THE FINAL GIRL THEORY BY CAROL J. CLOVER

WHAT IS THE THEORY?

• ‘The final girl’ is often seen in horror films (mainly slasher

films).

• The theory suggests that there is usually a last female alive to

challenge/confront the monster/killer

• The final girl is also supposedly the person to live to tell the

tail.

• The theory was created by Carol J. Clover in her book called

‘Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror

Film’ (1992).

WHO IS THE FINAL GIRL?• The final girls usually have similar traits…

• They are typically, virginal (sexually unavailable), intelligent, curious and have a will to

survive.

• The theory suggests that although the ‘last girl’ is taking the place of a stereotypical

male role they themselves can be feminine.

• In some cases the final girl can have a joint story to the killer (i.e. Halloween 2)

Scream

(1996)

Sidney

Prescott

Halloween

(1978)

Laurie Strode

APPLIED TO HORROR

FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART 2 (1981)‘GINNY FEILD’

• In the film Ginny is shown to be a clever young women

• She used the skills she learnt in her Phycology major to outsmart the masked

wrongdoer, Jason.

• She dresses up as her mother by putting on her sweater to stop the killer from

getting to her

• Throughout the film she thinks fast and manages to attack the killer and get away.

• When Jason realises what she has done he goes after her, she tries to kill him, but

he gets away.