Tomb Raider

Mikula brings up an interesting point that Lara Croft is a role model and a sexual icon.   However I don't think she has the influence over young girls that Mikula does.  I am not an avid video game player but I don't see how someone would choose an animated character as a role model over a real person who has role feats and accomplishments to account for.  Also even though Lara's character is of an idealized womans body, I fail to see how that is significant seeing how all the male characters in games are idealized men.

gender & video games

I disagree with Mikula's claim that Lara is a positive role model for female players. I don't think anyone would want to be this character if she was overweight or if she wasn't pretty, even if she could still fight and shoot and play just the same. This leads me to believe that female players specifically choose to identify with Lara while playing the game because of her looks, and because they want to look like her. Girls idolize a body type that doesn't exist, which is unhealthy! If Lara was more natural looking (in size, shape, proportions, etc.) then I think she would be considered a positive role model for female players. It is because of the unattainable looks that I disagree with Mikula.

Gender and Videogames

I thought Mikula brought up an interesting topic relating gender roles to videogames. One claim Mikula makes in her essay is that Lara is both a sex idol and a role model. I agreed with her claim because while Lara is sexually attractive, Lara is also immensely independent and invulnerable. I thought Lara was developed to appeal to both genders. While male gamers like Lara for her attractiveness, female gamers like Lara for her capabilities. This dual symbolism enable gamers to both identify with and objectify Lara while playing Tomb Raiders. Overall, I think Lara Croft is a well-developed character who is liked generally.

Lora Croft

One claim that Mikula makes is that women tend to play Tomb Raider in order to be Lara, rather than controlling her. Women want to be her because she symbolizes "adventure, independence, possibility, and strength" (184). Although this claim may seem as though Lara is an empowering figure, I would have to disagree because of the fact that she is  video game character. Because she was created to fit the stereotypical "hot" woman, I find that the woman tend play in order to live under a facade of fitting these stereotypes. They live in a virtual world where they are physically perfect. Through this, I feel like they fail to see imperfection, which is counter intuitive to what I believe is adventure and strength. Women should be able to see their flaws or their troubles and use them to their advantage, rather than hiding behind a perfect specimen like Lara. If women get too caught up in Tomb Raider because they're living vicariously through a fictional, flawless character, then what are they doing in the real world to become truly adventurous, independent, and strong?  

Tomb Raider

In Mikula's essay about gender roles and video games she brings up important points about the player/character connection. Lara Croft, the protagonist in the tomb raider video game falls into gender roles while defying them at the same time, her appearance is very exaggerated (large breasts and hips), yet she is strong and has fighting skills. The gameplay involves the player controlling Lara but seeing her as well. Mikula compares the playing experience of men vs women with interesting results. Men who play feel like they are watching and looking out for Lara while women feel like they are controlling and identifying with Lara.

Not having ever played the game, I can't say if I would be connecting with or watching Lara Croft, but I definitely do understand the double point of view that players can have of their characters.

Lara Croft

As I read Maja Mikula's essay relating gender with video games, I realized that she made many good points and brought up various arguments having to do with the main character of the game, Lara Croft. One that I found stuck out the most was one that was brought up at the beginning which was is Lara Croft a good role model? There are many people that would think that she is a good role model. She has a perfect body and her job is to fight off harm. What is wrong with that? Unfortunately, that is the problem. Nothing is wrong with her and she is perfect. I think that this makes her a poor role model. Girls who look at Lara will compare themselves to her and they will feel degraded. They may try to be as good as her which will be impossible because Croft is a fictional character. It is almost like Lara gives real girls false hope.

Lora Croft

One claim that Mikula makes about gender and video games using Lora Croft is that men and women have different reactions and desires when faced with a female character such as Lora Croft. Men feel that they must protect, care for and control Lora who for them is a sex symbol that they develop a personal "relationship" with. For women they tend to want to identify with her, using Lora Croft as a way for them to access their inner strength, femininity, and fearlessness. The article says that Lora Croft is both heroine and sex symbol, she is what you want her to be and that regardless of gender people developed personal connections to her character. I would agree that men and women would look at a dominant female and have different ways of interacting with such a character. Men, who would be intimidated by someone like Lora Croft, seek to control her and sexualize her, whereas women endeavor to become her and seek to embody her "all in one" personality.