Part of series: Hollywood and Higher Education: Teaching Worldview thru the Stories We Live By
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) provides a marvelous example of the process of worldview change in the transformation arc of its main character, Andy (played by Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway).
Andy’s post-college ambition to become a hard journalist is thrown a serious curve when she unexpectedly lands a prestigious job as the #2 personal assistant to New York’s most powerful fashion magazine editor, Amanda Priestly (Academy Award winner Meryl Streep). Priestly, her right hand man (Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci), and her #1 personal assistant (Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt) create a workplace culture whose rule of life challenges and demeans Andy’s value and belief system.
Soon Andy accepts and then begins following the scripts provided by her new social environment. The fashion industry’s story opens up new plausibility structures for Andy’s decision-making. Her drive to succeed subtly shifts from her original goal of hard journalism to pursuing the goals of Amanda Priestly. Her journey toward the dark side begins with a single dress. But will it forever dominate her destiny?
The embed codes are no longer available from Hulu, but here are the links to the clips.
1) Andy Encounters her new fashion magazine boss (http://www.hulu.com/watch/13036)
2) Andy has no problem not fitting in with fashion industry (http://www.hulu.com/watch/12450 )
3) Andy discovers that her value and belief system isn’t as independent as she thinks (http://www.hulu.com/watch/13046 )
4) The rule of life in Andy’s new social begins to wear down her self-esteem (http://www.hulu.com/watch/13030)
5) Andy takes the first step on her transformation journey (http://www.hulu.com/watch/13009)
Questions:
- In what specific ways is Andy’s worldview changing?
- What is causing the change?
- Have you ever been socialized into a new worldview?
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© Twentieth Century Fox, 2006. Directed by David Frankel. Novel by Lauren Weisenberger. Adapted screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna (Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay by WGA and BAFTA).
