I met with a colleague this week and we discussed my research about the complexities and perspectives on flawed female characters in Western 21st Century film. He asked me why.. Why do I do this study? What has it given me so far? Why research female characters? Why now? Why is this important? For who is this important? What would I love to come out of this study? What would I hate to come out of this study?
I found myself going around in circles with these questions in the days after our conversation, in the same way we went around in circles for the research inquiry. Every time you ask the same questions you go further, deeper, as you gain more knowledge and self awareness. It brought me a lot of clarity.
I also found myself arguing with myself, especially about the questions regarding the outcome. I am a firm believer as a qualitative researcher that if I want to discover something within my research I will be able to find ways to support my statement and hypothesis. Therefore I will probably not perhaps discover new idea's on insights but instead gather more proof for my view on things. But to find a sense of direction without a strong statement feels like floating on open sea, no clue where you will land. I decided to really sharpen my opinion on my matter in my reflective journal. So instead of trying to be as objective as possible, I will know very clearly where I stand and what my views are on female characters in film. Then I will use this as just one of the views, next to the feminist film theorists like Mulvey and Silverman, and filmmakers like W. Allen and Q. Tarentino.
What are the questions that help you further in your research? Do you ask them once or do you keep coming back to them, every time with a slightly more refined (or completely different) answer?
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