Unseen newspaper

Analyse the different representations of ethnicity in Sources A and B.
Apply one appropriate theory of gender in your answer.

Shes priminstier- normally a mans job
breaks sterotypes- not sexualised- appart form makeup
low angle breaks stereotypes with close up shot
use of the word courage not normally used to decibe a women

melenia trump has a medium shot
hair done perfectly
eyerings
gazing at her husband
smiling
it looks as if she is swearing to be the doting wife

In address to the question above I will be using Van Zoonen's feminist theory to argue and discuss that gender is performative and that women's bodies are represented as objects.

On The Sun newspaper front cover we are shown a low angle close up shot of Theresa May. Low angle shots connote power and dominance, not something usually associated with a women. The Sun is therefore giving status and supporting May and the conservative party. The low angle shot is also proving van Zoonen's theory incorrect as the low angle is not fitting the stereotypical representation normally given in performance.

On the other hand in the Daily Mail we have Melanaia playing the doting wife. She is shown with a medium shot therefore showing off more of her body. The medium shot allows us to see her hair and makeup being done perfectly, her loving gaze at her husband, her shiny pearl earrings and perfect posture, fitting perfectly into Van Zoonen's theory that women's bodies are being presented as objects and is different to the representation of her male husband.

Theresa May is not being sexualised though the shot type, clothes she is wearing and the lexis used. Which is breaking stereotypes and disagreeing with Van Zoonen's theory. The only way that she may slightly be sexualised is through the her makeup being worn. The fact that she is the Prime minister is breaking gender performativity as we have have a very patriarchal society. The use of the lexis 'courage' to describe Theresa May is also breaking gender norms as a women is stereotypically seen as being weak and timid. However this is contradicted by image as she is seen crying which is a very feminine action as women are normally seen in performance as being emotional.

To conclude gender is represented in both papers very differently. The Daily Mail fitting Van Zoonen's theory perfectly and The Sun not so much.

How far has the combination of elements of media language influenced meaning in the sources?

The Guardian and the Daily Mirror have very different target audiences. The Guardian have a high class audience, social grade C1/C2. They have most likely been to university and have a passion for arts. They will also be strong labour/ lib dem supporters. On the other hand we have the Daily Mirror who have an audience with a social grade of E/D. They probably wouldn't have been to university and are more likely to have trade jobs. The audience are a reflection of the newspapers values and beliefs which influence the sources and there meaning.

The layout for both papers are very different, appealing to the different target audiences. The Daily Mirror has a lot os space for celebrity stories/ gossip and sports stories with a smaller section for politics, where as The Guardian has a lot more stories and text with more hard hitting topics. This is because they like to 'challenge the powerful and hold them to account'.

The Daily Mirror is seen to be a very sexist newspaper from the use of images. The images used all contain men and the only woman on the page is very small, and she has only been placed there to support the man. The Guardian however have supported equal rights as they show a lot of women looking happy and standing strong together, which is going against the patriarchal system that the Daily Mirror is supporting.

There is a lot more lexis used on The Guardian which is a lot more intellectual.

lexis on gurdian is more interlectual, dauly mirror uses headlines and