Adil Amin 21595414 22.06.

2017

"Whats up, Doc?" Scientist stereotypes in the Film

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Director: James Marsh

Writers: Anthony McCarten (screenplay), Jane Hawking (book: Traveling to Infinity: My Life
with Stephen)
Key characters in the movie: Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, Felicity Jones as Jane
Hawking and Charlie Thomas Cox as Jonathan Hellyer Jones
Synopsis
The theory of everything gives us a glimpse of the most brilliant and celebrated physicist of
our time, Stephen Hawkings life. It describes his college days, his relationship with his wife Jane
and his success as physicists. The movie starts as Cambridge student Stephen Hawking meets
arts student jane, although shy at first, eventually they both get close. Stephen was given just
two years to live following the diagnosis of a fatal illness at 21 years of age then he decided to
shut jane off from his life to give enough time to science. But Jane convinced him to marry her.
Jane stands by Stephen as the illness progresses. Stephen soon graduates his doctoral studies
having more interest to subject Time. He went on to be called the successor to Einstein, as
well as a husband and father to their three children. In the meantime, his illness tests Janes
resourcefulness, pulling her away from her own work and causing her much stress and worry.
The movie further portrays how his condition affected his relationship with Jane and how he
rose above it and wrote his book "A Brief History of Time."
In the end of the movie Stephen Hawking is invited by Queen to be honored and he invited jane-
now married to Jonathan- and their children to accompany him. The couple sit in a garden and
smile when Stephen indicates the children and says, "Look at what we made."
Scientific field of the movie: Cosmology, Theoretical physics, Black holes, Grand unified theory
Scientist stereotype: Stephen Hawking, Jane Hawking (although arts student but she invented
new methods in medicine field so a born scientist)
Questions: Q-1. Is space exploration a waste of money? Q-2. Why scientists are shown shy and
unromantic in media? Q-3. Dr. Hawkings case, the stereotype is compounded by his disability, which
causes the rest of the world -especially the media -to regard his every statement as if it came from the
Delphic oracle. Do you agree?, Q-4. Do space exploration companies fund film industry to advertise
space related films to stay alive in public? So that to let funds coming smoothly? , Q-5. Is science
atheist or it is just the people? In addition, Q-6. Jane did not leave Hawking until he
divorces/releases her. Is it a stereotype? Which type?
Adil Amin 21595414 22.06.2017

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/science/stephen-hawkings-movie-life-story-is-not-very-scientific.html

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2010/06/xfile-or-god-religion-vs-science.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2980516/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_Everything_(2014_film)

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2014/11/the_theory_of_everything_a_film_about_stephen_hawking_
and_his_marriage_reviewed.html