Sounding Out the Femme Fatale-ness of Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction (1994)

This article develops a theoretical framework for analyzing the roles of sound in character development in relation to issues of gender called the gendered character soundscape critique. This theoretical framework is applied to the character Mia Wallace from the film Pulp Fiction (1994) and illuminates the contrasting ways sound contributes to her characterization as a femme fatale. Mia Wallace is a significant character to examine because she is an iconic character, a pop culture sensation, the only female character that is predominately featured in the film, and has a dynamic character arc. The article argues that the music track, sound effects, and the absence of sound sexualize and objectify Mia Wallace within standards of hegemonic cinematic femininity, while the voice tracks work in two different ways. Mia Wallace’s voice opens a space for her to express her subjectivity and her point of view. Dialogue tracks shaped her as erotic, powerful and dangerous. However, in the final scene, the dialogue and absence of sound sexualize her and relegates her into an inferior subject position. This final scene concludes the femme fatale character arc of punishment for transgressing the hegemony and reestablishes the dominance of the patriarchal gender order over her.