TV Drama Essay questions
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Gender representation plays a huge part in Homeland and Trapped in episode 1 as women are objectified and made to appear as sex objects. In Homeland, the opening scene is of Jessica having sex with Mike, which is very similar to Trapped as the opening scene is of Dagny having sex with Hjotur. Both women are shown naked which proves Bell Hooks’s theory correct, that women are used as sexual objects or in other ways for the purpose of keeping white men happy. This would appear as appropriate for the American audience as women are generally seen as inferior to men and are extremely stereotyped negatively. On the other hand, for Trapped to be sexualizing Dagny is strange as Iceland are an extremely feminist country and gender equality is taught from preschool to college.
In terms of gender representation for males Trapped gives a positive representation of males in episode 1. The main character Andri is shown to be emotional and caring towards his family like when his ex-wife asks why is he still wearing his wedding ring, when she has moved on and it has been a long time. This shows males in a different light to what they are stereotypically seen in England and America (domineering and strong minded.) I think this shows that Iceland is much further ahead in terms of equality as the representation of genders is breaking stereotypes.
Iceland and America have very different cultures in some ways as proven for representations of gender. But other representations such as for teenagers are very similar. In Trapped the opening scene is of Dangy and Hjotur having sex and smoking/taking drugs, which is similar to Homeland when Dana does drugs with her friends. Both representations of teenagers are negative and very stereotypical as they are showing the audience that teenagers are rebellious and risk takers. This is going against Van Zoonen theory that meaning changes with culture and historical context as it is not changing and the representation of the teenagers remains the same for both countries.
Although female representation is shown negatively as women are sexualised, which proves Bell Hook's theory correct, women are show as being powerful and high up in their career chains. Hinrikr could be argued as one of the main protagonists in the whole series of Trapped and defiantly in episode 1. She is not shown as the emotional stereotypical but the powerful women that she is that can take control and won't be put as inferior to men. This is going against theories, specifically Bell Hook's theory. Hinrikir has not been chosen by the producers specifically to please white males, but in a positive way to further the plot and be a strong main role. In comparison to Homeland Carrie however is also a women who is high up in power in her career chain. This is an improvement for women in American society as they are stereotypically house wives, have jobs that aren't challenging or with much importance. Sadly Carrie is shown in episode 1 taking pills for a mental disorder that she had been dealing with since she was 22. We find out later on in the season she is seriously mentally unstable. This is a huge label for women that they are very emotional which causes their incapableness. The producers have again done this to make the show more exciting for the audience as they want to further their own knowledge of what is this mental illness and how it is going to affect her, but it is a very negative representation of women that isn't helping change the way people view them.
Stanly Hall's theory mentions anti-serotyping. This is shown in Trapped as the murderer, Maria is a women. Women are never normally the murderers in crime dramas as they're typical stereotype would not lead them to be as they are suppose to be gentle and maternal. Trapped is proving Stanley Hall's theory correct because they are using anti-stereotypes. They have gone inside the stereotype opened it up and changed it, this is helping equality as it is showing both men and women are capable of being murderers. It also makes a better plot twist as it is unexpected creating more tension and excitement.
To concluded representation is shown both positively and negatively in episode 1 of Homeland and Trapped. However more positive Trapped as one may argue that Iceland are more ethically correct and further ahead of America in terms of equality. Either way both have chosen to convey representations in a certain way to please their two different audiences of different cultures. This will therefore create a big audience for their country that will find it both equally interesting and easy to follow which therefore will make big profits.
4
Representation theory
|
Homeland
(episode 1)
|
Trapped
(episode 1)
|
How the representations differ/similar to each other
|
Bell Hooks: Intersectionality creates, a white supremacist
capitalist patriarchy. (representations are sexist/rasist/homophobic/
classist/etc. to keep white males superior in society
happy.)
Racism
|
Carrie has sex in the beginning with Mike. Aggressive sex
with Jessica.
Extremely racist storyline
|
Dagny being naked, topless, having sex, and being set on
fire. Hinrika is a powerful woman, never sexualized.
Andri is emoutional, in love with Anges.
Not racist but not much racial diversity.
|
Both have traditional gender roles. Dagny being used as a
sex object and being a victim as dying. Carrie is a strong woman but is completely
insane. Hinrika is strong and powerful and non-emotional but is still not the
boss.
Homeland has more men in power.
|
Van Zoonen: meaning changes with cultural and historical
context
|
Dana does drugs goes
Nuclear family that has been disturbed.
|
Dagny smokes does drugs and has sex.
|
Goes against theory as both countries do this.
|
Class:
|
Everyone is upperclass
|
||
3* I have studied Homeland and Trapped episode 1. Homeland and Trapped are both crime dramas but they are both set in different countries. Trapped is set in Iceland and Homeland is set in America. The fact that they are both made and produced in different countries to each other has a big impact on the content of them as they need to appeal to the audience, which is the people of that country. Van Zooner argues meaning changes depending on cultural and historical context which is very relevant to both of the crime dramas.
Gender representation plays a huge part in Homeland and Trapped in episode 1 as women are objectified and made to appear as sex objects. In Homeland, the opening scene is of Jessica having sex with Mike, which is very similar to Trapped as the opening scene is of Dagny having sex with Hjotur. Both women are shown naked which proves Bell Hooks’s theory correct, that women are used as sexual objects or in other ways for the purpose of keeping white men happy. This would appear as appropriate for the American audience as women are generally seen as inferior to men and are extremely stereotyped negatively. On the other hand, for Trapped to be sexualizing Dagny is strange as Iceland are an extremely feminist country and gender equality is taught from preschool to college.
In terms of gender representation for males Trapped gives a positive representation of males in episode 1. The main character Andri is shown to be emotional and caring towards his family like when his ex-wife asks why is he still wearing his wedding ring, when she has moved on and it has been a long time. This shows males in a different light to what they are stereotypically seen in England and America (domineering and strong minded.) I think this shows that Iceland is much further ahead in terms of equality as the representation of genders is breaking stereotypes.
Iceland and America have very different cultures in some ways as proven for representations of gender. But other representations such as for teenagers are very similar. In Trapped the opening scene is of Dangy and Hjotur having sex and smoking/taking drugs, which is similar to Homeland when Dana does drugs with her friends. Both representations of teenagers are negative and very stereotypical as they are showing the audience that teenagers are rebellious and risk takers. This is going against Van Zoonen theory that meaning changes with culture and historical context as it is not changing and the representation of the teenagers remains the same for both countries.
Although female representation is shown negatively as women are sexualised, which proves Bell Hook's theory correct, women are show as being powerful and high up in their career chains. Hinrikr could be argued as one of the main protagonists in the whole series of Trapped and defiantly in episode 1. She is not shown as the emotional stereotypical but the powerful women that she is that can take control and won't be put as inferior to men. This is going against theories, specifically Bell Hook's theory. Hinrikir has not been chosen by the producers specifically to please white males, but in a positive way to further the plot and be a strong main role. In comparison to Homeland Carrie however is also a women who is high up in power in her career chain. This is an improvement for women in American society as they are stereotypically house wives, have jobs that aren't challenging or with much importance. Sadly Carrie is shown in episode 1 taking pills for a mental disorder that she had been dealing with since she was 22. We find out later on in the season she is seriously mentally unstable. This is a huge label for women that they are very emotional which causes their incapableness. The producers have again done this to make the show more exciting for the audience as they want to further their own knowledge of what is this mental illness and how it is going to affect her, but it is a very negative representation of women that isn't helping change the way people view them.
Stanly Hall's theory mentions anti-serotyping. This is shown in Trapped as the murderer, Maria is a women. Women are never normally the murderers in crime dramas as they're typical stereotype would not lead them to be as they are suppose to be gentle and maternal. Trapped is proving Stanley Hall's theory correct because they are using anti-stereotypes. They have gone inside the stereotype opened it up and changed it, this is helping equality as it is showing both men and women are capable of being murderers. It also makes a better plot twist as it is unexpected creating more tension and excitement.
To concluded representation is shown both positively and negatively in episode 1 of Homeland and Trapped. However more positive Trapped as one may argue that Iceland are more ethically correct and further ahead of America in terms of equality. Either way both have chosen to convey representations in a certain way to please their two different audiences of different cultures. This will therefore create a big audience for their country that will find it both equally interesting and easy to follow which therefore will make big profits.
4
P1: Good clear opening linking to question and a theory.
ReplyDeleteP2: Relevant points BUT you need to link to the question before talking about gender to make it relevant.
P3: Good, you are using theory/evidence from text & making your gender points relevant to the question.
P4: Good links to question and youth.
Overall, you have made many great points, used theory and developed arguments BUT you have made the essay more about gender than nationality – revise your nationality theories and apply these as well.