Stereotypes

This film started out exploring women and their lifestyles in the 1970‘s. Pepi seemed to be the sort of woman who was wasting her life away with drugs and sex, but soon she reveals that she was a virgin until the policeman rapes her. However, even the policeman believed that she could not possibly be a virgin no matter what she said. On the other hand, it is implied that she is only saving herself in order to sell her virginity and make money. Maybe there was originally a moral reason, but apparently, that reason was gone anyway. As a result, Pepi’s character as the protagnist is only a twist off the normal stereotype.

The various couples throughout the film slightly defy stereotypes, too. For example, the policeman did not want his wife to leave the house very often or work, but he ends the conversation by asking why she always wears those pants because she knows that he does not like them. He wants her to keep a very traditional role, but then adds a very feminine comment. Also, the other couple that consisted of the husband who was paying for the party downstairs switched roles in someways. The woman does literally all of the talking in their conversation, as the stereotype portrays, but she also provides all of their money and is the sexually frustrated one, contrary to the stereotype. In conclusion, the film plays with these roles by slightly changing them.