representation of masculinity

Section B contemporary media issues

What does masculinity mean to you?
- powerful
- strong
- dominant
- physically fit
- active
- well groomed
- possibly facial hair

representation and ideology-
ideology is about beliefs (links to marxism)
meanings and values are implicit
denotation and connotation links to Barthes
masculinity and femininity created by society- Barthes' mythology

Levi Strauss- Binary opposite
-"All representations have ideology behind them, certain paradigms are encoded into texts and others are left out in order to give a preferred reading."

Stuart Hall's theory-
preferred reading
oppositional reading
negotiated reading

MASCULINITY EXAMPLES:

Sean Connery- James Bond:
Always with a woman
shirtless
with guns
smoking
hairy chest
powerful
womaniser
in control
not phased by murder/death

Mulan:
I'll make a man out of you
Wants sons not daughters
General is a fighter and shirtless typical power
small children would think that General should be how they look
viscous and agressive
hide their emotions, dark nature
raging fire- out of control and destructive
being emotionally detached is a typical representation of men

John Wane- The Searchers:
Courage
Power
rough voice
'dare to challenge'
shouts, loud voice, authoritative

(slightly different representations)
Scott Pilgrim Versus The World:
higher pitched voice than the girl
less power over the other girls
not represented as masculine because he runs away
stereotypically nerdy
Physically not as fit as the other male characters
Seen as very feminine
The women are quite dominant over Scott

Shaun Of The Dead: 
Quite feminine at first because they scream and are terrified
They are lazy and not really well groomed
Then Ed kills the zombie and seems masculine
Quite angry, gets up close and personal
not afraid to be violent
physically bigger

Sex and Gender representations:
Sex refers to the biological and phycological characteristics that define men and women
Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attitudes that a society thinks is appropriate for men and women.

Stereotypes act like codes (shortcut)- Walter Lippman
Trying to reach a wider audience

Dyer- wasn't pleased with the way we are stereotypically represented

Reduce a wide range of people to adjust the stereotype
reality reinforces stereotypes
Minority groups have little to say about how they are stereotyped

NMA- killer heals advert (how its represented)
Levi bootcut jeans- Men are submissive and dominated by women
Carling advert- Women are manipulative powerful and dominant, men do what they are told and are submissive