Twisted Hate

Legally Blonde is Jules’s favorite movie, as it symbolizes her and her struggles. Like Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, a sorority girl who ends up studying law, Jules challenges stereotypes about appearance and intelligence. When Josh’s coworker Micah is surprised to learn Jules attends Thayer Law, “[she] recognized judgment when [she] saw it, and [she] had zero obligation to be nice to someone who didn’t bother hiding his condescension” (226). She asks Micah what he thinks a law student should look like, challenging his thinking. When she crosses paths with Todd, a man who stood her up, the interaction mirrors Elle and ex-boyfriend Warner’s dynamic. Warner, like Todd, prioritizes appearances over connection.

Elle isn’t ashamed to have fun and express her femininity; likewise, Jules “didn’t believe in false humility—[she] knew [she] looked good” (2). Jules is unapologetically herself, despite Josh and others’ insults. Elle also doesn’t allow others to determine what she’s capable of, and often proves them wrong. Similarly, when Josh implies Jules won’t pass the bar exam, she vows, “Josh Chen was going to eat his words. Hopefully, he’d choke on them too” (5). On the other hand, to cement the pair’s status as a real couple, Josh plans for them to see Legally Blonde: The Musical in New York.