Blog Post #7

How would you define gender? Is gender natural, or is it socially constructed and if it's socially constructed, does that mean gender is anything someone wants it to be?

I would define gender as simply the identity that one wants to be seen as- whether this is male, female, or non-binary. I believe gender to be both natural and socially constructed for a few reasons. Gender is socially constructed in the sense that there are clothes, activities, even toys that people consider to be strictly for one gender or the other. Often, when something is enjoyed by both, it is seen as a rarity. There are social pressures for people, especially kids, to act and dress a certain way only because of their biological sex. This is how gender identity has become a social construct. The term for those whose gender identity matches with their biological sex is called “cisgender.” Those who feel that they are the gender opposite to their sex are trans. Due to extreme prejudice in many countries, trans people often hid their identities for fear of being socially ostracized or even physically harmed. This is because of the thoughts of what gender ought to be by many societies.

But I also feel that gender is natural. There is a reason some kids feel different from a young age as opposed to kids who don’t. This is possibly because their gender identity could be different than what their sex is. This is not something that kids make up for games or say because someone wants them too; they honestly feel different, and that’s okay. Gender is not “anything someone wants it to be” because of the social nature surrounding it, but I believe that one can have a different gender identity than the one assigned to them at birth because of their biological sex.  

Blog Post #6

After watching the documentary Miss Representation I was reminded of the many discussions I’ve had in the past about gender inequality in media. Mostly throughout high school I had countless people, both boys and girls, tell me that I was “overthinking” or “making a mountain out of a molehill” when it came to me wanting better representation for women. This documentary reminded me of why I never stopped arguing with those people; because women are still not represented well in media.

The documentary had many famous and educated women and men speakers from all sorts of media- television, movies, journalism and other writing concentrations. But they also interviewed children, from the high school level, on how they felt about women portrayal. These students said that they saw women liked only for their bodies, and some of the girls commented on self-esteem problems that they or people they knew had. These comments were backed up in the special with facts from studies that showed that self-esteem was low in girls in the recent years of increased media. The studies showed that girls are often discouraged from achieving their goals because the pressure society and media has on them are to be concerned only with their bodies and with popularity.

This was the argument I was making when I was the same age as those girls. I encouraged others to follow their dreams, even if there would be pressures for them not to. Often, as I mentioned above, I was told that I was just looking too much into this issue. But Miss Representation managed to present my argument and more about how gender inequality exacts and how it is crucial that society has to change for the sake of young people. For this reason I very much enjoyed watching this documentary. 

Blog Post #5

Psychoanalytical analysis is a form of analysis that focuses on the conscious and unconscious thoughts and actions that motivate people or characters. It puts a reason behind every motivation, even to explain why pieces of media, such as television and movies, were created in the first place. Motivations can be deep or easy to understand.

What lies within the consciousness of a person can be put into three categories- the conscious, the subconscious, and the unconscious. This is referred to as the “mental iceberg.” The conscious is the top, what is visible, and is everything one is aware of. The subconscious is where memories and knowledge is stored and can be accessed when desired. The unconscious is hidden, and is where all of the undesirable or unacceptable behaviors and wants are stored, such as fears, violent motives and sexual thoughts. There is also a category that puts a label behind these motives and what people do with them.

These three are the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the part of the mind that only wants to fulfill pleasurable desires. This can be someone who only cares about themselves, and does what they please whenever they can. The opposite is the superego, which takes into account morals and sticks to those beliefs. The ego is a balance of both doing what is pleasurable but also what’s morally right.

By understanding these categories, it is possible to try to understand the reasoning behind character’s motivations and can be used to bring about a message. 

Blog Post #4

Marxism in media is the analysis of social structures, popular beliefs, and the way that people are categorized into groups and their actions because of that. Many shows and movies will portray characters and ideas that are the norm of society that results in more people believing in whatever ideology is shown. But many times there are instances were media will break the norm and the results can change an entire belief. Shows like The Cosby Show, Will and Grace, and Modern Family are examples of breaking the ideology that people of color, homosexuals, and unconventional families cannot be successful or go through the same everyday things as the rest of society. A current example that is changing ideology is the children’s show Steven Universe.

Main character Steven is a short, chubby boy who is not afraid to cry or enjoy cuter things. Normally in media and real life boys are put down for crying and it is considered a weakness. Likewise, weight is commonly a topic of ridicule in most shows. But this is not the case for Steven. He is a generally a happy kid, who cries when he needs to and isn’t made fun of for this. He loves to eat and have snacks and that’s perfectly okay. By going against those ideologies, Steven Universe is teaching kids that it’s okay to be who you are, especially the chubbier kids who are shown as weak and unhealthy on other shows, both aimed at adults and children. 

Blog Post #3

The focus of the media watched in class was power and ideology. We watched an episode of “Freaks and Geeks” to serve as an example. Rather than focusing on themes and signifiers like in semiotics, the focus was more on the characters themselves and what their choices reflected in the society they were in. One of the biggest examples is the mother, Jean, in the show. 

In the beginning and throughout much of the episode, Jean was enthusiastic about Halloween, which was quickly approaching. She bonded with the entire family during the dinner scenes, singing and acting goofy, and was eager to spend time with her daughter Lindsey on Halloween night. The Weir household becomes festive with creepy and cute decorations, and to top it off, Jean decides to make tons of homemade Halloween cookies to pass out instead of candy. Jean during these scenes is an example of a hierarchal elitist- one who holds the dominant power in the group. She is in control of her household and her husband, who goes along with her antics despite not wanting to. However, her role changes for a bit come Halloween night, when Lindsey decides to leave her alone to handle the trick-or-treaters. If that was not enough, Jean became humiliated and slightly distraught after learning that the homemade cookies were being thrown away by parents that believed them to be dangerous to their children. That newfound ideology was foreign to Jean, but is a widespread belief even until this day.

After being “defeated” like this, Jean decides to do what everyone else did and get candy to pass out, which she eventually stops doing because she’s having a miserable time. It is during this part that her character shifts to that of a fatalist- one who is out of luck in society. She reflects on how her childhood was not like that. But at the end of the episode when Lindsey decides to get into her costume and help her mom out, Jean bounces right back up, returning to her hierarchal elitist status. The episode was able to portray those focuses of power types and ideology even in a side character such as the mother.

Blog Post #2: BBC Sherlock

BBC's rendition of the classic Sherlock Holmes story is presented in an interesting and captivating manner. Right from the very start there is action and mystery, the key elements that bring the Holmes stories to life. What I believed to be the most interesting part of the episode was the introduction and characterization of John Watson, who is the first character to appear in the show, despite being on the co-main character. The episode also establishes trust between the two main characters rather quickly.  

When Watson is introduced, he is waking up in a barren apartment, with only a few possessions scattered about. This is to show how unadjusted to civilian life Watson is, as the viewers learn only minutes later from his psychiatrist. A quick glance through some of his belongings showed us that he owns a gun, which is a signifier that signifies that he has knowledge of dangerous situations and that he is prepared for them again. Watson also has a limp, requiring the use of a cane. As it turns out, his limp is psychosomatic and he uses his cane as crutch that keeps him grounded. He is also a very quiet man, very reserved and respectful.  

Throughout the episode, there comes to be some parallels to Watson’s character, as he is introduced to Sherlock Holmes and begins to work with him. Upon entering 221B Baker’s Street, Watson is greeted with the crowded, cluttered organized mess that is Holmes’ flat. This is directly opposite of his current living space, yet Watson doesn’t put up too much of a fuss over it, quickly growing accustomed to it as the episode progresses. He also does not remain quiet for very long; he is quick to defend Sherlock in fervor against the police during the “drug’s bust.” Despite the fact that they had only known each other for a short amount of time, Watson was already starting to trust the consulting detective. This trust is shown in Watson’s forgetting of his cane as the episode continues. He is no longer needed that crutch, as he has found a friend and trust in Sherlock Holmes.

Finally, the use of Watson’s gun against the cabbie killer is an example of paradigmatic analysis. Watson is a good character, who owns a real gun and actually uses it. The cabbie is an example of the “evil” character that fooled his victims with a fake gun. Watson turns out to be the one to shoot, though he did it to save a life, and ended up killing someone. But through his action, he further shows his trust and concern for Holmes, and in return Holmes becomes fonder of him. The episode ends with the two leaving, now established as friends who truly trust in each other. 

Blog Post #1

Simplicity is the word to best describe this McDonald's print advertisement. The first thing noted is the thin rays of light coming from the night light, creating the illusion of a big order of fries. It's a clever use not only of the light, but making the night light also look like the cover that orders come in. But at first glance, it may seem a bit odd for McDonald's to have a night light as an advertisement.

That is, until you see the small words under the Golden Arches. 

The words may be hard to read at first glance for some, but the number "24" in bigger font is not to be missed. Staged at the late hours of the night, McDonald's has created a very simple advertisement for their twenty four hour business. By using the image of their famous fries, they are inviting their customers for a late night snack at any time of night.

Aside from being an ad that directly shows the use of a night-time object, there is some connotation to be seen. Night lights are commonly used for those who fear the dark, primarily a childhood fear. The light produced by night lights provides security and protection, and offers a warm feeling for those scared. Here in the ad, the light from the McDonald’s ad doesn’t feel so much protective as it does inviting. It’s a warm, simple light that brings the viewer in. It’s very much representative of what they are advertising for, which is food for you, the costumer, available and ready for whenever you crave it.