The Hills Are Alive... With Contradictions? (Supplemental Post)

I was able to rematch The Sound of Music this weekend, and found myself PUZZLED by the contradictions in the story. It is clearly very easy to be swept away by Julie Andrews performance, but it is never that simple. 

We meet Maria as a confident, energetic, and lovable female character. Her cheerly perspective is very contagious. 

I mean, who doesn't love skipping next to a river? Can it get any better? 

Yet her character is carefully contained and manipulated by her male counterpart, Captain Von Trapp.  Everything, from her behavior to her appearance, is dissected and controlled to fit the expectations of others. As a leading lady, her story line is lead only by the subordination she is subjected to by the head of the house. Maria must be "emasculated" next to the hyper-masculine persona of the Captain.  

It gets worse! It isn't just her (Spoiler!) lover that exhibits control of her. She is influenced and controlled by her competition for the Captain's heart. Poor Maria! 

But alas! Maria's confidence returns! Just as the audience believes she has lost her confidence and charm, she is casted on the opposite spectrum! Bye-bye timid Maria, Hello STRONG MARIA! Here we see he exhibiting control over the storyline between her and the Captain. 

And it isn't just Maria stuck in these contradictions. Here we see another leading lady (Liesl) struggling between her innocent adolescence and mature relationship. She wants to be viewed as an older, more mature women - but can only find that through Rolf. Fortunately, (SPOILER) she is able to find her way without depending on Rolf. 

It is FASCINATING how these contradictions exist rampantly in film and media, one only needs to know how to look for it.