Chew on This Discourse; Representation in the Media: Key Vocabulary

Chew on This

Let's continue our discourse today.

Major question: how does communication shape the world we live in?

• How do we use communication?
• What is the message being sent?
• What form does the communication take?
• Who benefits from the delivery of the message?

Questions:

• Why are some kids in school unpopular? How does this "outsider" position shape or change that person into being an "outsider"?
• How are white people and black people depicted as different? What exactly is "whiteness" or "blackness"? How does this answer affect our society, culture, experiences, etc.?
• How are boys and girls depicted as different? Same question as above.
• How are adults and children depicted as different?
• How are liberal and conservatives depicted as different?
• How are rich/poor depicted as different?
• Identify the power structures involved in these categories. What does the power structure have to gain or lose?

Now, let's bring our attention to the book: Chew on This.

• How does this book use communication? Who is the ideal audience for this book? How do you know? Why was this audience chosen by the publisher?
• What is the message(s) being sent? What are important points or main ideas the book covers?
• What form does the communication take? Why?
• Who benefits?

Key Vocabulary:

Rhetoric: Rhetorical tools used in a text. See links for a list of commonly used rhetorical tools for writers!

Context: 1. Communication that precedes or follows a specific word, text, passage, speech, etc. that influences its meaning or effect. 2. a set of circumstances or facts that surrounds a particular event, situation, etc.

Deductive v. Inductive Reasoning: Elementary, my dear Watson!

Representation in the Media

The term verisimilitude is the appearance of being real or truthful. Since concepts like "truth" and "reality" are largely subjective, the narratives, images, and stories we tell can either support the status quo (maintaining power structures). [by the way, verisimilitude is created in our writing by copious (lots) of detail and description.]

How we depict or represent characters in novels, television programs, comics, and films, for instance, or how images are used by the media to sell products or persuade us can marginalize or reinforce stereotypes of certain hegemonic groups. This all gets tricky because representation is a political act as much as it is an attempt to create meaning. For the masses, that often means shoveling a perspective in front of you (the audience) and showing you a simplified concept of a complex idea.

Writers often do not mean to be cruel or ignorant, but want to get across their point as easily as possible. Busy writers tend to cut corners by relying too much on archetype, templates, stereotypes, cliche, or simplistic representation (particularly with minor characters). It's easier to depict your antagonists as a commonly hated group that is easily recognizable than it is representing the truth. A man in a black hat represents a bad man in Westerns; a Nazi represents evil in war films, etc.

Why is this important? By showing a representation of reality, the media creates meaning for us. We are basically told what to think (often status quo), based on what the media (or particularly a small group of elite corporate executives) wants us to think.

The Hegemonic Model: the ruling classes rule us through influence and persuasion rather than force. This is done by creating a consensus about an idea, social group/event, or product. This is a Marxist theory. The media makes things they want to "sell us" seem "natural"--which supports the status quo and the current structures of power. Essentially, we are in consensus about who is to rule or lead, and who is to follow. 

The Pluralistic Model: Consensus is created from the views and values of the masses, which allows the media to cater to or "sell" diverse viewpoints or products to the masses through consumer "choice". In this model, the media's job is to please, entertain, or satisfy the presumed needs of the masses. It is the masses job to select media that supports or addresses their need or desire.

Let's examine representation in the media. There are 4 documentaries that we are going to examine during this course dealing with this idea. For each one in the coming classes, we will view, discuss, and write about our findings. Before we do that, however, a little academic vocab. Please take notes.

• Marginalization: the process of treating a person, idea, product, or concept as inferior, insignificant, or peripheral (out of direct sight).
• Hegemony: an identifiable or dominant social/cultural group.
• Stereotyping: representation used to categorize a group of people (usually in a negative light).
• Stereotype: an easily recognizable "character" who is seen not as an individual, but symbolizing a group or type.
• Verisimilitude: Semblance or appearance of truth or reality, usually as details or description in a text.
• Representation: how a text produces verisimilitude or "truth" of reality.
• Audience: the targeted group of a text.
• Consensus: agreement about a concept/idea or way of doing something.
• Status Quo: the existing state of affairs; the current situation. 

To Consider/Discuss: As you watch the films in the next week, please keep track of these questions: 

1. How does the Media represent these groups to its audience?
2. What is the cost or effect to these groups by the Media's use of marginalizing and stereotyping? (What's at stake?)
3. How do these arguments support or challenge the status quo?

Our first selection is Miss Representation (2011) by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. As you watch the film, take Cornell Notes. Look for key/main ideas the writer/director/producer wants to communicate with you as an audience member or target.