Hairspray Essay Introduction In Hairspray, directed by Adam Shankman, an important relationship is the mother-daughter relationship of Edna and Tracy Turnblad. The relationship between these characters can be seen to develop from the beginning, in which Edna and Tracy lack any understanding for one another, through Tracy’s convincing Edna to leave the family home and regain her confidence and in the final scene where the pair dance together on the Corny Collins Show. Paragraph 1 As the relationship between Edna and Tracy is established, the audience soon sees that the two do not have a well communicated relationship.
This is portrayed by the fights and disagreements they have. Edna has overprotective views on Tracy’s dreams, and fears that Tracy will lose her self confidence if she goes and continues on with her dream. Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy’s father, has to reconcile the mother and daughter’s relationship; Edna can’t communicate her feelings and thoughts to Tracy herself. In the film, props are used to express the mental barrier in their relationship. E. g. ironing board, coffee table, door frame, etc. Paragraph Two In the ‘Welcome to the 60s’ scene, the audience can visualise that Tracy and Edna have become closer.
After a phone call from Mr Pinky, Tracy makes the first step in overcoming the barrier in their relationship by asking Edna to act as her agent. In order for Edna to be Tracy’s agent, she has to venture outside of the home for the first time in fifteen years. As the pair walk down the street, the audience can see through the use of two person shots, that the two have become closer. Acting as Tracy’s agent and being outside of the house allows Edna to feel closer to her daughter and perhaps understand the world she lives in.
In Mr Pinky’s shop, Edna and Tracy have makeovers in celebration of both their closer relationships and the contract signed with Mr Pinky. The two characters are seen in similar costumes and dresses, matching shoes and complimentary hairstyles, to see further the development of their relationship. Paragraph Three In the final scene, the relationship between Edna and Tracy has been fully shown. Edna has shown his solidarity with Tracy by agreeing to be part of Tracy plan to sneak on to the Corny Collins Show for the live filming of the Miss Teen Hairspray competition.
The bond between the pair is evident as they dance together to ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’. This final scene cements their relationship as Edna symbolically takes the final steps in regaining her self confidence. Her final dance shows the viewers that Edna has engaged with the lessons Tracy relayed in her unwavering pursuit of her dreams. Tracy has shown Edna that ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ and ultimately gained the closeness she desired with her mother. Conclusion In conclusion, Edna and Tracy’s relationship in the film Hairspray was clearly one of the most important.
Comparing the beginning to the end, the progress of their relationship shows true development. As the film started, we could see Edna disapproving of Tracy’s ambitions, as she thinks Tracy’s self confidence is as brittle as her own. Once Tracy shows Edna the real world that they live in, Edna becomes open minded about Tracy’s hopes and dreams. This is set in concrete with the signing of the contract with Mr Pinky. The final scene is the shows the most advancement as the two dance together on live television. Overall, the relationship between Edna and Tracy grows the most, and Tracy gets the affection with her mother that she so badly wanted.
