Representation of Issues

LO: to explore and understand how issues are

presented in the media

12 April 2023

STARTER

What are some major issues of

the 21st century?

What is the difference between an ‘event’ and an ‘issue’?

• An event is something that actually happens at a given time or place

• An issue is a subject or topic that is thought about and/or debates

• The two can be closely linked together (i.e. the issue of sponsorship in the Olympic, which is an event) but it is important that you stick to the key word in the question!

The issue of body image in the media

• An ever-changing concept!

Laura Mulvey’s “The Male Gaze”

The concept of gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented.

For feminists it can be thought of in 3 ways:

• How men look at women, • How women look at themselves • How women look at other women.

Features of the Male Gaze

The camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events.

Relegates women to the status of objects. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily, by identification with the male.

Use of the Male Gaze in everyday life

Some theorists also have noted the sexualizing of the female body even in situations where female sexiness has nothing to do with the product being advertised.

Can you think of any examples of this?

Criticism of Mulvey and Gaze theory

Some women enjoy being ‘looked’ at e.g. beauty pageants.

The gaze can also be directed toward members of the same gender for several reasons, not all of which are sexual, such as in comparison of body image or in clothing.

Are there any ‘flaws’ in these arguments?

TASK – how is body image represented here?

• What visual codes are used?

• What technical codes are used?

• What is the mode of address?

• How is the audience positioned?

• How can different audiences respond?

• How the ‘the gaze’ apply here?

TASK• Take another text and analyse it for how

body image is represented.• Examine the same codes as before and

consider audience positioning and responses

• How does ‘the male gaze’ theory apply?

PLENARY• List some other media examples that

reinforce a negative (or positive) representation of body image.

GTA Lollipop girl Lara Croft - TRBody Shop’s Ant-Barbie CampaignAny magazine!

HOMEWORK• Analyse another text for how the issue is

presented, applying understanding of Mulvey’s male gaze theory.

• Due next lesson