to apologize. When they do, they are often insincere about it, or end up making things worse because they often insult through their apologetic styles more than heal. At two different points in the film, they each hit one another with zingers about their apology styles:
Erin Brockovich: Did they teach you to apologize at lawyer school? ‘Cause you sure suck at it.
Ed Masry: Do they teach beauty queens how to apologize? Because you suck at it!
Tannen also devotes a portion of her book to exploring the concept of giving criticism. Underlying business relations and communications are typically an unwritten understanding by those who truly know the business of business is business. As Tannen (53) discloses “This is business; feelings have no part in it. Here’s the dope; I know you’re good; you can take it”. Tannen also admits that whether one chooses to soften criticism or give it straight, both methods are a matter of convention.
Nonetheless, the convention for women is to typically downplay their authority and soften their criticism. We see that for Erin Brockovich, this gender rule-of-thumb does not hold true. No job, no money, three children, and a lack of respect for much aside from her figure, Erin has sacrificed enough in life and is not prepared to go soft on those she feels are unjust. Unfortunately for PG&E, she finds their behavior in Hinkley and to the people of Hinkley, extremely unjust. However, whether she is giving criticism to an adversarial legal representative of PG&E or giving criticism to a coworker whom has annoyed her, there is nothing remotely soft about her words or tone:
Theresa Dallavale: Okay, look, I think we got off on the wrong foot here –
Erin Brockovich: That’s all you got lady. Two wrong feet. In fucking ugly shoes.
[To a coworker] Erin Brockovich: Bite my ass,
We see Erin experience the dilemma Tannen discusses when it comes to women being recognized ...