PRECIS: I LIKE having a penis

There are a lot of issues that arise in the film Being John Malcovitch (and many of them relates to the texts we have read). The scene that plays out in the beginning reflects the rest of the movie, in a way. The puppet is upset, and clearly shows his self-disgust when he sees his reflection in the mirror. Then, at the end, he looks up at the puppeteer above him (who looks exactly like him) who controls his every move. The movie portrays a loss of control and the pursuit of happiness, as well as questions the soul and vitality. There are also issues of gender--Craig's wife likes being a man, and Lottie falls in love with her in his body (almost as if the penis was the social lubricant that made it "okay" for them to have sex or fall in love). His wife also talks of the portal as a "vagina"-like hole that transported them to another place---as if they are being reborn, or birthed through the hole to another dimension. The film probes questions about what really motivates us, and our bodies as vessels (and EVERYTHING else as socially constructed). As well, it seems to push the point that we should be happy with who we are rather than try to pretend we are someone else or want to be something we are not.