, Research Paper
Lockie Leonard and Lex and Rory
English
Lockie Leonard and the film Lex and Rory promote the same issues as each other, especially concerning male/female relationships. The issues are showed differently. The woman is the one who is pressured into having a sexual relationship. In this case it is the male who is pressured into having a sexual relationship. As this happens different views, feelings and emotions are shown by the way they deal with the choices they make.
Both Lex and Rory are presented as particular characters. Lockie is shown as a free teenager, he is not tied down and is able to do what he wants. He is just learning about sex and you need to know. It s time we thought about sex said his mum. This already shows that Lockie is not ready for a sexually involved relationship. He is the typical stereotyped school boy who is in constant trouble with school teachers. Outside, get out of my room before I tear your head off and use for a blackboard duster. Yelled his teacher. Lex on the other hand is a boy lacking self confidence and has a negative outlook on life. He is classed as a nerd because he studies and takes notice of his future planning. Girls are his problem. He is scared of communication and contact. This is one of his main fears, especially talking. In particular talking to one girl called Dai. Due to this not many people pay attention to him except his one and only true friend Rory. Lex is the type of person who is afraid to make the first move, but having a friend like Rory it starts to become easier.
Lockie doesn t change himself to make other people feel happy. He likes who he is and believes in himself. Lockie doesn t change for people. He feels that people have to like him for who he is and not for who they want him to be. Lockie doesn t let his popularity come over him. He will not satisfy anyone, if that is not what he wants to do. Lockie is his own person he is the only person who takes control of his body and mind. Lex has problems with coping with who he is. He feels that girls won t like him because he is noticed as a nerd. He tries to change who he is to become a better presented person. Lex tries to build himself into someone he isn t and he knows that and finds it hard to cope with. He begins his relationship with Dai by acting as an anonymous phone caller because of his fear of girls. Lex feels that this is what girls expect of him, to act cool and casual. In fact in this case it is different.
Vicki expects much more of Lockie than what Dai expects of Lex. Vicki expects Lockie to be sexually active, but because Lockie is only a teenager he takes that into consideration. Vicki tries to except this with great difficulty, as he tells her that he doesn t want their relationship to work that way. Her tongue snaking across his skin, and something broke in him. It was too much. He liked her, loved her, but this it seemed to rushed. Lockie doesn t seem to like to go too far.
He doesn t want to rush into anything. If Lockie doesn t want to do something then Vicki thinks he s scared. Lockie admits to what he s afraid of. It s love Lockie. You re scared of love said Vicki. Sex. Yeah I am scared of sex alright . He is willing to tell the truth and let comments be made of him. You think I am slack don t you? If you were a girl then they would call you frigid said Vicki. She thinks Lockie is too scared of love and sex. She wants him too live up to her standards and not be scared of sex. Vicki says I need a kiss to Lockie. He a
Dai is completely different to Vicki. She expects no sexual relationship between the two, only a happy and friendly one. She only wants him for herself. His own person, free of mind, and not trying to be someone he isn t. When they are talking on the telephone Dai wants him to come and talk to her in person. Lex is scared of what she will think of this. Dai actually talks to him about personalities and not acting, to be someone you are not. Dai wants Lex to be able to talk to him and to express their feelings and problems with each other. Dai only expects one thing of Lex and that is to be his own person and to feel free around. She is prepared to tell him her problems and fears knowing that no judgement will be made. When they are on the phone they talk to each other about people changing themselves for others. Dai is prepared to help Lex overcome his fear.
Lockie out does Vicki and she wants a sexual relationship. At this point in the novel Lockie starts to feel uncomfortable. He realizes that he does not want to be in a situation when the consequences are very serious. In this case he notices that Vicki could become pregnant and he feels that he can not feel that position. He still wants to be a free teenager. Vicki says in the novel that she doesn t want kids, this obviously shows that having an sexual relationship pregnancy may occur. Not only pregnancy but many other serious effects. Vicki finds it hard not to have a relationship if it s not sexual. She can t accept their relationship as just friends. It has to be more involved.
Lockie knows that he is not old enough or prepared enough to control this situation. As well as letting her know there is no sexual relationship at all. It says They went back to their bikes, sweating, breathless, breathless and cracking themselves laughing with his brother . This just shows how happy Lockie is after having this difficulty with Vicki. Him riding around on his bike shows that he is still young in the heart.
Lex only has to make two decisions. One is that he has to admit to Dai who he is and to overcome his fear. Doing this helps him to be himself. That is the other decision he should make, to know who he is just as good as anybody and that Dai will accept him for who he is. At the end of the film Dai does accept him for himself even though he is classified as a nerd . Lex, Rory, Dai and her friend drive off together in a car. They are respecting each other and involving themselves in a relationship.
In life we often have to make decisions and usually there is some type of a consequence after doing this. The Novel Lockie Leonard just goes to show that teenagers shouldn t rush into anything, they are still young and can t face sexual relationships and the consequences it brings along. In the film Lex and Rory it helps people to understand that it is ok to be themselves. Not to worry what other people are thinking, don t go living up to other people s standards. People have to learn to accept you for who you are not what they want you to be. Both texts challenge traditional versions of being a man. They promote the idea that you do not have to accept the pressure to agree to the traditional image.