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Intro to Visual and Critical Studies Final

The four theorists and readings I selected all touch upon the themes of identity, representation, and power dynamics within cultural and social contexts. First, Sigmund Freud's "The Uncanny" delves into the unsettling feeling of familiarity within the unfamiliar, touching upon the psychological aspects of identity and perception. Next, Bell Hooks, in "Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators," explores how Black female viewers develop a critical perspective on media representations and resist dominant narratives through their gaze. Then, Judith Butler's "Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion" examines gender performativity and the subversion of norms, highlighting how individuals challenge and redefine gender identities through performative acts. Finally, Stuart Hall's "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" addresses the construction of Blackness within popular culture, exploring how racial identities are portrayed and negotiated in dominant media representations. Analyzing "Watchmen" through the lens of these theorists illuminates the disruption of essentialist notions of identity and race and explores the impact of hegemonic powers on both viewers' perceptions of the show and the characters within it. I will organize this post by initially examining how each theorist similarly discusses the same concepts or terms, followed by an exploration of how they differ in the ways they discuss certain concepts. 

Section 1: Unveiling Dominant Norms: The Theorists' Perspective on Representation, Identity, and Marginalization

The theorists' work all share a common focus on representation, identity formation, and similarly explore the influence of dominant norms on our perceptions and experiences. They delve into how these norms and representations impact identity formation and contribute to the marginalization of certain communities.  

Sigmund Freud's "The Uncanny" delves into the concept of identity by exploring the psychological experience of the uncanny. He highlights how identity is intertwined with perceptions of self and others. He explores how the uncanny can arise with certain experiences, objects, or events that evoke feelings of unease because they challenge our sense of identity and disrupt our understanding of reality. Through his exploration, Freud invites readers to consider how our sense of identity is shaped by our perceptions and experiences. Freud explores the concept of norms by talking about how the uncanny arises when something familiar takes on unfamiliar or unsettling qualities, challenging our established norms and expectations.  

 Bell Hooks expands on the idea of how identity is shaped through our perceptions, exploring how media representations significantly impact the way Black spectators engage with media. She discusses how dominant norms dictate societal perceptions of Black individuals, shaping their experiences and sense of self. Hooks argues that mainstream media, particularly film and television, often perpetuate and reinforce normative ideologies and stereotypes that marginalize and oppress Black people, stating ”When most black people in the United States first had the opportunity to look at film and television, they did so fully aware that mass media was a system of knowledge and power reproducing and maintaining white supremacy.”(1) These media representations shape societal norms and expectations, dictating how Black people are perceived and treated. 

Stuart Hall likewise investigates how prevailing norms shape depictions of Blackness, particularly in popular culture. He discusses how the cultural dominant reflects the dominant ideologies and power structures within a society and may reinforce existing inequalities or marginalize alternative perspectives. Hall delves into the ways in which these dominant cultural elements influence identity formation by dictating narratives and imagery. He views popular and visual culture as a site where identities are negotiated and power dynamics are contested. According to Hall, identity is not predetermined; rather, it emerges from ongoing interactions with representations and societal contexts. He advocates for acknowledging the diversity of Black experience, as popular culture is a site where we can see representations of our different identities, and where we can “discover and play with the identifications of ourselves,”. (2) 

Judith Butler correspondingly argues that identity is not an inherent or fixed essence through the introduction of the concept of gender performativity. She similarly underscores the construction and reinforcement of norms through cultural, societal, and media representations. She contends that these depictions play a pivotal role in shaping and upholding gender identities by prescribing specific behaviors, roles, and traits as appropriate for individuals based on their perceived gender. She emphasizes that gender identity is not something that individuals possess but something that they through re enactment of dominant gender norms. Butler's discussion of how various media platforms highlight certain gender performances while marginalizing or stigmatizing others resonates with Hooks and Hall's examination of how certain races or cultures face marginalization through media portrayals. All four theorists underscore the dynamic and complex nature of identity formation within socio-cultural contexts, highlighting the ways in which dominant norms and representations intersect with individual experiences to shape perceptions of self and others.

Section 2: Unveiling Hegemony: Diverse Perspectives on Power Dynamics and Asserting Agency

These theorists all center their work around the influence of dominant norms, yet each approaches the concept of hegemony from unique angles, emphasizing various facets of power dynamics within society. Moreover, they provide different methodologies for critically analyzing and navigating dominant societal norms while asserting individual agency within these frameworks.

Freud's ideas of the uncanny and hegemony are linked: hegemonic forces shape our psyche, much like how they influence society. Hegemony refers to the dominance of certain ideologies, beliefs, or practices that are upheld as natural or common sense within society, exerting influence over individuals' thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. Similar to how the uncanny reveals repressed material, one could posit that hegemonic forces function within the unconscious mind, molding individuals' perceptions and behaviors without their conscious recognition. Freud discusses how unconscious forces can manifest as compulsive behaviors or intrusive thoughts that are not fully understood or controllable by the conscious mind, stating “we are able to postulate the principle of a repetition-compulsion in the unconscious mind, based upon instinctual activity and probably inherent in the very nature of the instincts- a principle powerful enough to overrule the pleasure-principle,”. (3) Freud's investigation into the influence of unconscious forces on human experience provides insight into how hegemonic forces shape individuals' perspectives and behaviors. It opens up avenues for exploration of the mechanisms through which systems of power and oppression operate at both conscious and unconscious levels. Furthermore, Freud's exploration of uncanny experiences highlights how they arise when something disrupts the established norms and conventions that govern our understanding of reality. This implicitly raises questions about the stability and reliability of norms.   

Butler differently explores how established norms can be disrupted through her analysis on drag performance and its rejection of hegemonic forces. Through the concept of drag, Butler illustrates its subversive nature by revealing heterosexuality as a performance, stating that drag “reflects on the imitative structure by which hegemonic gender is itself produced and disputes heterosexuality's claim on naturalness and originality.” (4) By exploring heterosexuality as a performative act, she challenges the perceived naturalness of hegemonic gender roles and sexual orientations. Drag performers are seen as a space for resistance as they challenge traditional notions of gender by deliberately exaggerating and subverting gender roles through their performances. However, Butler notes that this challenge is limited by the same societal structures it seeks to resist as the performance both resists and reinforces the dominant norms. Butler emphasizes the enduring power of hegemonic systems and the challenges faced by marginalized communities in attempting to subvert them, she states “The citing of the dominant norm does not, in this instance, displace that norm; rather, it becomes the means by which that dominant norm is most painfully reiterated as the very desire and the performance of those it subjects.” (5) Butler explores how even acts of resistance can inadvertently contribute to the reinforcement of dominant norms. However, Butler ultimately emphasizes that the appropriation of dominant norms is not an act of subordination but it is about seizing agency and power. Marginalized individuals engage with dominant terms in order to reinterpret and redefine them, through their actions, they challenge power structures. 

Bell Hooks, on the other hand, delves into hegemony by examining "the gaze," particularly its impact on Black women. She highlights the historical marginalization of Black women and their challenges in finding pleasure while watching movies, given the limited and often harmful representations they encounter. She contends that Black female spectators adopt an oppositional gaze, challenging hegemonic power structures by critically engaging with dominant narratives and media representations. This stance asserts their agency and challenges the dominant discourse imposed upon them. Within the oppositional gaze, Black female spectators actively choose not to identify with white womanhood. Hooks states that these women “who would not take on the phallocentric gaze of desire and possession, created a critical space where the binary opposition Mulvey posits of 'woman as image, man as bearer of the look' was continually deconstructed.” (6) Through a conscious and critical awareness of how dominant visual culture represents and constructs identity, the oppositional gaze empowers Black females as they resist the objectification and stereotyping of Black women in mainstream media.  

Stuart Hall explores the concept of hegemony by examining how it operates within culture and further focuses on broader frameworks of representation. Cultural hegemony refers to the dominance of a particular social group over others in shaping cultural norms, values, and practices. Cultural hegemony is not about "pure victory or pure domination" rather it is "about shifting the balance of power in the relations of culture; it is always about changing the dispositions and the configurations of cultural power, not getting out of it' (7). Cultural hegemony refers to how power operates and is not simply about one group dominating another but rather about the ongoing struggle to shape cultural narratives and meanings. To combat cultural hegemony, Hall investigates cultural strategies capable of altering power dynamics. He posits that global postmodernism reflects substantial shifts in dominant culture. According to Hall, it signifies a move toward embracing popular and everyday practices, local stories, and the decentralization of traditional power structures and overarching narratives. He argues that postmodernism's fascination with difference, whether it be sexual, cultural, racial, or ethnic, underscores the diversity within culture and has presented a new kind of cultural politics in which marginality within popular culture is an increasingly productive space. Hall explains that the global postmodern movement blurs distinctions between high and popular culture, broadening the space for the struggle over cultural hegemony to include popular culture. This expansion provides greater opportunities for marginalized groups compared to the more exclusive realms of high or elite culture, fostering the emergence of more inclusive and diverse narratives. While Freud, Butler, Hooks, and Hall each approach the concept of hegemony from unique perspectives, their combined insights offer a comprehensive understanding of its pervasive influence on societal structures, identities, and representations. Through their diverse methodologies and analyses, these theorists illuminate various pathways for resistance and empowerment within dominant societal frameworks.

Section 3:  Repression, Resistance, and Shifting identities: Themes Explored in Watchmen's 'This Extraordinary Being' and 'A God Walks Into Abar'" 

In the episode “This Extraordinary Being” from the tv show “Watchmen” (Lindelof, 2019), the main character Angela has swallowed her grandfather’s (William Reeves) nostalgia pills. She is now experiencing and living his memories through him. My selected scene occurs immediately after Reeves endures a brutal assault and lynching by his fellow police officers. Despite this violence, he intervenes to rescue white individuals from an attack in an alleyway, and puts on the hood that was previously forced upon him by the officers. His wife June tells him they are calling him a hero in the newspaper and asks why he put on the hood. He states “I don't know”. He then recounts a childhood memory of a movie he watched repeatedly, featuring a figure dressed in black with a hood who catches a corrupt sheriff. 

When the hooded figure reveals himself to be Bass Reeves, the Black marshal of Oklahoma, the white townsfolk cheer in approval. Hooks would note that when Reeves watched the movie in the theater he had the right of looking, and he could identify with the Bass Reeves as a hero. Since Angela was in the memories of her grandfather, through her oppositional gaze she would also be identifying with her grandfather and adopting his gaze, and therefore gaining pleasure. Black female viewers of the show would assert their own agency in shaping their interpretation of the film's portrayal of Black identity. Freud would observe that Reeves' decision to wear the hood was unconscious, stemming from deeply ingrained childhood memories of the heroic figure Bass Reeves. These memories resurface in real life, compelling Reeves to compulsively emulate his childhood hero. Additionally, Reeves carries deeply rooted trauma associated with the movie, as the theater where it played was burned down by the Klan and white citizens in his town. Freud would suggest that Reeves' action of putting on the hood while acting as a hero was an unconscious response triggered by repressed childhood fears and trauma related to the movie and its aftermath. Stuart Hall would further assert that the white townsfolk burned down the movie theater because the representation of Blackness in the movie contradicted their racist ideologies. When the dominant cultural norm was challenged in the movie, it provoked anger among white viewers, leading to the destructive response. Hall would highlight how cultural hegemony is upheld through the dominant culture's resistance to diverse portrayals of Blackness, emphasizing the power structures in place to control media representations and maintain societal norms. While Reeves recounted the movie, June applied white makeup around his eyes. June says "You ain’t gonna get Justice with a badge, Will Reeves. You gonna get it with that hood. And if you wanna stay a hero, townsfolk gonna need to think one of their own’s under it." 

Butler would say that Reeves' approval as a hero by white people only when perceived as white challenges essentialist notions of race as it demonstrates the mutability of identity. However, Butler would caution that conforming to dominant norms, while empowering in resistance to oppression, may not inherently dismantle hegemonic power structures. Nonetheless, she would say this conformity serves as a form of agency and also reveals the imitative nature of hegemonic power.

In episode 8 of Watchmen titled “A God Walks Into Abar”, there is a scene in which Angela and Dr. Manhattan are in a morgue to find corpses that Dr. Manhattan can take the form of. Angela gives Dr. Manhattan three options of people with white skin color and tells him to pick one.

 He responds “ I could actually look like anyone you want, Angela. Why limit it to just these men?” and suggests that she pick one unless she hasn't presented all of the options. Angela then reveals the corpse of Calvin Jelani, a Black man. She admits that she's comfortable with him as her choice, and Dr. Manhattan takes the form of Calvin while Calvin is still lying there on the table.  

Freud would note that this image evokes an uncanny feeling through its portrayal of doppelgängers and the blurring of boundaries between reality and fantasy. When Dr. Manhattan and the original body of Calvin were shown next to each other, the image blurs the boundary between life and death as Dr. Manhattan's assumption of a previously lifeless body challenges conventional notions of mortality. Hall would observe that Angela's initial presentation of three options of corpses with white skin color reflects the influence of dominant hegemonic norms. In a society where whiteness is privileged, Angela's default assumption that Dr. Manhattan would prefer to take on the form of a white person reflects the influence of these norms. Hall and Butler would discuss how Dr. Manhattan's transformation into Calvin emphasizes the continuity of identity. Despite assuming the physical form of a Black man, Dr. Manhattan remains the same individual with the same consciousness and agency. They would say  how this challenges essentialist notions of race and identity, revealing the constructed nature of these concepts. Butler would further argue that Angela's selection of a man based on her attraction represents a performance of heteronormativity. Initially, Angela claims not to care about his form, but her eventual choice reveals otherwise. Butler would note how this illustrates the constructed nature of heteronormativity and how individuals enact and perpetuate norms through their choices and actions. Hooks would discuss the scene through the concept of the oppositional gaze, noting how initially, Angela was operating within it. Hooks would explain that this is happening initially as Angela appears to feel compelled to prioritize white normativity, aligning herself in a place of accommodation to white centric desires. Ultimately, however, instead of catering to the white gaze and norms, she asserts her own agency by selecting a Black man as the form for Dr. Manhattan. Hooks would say that by rejecting the oppositional gaze imposed upon her, Angela challenges hegemonic power structures.  

By examining and applying the theoretical frameworks of Butler, Hooks, Hall, and Freud to different episodes in the series, it has helped me discern the ways in which resistance against hegemonic systems work and are shown in the media. These episodes vividly portray the struggles endured by Black individuals under oppression, while also showcasing the ways in which characters actively assert their agency in the face of adversity. The fantastical elements of the show offer ample opportunity to challenge essentialist notions of identity. Butler's work illuminates the nuanced struggle of marginalized communities against hegemonic forces, shedding light on the complexities therein. Hooks' analysis provides further understanding of how intersecting systems of hegemony, particularly gender and race are manifested and affect individuals differently. Freud's exploration of repressed trauma adds depth to our understanding of how unconscious forces can influence behavior and experience. Hall's examination of cultural hegemony underscores its pervasive influence in our lives, often operating covertly and requiring a critical perspective to identify its functioning. Overall, the synthesis of these theories has enriched my comprehension of resistance, identity, and power dynamics within the narrative landscape of the series.

Footnotes: 

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators” in Feminist Film Theory (New York: New York University Press, 1999), 308.

Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" In Black Popular Culture: A Project by Michele Wallace, edited by Gina Dent, 21-33. Seattle: Bay Press, 1992, pg. 477.

 Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny." The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey, vol. 17, Hogarth Press, 1955, pp. 391.

Judith Butler, “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” in Feminist Film Theory a Reader (New York: Washington Square, 1999,) 339.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 344.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators” in Feminist Film Theory (New York: New York University Press, 1999), 313.

Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" In Black Popular Culture: A Project by Michele Wallace, edited by Gina Dent, 21-33. Seattle: Bay Press, 1992, pg. 471.

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Analytical Application 6: Race and Representation

Cultural hegemony

Peter Pan - What Makes The Red Man Red (English)

Definition:

According to Stuart Hall, cultural hegemony is the dominance of a particular social group over others, attained by manipulating  cultural institutions, beliefs, values, and practices. Cultural hegemony is not about "pure victory or pure domination" rather it is "about shifting the balance of power in the relations of culture; it is always about changing the dispositions and the configurations of cultural power, not getting out of it' (1). Cultural hegemony refers to the fluidness and how power operates, crafting various practices related to each culture. He explains that cultural hegemony is not simply about one group dominating another but rather about the ongoing struggle to shape cultural narratives and meanings. Hall also suggests how the unequal distribution of power and control leads to the misrepresentation in what is being produced, Hegemonic narratives of culture are what allow people to be misrepresented in cinema and in the media through inaccurate voices and discourse.

Application: 

For my application for cultural hegemony I selected the song and scene from Peter Pan entitled "What Makes a Red Man Red'. Overall, there is a large insensitivity to Native Americans. Peter Pan himself puts on one of the native headpieces and turns his face the same color as the "red skinned" indians. This misappropriation reinforces the idea of how the dominant culture can maintain their hegemony through the appropriation and caricature of marginalized identities. The 3 lost children ask the questions, “What makes the red man red?” “When did he first say, ‘Ugh?’” and “Why does he ask you, ‘How?’”. While answering these questions, that are in themselves stereotypical and harmful portrayals of Native American culture and language, the song portrays Native Americans as sex-crazed, sexist, primitive, and irresponsible. The lyrics reinforce this by stating “Let's go back a million years to the very first Injun prince he kissed a maid and started to blush , and we've all been blushin' since”. They also use derogatory terminology during the scene. By presenting these portrayals as entertainment for mass consumption, such as in a widely popular film like Peter Pan, the dominant culture normalizes and legitimizes its distorted representations, further solidifying its control over societal norms and perceptions. In order to further understand the presence of cultural hegemony in the film, it is crucial to acknowledge the film was likely produced by white individuals who have limited understanding of the nuances of Native American culture. Furthermore, similar to other inhabitants of Neverland, the depiction of Native Americans in Peter Pan does not accurately represent real indigenous peoples. Instead, these portrayals cater to the imagination of children from the Edwardian era in Britain. The song is very insistent that it’s telling the truth, lyrics state “You've got it right from the headman the real true story of the red man , no matter what's been written or said, now you know why the red man's red!” The lack of authentic representation and the reduction of Native Americans to simplistic and derogatory stereotypes serve to maintain power differentials and uphold the dominant culture's authority over the narrative of indigenous peoples' identities and histories.

Stereotype

Dumbo When I See an Elephant Fly & Dumbo Flies HD

Definition:

Shohat and Stam delve into how stereotypes contribute to the creation of negative perceptions about specific communities, distorting their reality and perpetuating false notions about their identity. These stereotypes create a false sense of reality and often lead individuals to reinforce these harmful portrayals, thereby perpetuating discrimination. Hollywood, as an influential film industry, has a history of misrepresenting non-European communities, amplifying the problem. However, Shohat and Stam highlight that marginalized communities and misrepresented groups have "the power to combat and resist them" (2). They emphasize that these stereotypes not only perpetuate prejudicial social policies but also contribute to violence against vulnerable populations. Therefore, it's crucial for those affected to assert their agency and demand accountability for the misrepresentation of non-dominant groups or groups that are only shown having less importance. The roots of these stereotypes often can be traced back to colonialist discourse, which fails to acknowledge the cultural and ethnic richness of these communities.

Application: 

For my application of stereotype, I selected the scene from Dumbo with the song "When I see an elephant fly and Dumbo flies". The scene and song use stereotypes of Black people and/or musicians and works to misrepresent marginalized communities. The group of crows which sing the song are supposed to portray Black distortions/depictions or stereotypes, which are mocked. They are stereotyped as lazy and cigar smoking. The leader of these crows is even called Jim Crow, named after the racial segregation laws. Jim Crow is voiced by a white man who tries to put on his best “Black voice”. This misrepresentation and appropriation is harmful, and works to perpetuate stereotypes in the media and confine Black individuals to single identities or depictions. The song is jazz influenced and the voice patterns which the crows use mimic African American speech patterns and mannerisms. They speak and sing “jive” which is a style of slang known to be used with African American musicians at the time. This imitation of speech patterns illustrates how individuals may adopt a form of "blackface" through speech when representing a culture other than their own. Such behavior is indicative of cultural hegemony, serving to perpetuate stereotypes and uphold the authority of the dominant ruling class.

Orientalist Theory

The Siamese Cat Song - Lady & The Tramp

Definition: 

According to Edward W. Said’s “Orientalism,”  a large number of writers have accepted a distinction between the East and West that they use as the basis for “elaborate theories, epics, novels, epics, social descriptions and political accounts concerning the Orient, its people, customs, “mind,” destiny, and so on.” (3) Orientalism is a discourse and way of thinking arriving from an ontological and epistemological distinction between “the Orient '' and “the Occident”. Said states “Orientalism as a Western style for dominating restructuring, and having authority over the Orient.” (4) Said also notes how Orientalism created a body of theory in which there has been “a considerable material investment.” Therefore within Western consciousness there has been a recognized framework created for interpretation of the Orient. Simultaneously, this material investment has made ideas disseminating from Orientalism into mainstream culture more influential. Said also talks about one of the main ways the West interprets “the orient”, he states  “So far as the Orient is concerned, standardization and cultural stereotyping have intensified the hold of the nineteenth- century academic and imaginative demonology of “the mysterious Orient.” (5) Orientalist theory has not shaped Western perceptions of the Orient but serves as a tool for asserting dominance and authority over it. As a result, Orientalism has entrenched a dichotomy between the East and West, shaping perceptions, ideologies, and power dynamics between these regions.

Application:

In my exploration of Orientalist theory, I've chosen to analyze the portrayal of the Siamese cats in the song "Aunt Sarah and Her Twin Siamese Cats" from Lady and the Tramp (1955). This depiction perpetuates racist Asian stereotypes and reinforces the Western cultural stereotyping of the "mysterious Orient." The cats speak with a stereotypical "Asian" accent and move in perfect symmetry, stripping them of individuality and suggesting that all members of their culture are uniform. The initial shot focuses solely on their exaggerated slanted eyes emerging from the darkness, enhancing the perception of them as mysterious and deceitful. This use of exaggerated features serves to distance them from Western norms and reinforce the idea of them as inherently different. It perpetuates a sense of exoticism and otherness which further reinforces a sense of superiority among Western audiences. The cats slow, slithery movements further aim to emphasize their slyness and hidden hostile intentions. Throughout the scene, they engage in destructive behavior, such as knocking over a flower pot, tearing curtains, and attempting to catch and eat the pet fish. Despite being domesticated, their actions are shown to be driven by a mischievous and sinister nature. By portraying them as scheming and hostile, the film reinforces stereotypes of Eastern cultures as inherently untrustworthy and morally inferior. Their portrayal contrasts sharply with the portrayal of the Western character Lady, who exhibits kindness and empathy as she tries to stop their destructive behavior, and save the fish. This underscores the dichotomy between the East and West perpetuated by Orientalist discourse. Lady's actions serve to highlight the supposed moral superiority of Western values compared to Eastern cultures. Overall, the portrayal of the Siamese cats exemplifies the Orientalist tendencies prevalent in Western media, perpetuating stereotypes, exoticizing Eastern cultures, and reinforcing Western dominance.

Cultural dominant

I Wan'na Be Like You (from The Jungle Book)

Definition: 

In Stuart Hall’s “What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?,”he defines the cultural dominant as the prevailing cultural norms, values, and representations within a society or a particular cultural context. These dominant cultural elements often shape perceptions, influence social practices, and inform the production and consumption of media and popular culture. The cultural dominant reflects the dominant ideologies and power structures within a society and may reinforce existing inequalities or marginalize alternative perspectives. Hall talks about how the concept of global postmodernism reflects significant changes in the dominant culture, stating “And yet it is impossible to refuse ‘the global postmodern’ entirely, insofar as it registers certain stylistic shifts in what I want to call the cultural dominant.” (6) According to Hall, global postmodernism signifies a move toward embracing popular and everyday practices, local stories, and the decentralization of traditional power structures and overarching narratives.

Application: 

For my application of the term “cultural dominant” I chose the scene and song “I Wan'na to Be Like You” from The Jungle Book (1967). The scene and song relates to the cultural dominant in several ways. Firstly, the character King Louie, who sings the song, desires to emulate human behavior and attributes, such as walking and talking like humans.  This desire reflects a longing to assimilate into the dominant human culture, which is portrayed as more advanced and desirable within the film's narrative. Kaa, the giant snake particularly aspires for the ability to make fire. Lyrics state “Give me the power of man's red flower, So I can be like you”. Fire is often associated with civilization, progress, and power in human societies. Kaa’s desire for it symbolizes his yearning to access the benefits and privileges associated with the dominant human culture. Furthermore, the scene depicts Mowgli, the human character, carrying a man-made vase designed for transporting water, signaling attributes of a more advanced civilization. The character King Louie's pursuit of human-like qualities and abilities reflects a broader theme of cultural assimilation and the influence of the dominant culture on marginalized groups. In this context, King Louie's desire to be like humans can be seen as a metaphor for the pressure to conform to dominant cultural norms and values, even at the expense of one's own identity and heritage. He wants to become more like humans, whom he perceives as having greater power and status.

Essentialism

Everybody wants to be a cat

Definition: 

In Stuart Hall’s “What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” He defines essentialism as the reduction of a culture or group of people to fixed, immutable characteristics, ignoring the diversity and complexity within that culture or group. Essentialism involves simplifying complex identities or experiences into a single, unchanging essence. This can lead to stereotypes and misconceptions. Hall states “The essentializing moment is weak because it naturalizes and de-historicizes difference, mistaking what is historical and cultural for what is natural, biological, and genetic.” (7) He highlights the dangers of essentialism, particularly in the context of racial categorization. By essentializing race and reducing it to biological characteristics, essentialism overlooks the social, political, and historical factors that shape racial identities. This process not only distorts the understanding of race but also perpetuates racist ideologies by reinforcing the false notion of inherent racial differences.

Application: 

For my analysis of essentialism, I chose to examine the song "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" from The Aristocats (1970). This song perpetuates harmful racial stereotypes by simplifying and exaggerating portrayals of certain racial or ethnic groups. For instance, African American notions of musicality and urban “hipness” are depicted through the jazz-playing alley cats and their use of slang and jive talk. The film essentializes certain characteristics, reducing black culture to a limited set of traits centered around music, language, and urban lifestyle. This portrayal overlooks the diversity and complexity of African American experiences, contributing to the essentialization of black identity. Additionally, the character Shun Gon, a Chinese Alley Cat, is a Siamese cat who plays the piano and drums using chopsticks, and has exaggerated buck teeth and slanted eyes. His characteristics perpetuate stereotypes about East Asian physical features. His character embodies a racist caricature of East Asian people, simplifying cultural differences such as the use of chopsticks and presenting them as inherent traits of East Asian identities. Shun Gon's lyrics, such as "Shanghai, Hong Kong, Egg Fu Yong! Hya ha ha ha ha ha! Fortune cookie always wrong!" further reinforce cultural stereotypes and reduce a diverse culture to simplistic caricatures. By presenting these stereotypes in a lighthearted and entertaining manner within a children's film, The Aristocats normalizes and perpetuates harmful representations to impressionable audiences. It suggests that these stereotypes are acceptable and essential characteristics of racial groups, without acknowledging the real-world impact they have on perpetuating racial prejudices and inequalities.

Footnotes:

Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" In Black Popular Culture: A Project by Michele Wallace, edited by Gina Dent, 21-33. Seattle: Bay Press, 1992, pg. 471.

Shohat, Ella, and Robert Stam. "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation." In Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, edited by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam, 277-309. London: Routledge, 1994, 183.

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979, 10. 

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979, 11. 

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979, 34. 

Hall, What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?, 469.

Hall, What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?, 475.

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In Edward W. Said's "Orientalism," he explores the concept of orientalism as a mode of thinking characterized by the establishment of a fundamental division between "the Orient" and, more often than not, "the Occident." He states that Orientalism is a “a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient.”(1) So the relationship between the divisions mentioned previously is a relationship of power and control over the other. Orientalsim depends on the West's definition of the Orient, caused by different Western techniques of representing them. Because of Orientalsim, “the Orient was not (and is not) a free subject of thought or action.”(2) Orientalism is linked to film, television, and popular media as within these mediums stereotypes are perpetuated and reinforced about the Orient, such as the “mysterious Orient”. By consistently depicting the Orient as exotic, unreadable, and inherently different from the Occident, these mediums have contributed to the academic and imaginative demonization of Eastern cultures. 

According to Ella Shohat and Robert Stam's "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," stereotypes play a significant role in the representation of people by simplifying and categorizing complex identities into easily recognizable and often exaggerated characteristics. The passage discusses the concept of the "mark of the plural" as described by Memmi, which refers to the tendency to project colonized people as a collective entity rather than as individuals , consequently “any negative behavior by any member of the oppressed community is instantly generalized as typical, as pointing to a perpetual backsliding toward some presumed negative essence.” (3) In contrast, representations of dominant groups are seen as naturally diverse, reflecting the wide range of experiences and identities within those groups. The text states that “The sensitivity around stereotypes and distortions largely arises, then, from the powerlessness of historically marginalized groups to control their own representation.” (4)

Film and television can change the perception of cultural misrepresentation by presenting more nuanced and diverse portrayals of characters and communities. Ella Shohat and Robert Stam further tell us how entire communities protest the representations made of them in defense of their own firsthand understanding of reality. For example, “Native Americans, very early on, vocally protested misrepresentations of their culture and history.”(5) In addition, they talk about how “Many oppressed groups have used "progressive realism" to unmask and combat hegemonic representations countering the objectifying discourses of patriarchy and colonialism with a vision of themselves and their reality "from within." But this laudable intention is not always unproblematic. "Reality" is not self-evidently given and "truth" is not immediately "seizable" by the camera.” (6) Therefore, this quote suggests that this endeavor is not without its challenges as the concept of "reality" is complex and not easily captured by the camera, and the idea of "truth" is subjective and multifaceted. Filmmakers, especially filmmakers within marginalized communities that make documentaries or films that show accurate depictions of their lived reality can help combat cultural misrepresentations. 

Footnotes: 

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979, 11. 

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979, 11. 

Shohat, Ella, and Robert Stam. "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation." In Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, edited by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam, 277-309. London: Routledge, 1994, 183.

Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation", 184.

Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation", 181.

Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation", 180.

Reading Notes 10: Said to Shohat and Stam

To wrap up our studies of visual analysis, Edward W. Said’s “Orientalism” and Ella Shohat and Robert Stam’s “Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation” provide critical paths to understanding the roles of race and representation play in our production and consumption of film, television, and popular culture.

How is orientalism linked to film, television, and popular media, and in what ways has standardization and cultural stereotyping intensified academic and imaginative demonology of “the mysterious Orient” in these mediums?

What role do stereotypes play in the representation of people, and in what ways can film and television change the perception of cultural misrepresentation?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

What examples of “positive images” of marginalized peoples are in film and television, and how can these “positive images” be damaging to and for marginalized communities?

According to Jack Halberstam's "Looking Butch: A Rough Guide to Butches on Film," "positive images" of marginalized peoples in film and television refer to representations that challenge stereotypes and offer more ‘authentic’ and ‘empowering’ depictions of those communities. However, dismissing these stereotypes as merely wrong or distorted overlooks the fact that even positive images can perpetuate stereotypes. Such representations often confine marginalized individuals to specific character roles. Halberstam highlights the complexity of representation, suggesting that it cannot be reduced to a simple dichotomy of truth versus distortion. Instead, he encourages a critical analysis of stereotypes within visual contexts and acknowledges that stereotypes can sometimes transcend their negative connotations and disrupt dominant systems of representation. Furthermore, positive images aim to facilitate acceptance of marginalized characters by viewers outside their communities, granting them authority within society and effectively categorizing them as "one of the good ones." Halberstam states “Positive images, we may note, too often depend on thoroughly ideological conceptions of positive (white, middle-class, clean, law-abiding, monogamous, coupled, etc.), and the emphasis on positivity actually keeps at bay the "bad cinema" that might productively be reclaimed as queer.” (1) This emphasis on positivity may inadvertently suppress narratives that deviate from normative standards, further marginalizing non-conforming identities and experiences in mainstream media.

In what ways is (popular/visual) culture (performance) a complicated and political site where various identities are negotiated, and how can cultural strategies make a difference and shift dispositions of power?

Stuart Hall's "What is this 'Black' in Black Popular Culture?" delves into the intricate and political nature of popular and visual culture as a site where identities are negotiated and power dynamics are contested. This negotiation occurs within a framework of cultural politics that are deeply embedded in societal structures and historical contexts. According to Stuart Hall, within America "the construction of ethnic hierarchies has always defined its cultural politics.[...] mainstream popular culture has always involved certain traditions that could only be attributed to black cultural vernacular traditions.” (2) This underscores the importance of ethnic hierarchies in shaping cultural politics and the role of marginalized voices in influencing popular culture.

Furthermore, postmodernism's fascination with difference, whether it be sexual, cultural, racial, or ethnic, underscores the diversity within culture and has presented a new kind of cultural politics in which marginality within pop culture is an increasingly productive space. Hall states “It is also the result of the cultural politics of difference, of the struggles around difference, of the production of new identities, of the appearance of new subjects on the political and cultural stage.”(3) Cultural hegemony, as Hall explains, involves shifting the balance of power in cultural relations rather than pure domination. He talks about how we must acknowledge differences within representations and experiences in popular culture stating “I know that what replaces invisibility is a kind of carefully regulated, segregated visibility. But it does not help simply to name- call it ‘the same’. [...] —our model replacing their model, our identities in place of their identities.” (4)  and further states “But it is to the diversity, not the homogeneity, of black experience that we must now give our undivided creative attention”. (5) Popular culture is a site where we can see representations of our different identities, and where we can “discover and play” with these identities. As such, popular culture becomes not only a site for the visibility of various identities but also a platform for exploration and negotiation, shaping the ongoing discourse surrounding cultural power dynamics.

 Footnotes: 

Halberstam, Jack. "Looking Butch: A Rough Guide to Butches on Film." In The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, edited by Henry Abelove, Michele Aina Barale, and David M. Halperin, 237-249. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993, pg. 185.

Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" In Black Popular Culture: A Project by Michele Wallace, edited by Gina Dent, 21-33. Seattle: Bay Press, 1992, pg. 469.

Hall, What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?, 470.

Hall, What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?, 471.

5. Hall, What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?, 476.

Reading Notes 9: Halberstam to Hall

Jack Halberstam’s “Looking Butch: A Rough Guide to Butches on Film” and Stuart Hall’s “What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” link our inquiries into gender and sexuality with race and representation.

What examples of “positive images” of marginalized peoples are in film and television, and how can these “positive images” be damaging to and for marginalized communities?

In what ways is (popular/visual) culture (performance) a complicated and political site where various identities are negotiated, and how can cultural strategies make a difference and shift dispositions of power?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Analytical Application 5: Gender and Sexuality

Queer Gaze: 

In Jack Halberstam's "Looking Butch: A Rough Guide to Butches on Film," the term "queer gaze" refers to a way of looking  that challenges traditional heterosexual and patriarchal frameworks through a queer lens. It challenges binary codes of visual pleasure proposed by psychoanalytic film theory, emphasizing the fluidity and multiplicity of sexual desire and identity and reimagining of spectatorship beyond traditional frameworks. Within Halberstam’s text, they reference Valerie Traub’s “The Ambiguities of 'Lesbian' Viewing Pleasure.” In which Traub suggests that the "queer gaze" can be invoked within mainstream heterosexual films, such as Black Widow (1987), “Traub suggests that Black Widow represents lesbian desire between its two protagonists and "solicits a 'lesbian' gaze at the same time that it invites male heterosexual enjoyment".” (1) She is highlighting how the queer gaze involves the ambiguity of viewing pleasure and the multiplicity of spectator positions, challenging binary ways of looking. 

This panel image from The Sandman (1988-1996), “A Game of You” (issues 32-37, page 340) can be seen through the queer gaze as the visual representation challenges traditional norms of gender, sexuality, and visual pleasure. The depiction of same-sex intimacy, of two women in a relationship holding each other, offers an alternative perspective on love and desire while simultaneously allowing a reimagining of spectatorship beyond traditional frameworks. The women in the photo are disrupting traditional notions of femininity within gender norms as both of their hair are cut short. Viewers are encouraged to adopt multiple positions of identification with the image as the women challenge heteronormative definitions of sexuality and gender. This further emphasizes the ambiguity of viewing pleasure and the multiplicity of spectator positions that Traub mentioned while helping define the queer gaze. Furthermore, one of the women is topless; the queer gaze challenges the tendency of the male gaze to objectify women's bodies for the pleasure of male viewers. Instead of portraying the topless woman as an object of sexual desire for a male audience or as vulnerable to the male gaze, the queer gaze portrays her as an active participant in her own sexual expression and desire. The queer gaze allows engagement with the image from a multiplicity of identities within spectators, therefore not confining  the interpretation to a singular, male-centric perspective.

Male Gaze: 

In "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," Laura Mulvey addresses the concept of the male gaze in cinema and its implications for the portrayal of women. The male gaze refers to the way in which visual media, particularly cinema, is structured around a heterosexual male perspective and traditional films present men as active, controlling subjects and treat women as passive objects of desire for men in both the story and in the audience. This does not allow women to be desiring sexual subjects in their own right. Such films objectify women in relation to ‘the determining male gaze’ presenting ‘woman as image’ (or ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the look’. Mulvey declares that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (2). Men do the looking; women are there to be looked at.   

The panel image from The Sandman (1988-1996), specifically from "A Game of You" (page 449), portrays the male gaze in action. Here, a man working in a comic store treats the character Barbie as a passive object of male desire. Within this lens, the spectator viewing the panel is also compelled to adopt the male perspective, exercising control over the gaze and objectifying Barbie in the process. The worker’s objectification is evident as he crudely comments on her breasts, reducing her to mere body parts. His behavior is echoed by other men in the store, who join in laughter at his remark. This collective reinforcement of the male gaze serves to perpetuate traditional gender roles and power dynamics. Barbie's observation that the man appeared "really amused" by her interest in comics further highlights the gendered expectations imposed by society;  that only men are meant to enjoy superhero comics. Instead of encouraging her exploration of new interests, the man's reaction belittles her, contributing to the perpetuation of patriarchal norms.

Gender Performativity:

 In this panel image from The Sandman (1988-1996), “ The Doll's House” (issues 9-16, page 288) the character Rose goes to a drag show in which her landlord, Hal, was performing in. “Hal” transforms into “Dolly” when he/she does drag and this shows the performative nature of gender. Rose states “I’d been to see Dolly’s show. That was what Hal called himself, when he was herself.” This emphasizes how gender is constructed through societal norms of gender roles and how gender is a performance of these norms. Drag performances provide avenues for resistance and subversion within the constructs of ideologies that aim to impose subjectivity upon us. Through drag, the norms and expectations dictated by these ideologies are challenged and even rendered ineffective. Through visual media like comics, the complexities of gender construction and performance can be brought to the forefront, encouraging critical reflection and promoting inclusivity and acceptance of diverse gender identities.

Gender norms: 

Judith Butler in her essay “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” defines gender norms as societal expectations and standards that dictate how individuals should behave, dress, and express themselves based on their perceived gender identity. These norms are often reinforced through cultural practices, institutions, and discourses, shaping individuals' understanding of what it means to be masculine or feminine. Butler's analysis suggests that gender norms are not inherent or natural but are instead socially constructed and performative, meaning that they are enacted and reproduced through repeated behaviors and interactions. She states “Identifying with a gender under contemporary regimes of power involves identifying with a set of norms that are and are not realizable, and whose power and status precede the identifications by which they are insistently approximated.”(5)This suggests that aligning with a particular gender involves conforming to a set of norms that may or may not be fully achievable, that these norms hold power and authority independently of individual identifications. 

 In this panel image from The Sandman (1988-1996), “A Game of You” (page 443), the character Wanda's transphobic aunt reinforces traditional gender norms by insisting that individuals must adhere to predetermined gender roles assigned by society. She articulates the belief that one's gender identity is determined by a higher power and that deviation from these assigned roles is unacceptable. The aunt specifically mentions adhering to norms such as wearing colors associated with one's assigned gender. She states “you mustn’t go trying to change things.” This dialogue is in light of Wanda's recent tragic death. Wanda’s aunt shows no empathy for her and calls her death a “mercy”, further stating “otherwise he’d probably have died up the line from Aids or some such”. Wanda’s aunt is implying that any deviation from these norms would lead to dire consequences. This highlights the pressure placed on individuals to conform to binary gender categories and by admonishing any attempts to challenge or change these norms, the aunt perpetuates the marginalization of individuals who do not fit neatly into traditional gender categories.

 Sex/gender binary:

Judith Butler's work in "Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion," deconstructs the sex/gender binary. Butler argues that gender is not an inherent or stable characteristic but rather a performative act. The sex/gender binary traditionally categorizes individuals into two fixed categories based on biological sex—male and female—and assigns corresponding gender roles and expectations. However, Butler challenges this binary by asserting that gender is a social construct performed through repeated actions and behaviors rather than an innate attribute tied to biological sex. In her view, this performative aspect of gender destabilizes the binary notion of sex and gender, opening up possibilities for individuals to subvert or challenge traditional gender norms.

In this panel image from The Sandman (1988-1996), “A Game of You” (page 413), the character Wanda tells Maise Hill about her transgender experience, and disrupts the sex/gender binary. The phrase "I was born a guy" recognizes her assigned sex at birth based on physical and biological characteristics. This aligns with the binary notion of sex, where individuals are categorized as either male or female based on biological attributes. The statement "now I'm a gal" highlights the individual's gender identity, which differs from her assigned sex at birth. Wanda's self-identification as a woman and her expression of gender as an internal sense rather than strictly tied to biological sex serves to disrupt the binary understanding of sex and gender.  Furthermore, the phrase "although I haven't gone all the way" suggests a nuanced understanding of gender transition. Wanda acknowledges that her transition may not conform to expectations such as undergoing surgical procedures. This highlights the diverse ways in which individuals navigate their gender identities, showing how gender and sex are not binary and there are not just two fixed categories based on biological sex.

Footnotes:

Jack Halberstam, “Looking Butch: A Rough Guide to Butches on Film” in Female Masculinity (Durham: Duke University Press, 1998) 178.

Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” in Film Theory and Criticism (New York: oxford University Press, 2009), 715.

Judith Butler, “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” in Feminist Film Theory a Reader (New York: Washington Square, 1999,) 338.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 339.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 339.

[sophiegold123]

In Lorde's essay’s “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference,” she discusses the concept of a “mythical norm” which encompasses the norms within identities in America that are privileged and have some sort of power.  She states “ Those of us who stand outside that power often identify one way in which we are different, and we assume that to be the primary cause of all oppression forgetting other distortions around difference, some of which we ourselves may be practicing.” (1) Essentially, Lorde is highlighting how marginalized individuals may focus solely on one aspect of their identity (such as race or gender) without considering the intersections of oppression. This narrow focus overlooks other forms of marginalization that individuals face based on multiple aspects of their identity. A prominent example of this in the reading is that white women ignore their privilege of whiteness and assume the experience of all women as the same as their own. They think that as women, by following certain expectations and behaviors,  all women “will be allowed to co-exist with patriarchy in relative peace.” (2) They do not recognize the violence or other forms of discrimination that Black women constantly face. Differently from the white community, power structures affect Black women within their own communities in other ways. For example, within a systemically racist society, Black women are often used against Black men because they are Black and not because they are men. Lorde argues that “for Black women, it is necessary at all times to separate the needs of the oppressor from our own legitimate conflicts within our communities.” (3) She goes on to explain that within Black communities, recognition of the ways racial oppression is faced differently by men and women is necessary as this shared oppression has lead to both “joint defenses and joint vulnerabilities to each other that are not duplicated in the white community.”(4)

In order for social change, Lorde urges women  to recognize oppressive patterns within ourselves as well as relate across differences. She states “we must recognize differences among women who are our equals, neither inferior nor superior, and devise ways to use each other's' difference to enrich our visions and our joint struggles.” (5) By valuing and integrating diverse perspectives, experiences, and contributions, women can strengthen their solidarity and effectiveness in advocating for social change and advancing justice. 

According to Judith Butler in “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” cultural, societal, and media representations support gender performativity by reinforcing and perpetuating traditional gender norms and expectations. Through various forms of media certain gender performances are highlighted, while others are marginalized or deemed unacceptable. These representations contribute to the idea that gender is performed through repeated actions and behaviors that conform to societal norms. What Butler calls the “performative” is the “slippage” between the “discursive command and its appropriated effect” (6).  In other words, if an individual refuses the “laws” of ideology, they enact they “confound” the law itself. For Butler, the performative offers possibilities of “resignification”: “there is no subject prior to its constructions, and neither is the subject determined by those constructions” (7).  Gender norms are complicated through the concept of performativity as it opens up spaces for resistance and subversion within our performances of the cultural, political, and social ideologies that seek to interpellate us into subjectivity.

 Butler discusses how heterosexuality is upheld as the normative and dominant sexual orientation within society. This produces the effect of realness as realness  is determined by “the ability to compel belief, to produce the naturalized effect. This effect is itself the result of an embodiment of norms, a reiteration of norms.” (8) Butler uses the concept of drag to show how heterosexuality is a performance as drag “reflects on the imitative structure by which hegemonic gender is itself produced and disputes heterosexuality's claim on naturalness and originality.” (9) Butler's exploration of heterosexuality as a performative act challenges its perceived naturalness and originality, highlighting how societal norms and expectations compel individuals to conform to hegemonic gender roles and sexual orientations.

Footnotes: 

 Lorde, Audre. "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference." In Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches, 116. Berkeley, CA: Crossing Press, 2007.

Lorde, Audre. "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference." 119. 

Lorde, Audre. "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference." 118. 

Lorde, Audre. "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference." 118. 

Lorde, Audre. "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference." 122. 

Judith Butler, “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” in Feminist Film Theory a Reader (New York: Washington Square, 1999,) 337.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 338.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 341.

Butler, Judith.  “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion,” 339.

Reading Notes 8: Lorde to Butler

In our continued discussions, Audre Lorde’s “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” and “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference,” and Judith Butler’s Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” provide further introspection into systems and definitions of gender and sexuality.

How do power and privilege impact the relations people have with each other and with institutions, and how can we acknowledge, examine, and remedy oppression and marginalization using oppressive and marginalized systems?

How do cultural, societal, and media representations support gender performativity and in so doing complicate gender norms, and in what ways is heterosexuality a performance?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Panel Presentation: "Telephone" by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé & "Q.U.E.E.N." by Janelle Monáe ft. Erykah Badu

By Sophie Goldberg

"Telephone" by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé

The music video Telephone by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé serves as a continuation of "Paparazzi", where Gaga was arrested for killing her abusive boyfriend by poisoning his drink. It features a storyline where Lady Gaga is imprisoned but eventually escapes with Beyoncé's help, and they then go on to poison Beyoncé’s boyfriend and others in a diner and run from the police.  

 Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”

 Mulvey discusses the concept of the male gaze, where the camera represents the perspective of a heterosexual male viewer, objectifying female characters for the pleasure of the male audience. Beyonces and Lady Gaga’s portrayal aligns with certain aspects of the male gaze. The music video inevitably attracts male attention as the camera frequently lingers on their bodies and costumes, emphasizing their sexuality and allure.  Mulvey states “Traditionally, the woman displayed has functioned on two levels: as erotic object for the characters within the screen story, and as erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium” (716). For example, when Lady Gaga first enters the prison everyone is wearing revealing clothes, and as she's pushed into her cell officers strip her down, leaving her with nothing but fishnets. Another instance occurs when Lady Gaga and three other women wear studded bikinis and engage in a provocative dance down the prison corridors. Spectators also see them through the lens of a security camera, furthering the voyeuristic aspect. 

However in "Telephone," both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé also challenge traditional notions of passive femininity by taking on assertive, dominant roles. Mulvey states that “pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (715). Women are presented as spectacle as the man's role is “the active one of forwarding the story,” (716) Lady Gaga and Beyoncé disrupt traditional narrative conventions  by defying societal expectations of female passivity and instead taking control of their own narrative. Gaga and Beyoncé portray themselves as empowered and even dangerous figures as in the music video there are depicted acts of violence against men.   

 Bell Hooks, “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators”

Hooks discusses how Black female spectators often engage with media representations critically as  “ mass media was a system of knowledge and power reproducing and maintaining white supremacy. To stare at the television, or mainstream movies, to engage its images, was to engage its negation of black representation.” (308) In "Telephone," Beyoncé's confident demeanor, assertive actions, and her role as the one with more agency than Lady Gaga—having the power to bail her out of jail—can be viewed as empowering examples of Black women asserting their autonomy within mainstream media.

Furthermore, Hooks critiques mainstream media for its tendency to eroticize and objectify Black women's bodies. In the video, there is a moment in which there is a high angle shot of Beyoncé's cleavage as she sits across from her boyfriend in the diner. Although, within the framework of the oppositional gaze, Beyoncé's character adopts a rebellious stance, refusing to conform to the gaze of desire and possession. Instead, she asserts her power by poisoning her misogynistic boyfriend and evading the police.   

 Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

In Lorde's essay, she states “As women, we must root out internalized patterns of oppression within ourselves if we are to move beyond the most superficial aspects of social change.” (122) One such pattern is internalized misogyny, where women devalue themselves and others, which can lead to judgmental attitudes towards different lifestyles and choices. In "Telephone," Beyoncé exemplifies Lorde's words by not passing judgment on Lady Gaga's choices when she bails her out of jail. Despite their differing lifestyles, they unite against a common oppressor. Furthermore, societal expectations surrounding gender roles can also be internalized forms of oppression, such as conforming to domestic responsibilities. In the video Lady Gaga challenge these norms when she incorporates the stereotype of women in the kitchen within a segment titled  “Lets Make a Sandwich”, but instead of adhering to these norms she instead puts poison in all of the food. 

Furthermore, Lorde underscores  the need to recognize differences among women as equals , relate across the differences, and utilize them to enrich collective visions and struggles. This is shown in the music video through the camaraderie and alliance depicted between Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. The video embraces diversity within feminism, showcasing representations of differences in sexuality and race, yet emphasizing a shared goal of empowerment. This sentiment is also echoed in the lyrics, “Boy, the way you blowin' up my phone , Won't make me leave no faster, Put my coat on faster, Leave my girls no faster” 

"Q.U.E.E.N." by Janelle Monáe ft. Erykah Badu

 Janelle Monáe's music video for 'Q.U.E.E.N.,' featuring Erykah Badu, serves as a freedom anthem within a science fiction dystopia. The title itself, 'Q.U.E.E.N.,' is an acronym representing marginalized communities: Queer, Untouchables, Emigrants, Excommunicated, and Negroid, reclaiming royal imagery to challenge traditional hierarchies of race, sexuality, and class. Monáe's Afrofuturist vision suggests a revolution, where marginalized communities and differences are celebrated rather than ostracized. The music video features rebel time-travelers that are frozen in a museum and brought to life by music. In the video's narrative, the song functions as part of a “musical weapons program” that disrupts the status quo, allowing the rebels to move through history and forge a new future in the present.

 Laura Mulvey “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” 

   Mulvey argues that traditional cinematic narratives often reinforce patriarchal ideologies and power structures as they cater to a male gaze. The music video "Q.U.E.E.N." offers a narrative that challenges this as it features strong, empowered female protagonists who challenge traditional gender roles and expectations. Janelle Monáe wears a black-and-white tuxedo, disrupting the traditional notion of gendered clothing styles. The ladies all dance with each other and build eachother up such as when they reply and affirm each other “Is it peculiar that she twerk in the mirror? And am I weird to dance alone late at night? (Nah) And is it true we're all insane? (Yeah) And I just tell 'em, "No we ain't" and get down”. Here, the mention of twerking in the mirror is not sexualized but used to empower the female body.  

Bell Hooks, “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators”

  The oppositional gaze is seen in the music video as Black female spectators engage with the visual representation of empowerment and resistance depicted in the video. Monáe uses both queerness and Blackness as examples of modern “freakishness.” Monáe doesn't assign a "freaky" status to queerness or Blackness herself, instead, she challenges listeners to interrogate why these identities are perceived as "freaky." She suggests that what society deems as "freaky" is simply the act of being true to oneself. The lyrics declare those differences as things to be proud of  stating "Even if it makes others uncomfortable, I will love who I am". Monáe and Erykah Badu illustrate the way society "freakifies" their Blackness, showcasing how joy and celebration within Black culture are often viewed negatively due to racist stereotypes. The hook in the song highlights this, asking: “Am I a freak for dancing around? Am I a freak for getting down? I’m cutting up, don’t cut me down.” Black female spectators can find empowerment in seeing how the song recognizes differences and individuality as prideful assets. 

 Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

Lorde emphasizes the importance of recognizing the intersections of age, race, class, and sex in understanding women's experiences. The video highlights the oppression faced by diverse identities and experiences of Black women,  as well as showcases their resilience in the face of it.  The lyrics “Add us to equations but they'll never make us equal” resonates with Lorde’s claim that simply incorporating marginalized groups into existing systems does not address the underlying power imbalances or inequalities. Monáe’s next lyrics recognizes these inequalities stating “She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel, So why ain't the stealing of my rights made illegal? They keep us underground working hard for the greedy, But when it's time pay they turn around and call us needy (needy)” Lorde further  advocates for collective action and solidarity among women of different backgrounds to achieve liberation. In "Q.U.E.E.N.," the song's message of female empowerment and solidarity is highlighted as Monáe and Badu come together to celebrate different identities, for example sexual and racial identity. Janelle Monáe promotes unity and collaboration among women as she says “Will you be electric sheep? Electric ladies, will you sleep? Or will you preach?” According to Janelle Monáe it is up to this community and this generation to create its new norm and break down the walls that limit them.

Discussion Questions:

Lorde says ““By and large within the women’s movement today, white women focus upon their oppression as women and ignore differences of race, sexual preference, class and age. There is a pretense to a homogeneity of experience covered by the word sisterhood that does not in fact exist.” In the music video, do you think Lady Gaga is focusing on the oppression of just women in general and treating the experience of all women the same, or is she not necessarily ignoring the differences but the video just does not explicitly address them .  

Is trying to make money and bring attention using our bodies promoting sexism even though it is our choice and feel empowering or confidence boosting

In music videos is using Sexuality and promiscuity still catering to the male gaze even if they are active agents in the narrative? What about in the cinema?

[sophiegold123]

1.

In "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," Laura Mulvey addresses the concept of the male gaze in cinema and its implications for the portrayal of women. Traditional films present men as active, controlling subjects and treat women as passive objects of desire for men in both the story and in the audience. Such films objectify women in relation to ‘the determining male gaze’ presenting ‘woman as image’ (or ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the look’. Mulvey declares that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (1). 

All viewers, regardless of race or sexuality, take pleasure in films that are designed to satisfy the male gaze as the cinema provides an opportunity for the pleasure inherent in looking and as the spectator identification is with the male protagonist. Mulvey states “The cinema satisfies a primordial wish for pleasurable looking, but it also goes further, developing scopophilia in its narcissistic aspect.”(2) Meaning, that the cinema not only satisfies the basic desire for pleasurable looking but also allows viewers to indulge in narcissistic fantasies and desires through the act of watching and identifying with the cinematic content. Women are presented as spectacle as the man's role is “the active one of forwarding the story,” Therefore, “the spectator identifies with the main male* protagonist, [...] so that the power of the male protagonist as he controls events coincides with the active power of the erotic look”. (3) As the viewer identifies with the male protagonist, they adopt the perspective associated with the male gaze. Overall, viewers gain pleasure in looking at films that are designed to satisfy the male gaze as viewers identify with the main male protagonist.  

2.

In Bell Hooks’s “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators” She addresses the issue of how films and media maintain white supremacy through limited scope of Black representation on the screen. Since pleasure can come from looking and further identifying with main protagonists or the “hero” on the screen, white people and men have representation on the screen that allows them identification and pleasure with no issue. For Black people, pleasure through watching a film can be gained through critical interrogation or discussion of the film as it “ maintains the distance between spectator and the image.” (4) Furthermore, Black women can gain viewing pleasure in different ways through their choice of identification with the image. Some say that they could get pleasure as long as they “ did not look too deep.” (5) In addition, Black men and women have different experiences of looking at films, which can differentiate the ways they gain pleasure or reject the perpetuation of racism in the media. Hooks talks about how Black men have the agency to do this “by engaging phallocentric politics of spectatorship.” (6) Within the dark movie theaters, they can challenge the dominance of white supremacy as they have the ability to enter into a realm of power characterized by male dominance. Hooks states “There they could 'look' at white womanhood without a structure of domination overseeing the gaze, interpreting, and punishing.”(7)

Bell Hooks talks about how Black people have been denied the right to gaze, and “That all attempts to repress our/ black peoples' right to gaze had produced in us an overwhelming longing to look, a rebellious desire, an oppositional gaze.” (8) Within the oppositional gaze, Black female spectators actively choose not to identify with white womanhood. Hooks states that these women “who would not take on the phallocentric gaze of desire and possession, created a critical space where the binary opposition Mulvey posits of 'woman as image, man as bearer of the look' was continually deconstructed.” (9) Through a conscious and critical awareness of how dominant visual culture represents and constructs identity, the oppositional gaze empowers viewers, especially Black females as they resist the objectification and stereotyping of Black women in mainstream media.

Footnotes:  

 Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” in Film Theory and Criticism (New York: oxford University Press, 2009), 715.

Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” 714.

Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” 716.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators” in Feminist Film Theory (New York: New York University Press, 1999), 309.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators,” 312.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators,” 309.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators,” 309.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators,” 308.

Bell Hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators,” 313.

Reading Notes 7: Mulvey to hooks

Shifting our visual analysis and critical inquiries to gender and sexuality, we will begin our explorations with Laura Mulvey’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” and bell hooks’s “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators.”

How does the spectacle of the female image relate to patriarchal ideology, and in what ways do all viewers, regardless of race or sexuality, take pleasure in films that are designed to satisfy the male gaze?

How do racial and sexual differences between viewers inform their experience of viewing pleasure, and in what ways does the oppositional gaze empower viewers? 

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Analytical Application 4: Psychoanalysis and Subjectivity

Uncanny: 

In Freud’s “The Uncanny” he defines uncanny in different ways. He states that it is “that class of the terrifying which leads back to something long known to us, once every familiar.” (1) It is the return of the repressed, specifically repressed infantile materials. The uncanny is neither new or foreign, but familiar and “old- established” estranged by the uncanny. The uncanny has to do with both a certain kind of feeling or sensation, with emotional impulses. Freud notes that an uncanny effect is often easily produced “when something that we have hitherto regarded as imaginary appears before us in reality.” (2) When the line between fantasy and reality is obscured, an uncanny effect arises. Through his analysis, Freud unveils how the uncanny manifests as a fusion of the familiar and the unsettling, blurring the boundaries between fantasy and reality, and leaving a profound impact on our psyche.

In this scene in The X-Files, an old policeman describes an uncanny experience he had. When he  walked into Powhatan Mill, a room where murders had been committed, he described the feeling “my heart went cold, my hands numbed, I could feel…it”(Carter, 1993, 27:44). From the perspective of the uncanny, the "it" can be interpreted as something terrifying and unsettling that is repressed or resides in the unconscious. For example, “it” could represent the repressed memories or emotions associated with traumatic events experienced by him such as previous murders that he has seen that he has repressed. He even states earlier in the episode that he would go home and never give them a second thought stating “you gotta be able to do that, you’d go crazy, right?”(Carter, 1993, 27:28). Furthermore, the repressed element could encompass a range of psychological phenomena, including existential fears about human nature, or a deep-seated sense of mortality and vulnerability. He goes on to describe more uncanny experiences he had relating to the room stating  “When I first heard about the death camps in 1945, I remembered Powhatan Mill. When I see the Kurds and the Bosnians, that room is there, I tell ya. It's like all the horrible acts that humans are capable of somehow gave birth to some kind of human monster.” This experience can be considered uncanny due to the unsettling and eerie feeling evoked from the sense of familiarity and connection between these events, despite their spatial and temporal distance. Powhatan Mill becomes a symbol or place for the manifestation of human cruelty and horror. The notion that "all the horrible acts that humans are capable of somehow gave birth to some kind of human monster" adds another layer of uncanniness. It suggests a deep-seated fear or recognition of the potential for evil within humanity itself, blurring the boundaries between the monstrous and the human.  

 Heimlich: 

In this scene of The X-Files, Agent Fuller subscribes to the idea of the heimlich as he refuses ideas and experiences that are unfamiliar to him and sticks within his range of familiarity and comfortability (Carter, 1993, 18:11). In the scene, the detectives and agents give a lie detector test to Tooms, the suspect of the murder case they are working. Tooms passed the test, but lied on the questions of whether he is over 100 years old and if he had been to Powhatan Mill in 1933. In addition, two murders with matching M.O’s occurred in Powhatan Mill in 1933. Meaning, the specific techniques, patterns, or tactics employed by the criminal in 1933 were the same as the murder case now. Despite this information, Agent Fuller makes the decision to release him as he refuses to consider the idea that the suspect could be over 100 years old. He states “I don’t need you or that machine telling me if Tooms was alive in 1933” (18:09). This relates to the idea of the heimlich as Fuller is sticking to ideas that are comfortable and familiar to him. Ideas such as that aliens or monsters aren’t real and that Tooms could not be alive in 1933. These ideas align with his perspective of societal norms and expectations. The scene relates to Freud's quote “ The better orientated in his environment a person is, the less readily will he get the impression of something uncanny in regard to the objects and events in it.” (4) Agent Fuller doesn’t want to think or allow other possibilities that are unfamiliar and uncomfortable to him, despite the evidence, therefore keeping himself within the realm of the heimlich. 

Unheimlich: 

In the first scene of The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018), Season 1 Episode 3 “Squeeze” there is an image of something in the gutters that is indistinguishable but has the eyes of a human (Carter, 1993, 01:02). In this instance, the unheimlich nature of the image provokes unsettling feelings, as things are unfamiliar and ambiguous. An eerie and uncomfortable sensation arises for multiple reasons. First, we are not sure if this thing is human or not, but we assume not as humans do not live in the gutters. When something not human appears as human or has human features, it can be described as unheimlich. Second, the boundary between fantasy and reality has been blurred as there is intellectual uncertainty. The unsettling image of eyes emerging from the darkness of the gutter instills a sense of discomfort, prompting people to question the boundaries of their own understanding and perception. In addition, something once repressed reoccurs. Many people as a child believed in monsters, but as they grew older they came to the conclusion that monsters are not real. Therefore, the fear of monsters would be something long forgotten and repressed. When people see this image of what seems to be a monster, their repressed fear of monsters occurs as something they thought wasn’t real becomes real. Overall, the uncertain and unfamiliar nature of what the disturbing thing is in the gutter encapsulates the unheimlich.

Collective Catharsis: 

*Note: In this episode I could not identify an occurrence of Frantz Fanon’s definition of the term as I did not recognize an instance in which oppressed or marginalized communities experienced collective catharsis. 

In the context of Episode 3 “Squeeze” in The X-Files, a collective catharsis occurred when the FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully worked together and finally solved a particularly challenging and traumatic case. There was an emotional catharsis for the team and especially a former policeman, as they share a sense of relief or closure when the case is successfully resolved. Earlier in the episode, the detectives went to talk with the former policeman in his retirement home as he was the investigating officer on the case in 1933. Upon their arrival he states “ I’ve been waiting 25 years for you” (Carter, 1993, 26:51). This shows how the officer had pent-up emotions and in this instance, traumas regarding the 1933 murder case. He was waiting for a group to help solve the case, so that he and others, such as the victims, can finally have closure. In this scene, he sees in the newspaper that the murderer has finally been caught and we can see his emotional release and the start of his healing (Carter, 1993, 39:43).  First, we see the look on his face as the traumatic emotions that are associated with the case come flooding back. His eyes slowly widen and he looks frozen in terror, realization, and traumatic memory. He then abruptly shuts his eyes and swallows hard, so hard that he physically shakes, as all his pent-up emotions finally have the chance to begin to release. In this instance, he recognizes that he was right about it being a human-monster, and he may find closure from the resolution of his intellectual uncertainty. Additionally, he may feel relief that the suspect has been found.  

Unconscious:

The unconscious is a term present in both Freud and Lacan's theories. It refers to the part of the mind that contains thoughts, feelings, and memories that are not consciously accessible. In Freud’s “The Uncanny” he states “It must be explained that we are able to postulate the principle of a repetition-compulsion in the unconscious mind, based upon instinctual activity and probably inherent in the very nature of the instincts- a principle powerful enough to overrule the pleasure-principle,” (8) Freud is discussing the concept of a repetition-compulsion, which refers to a tendency for individuals to unconsciously repeat certain behaviors or experiences, even if they are unpleasant. These unconscious forces have an instinctual nature and can manifest as compulsive behaviors or intrusive thoughts that are not fully understood or controllable by the conscious mind.

In Episode 3 “Squeeze” of The X-Files, the character Eugene Victor Tooms is a genetic mutant with the ability to elongate his body and fit into small spaces. He resurfaces every 30 years to kill five people and consume their livers. In this scene we see him climb through a man's chimney and proceed to murder him (Carter, 1993, 23:13). His clenched jaw and wide yellow eyes staring at the man before he pounces gives the impression of an animalistic or primitive urge to kill. In the episode, whenever he murders someone his eyes are always yellow, which can be an indicator of when he is unconscious or not. Tooms' motivations and impulses, driven by his genetic mutation and primal instincts, could be seen as stemming from his unconscious mind. The principle of repetition-compulsion resonates with Tooms' behavior. His instinctual drives and primal urges manifest as a compulsion of ritualistic murders and consumption of human livers. This repetitive behavior is not necessarily motivated by pleasure, but is rather driven by unconscious forces beyond his control. Tooms' character exemplifies how the unconscious mind can exert a powerful and often destructive influence on behavior, driving individuals to act in ways that defy rationality and morality.  

Footnotes: 

 Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny." The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey, vol. 17, Hogarth Press, 1955, pp. 369.

Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 398.

Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 370-371.

 Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 370.

Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 375.

 Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 370.

Fanon, Frantz. "The Negro and Psychopathology." Black Skin, White Masks, translated by Charles Lam Markmann, Grove Press, 2008, pp. 112.

 Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny," 391.

[sophiegold123]

Why do people call an experience or event uncanny, and what makes an occurrence that appears to be uncanny but is not uncanny?

In Freud’s “The Uncanny” he defines uncanny in different ways. He states that it is “that class of the terrifying which leads back to something long known to us, once every familiar.” (1) He claims that the uncanny arises due to a return of repressed memories. The unheimlich is the uncanny: a revelation of what is private and concealed; the hidden (hidden not only from others but also from the self). An occurrence that appears to be uncanny but is not uncanny can be certain natural phenomena that seem like they shouldn’t be real but are. Such as optical illusions or peculiar sounds, can create an uncanny feeling. However, finding scientific explanations can create ease. Coincidences can also be uncanny but recognizing that coincidences are a natural part of life alleviates the sense of strangeness.

What is the relation of personal neurosis to social passions?

In Jacques Lacan’s “The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I, he emphasizes the inherently social nature of the mirror stage as the formation of the ego is deeply influenced by social interactions and external perceptions. Lacan's mirror stage, occurring when a child recognizes their reflection, shapes the ego. Personal neurosis stems from the gap between the ideal self and reality, leading to inner conflict. Social passions, such as identification with cultural ideals, norms, and values, play a significant role in shaping the individual's sense of self. He states “through identification with the imago of one's semblable and the drama of primordial jealousy (so well brought out by the Charlotte Bühler school in cases of transitivism in children), the dialectic that will henceforth link the I to socially elaborated situations.” (2) He is emphasizing how the process of identification and comparison with others contributes to the formation of the self.

In what ways are oppressed and marginalized viewers alienated when they are not or rarely represented?

When oppressed and marginalized viewers are rarely or not represented they become alienated by the slightest contact with the white world. In Frantz Fanon’s “The Negro and Psychopathology” he talks about how there are assumptions and theories embedded within different types of media that "Influence one's perception and understanding of the group to which they belong. (3) If there are no representations of them, they will identify with “the victor” or, white characters. Fanon states “When the Negro makes contact with the white world, a certain sensitizing action takes place. If his psychic structure is weak, one observes a collapse of the ego. [...] The goal of his behavior will be The Other (in the guise of the white man), for The Other alone can give him worth.” (4) Alienation can manifest as a profound sense of self-doubt and confusion about one's identity and role within a social context. It can stem from a lack of self-awareness or clarity about one's true nature and societal expectations. Furthermore, alienation can arise from feeling disconnected from others within one's social group, leading to a perception of oneself that differs from how others perceive or define them.

(1) Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny." The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey, vol. 17, Hogarth Press, 1955, 369. 

(2) Lacan, Jacques. "The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I." Écrits: The First Complete Edition in English, translated by Bruce Fink, W. W. Norton & Company, 2006, 98.

(3) Fanon, Frantz. "The Negro and Psychopathology." Black Skin, White Masks, translated by Charles Lam Markmann, Grove Press, 2008, 118.

(4) Fanon, Frantz. "The Negro and Psychopathology." Black Skin, White Masks, translated by Charles Lam Markmann, Grove Press, 2008, 119.

Reading Notes 6: Freud to Lacan to Fanon

We look to Sigmund Freud’s “The Uncanny,” Jacques Lacan’s “The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I,” and Frantz Fanon’s “The Negro and Psychopathology” for our inquiry into the functions of psychoanalysis and subjectivity when examining visual texts.

Why do people call an experience or event uncanny, and what makes an occurrence that appears to be uncanny but is not uncanny?

What is the relation of personal neurosis to social passions?

In what ways are oppressed and marginalized viewers alienated when they are not or rarely represented?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Midterm

Introduction:

I have chosen the following theorists and their essays to analyze: Louis Althusser, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, Stuart Hall, “Encoding, Decoding”, Roland Barthes, “Mythologies”, and Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations”. In Louis Althusser's essay "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses", he introduces the concept of Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) and Repressive State Apparatuses (RSAs) as mechanisms through which ideology is transmitted and enforced by the state. In Stuart Hall's essay "Encoding, Decoding", he introduces the concept of encoding and decoding to analyze the relationship between producers of media messages (encoders) and their audiences (decoders). Hall argues that media producers encode messages with specific meanings, values, and ideologies based on their own cultural context and interests, the audience then decodes the messages based on their own cultural backgrounds, experiences, and social contexts. Roland Barthes' "Mythologies" is a collection of essays that analyze contemporary cultural phenomena and uncover the underlying myths or ideologies embedded within them. Barthes explores how everyday objects, practices, and events are imbued with symbolic meanings that reflect, reinforce, and universalize dominant cultural values and ideologies. In Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulations" essay, he argues that in the postmodern era, reality has been replaced by simulations or copies that bear no relation to an original reality. He suggests that in the hyperreal world of contemporary culture, simulations have become more real than reality itself, the simulated version taking precedence. In the scene in Barbie (2023) where Ken discovers patriarchy, he encounters the simulacra of patriarchy through encoded messages in books. As he decodes the titles and narratives, he utilizes the myth of what he has equated with respect, his own importance and desires. The real world is a hyperreality for him and is constructed by governing institutions that convey dominant ideologies and societal norms. I will synthesize these sources and find the commonalities and differences between them. I will then apply this to a discussion they would have about this particular scene in Barbie.

Section 1: How we receive messages: The Myths within Simulations. 

While Louis Althusser, Stuart Hall, Roland Barthes, and Jean Baudrillard each belong to different theoretical frameworks, they share common ground in their exploration of the mechanisms through which symbols, signs, and representations influence societal meaning-making processes. According to Althusser, ideology refers to the system of beliefs, values, and ideas that shapes the way individuals perceive and understand the world, reinforced by institutions around them. Ideology shapes not only individuals' ideas but also their behaviors and practices within society, leading to ideologies material existence (1). Althusser introduces the concept of The Ideological State Apparatus, which is made up of a number of distinct and specialized institutions such as religious, educational, political, cultural, family, etc. The Ideological State Apparatus’s spread and teaches ideologies that help maintain the dominant structures and ways of doing things in society. This relates to Barthes definition of myth, as within myth there are narrative stories and messages that we keep returning to, with structures in place that keep them alive. Althusser defines the structures that keep them alive in his essay. Beliefs of the ruling class are kept strong and alive in the institutions, where people learn and share these ideas (3). Stuart Hall defines this process of the exchange of ideas through Encoding and Decoding. Encoding is the operation where producers or communicators create messages. They select signs, symbols and language to convey meaning while incorporating certain ideologies and cultural assumptions into the messages using codes. He states “The ‘object’ of these practices is meanings and messages in the form of sign vehicles of a specific kind organized [...] through the operation of codes within the syntagmatic chain of a discourse.” (4)Decoding is when audiences interpret or create an understanding of the messages for themselves, based on their own backgrounds and perspectives.

Similarly, Roland Barthes mentions other ways that meanings are created through signs. Barthes states that myth functions as a constructed system of signs and signifiers that have reinterpreted and recontextualized existing signs to convey ideological meanings, beliefs, and cultural narratives. He argues that myth is created from a semiological chain that came before and calls it a second-order semiological system. He states “ That which is a sign (namely the associative total of a concept and an image) in the first system, becomes a mere signifier in the second.” (5) The original meanings associated with signs are reduced, and they now serve as components in constructing new meanings within the myth. Mythic narratives are not inherent but shaped by historical events and cultural factors, “Myth does not deny things, on the contrary, its function is to talk about them; simply, it purifies them, it makes them innocent, it gives them a natural and eternal justification.” (6) This means that myth has the ability to simplify and present things in a way that makes them appear as unquestionable natural facts, even though they may not be a truthful representation of reality. Baudrillard extends upon the idea of an untruthful reality as introduces the concepts of simulation, simulacra, and hyperreality. Within a hyperreality, traditional notions of truth, authenticity, and judgment become obsolete. The simulation begins with the system of signs which provide meaning. Baudrillard states that in this hyperreality “When the real is no longer what it used to be, nostalgia assumes its full meaning. There is a proliferation of myths of origin and signs of reality; of second-hand truth, objectivity and authenticity.” (7) Baudrillard is telling us that narratives of myths are heavily embedded within simulations, as well as created. He explains how nostalgia gives rise to an abundance of myths that have no real relation to reality. Furthermore, Baudrillard states that the concept of ideology does not fall within the boundaries of simulacrum. He states “The transition from signs which dissimulate something to signs which dissimulate that there is nothing, marks the decisive turning point. The first implies a theology of truth and secrecy (to which the notion of ideology still belongs).” (8) Baudrillard is suggesting that there has been a transition from an earlier form of ideology, where signs concealed or obscured certain truths or realities, to a newer form where signs no longer conceal anything tangible but instead conceal the absence of reality itself- marking an era dominated by simulacra and simulation. Overall, these theorists offer insights into the complex interplay between ideology, representation, power, and culture, shedding light on the ways in which society is structured and maintained.

Section 2:  Difference in relationships to reality and in the process of signification using signs and symbols

 While all of the theorists use signs to talk about message conveying- the process of signification is different. In addition, concepts such as ideology and simulation have different relationships to the representation of reality. Althusser and Baudrillard delve into the complex dynamics between representation and reality. Althusser posits that ideologies, like religious or political beliefs, represent the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence. He states “that these ‘world outlooks’ are largely imaginary, i.e. do not ‘correspond to reality’.” (9) By labeling ideologies as "largely imaginary," Althusser is asserting that they are not directly grounded in or reflective of objective reality, however by saying this he is still recognizing a reality that is real. Similarly, but going a step further,  Baudrillard's concept of simulation goes beyond mere representation, emphasizing the generation of a hyperreality that blurs the distinction between the real and the simulated. Baudrillard’s introduces the concept of simulacra as signs or images that bear no relation to the real world but create a reality of their own. Buadrillard describes the four phases of image: reflection of basic reality, the mask which perverts reality, masking the absence of reality, and no relation to reality. In ideologies, particularly the initial two stages, this progression is mirrored, but does not go further and create a hyperreality. The simulation becomes fully different from the original with no "Origin or reality; a hyperreal"(10). This hyperreality leads to a state where representations of reality become more significant and impactful than reality itself. As articulated by Althusser, The imaginary nature of the relationship between individuals and their representations of reality forms the basis for distortion in ideological portrayals. Differently, the theorists emphasize the imaginary nature of the relationship between individuals and their representations of reality. However, Barthe, while defining myth, does not talk about the variation or stages within myth that correspond to reality. He does not mention a hyperreality, instead he highlights the literal and immediate presence of the mythical signifier, giving it material and linguistic existence within reality. He states “ In myth, the first two terms are perfectly manifest (unlike what happens in other semiological systems): one of them is not 'hidden' behind the other, they are both given here [...] myth hides nothing: its function is to distort, not to make disappear. [It’s]  form has a literal, immediate presence. ”(11) Myth does not hide anything, instead, its purpose is to distort reality, presenting it in a certain way rather than making it disappear entirely. The mention of form having a literal, immediate presence underscores that myth serves as a visible and tangible representation of reality, albeit one that is distorted or manipulated to convey specific meanings or ideologies.

When comparing the perspectives of Hall and Barthes on how certain narratives are perceived and interpreted, a difference arises. While Hall delves into the intricacies of coding and decoding, Barthes emphasizes a more universal understanding of knowledge. Hall's exploration of the term myth would involve his various modes of decoding. He identifies three primary modes: dominant, negotiated, and oppositional. In the dominant mode, audiences accept and reproduce the intended meaning of the message as encoded by the producers. In the negotiated mode, audiences partially accept the dominant meaning but also interpret the message through the lens of their own beliefs and values. Finally, in the oppositional mode, audiences reject or resist the dominant meaning, decoding the message in ways that challenge or subvert the intended message. Hall's framework shows how the interpretation of myth can vary depending on the knowledge and perspective of the viewer or listener, making the significance of the myth not universal. Overall, although all theorists discuss the transmission of messages through signs, their perspectives diverge when it comes to the process of signification. Moreover, they offer distinct insights into how concepts like ideology and simulation relate to the portrayal of reality.

Section 3: Ken’s discovery of patriarchy through encoded messages 

In the scene from Barbie (2023) where Ken is introduced to the concept of patriarchy, he is thrust into a world where signs and symbols shape his understanding of reality. Encountering a plethora of encoded messages within books like “Why Men Rule (literally)” , “Men and Wars,”, “The Origins of the Patriarchy”, and “Horses”, (Gerwig, 2023, 42:21) Ken internalizes a myth where he associates respect, importance, and fulfillment with male dominance.

This is seen in the moment when a woman asks him the time and he states “you respect me.” He tells her that his understanding of patriarchy is “where men and horses run everything” (Gerwig, 2023, 42:40). This myth becomes his lens through which he perceives the world, transforming the real into a hyperreality constructed by dominant ideologies and societal norms. Althusser would observe that these books function as instruments of the Cultural Ideological State Apparatus, disseminating dominant ideologies that shape individual perceptions and beliefs. He would say that individuals are perceived as free subjects, that they have their own ideas and act based on them, but really the ISA’s are where the ideas are extracted from. Hall would say that Ken is positioned in the dominant mode of decoding, as he doesn’t have any previous knowledge and simply accepts the intended meaning of the signs and messages as encoded by the producers. Barthes would concur, asserting that through this process of decoding, Ken constructs his own myth of patriarchy, wherein male dominance and control are equated with power and respect. When confronted by a woman seeking the time, Ken's instinctive response, "you respect me," underscores his internalized myth of patriarchy. Barthes and Althusser would both agree upon how Ken's interaction with the woman reflects the operation of myths in transforming historical phenomena into timeless truths that serve the interests of dominant social groups, or, the ruling class. Driven by his newfound understanding of patriarchy, Ken embarks on a quest for a "high level, high-paying job with influence," believing that being a man alone is sufficient to secure such a position (Gerwig, 2023, 42:53). 

Here, Althusser would note how Ken's ideologies manifest materially through his actions, demonstrating how deeply entrenched beliefs influence real-world behavior. Another example of the materiality of his ideologies that Althusser would note is when Ken goes to try and perform a surgery and when the woman doctor does not allow him he says “But I'm a man” (Gerwig, 2023, 43:11). Ken's lack of respect towards the female doctor becomes apparent when he dismissively asks her to fetch him a coffee, among other demeaning requests, after she asserts her credentials as a doctor. This behavior reflects Ken's beliefs about gender roles and power dynamics, where he perceives himself as entitled to assert dominance over the female doctor despite her professional qualifications. 

Previously, after his first attempt to get a "high level, high-paying job with influence," does not work, he tells the man “ you guys are clearly not doing patriarchy very well.” The man working then says “ No, we’re doing it well, yeah, we just…hide it better now” (Gerwig, 2023, 43:02). The acknowledgment that patriarchy operates covertly speaks volumes about the pervasive power structures ingrained within society. Althusser would note how these mechanisms serve the interests of the ruling class, ensuring their continued dominance over societal structures. Hall would agree and add that these ideologies of the ruling class are incorporated into the messages using codes, as the authors of the books Ken read selected specific signs and symbols to convey meaning. Hall would interpret Ken's statement as an instance of decoding based on his own understanding and perspective of patriarchy, which is based upon myths, as Ken interprets the situation of him not getting a job just because he is a man as a failure of patriarchy. Hall would also emphasize that the man's response reflects an encoding of patriarchy that seeks to maintain its legitimacy and authority. The man's acknowledgment of "hiding" patriarchy suggests an attempt to frame the situation in a way that preserves the existing power dynamics. Baudrillard would likely interpret the exchange between Ken and the man as a commentary on the shifting nature of patriarchy within contemporary society. Baudrillard would relate this exchange to his concept of simulacra, wherein representations of reality become disconnected from their original referents, leading to the creation of hyperrealities. In this context, the "hiding" of patriarchy represents a form of simulation, where the semblance of patriarchy is maintained through concealed mechanisms rather than overt displays of power. Baudrillard would say how it is an example of his argument that postmodern society is characterized by a proliferation of simulations that obscure the distinction between reality and illusion. He would also note how the representation of patriarchy through these books creates a hyperreal version of reality for Ken, exemplifying how the real world has become a hyperreality because the representations of reality encoded within the books holds more precedence than the reality they are meant to represent. Finally, Baudrillard would suggest that Ken's costume which includes a cowboy hat, bandana, cowboy shirt with fringe, as well as Ken's association of patriarchy with horses and men is a romanticization of the past. Barthes would agree and say it is a nostalgia that is formed from an abundance of myths about the wild west, where, as Ken suggests “Men and horses run everything”. Ultimately, the scene offers a space for analysis by Althusser, Hall, Barthes, and Baudrillard of how dominant ideologies, myths, encoded messages, and social interactions converge to shape individual perceptions and behaviors within a hyperreal world.  

Conclusion:  

Reviewing the literature and applying various theorists to the film "Barbie (2023)" has illuminated the interconnectedness of the fields of theory of ideology, culturalism, structuralism, and postmodernism in shaping the production and interpretation of meanings.  Althusser's concept of ideology as a system of beliefs and values that perpetuates dominant social structures is evident in the film's portrayal of patriarchy. Hall’s definitions of encoding and decoding shows how ideologies and meanings are encoded within texts and decoded in different ways based on the individual. Structuralism, as exemplified by Barthes' theory of myth, highlights how meaning is constructed through the process of signification. Postmodernism, particularly Baudrillard's concept of simulacra, offers insight into the hyperreal nature of Ken's perception of patriarchy.This interplay underscores the significance of cultural apparatuses in disseminating dominant ideologies and the ways in which individuals construct meaning within these frameworks.

Footnotes: 

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 102. 

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 93. 

Hall, Stuart. “Encoding, Decoding.” Essay. In The Cultural Studies Reader, 2nd ed., (Routledge, 2001), 508.

Roland Barthes, Mythologies, trans. Annette Lavers (New York: The Noonday Press, 1972), 111.

Roland Barthes, Mythologies, trans. Annette Lavers (New York: The Noonday Press, 1972), 143.

Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations” in Modernism/Postmodernism (New York: Pearson Education Unlimited, 1992), 153.

Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations”, 153.

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 100. 

Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations”, 153.

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 101. 

Roland Barthes, Mythologies, trans. Annette Lavers (New York: The Noonday Press, 1972), 120. 

[sophiegold123]

Analytical Application 3: Poststructuralism and Postmodernism

Hyperreality 

Definition: Hyperreality, as described by Baudrillard, refers to a state where the distinction between the real and the simulated becomes blurred or even nonexistent. Suggesting that the distinction between reality and illusion becomes blurred in a media-saturated, consumer-driven culture. In the hyperreal, representations or simulations of reality become more significant and impactful than the reality they are meant to represent. Hyperrealism, within this framework, could be seen as an intensified form of realism that goes beyond merely imitating reality. Instead, it involves the creation of simulations or representations that are more real than the reality they imitate, leading to a state of hyperreality.Baudrillard states “Thus the hyperrealism of simulation is expressed everywhere by the real's striking resemblance to itself.” (1) For example, in a hyperreal world, the simulated experiences provided by media, advertising, or other forms of representation might become more influential and compelling than the actual, unmediated experiences they claim to represent. The hyperreal is a condition where the distinction between reality and simulation collapses, and the simulated version takes precedence.

Analysis: In "Run Lola Run," an example of hyperreality is when Lola repeatedly breaks glasses just by screaming. Although this is possible in real life, it mostly is seen in movies as a way of showing how powerful or exaggerated a scream or person is. The film creates a hyperreal environment where Lola's simulated experiences (glasses breaking), presented in different scenarios, become more influential and compelling than an actual, unmediated reality. In the first version of Lola’s scream, it is because Manni starts yelling at her louder and louder over the phone, and she finally has enough, her rage builds up and she screams “shut up”, and multiple bottles on her nightstand break. (Tykwer, 1998, 9:24)There is no reaction to the bottles breaking and it doesn't really happen in real life, although viewers might relate to the rage she feels and view this as a real situation. The simulated experiences provided by the narrative take precedence over a straightforward depiction of reality. The film's hyperrealism goes beyond merely imitating Lola's actions; it involves the creation of simulations that are more impactful and intense than the reality they aim to represent.

Pastiche

Definition: Pastiche refers to an artistic or literary work that imitates the style of another work or period. Unlike parody, which often mocks or satirizes the original work, pastiche pays homage to it by adopting its characteristic elements without necessarily offering a critical commentary. Pastiche involves a blending or borrowing of various styles and forms from different sources to create a new composition.The goal is to recreate the feel or atmosphere of the source material, often as an expression of admiration or as a stylistic exercise. Jameson states that pastiche is like parody in that it imitates a peculiar style, but it is “a neutral practice of such mimicry, without parody's ulterior motive, without the satirical impulse, without laughter” (2). Meaning, with pastiche, there is no comedic effect involved in contrast to the one parody brings as it imitates something that differs from the norm.

Analysis: In the opening sequence of "Run Lola Run," an example of pastiche unfolds through an animated segment that delves into the concepts of the butterfly effect and chaos theory. The animation weaves together diverse styles, blending hand-drawn animation, collage techniques, and computer-generated imagery. This fusion pays homage to a spectrum of visual approaches commonly found in animated films, forming a pastiche that not only introduces these theories but also establishes the film's overarching eclectic aesthetic. Furthermore, the film integrates elements reminiscent of video game aesthetics, evident in Lola's attempts to achieve her objective within a constrained time frame. (Tykwer, 1998, 3:23) The use of split-screen techniques, on-screen text, and the palpable sense of restarting with each new attempt mirrors the visual and narrative conventions commonly associated with video games. This intentional incorporation serves as a pastiche, deliberately referencing the distinctive aesthetics intrinsic to gaming.

Repetition

Definition: Repetition is different from generality because generality possesses a standpoint in which particulars can be substituted for each other, they can be replaced. Repetition, on the other hand, serves as a conduct and standpoint about particulars that cannot be replaced and are non-substitutable. Deleuze states “Reflections, echoes, doubles and souls do not belong to the domain of resemblance or equivalence [...] To repeat is to behave in a certain manner, but in relation to something unique or singular which has no equal or equivalent” (3). Deleuze is emphasizing the distinctiveness of each individual soul or phenomenon, asserting that one cannot be exchanged for another. In the realm of repetition, behaviors and perspectives are aligned with unique and singular elements that defy equivalence. However, repetition involves a productive difference rather than a simple return to the same. It is about the creation of difference within the repeated elements. Repetition, as a unique and non-substitutable engagement with singular phenomena, challenges the notion of exchangeability inherent in generality.  

Analysis : In the film "Run Lola Run," repetition involves behaviors related to something unique and singular that cannot be replaced or substituted. Repetition in the movie serves as a conduct and standpoint about elements that resist equivalence. Throughout the film, Lola experiences a temporal loop, where she repeats the same scenario three times, each time with variations in her actions and outcomes. In this context, repetition is not a mere return to the same; instead, it becomes a productive difference. Lola's behaviors and perspectives, although repeated, generate distinct outcomes, challenging the notion of exchangeability inherent in generality. In the last scenario, Lola does not see her father, who gets in a car crash instead. She goes to a casino and ends up winning there, therefore obtaining money in new ways than before. Lola's interactions with the world and the consequences of her actions defy a simple return to the same, embodying the concept of repetition as a complex and generative process.

Simulacrum 

Definition: Simulacra is known as a copy of a copy of something that may or may not have an original counterpart in reality. According to Baudrillard, simulacra are copies without an original. They are signs or images that bear no relation to the real world but create a reality of their own. Baudrillard suggests "It is the truth which conceals that there is none" (4). This indicates that the original copy cannot be seen as true either because of the other copies created and the simulacra is true. The simulacra is an exchange for what is the real thing. This can be seen through religion where symbols represent God and his existence as a system of belief. Therefore the simulacra is the effect of an idea or thing. Buadrillard describes the four phases of image which are the reflection of basic reality, the mask which perverts reality, masking the absence of reality, and no relation to reality. All of these alter and manipulate our perception of reality with regards to what is displayed and what is non-existent.

Analysis: In the film "Run Lola Run," the temporal structure creates a sense of simulacrum as the protagonist navigates through three distinct outcomes within the same situation, trapped in a closed circle of time. This closed loop, resembling the cyclic nature of a clock, echoes the concept of a simulated reality, where each round is a copy of the original but lacks a true counterpart in reality. The film is divided into three major portions or rounds, where Lola seems to be stuck in a closed circle of time. The closed circle of time resembles a clock, which starts at the same point where it ends, structured like an infinite loop. With each round Lola’s awareness of the scenarios increases, but the loop cannot be escaped or broken. The temporal loop resembles a video game in the context of limited time the protagonist has, to save both her and her boyfriend’s life and in the first two probabilities the death of any one of them restarts the scenario from the last checkpoint. For example, in the second loop Lola manages to get the money to save her boyfriend and uses knowledge learned from the past like how to use a gun. She runs to her boyfriend just like before and calls out his name, but this time he gets run over by a car. The temporal loop is a simulacrum as each round is a copy of the first round, or the original, but not even the original round is real. 

Simulation:

Definition : According to the reading, Baudrillard highlights that simulation blurs the relationship between what's real and what's not, or hyperreal. Or, the original and a copy. The simulation becomes fully different from the original with no "Origin or reality; a hyperreal" (5). Simulation goes beyond mere representation. It is the generation of a hyperreality, a reality that is more real than the real, detached from any referential anchor. Similar to the simulacra the simulation begins with the system of signs which provide meaning. The signs are substituted for the real that is the real but is not a representation of the real and sign because the representation itself is false. Baudrillard references Disneyland as a model for a simulation which distorts reality making people create illusions in their minds. Disneyland's land that it is on is seen as not real and the rest of the land outside of it is "real" land in the US.  

Analysis:An example of this from “Run, Lola, Run” is when the animated visuals of Lola running come on the screen. They appear each time her scenario of trying to run to save her boyfriend restarts. By providing us something that is seen as not real as it is obviously animated, it makes the rest of the visual movie seem real. The animated sequences function as a hyperreal representation, detached from a direct referential anchor to reality. The animated segments operate as a form of simulation because they are not a direct representation of reality; instead, they introduce a hyperreal layer to Lola's experiences.

Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations” in Modernism/Postmodernism (New York: Pearson Education Unlimited, 1992), 159.

Fredric Jameson, “Postmodernism and Consumer Society” in Modernism/Postmodernism (New York: Pearson Education Unlimited, 1992), 167.

Deleuze, Gilles. Difference and Repetition, 1. New York, New York: Columbia University Press, 1994.

Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations”, 157.

Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations”, 153.

[sophiegold123]

In Jean Baudrillard essay “Simulacra and Simulations” he discusses the concept of simulation as distinct from representation. Simulation rejects the sign as a value, treating it as a reversal and a death sentence for any reference. He states that the four successive phases that break down an image are “ 1: It is the reflection of a basic reality.” The image serves as a faithful representation, akin to a sacrament. “ 2: It masks and perverts a basic reality.” The image distorts and obscures the fundamental reality, taking on the nature of maleficence. “ 3: It masks the absence of a basic reality.” The image pretends to be an appearance, operating in the realm of sorcery. And “4: It bears no relation to any reality whatever: it is its own pure simulacrum.” The image transcends the order of appearance; it becomes its own pure simulacrum. (1) Baudrillard explains that the shift from signs that conceal something to signs that conceal the absence of anything represents a crucial turning point.    

In Fredric Jameson’s essay “Postmodernism and Consumer Society”, he talks about the difference between pastiche and parody and what defines them. The relationship of parody to the object it mocks is characterized by a complex interplay of imitation, mockery, and, in some cases, secret sympathy. Parody is an imitation that mocks the original, the general effect being “ to cast ridicule on the private nature of these stylistic mannerisms and their excessiveness and eccentricity with respect to the way people normally speak or write.” (2) Meaning, whether carried out with sympathy or malice, parody aims to highlight and exaggerate the peculiarities of the original, emphasizing the deviations from normal linguistic or stylistic conventions. Parody becomes impossible and pastiche appears when there is a lack of belief in the existence of a "normal language" or "linguistic norm." Without the acknowledgment of a standard, there is no basis for mocking a specific language in relation to the norm. Jameson states that pastiche is like parody in that it imitates a peculiar style, but it is “a neutral practice of such mimicry, without parody's ulterior motive, without the satirical impulse, without laughter” (3). Meaning, with pastiche, there is no comedic effect involved in contrast to the one parody brings as it imitates something that differs from the norm. Overall, the distinction between parody and pastiche hinges on the belief in the existence of a "normal language" or "linguistic norm."  

 (1) Jean Baudrillard, “Simulacra and Simulations” in Modernism/Postmodernism (New York: Pearson Education Unlimited, 1992), 152-153.

(2) Fredric Jameson, “Postmodernism and Consumer Society” in Modernism/Postmodernism (New York: Pearson Education Unlimited, 1992), 166.

(3) Jameson, “Postmodernism and Consumer Society”, 167.

Reading Notes 5: Baudrillard to Jameson

To further our studies in visual analysis, Jean Baudrillard’s “Simulacra and Simulations” and Fredric Jameson’s “Postmodernism and Consumer Society” offer guidance to understanding the roles of poststructuralism and postmodernism.

What are the four successive phases that break down an image?

What is the relationship of parody to the object it mocks, and at what point does parody become impossible and pastiche appear?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Analytical Application 2: Structuralism and Semiotics

Definition: Myth 

Myth functions as a constructed system of signs and signifiers that have reinterpreted and recontextualized existing signs to convey ideological meanings, beliefs, and cultural narratives.  The ideologies and narratives are conveyed through seemingly natural phenomena or everyday objects that the myth has transformed  into symbols, signs, or signifiers imbued with cultural significance. Mythic narratives are not inherent but shaped by historical events and cultural factors. Roland states “Myth does not deny things, on the contrary, its function is to talk about them; simply, it purifies them, it makes them innocent, it gives them a natural and eternal justification, it gives them a clarity which is not that of an explanation but that of a statement of fact.” (1)  This means that  myth has the ability to simplify and present things in a way that makes them appear innocent and timeless. Myth presents them as unquestionable, natural facts and in essence, transforms complex realities into simplified, eternal, and readily accepted narratives. As myth manipulates signs, it shapes collective beliefs and values that serve to reinforce dominant ideologies and social norms. 

  Analysis: 

The movie poster for "Geronimo: An American Legend" (1993) draws on mythic elements and archetypes to reinforce specific cultural narratives. Within the Western context, the depiction of a Native American man on horseback taps into cinematic and cultural myths surrounding the American frontier, exploration, and conflicts between indigenous peoples and settlers. At the center of the composition is the lone figure on horseback, portrayed as the hero in the narrative. Behind him, three larger white men appear suspended in the sky, each with a calm or serious expression, except for the one in the middle who wears a partial smile. These visual elements serve as constructed signs and signifiers, conveying ideological meanings and cultural narratives. The contrast between the distressed expression of the Native American figure and the potential symbols of authority and power represented by the white men, particularly the one resembling a military sergeant, suggests a clash of cultures. The heroism attributed to the man on the horse, fighting alone, contributes to the shaping of collective beliefs around historical events involving figures like Geronimo. The poster, through its use of myth, simplifies and romanticizes complex historical and cultural realities, transforming individuals into symbols laden with specific ideological meanings. The innocence attributed to the Native American figure, juxtaposed with the potential militaristic symbolism of the white men, constructs a narrative aligned with Western mythology and prevalent mythic constructs in Western culture. In doing so, the visual piece engages in the ongoing process of myth-making, reinforcing specific cultural narratives surrounding Native American history and figures like Geronimo.

Definition: Connotation

Connotation refers to additional meanings or values associated with specific visual or auditory elements in a film. All signified or signifying denoted material and aesthetic elements such as framing, camera movements, lighting, sound, etc. combine together to become the signifier of connotations. Aesthetic choices contribute to the connotative layer, adding depth, symbolism, or emotional resonance to the work. Christian Metz in his essay “Some Points in the Semiotics of the Cinema," states that connotation signifies “ the literary or cinematographic “style,” “genre” (the epic, the western, etc.), “symbol” (philosophical, humanitarian, ideological, and so on), or “poetic atmosphere” ”(2). This means that connotations are additional layers of meaning produced, such as the overall genre, symbolism, style or atmosphere of a literary or cinematographic work. These meanings are conveyed through the various elements present in the work. In essence, connotation produces added meaning attributed to filmic elements through aesthetic choices, contributing to the overall interpretation and experience of a film.

Analysis: 

The movie poster of “The Woman King'' (2022)  connotes the style, genre, and potential symbolism of the movie through various signs and aesthetic elements. The facial expression, postures, and  stances of the characters in the image signify that they are tough, fearless, unthreatened, and serious. The weapons they are holding and the amount of people behind the central figure signifies that they are a sort of army or group that is going to fight another group. The orange-red sky and the embers in the image signify danger or excitement. The fiery color palette creates a dramatic atmosphere, suggesting a sense of urgency and conflict. The words “A Warrior Becomes a Legend” signifies that there is someone who fights and is heroic or has done something big that will be remembered. The costumes include what looks like copper and a handwoven shirt, signifying material that used to be worn, not modern battlesuits. The weapons also look like knives, swords, and spears, showing no modern weapons like guns or bombs. The text “inspired by true events” signifies that this is about an historical event. All of these elements and signs combined connote that the genre of the movie is a historical action or drama. In addition, there are multiple women in the image, and the central figure is a woman, signifying that women are strong, fearless, and able fighters. The name of the movie “The Woman King” is impactful as the word “king” refers to a man who is a ruler, it signifies that in the movie the woman is instead the ruler, or the one with power. These signs connote an ideological symbolism, such as it being a feminist or female-empowering movie, as a woman being in power subverts normal gender roles. In summary, various signs and aesthetic elements in the movie poster for "The Woman King" intricately conveys the style, genre, and symbolic undertones of the film. 

Definition: Sign 

Signs are created from language, creating meaning through images which can be mental or

psychological. Saussure suggests that a word is seen as a sign, the signifier is the sound-image that the word creates and the signified is the concept that we connect the specific word to. Saussure states “The linguistic sign unites, not a thing and a name, but a concept and a sound-image.” (3)  This process is what contributes to language which is known to construct our reality. Signs are also arbitrary since there is no natural connection between the signifier (The physical form of the sign, such as a word, sound, image, or gesture) and the signified (The concept or meaning associated with the signifier). The meaning is socially constructed through shared conventions and agreed-upon systems. 

Analysis: 

In the movie poster “Nuns on the Run” (1990) there are many signs that work together to convey concepts and meanings. A signifier is  the images of Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane dressed as nuns, which signify disguise, humor, or a comedic situation. The poster plastered on a brick wall with the text “WANTED for the robbery of $1,000,000 REWARD” and their names, with images of the both of them signifying that the police are looking for them, hence why they are on the run. The choice of portraying the actors as nuns is arbitrary and relies on shared cultural conventions about the comedic potential of such disguises. The text at the top of the movie poster  “From now on, it's every nun for himself!” signifies a comedic theme as it is a play on words of “its everyone for himself”. This comedic effect relies on shared cultural meanings, as different languages may not have the same phrases. The facial expressions of the characters are scared and annoyed/mad, signifying a clash in personalities between the characters, which can add to the comedic effect. Overall the signs work together to create expectations for the audience about the movie, such as the narrative of two men disguised as nuns, running from the police with a comedic tone. 

Definition: Langue

Langue refers to the "code for expressing" thought according to Ferdinand de Saussure. It is used to create a vocal message that can be associated with an image that further becomes a concept in which people use it for communication. It is a system of signs in which there is a union of meanings and sound images. It is critical to note that langue is different from speech because it is "defined" meaning it cannot be interpreted differently whereas speech can be. (4)  Saussure highlights that language is a product of society stating “It is both a social product of the faculty of speech and a collection of necessary conventions that have been adopted by a social body to permit individuals to exercise that faculty.” (5) Meaning, it is not a natural or individual creation but rather a communal product shaped by the conventions adopted by a social group. These conventions serve as the shared framework that allows individuals within the society to use and understand language as a means of communication. Additionally, within language, each word limits the other because it specifies itself. It is critical to understand the function and structure of language because it reflects the way we see the world and what our reality is.

Analysis: 

The movie poster “Joyeux Noel” (2005) uses signs and langue to convey meaning and concepts. The title "Joyeux Noel" itself represents the langue, as it is a code for expressing the thought of a merry Christmas. The addition of the parenthesis "(Merry Christmas)" serves as a translation or interpretation of the title for those who may not understand French. It highlights the multiplicity and communal creation of languages as it is shaped by conventions adopted by a social group. The inclusion of "GOLDEN GLOBE° NOMINEE • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM" is a linguistic element that communicates the film's recognition and achievement. The use of "NOMINEE" indicates a specific status within a broader system of recognition. The text "Christmas Eve, 1914" establishes the historical and temporal context of the film. It relies on knowledge of certain cultural conventions and contexts such as certain holidays. The text "On a World War 1 battlefield, a Momentous Event changed the lives of soldiers from France, Germany, and England" uses language to provide a brief synopsis or summary of the film's plot. This linguistic element serves as a concise representation of the narrative, conveying that the movie will be about soldiers during Christmas in 1914. The statement "Based on a true story" is a linguistic assurance that the narrative is rooted in historical events, conveying the historical genre.  In summary, the movie poster utilizes language as a system of signs to convey information about the film's title, accolades, historical setting, narrative overview, and authenticity. 

Definition: Semiotics of cinema 

The semiotics of cinema refers to the study of signs, symbols, and meanings within the context of filmmaking and film analysis. Semiotics is concerned with the study of signs and symbols and how they convey meaning. Metz tells us the basic figures of the semiotics of the cinema “montage, camera movements, scale of the shots, relationships between the image and speech, sequences, and other large syntagmatic units” (6). Semiotics delves into the language of film, examining how elements such as visuals, sounds, editing, and narrative structure function as signs and contribute to the overall meaning of a film.

Analysis: 

Within the Poltergeist (1982) movie poster, there are certain visuals that convey meaning, and help the audience form expectations and interpretations about the film. There is a far away shot of a little girl sitting on the floor in front of a tv her hands are placed on. Her hands are pressed onto the screen as if there is a connection between her and the television in such a way that she can not detach herself. This is unusual behavior for a child as little girls would normally be perceived to pay more attention to stuffed toys and dolls - much like the teddy bear that has been laid on the floor next to her. The tv is the only thing emitting light, making the image very dark with a spotlight on the girl and the glowing, static-filled television. This use of lighting enhances the eerie and supernatural atmosphere as the darkness adds an ominous and scary effect, conveying the movie as a horror film. In addition, the long shot emphasizes that no one is around the girl, signifying that she is alone and vulnerable. The fact that the girl's back is turned does not allow the audience to see her facial expression, leaving the audience with uncertainty of what role the girl plays in the narrative. The tagline ("They're here") is a linguistic sign that creates suspense and implies the presence of supernatural entities. The other “It knows what scares you” uses the pronoun ‘it’ rather than ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘they’. This reinforces the idea of sci-fi or even the monster-horror genre as well as increasing obscurity. In summary, the semiotics of the cinema in the "Poltergeist" poster involve the use of visual elements, text, light, and composition to communicate the horror genre, convey supernatural themes, and entice potential viewers by creating suspense and intrigue. 

 Roland Barthes, Mythologies, trans. Annette Lavers (New York: The Noonday Press, 1972), 143.

Metz, Christian. "Some Points in the Semiotics of Cinema" in Film Theory and Criticism, 67. Edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, 66. trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915).

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, 15. trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915).

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, 9. trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915).

Metz, Christian. "Some Points in the Semiotics of Cinema" in Film Theory and Criticism, 66. Edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

[sophiegold123]

How are connotations used to signify style, genre, symbol, or poetic atmosphere in film?

Connotations play a huge role in signifying style, genre, symbol, or poetic atmosphere in film as it is defined as an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning. In the context of film, aesthetic elements such as framing, camera movements, lighting, sound, etc. joined together to become the signifier of connotations.  Christian Metz’s states that these aesthetic elements “ serve as the connoted instance, which is super- imposed over the denoted meaning” (1).This means the aesthetic choices are not merely functional in their basic form; instead, they contribute to the connotative layer, adding depth, symbolism, or emotional resonance to the work. By strategically incorporating connotations into various filmic elements, filmmakers can layer their work with meaning beyond the literal narrative. 

How is repetition different from generality, and how is repetition different from resemblance?

Gilles Deleuze's perspective on repetition, generality, and resemblance underscores the profound difference between the concepts. Repetition is different from generality because generality possess a standpoint in which particulars can be substituted for eachother, they can be replaced. Repetition, on the other hand serves as a conduct and standpoint about partuclars that cannot be replaced and are non-substitutsble. Deleuze states “Reflections, echoes, doubles and souls do not belong to the domain of resemblance or equivalence [...] To repeat is to behave in a certain manner, but in relation to something unique or singular which has no equal or equivalent” (2). Deleuze is emphasizing the distinctiveness of each individual soul or phenomenon, asserting that one cannot be exchanged for another. In the realm of repetition, behaviors and perspectives are aligned with unique and singular elements that defy equivalence. Resemblance is associated with the qualitative order of generality.This aspect of generality pertains to the qualitative similarities or resemblances between different entities or terms, suggesting that they can share common qualities or characteristics, and therefore allow for exchange or substitution. However, repetition involves a productive difference rather than a simple return to the same. It is about the creation of difference within the repeated elements. Repetition, as a unique and non-substitutable engagement with singular phenomena, challenges the notion of exchangeability inherent in generality.  

Metz, Christian. "Some Points in the Semiotics of Cinema" in Film Theory and Criticism, 67. Edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Deleuze, Gilles. Difference and Repetition, 1. New York, New York: Columbia University Press, 1994.

Reading Notes 4: Metz to Deleuze

Christian Metz’s “Some Points in the Semiotics of the Cinema” and Giles Deleuze’s “Introduction: Repetition and Difference” transitions our inquiry from semiotics and structuralism to poststructuralism and postmodernism.

How are connotations used to signify style, genre, symbol, or poetic atmosphere in film?

How is repetition different from generality, and how is repetition different from resemblance?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

According to Ferdinand de Saussure, the arbitrary nature of a sign is the idea that there is no inherent or natural connection between the signifier (The physical form of the sign, such as a word, sound, image, or gesture) and the signified (The concept or meaning associated with the signifier). This emphasizes that meaning is socially constructed through shared conventions and agreed-upon systems. The sign is differentiated from the symbol because the symbol is not fully arbitrary, there is a relationship or natural bond between the signifier and signified. (1) Language is the most characteristic of all sign systems for a few reasons. One is the fact that the sound or shape of a word and its meaning is largely arbitrary and depends on shared conventions within a social community. Saussure states “It can be localized in the limited segment of the speaking-circuit where an auditory image becomes associated with a concept. It is the social side of speech, outside the individual who can never create nor modify it by himself.” (2) Language allows us to attach deeper meanings and concepts to many different sign systems. Another reason is that Language is passed down through generations within a community, and it evolves over time. Saussure notes “ No matter what period we choose or how far back we go, language always appears as a heritage of the preceding period. “ (3) This allows us to gain historical knowledge and values. 

2. Myth is a semiological system because it is a system of communication and a form of signification. Roland Barthes mentions that myth is created from a semiological chain that came before and calls it a second-order semiological system. He states “ That which is a sign (namely the associative total of a concept and an image) in the first system, becomes a mere signifier in the second.”( 4) Barthes is highlighting how myth operates as a system of signification that takes existing elements from a primary system like language, photography, rituals, etc. that were originally signs and  transforms them into simplified signifiers in the second system. The original meanings associated with these signs are reduced, and they now serve as components in constructing new meanings within the myth. This creates new systems of meaning.   

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915), 68. 

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915), 14.

Ferdinand de Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, trans. Wade Baskin (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1915), 71.

Roland Barthes, Mythologies, trans. Annette Lavers (New York: The Noonday Press, 1972), 114.

Reading Notes 3: Saussure to Barthes

In “Course in General Linguistic” and “Mythologies,” Ferdinand de Saussure and Roland Barthes set the groundwork for our studies in semiotics and structuralism.

What is the arbitrary nature of the sign, how is the sign differentiated from a symbol, and why is language the most characteristic of all sign systems?

In what ways is myth a semiological system?

@theuncannyprofessoro

[sophiegold123]

Analytical Application 1

Ad link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq5SGSCZe4E

Definition: culture industry

In Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno’s chapter “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” they critique the transformation of culture and the media in the context of industrial society. Culture is a technology, an “industry” that produces homogenous, standardized goods and experiences. Horkheimer and Adorno state “For the present the technology of the culture industry confines itself to stan­dardization and mass production and sacrifices what once distinguished the logic of the work from that of society.” (1) The industry is controlled by economic forces and is all about making money and pleasing the masses, it is the industrialization and commodification of cultural products, including music, film, literature, and art. Overall, the culture industry is the opposite of genuine style, it takes away individuality and creativity and replaces them with conformity to the norms of the ruling class.  

Analysis: 

In The Greatest Gift: Sainsbury’s Ad (2016) we can see the culture industry at play especially during christmas time, where there is mass production of things like toys and standardization of music and films.  The ad starts off with a man waking up in the morning and going to work with a catchy tune playing in the background. The catchy tune is  producing easily digestible content so everyone has a uniform experience regardless of personal preference. In the toy factory the man works at we can see the mass production of toys. The advertisement also shows many different types of people taking the train, in line for shopping, and working at a desk job which promotes sameness, conformity, and an acceptance of societal norms. In order to find the perfect gift for his family and be in two places at once, the man in the advertisement creates clones of himself adapted onto different products or toys. He is basically commodifying himself because he is the gift, he sings “the greatest gift I could give is me.”  We continue to see more versions of him on different objects in different scenarios such as work or at the doctor emphasizing homogeneous goods that everyone can use. It then cuts to different families singing the same song about how the greatest gift for their family is “me” . Showing a variety of families once again encourages standardization and conformity, at the end they all come outside of their houses and there is a zoom out where we can see more and more people all singing together. This ad conforms to and tries to show how everyone wants/needs to find the perfect gift for their family during christmas and also that no matter who it is, the norm is to spend christmas with your family.  

 Ad Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHj7IfxouZU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fmoodle.oxy.edu%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Definition: Ideological State Apparatus

According to Althusser's text, the Ideological State Apparatus maintains their order under ideology. It is made up of a number of distinct and specialized institutions such as religious, educational, political, cultural, family, etc. The  Ideological State Apparatus creates and reinforces the fundamental beliefs and concepts that govern individuals and their practices. The institutions which serve as platforms for completing practices mold how individuals perceive their societal positioning in relation to other classes and the predominant ruling class. Furthermore, the ideology by which they operate is the ideology of “the ruling class”. The beliefs that the Ideological State Apparatus spreads help maintain the dominant structures and ways of doing things in society. These beliefs of the ruling class are kept strong and alive in the institutions, where people learn and share these ideas. Althusser states “All ideological State apparatuses, whatever they are, contribute to the same result: the reproduction of the relations of production, i.e. of capitalist relations of exploitation.”(2) Every Ideological State Apparatus makes sure dominant structures stay in place, like who has more power and who doesn’t.  

Analysis:

The John Lewis advertisement “John Lewis- She’s Always A Woman”  is a tool used by the cultural and communications Ideological State Apparatuses to convey specific values and norms about families and womanhood in order to shape people's perceptions, desires, and lifestyles. With the soundtrack of Billy Joel’s “She’s always a woman to me” playing in the background, the ad follows one woman through childhood and into old age via  her significant life events. These include blowing out birthday candles, her first kiss, marriage, getting a new sofa and moving into a house, becoming pregnant, being a mother, having lunch with family and friends in a nice suburban neighborhood with a huge green field as a backyard, and having grandkids. The life events that were chosen promote the dominant ideological family values as it presents an idealistic, happy, and traditional family. The images shown such as a nice wedding, nice furniture, nice clothing, and a nice backyard work to keep middle-upper class families in power by promoting them as ideal to viewers. Furthermore, the ad works to keep men in power by providing an old-fashioned take on womanhood with being in a relationship and having kids as the significant milestones, not making CEO of a company. This take shows no progression in women’s lives since the 1950s, where the primary image of a woman was the traditional housewife. The ad influences how individuals view themselves, their needs, and their roles in society. For example, the woman's life in this ad becomes aspirational by showing a happy marriage, nice family lunches, and up-to-date accessories. This helps the ad contribute to the reinforcement of dominant cultural values and social structures.

Ad link:P&G - Thank You Mama - Best Job 2012 HD 2M

Definition: Ideology

  According to Louis Althusser's essay "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses," ideology refers to the system of beliefs, values, and ideas that shapes the way individuals perceive and understand the world, reinforced by institutions around them. Althusser emphasizes the role of ideology in shaping not only individuals' ideas but also their behaviors and practices within society. He emphasizes the materiality of beliefs and ideas stating “the existence of the ideas of his belief is material in that his ideas are his material actions inserted into material practices governed by material rituals which are themselves defined by the material ideological apparatus from which derive the ideas of that subject.” (3) This means the ideas a person believes in manifest in their actual actions and practices. What they do in the real world is a tangible expression of their beliefs.  The individuals repeat their habits and practices, which are shaped and defined by material ideological apparatus. Individuals are perceived as free subjects, they have their own ideas and act based on them, but really the ISA’s are where the ideas are extracted from. 

Analysis: 

 The advertisement "P&G – Thank You Mama – Best Job" (2012) reinforces the societal ideology of motherhood, derived from the family Ideological State Apparatus (ISA). It propagates the normative idea that a mother is nurturing, supportive, caretaking, and loving. These values are not merely abstract concepts but have a tangible existence in the advertisement through the depicted actions and practices of women – waking their children up, making breakfast, bringing them to school, watching them play sports, doing laundry, cooking meals, and cheering their children on. The repetition of these activities in the ad represents material rituals. Towards the conclusion, the on-screen text boldly states, "The hardest job in the world is the best job in the world," assigning a material existence to the role of a mother by framing it as a job. The advertisement strategically associates products like Tide, Pampers, and Gillette as "proud sponsors of moms," directly linking these material objects to the concept of motherhood. This connection implies that purchasing these products is synonymous with fulfilling the responsibilities of motherhood correctly. In essence, the advertisement contributes to maintaining the existing societal structures by reinforcing the conventional roles and expectations associated with motherhood. It subtly suggests that adhering to these roles, as endorsed by the products featured, aligns with the normative ideology of being a good mother.  

Ad link: Mr T Snickers commercial

Definition: Polysemic

Polysemic is when a word or a sign can have multiple meanings. Stuart Hall states “The so-called denotative level of the televisual sign is fixed by certain, very complex (but limited or ‘closed’) codes. But its connotative level, though also bounded, is more open, subject to more active transformations, which exploit its polysemic values.” (4) This means that the denotative meaning is fixed and does not change much, like a simple code that everyone understands. The connotative meaning, on the other hand, is how someone personally might interpret a sign, based on feelings and experiences. This acknowledges the diversity of meanings that different audiences may derive from the same word.

Analysis: 

The Mr. T Snickers commercial uses context to allow for a double meaning in their slogan.  In the Mr. T Snickers commercial a man playing soccer trips and falls on his knee, he starts screaming in pain and calling out “reff”. A battle tank then appears and starts running over cars, crashing through a gate, and stopping on the soccer field right in front of the man.  A man with huge muscles comes out of the tank and aggressively shouts “quit your jibber jabber, you ain't hurt, you're pathetic” and throws a snickers on the guy's head. The ad ends with the manly man in the center of the screen and he says “Snickers- get some nuts!”. In this case, the word “nuts'' has a polysemic value because there are two meanings attached to it. The denotative meaning is the literal food nuts, which is in snickers, but the connotative meaning can be interpreted as the phrase “grow some balls” or “be a man' '. The whole ad is promoting toxic masculinity in that the man playing soccer cannot show that he is hurt and must appear tough, in order to be a “real man”. According to different experiences and cultural values associated with gender, some audiences may or may not recognize the double meaning of the slogan they used. 

Ad link: Iceland’s Banned TV Christmas Advert... Say hello to Rang-tan. #NoPalmOilChristmas

Definition: Ruling Class 

 The term "ruling class" refers to a social class or group of individuals within a society who hold considerable power, influence, and control over the economic, political, and social structures. The ruling class typically possesses the means of production, such as wealth, property, and resources, which allows them to shape and maintain the dominant social order. Marx also recognizes that the ruling class also controls the means of mental production such as the dominant ideologies. He writes “ The class which has the means of material production at its disposal, consequently also controls the means of mental production, so that the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are on the whole subject to it.”(5) People of a lower class may not have the opportunities to have an influence over societies ruling ideologies, as there are various institutions in place that work to further maintain the dominant social order.

Analysis: 

Iceland’s Banned TV Christmas Advert “Say Hello to Rang-tan” indirectly addresses the significant power and control of the ruling class over economic, political, and social structures. The animation aimed to raise awareness about the environmental impact of palm oil production and its effects on rainforests and wildlife, particularly orangutans. In the ad an orangutan is staying in a little girl's bedroom because large corporations are destroying the forest where it lives for the production of palm oil. These large corporations are a part of the ruling class as they operate as key players in the capitalist system, controlling economic forces. The narrative in the ad draws attention to the tension between profit-driven motives and environmental concerns. As the ruling class holds the dominant ideas, they often prioritize profit accumulation at the expense of social and environmental well-being. The little girl, after learning about the orangutans situation says “ I'll fight to save your home...I'll share your story far and wide so others can fight too.” She is going against the dominant hegemonic position, and going against the position of the ruling class. The ad shows how the nature of capitalism can lead to exploitation, inequality, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. It invites viewers to reflect on broader systemic issues and the role of powerful economic entities in shaping the world.

Footnotes: 

(1) Horkheimer, Max, and Theodor W. Adorno. “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception.” Essay. In Dialectic of Enlightenment Philosophical Fragments (Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2002), 95.

(2) Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 96.

(3) Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (Notes towards an Investigation.” Essay. In The Anthropology of the State A Reader (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2006), 103.

(4) Hall, Stuart. “Encoding, Decoding.” Essay. In The Cultural Studies Reader, 2nd ed., (Routledge, 2001), 513.

(5) Marx, Karl, and Frederick Engels. 2010. “The Ruling Class And The Ruling Ideas.” In The German Ideology., Vol. 5. N.p.:( Lawrence & Wishart), 59.