Good Essay About Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: Changing Images Of Women In The Mass Media

First Tomb Rider was created in 1993. According to some sources only a fear of lawsuit gave character a female sex. Initially Lara was conceived as Indiana Jones’s analogue. For the next 20 years the main character Lara Croft changed a lot. She got new wardrobe, techniques, personal traits and background events. In 2013 cartoon-looking character changed into a "real woman" with realistic body proportions. However, Lara became a strong role model even with exaggerated breasts. She represents strong, clever and independent woman, which didn’t loose sexuality. That was really new image of female character for that time period. Of course, there were other women in games before Croft. But they often played roles of victims or needed strong male partner to complete their quests. The situation gradually changed and more projects with strong female characters, like Tomb Rider or Parasite Eve, appeared. This process reflected the society situation.
It’s obvious that many women adopt traditional male characteristics today. They get access to new jobs, social and political capacities. That can be a result of a long fight. For many centuries women of all social classes had fewer rights than men. Today sexual equality is set in laws of many countries. That led to mixture of gender roles. Not only women became more “manly”, but some men also started to “feminize”. Today it’s normal to see man with pedicure and epilated chest. However, society better respond to the wish to get more “powerful” position even under these conditions. In other words, female welder will get less condemnation than male manicurist in many communities. This situation related to the image of “strong and powerful man”. It’s normal for specimens to become stronger and better prepared to current conditions trough evolution. And women were associated with “weakness” for a long time. The images of “lady” and “ideal mother-housewife” were cultivated for many several centuries. Of course, there always were women who tried to go against the system, but they were criticized.
Today people have more opportunities to choose their social roles. But most of them prefer to imitate power without loosing natural gender features. Lara Croft is a good example of this trend. She can use many kinds of weapons and battle techniques, but still has womanly figure. Character wouldn't get such success if she’d looked like professional bodybuilder. This policy is reflected in many games. Their female characters are often strong, independent and wear sexual armor, that won’t protect body in real life. Imitation of weakness wasn’t always acceptable depending on person’s sex. There are examples of games or other products with weak male characters. But they often needed to gain physical or mental power through the plot. Characters (regardless of sex) can imitate weakness, but only up to a point when this dissimulation will play into the hands.
Contemporary society left many stereotypes behind. Today women can vote, chose their jobs and lifestyle. Men also have the same freedom. The profession selection doesn't de[end up gender in many cases today. However, society wants people continue to have features of their sex. In other words, female warrior with two-handed sword or launcher should look like a woman. There are the same standards for men. In other words, people recovered of some strong old stereotypes, but still use their aspects. That’s why Lara Croft and other female characters still sometimes have huge breasts and wasp waist with the ability to knock out strong man with one hit.