,inSeason4,Episode5,Aliciawillingly waitsataclient’shomeforhimtobearrested,sothatshecanlookaftertheclient’s son.Therestofthelawyersandinvestigatorsworkonthecase,whileAliciasitsona swingwiththeyoungboyandcomfortshimandexplainsaboutwhatishappening tohisfather. 45SeeTheGoodWife,Season1Episode13 13 Nootherlawyerontheshowisdepictedashavingthecompassionaterelationships withclientsthatAliciahas.46Alicia’snurturingabilitiesandcapabilityforempathy oftenstemsfromherbeingamother.Forexample,inSeason1,Episode3,aclient commentstoAliciathatshedidnotneedtodrivealongwayoutofherwaytosee theclient’shighschoolagedson,whoisontrial.Aliciarepliestoherthatsheaboy “shesawgrowupneededmyhelp.SoIcame.”Aliciacommentsthatherheartis softenedtothisdefendantbecauseheisaroundthesameageasherson.47 Aliciaistheonlylawyerwhoexhibitscompassionofthiskindtoclients.Many feministtheoristsembracethisideathatawoman’smaternalcapabilitiesrenderher differentfrommen,basedonthebondsheexperienceswithcreatingnewlifeina fetus.RobinWesttheorizesthatthe“experienceofbeinghuman,forwomen… includesthecounter‐autonomousexperienceofasharedphysicalidentitybetween womanandfetus,aswellasthecounter‐autonomousexperienceoftheemotional andpsychologicalbondbetweenmotherandinfant.”48 However,third‐wavefeminismhasresistedthisideaasessentialist,asit overlooksdifferencesamongwomenasindividuals.49Notallwomenexperience pregnancyandmaternityidentically,andAlicia’snurturingnatureshouldnotbe viewedasnecessarilyrelatableforeachwomanwatchingher.Sheistheonly 46SeeTheGoodWife,generally 47SeeTheGoodWifeSeason___Episode____ 48RobinWest,citethetextbook,p139 49CiteTextbook/KimberleCrenshawp150 14 motherandattorneyontheshow,andherexperienceasamotheristheonlyone theshowdepicts.50 Thethirdwavemovementalsoembracesconflictingidentitieswithinone woman,andemphasizesindividualexperience,soifAlicia’smaternitydoesrender hermorenurturing,heridentityasalawyerneednotbejeopardizedbyheridentity ofacaringwoman.Theshowdisplaysthiswell,despiteAlicia’shabitualrelegation to“hand‐holding”andcomfortingclients,becauseAliciastilldisplaysprowessinthe courtroom,andwhileherclientsoftenthankherforherextraordinarycompassion andunderstanding,theymorefrequentlyturntohersay“you’regood.”51 VI. Conclusion a. TheGoodWifeasawhole:PositiveorNegative?UsingThird‐Wave idealsasaguide b. WhatdoesthatsayaboutAmerica?Whatdoesthatsayaboutthe relationshipbetweenlawandtelevision c. Solutionsforincorporatingmorediverseviewpoints 50SeeTheGoodWife,generally 51SeeSeason4,Episode___(inwhichasurprisedclientcommentsonAlicia’squick thinking.) 15
© Copyright 2024