The film is about the relationship between Andrew and Margaret .Margaret is the boss to Andrew in the organization. She was very strict in her position of management in the organization. Margaret could not entertain any nonsense at the place of job. She was very harsh in relation to the issues of leadership. The employees feared her in the organization. Margaret used her position of power to convince and push the young assistant called Andrew to marry. Margaret left her visa to expire risking her chances of deportation back to Canada. She used her position and influence in the organization to push Andrew to marry her in order to get citizenship. She enticed Andrew with the promise of promotion in exchange of marriage. Andrew accepted the proposal to marry Margaret in order to get the purported promotion. The aspects of promotion and marriage changed the relationship between Andrew and Margaret from the harsh one to love between them. The relationship changed instantly and the aspects of love and affection are clearly seen between the two characters as we approach the end of the movie. Margaret uses the harsh approach of management for hers selfish gains in getting the Visa. Andrew also falls into the trap of marriage in order to get a promotion. Margaret used threats in the job due to her position of power and influence in the management. This film, therefore, shows the aspects power and politics in the society.
The aspects of power politics and knowledge are well elaborated in this film. The aspects of promotion and yearning for a great job is the main source of power. The influence of power is reflected in the film. The leaders or people in high positions use their power to make decisions that will benefit them at personal levels. The force of power is reflected in the film on how Margaret used her position of power to make decisions that influence how other employees behave in the organization. The use of power and influence is an important force which enables the people to create loopholes in the legal system. Margaret used her position of influence in order to avoid the aspects of deportation to Canada. The aspects of power and knowledge are evident in the sense that Margaret used her knowledge about how to avoid the issue of deportation by making sure that she gets married to Andrew. Her marriage with Andrew was the use of knowledge in order to run away of deportation. She knew very well that Andrew will accept her proposal for marriage in order to get a promotion in the place of work. This knowledge enabled her to manipulate her position of power in the organization for her personal benefits. Power is an important force where people manipulate in forging the promotions as well as facilitating selfish goals in the society. The abuse of power is reflected in this film where Margaret abused her position in forcing her younger assistant to marry her. The main goal and interest in the marriage are to avoid the deportation of Margaret while Andrew also had the motive f promotion in the organization in order to get a secured job and financial status. The manipulation of knowledge through power helped Margaret to achieve her goal of avoiding deportation. The power or position of influence also enabled her to satisfy her personal interest of evading deportation in a successful manner (Craig, 2013: 24).
Thea aspects of gender and power are also well elaborated in this film. Margaret as female is demonstrated to be very harsh in her style of leadership. She tries to hide her feminine aspects by appearing very stringent and strict in the way she approaches other employees. The gender roles and conflicts are also evident in this film. Margaret is seen firing the employee she was not in terms with while promoting Andrew for her own selfish gains. Margaret is very harsh woman in leadership. She was not in terms with Andrew at the beginning of the film but later she is seen falling in love with Andrew and getting married to him due to the fears of deportation. The role of gender in power is reflected to be very significant in the film. The gender aspects are used a potential ground to manipulate the positions of power in the organization. The relationship between people or employees of the opposite sex in the organization is influential in facilitating various aspects in the social lives of such employees. Gender is a powerful force in relation to power and politics. The special characteristics of women and men in the society are used as the potential grounds to manipulate various situations by the individuals. Those in the position of power and influence may use their juniors of the opposite sex for personal interests and favors. The powerful men and women may also use their juniors for sexual favors in the exchange of enticements like promotions in the organizations.
Language and power are also an important factor reflected in the film. The language used by Margaret was very harsh and strict in approaching the employees like Andrew at the beginning of the film. Language is a powerful tool of communication where the people in authority and power use to influence how their fellow employees or juniors approach the tasks of the organization. Language is used by the people in positions of power and influence various decisions relating to the operations of the organizations. Margaret used a harsh language in order to create an environment of authority and fear among the employees. This helped her to make employees follow her instructions and directives immediately without questioning (M ills, 2013:16). Language facilitates and promote power in an organization through the convincing power that the authorities use to persuade others to perform various activities in the organization. Margaret used her convincing power and language to convince Andrew to accept her marriage proposal. Her language was effective in convincing Andrew to accept the marriage proposal in exchange of promotion in the organization.
In conclusion, the aspects relating to power, politics and knowledge are clearly brought out in this film. The role of gender in influencing power and authority is also vividly elaborated as an important aspect in the film. The use of convincing and influential language in power and politics is also a very crucial factor in the society. The film shows how the people in the positions of influence and authority use such positions for personal gains and satisfaction. The use of power to create legal loopholes is also demonstrated by how Margaret used marriage as way to avoid deportation. The manifestation of power in the film are portrayed to be language, money and aspects relating to gender influence. The gender influence is also considered to be an important factor in power and authorities.
References
Craig, G. A., Thompson, B. A., Halladay, C., & Abenheim, D. (2013).Knowledge and power: Essays on politics, culture, and war. Palo Alto, Calif: Society for the Promotion of Science and Scholarship.
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Film review: The Proposal | Film | The Guardian. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jul/24/film-review-the-proposal
Simon, J. (2013). Rousseau among the moderns: Music, aesthetics, politics. University Park, Pa: Pennsylvania State University Press.
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Craig, G. A. (2013). Knowledge and power: Essays on politics, culture, and war. Palo Alto, Calif: Society for the Promotion of Science and Scholarship.
Mills, J. E., Franzway, S., Gill, J., & Sharp, R. (2013). Challenging Knowledge, Sex and Power. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Siisiäinen, L. (2013). Foucault and the politics of hearing. New York: Routledge. Read more
