4. Walt, the guy with spina bifida works voluntarily at the Children’s
Hospital. He appears the way he is to Hal because Hal already knew Walt before the hypnosis is given on him. The hypnosis does not work for the
people Hal already knew or met before. 5.
Ralph Owens, the guy with psoriasis around his head, is the division leader in Sierra Leone. He works at Peace Corps. Hal sees him as a handsome
guy under the hypnosis. 6.
LeeBoy, the overweight Hawaiian guy, also works at Peace Corps. Hal sees him as a handsome guy too.
7. Mrs. Shanahan is overweight. She appears as slim to Hal. She is beautiful
inside as she embraces traditional women’s role as good mother and good
wife. She does her familial roles well.
The message of these established characters is that ugly people are good inside as, for instance, they go for social job like Peace Corps work. A countertype is still a
stereotype. Countertypes are often merely surface correctives. Beneath the ugly people, there can be just a selfish and bad personality. Not all ugly people are
good inside. Countertypes are still stereotypes and this means that they are still oversimplified views of the group being stereotyped.
2. Old women are ugly.
Beauty is defined as youthfulness with minimalist lines. When Hal meets Tanya, all he sees is an old woman. In fact, she is a beautiful young woman. Hal
sees her as old because she is ugly inside as she dates Walt for money only.
Rosemary. So Tanya, I had no idea that you and Walt
were, yoo know, seeing each other. Tanya.
Yeah, you got a light? It’s actually a very funny story. Because he had been
asking me out for really long time, and I was always kind of unavailable. And then just when he had given up, I broke
up with my boyfriend, and there he was. So I asked him out.
Rosemary.
So, he kind of grew on you huh?
Tanya. Exactly, I mean, you gotta admit, when you first
meet him, it’s kind of jarring. I mean, you kind a don’t ever know what goes where. But, anyway, the timing couldn’t
have been more perfect, because he had just sold this company, and he has all this time on his hands and we can
plan things and travel and go shopping and …..
Well, I guess timing’s everything. Shallow Hal’s English Subtitle
B. 2. 1 B. 2. 2
Tanya through Hal’s eyes The real Tanya
When Hal is in the Children’s hospital he meets a vicious nurse. The nurse appears as old to him. In this scene, all we see is through Hal’s eyes. We see
beautiful Rosemary, cute children who are actually facially scared because of the burn ward and the old vicious nurse Peeler.
Hal is playing with the children. He carries Cadence on his back. Suddenly, nurse Peeler comes into the room.
Nurse Peeler. Put her down
Hal. The cows come home.
Nurse Peeler. What is he doing here? These aren’t visiting
hours Rosemary.
Oh nurse Peeler, we were just coming by to say hi to the kids
Nurse Peeler.
Fine. Pack it up And get the patients back in their beds
Shallow Hal’s English Subtitle
B. 2. 3 Nurse Peeler looks older than she actually is to Hal’e eyes
The stereotype of “Old women are ugly” is resulted from American belief and value that youth is the best period of life. Americans perceive themselves as
the citizens of a young nation, the New World-America. Thus, they consistently admires the quality and characteristics associated with youth as well. That is why
aging is seen as ugly because getting old is characterized by some decreasing both physically and mentally. The skin loses its moist. There are wrinkles with small
fold or line in the skin caused by age. Parts of the body are unable to work as good as when people are young. People lose their mental capacities as they get
older. There are decline in memory, intelligence, and cognitive skills. Physical and mental decline is not inevitable. Moreover, it gets complicated when the old
faces isolation, loneliness, lack of respect. Being old, then, is a sign of the loss of attractiveness. These degradations mean the process to the dying.
3. Pretty women are ugly inside.