Alvarado (1987)
Four key themes in racial representations amongst non-white groups:- Exotic (culture, unique, models, music artists, food)
- Dangerous (crime, gangs, violent and aggressive)
- Humorous (comedians, sidekicks, the "Brown Clown")
- Pitied (poverty, victimise, needing help)
Frantz Fanon (1952) “Putting on the white mask”
These stereotypes can include:- Infantilize - children of the Charity Poster or the 'simple-minded‘
- Primitivize - The 'exotic & virile' tribal warriors or 'bare-breasted maidens' with a 'natural sense of rhythm‘
- Decivilize - The 'Gangsta', 'Pimp'
- Essentialize - Undifferentiated mass, the generalisation of groups based on certain stereotypes 'they all look the same to me'
Edward Said (1978) Orientalism
Said studied the cultural representation of the East. He theorised that the West has constructed and reinforced many patronising and negative stereotypes of the people, cultures and societies within the East. He theorised that these stereotypes are predominantly focused on the idea that the East is different, dangerous and uncivilised in comparison to the West.
The opening of Yasmin essentially creates a both positive and negative view of British Muslims. This is especially scene through the main character Yasmin who chooses to switch between her traditional Pakistani clothing into modern clothing such as jeans which goes to show that she does not feel like she belongs within her own culture and therefore forcefully tries to assimilate into the British culture by changing who she is as a person. However, this does not mean that she is not part of British society, she is seen to be a helping and working part of society as she has a job where she helps disabled children and actively works with other people that she knows in order to be a working member of society. Despite this however, she still receives threatening glares from other members of the public when she chooses to go to a pub but remains true to her beliefs by not drinking alcohol, she is still socially show to be an actual outcast. This ideology of British Muslims being outcast in their own society is further reinforced through the opening as Yasmin's father is shown to be scraping derogatory graffiti "Go home paki" from the entrance of a Mosque. It is noteworthy of the fact that he does no do this begrudgingly or with anger, but he does so in a very calm manner as if to signify that this happens quite regularly to the extent that he is essentially used to it. These ideologies signified in the opening reinforce Edward Said's theory of Orientalism as it shows ideologies where eastern cultures are shunned and outcast purely for the fact that they are perceived to be uncivilised and therefore western cultures are perceived to be far more superior.
Finally, choose THREE clips for EACH of the theorists and explain how you could apply that theory to the clip. Pick a selection of clips on YouTube from TV, film, music video or advertising and embed them in your blog before writing your analysis under each clip. Note: this means you need NINE clips in total on this blogpost.
Alvarado
The clip is of Men and Black 3 and focuses on the character played by Will Smith. He is pulled over by police officers in the year 1969 that assume he has stolen a vehicle and a tuxedo due to the fact that he is a black man driving a very expensive car and wearing an expensive suit. This idea of prejudice amongst white groups especially officers can be reinforced by Alvarado's ideology that all ethnic minorities are perceived to be dangerous thugs that partake in criminal activities. However, Alvarado's theory can also be applied as Will Smith character is humorous as he uses the prejudiced situation to make jokes and still stay upbeat despite being racially discriminated.
Alvarado's theory can also be applied here as one of the few black characters present is openly mocked by his friends, amongst who is another black individual. This reinforces Alvarado's theory that ethnic minorities are perceived to be as humorous and only serve as a reason for the entertainment and ridicule of the ethnic majorities.
This clip also reinforces Alvarado's theory that ethnic minorities are dangerous as the clip opens up to many southern American men violently wrestling and are generally shown to be big menacing and brutish thugs that enjoy violence and crime. The fact that they partake in criminal activities is reinforced as the man that arrives in a luxurious car is a generic drug lord that owns luxurious suits and expensive cars due to his criminal lifestyle.
Frantz Fanon
The poster reinforces Frantz Fanon's theory that ethnic minorities are generally infantiziled in western media especially by charities. This idea reinforces the fact that it over simplifies a very complicated situation as it shows the ethnic minorities as children or simple minded which shows the fact that they need the help of ethnic majorities and without that help they are likely to die.
The trailer of Straight Outta Compton reinforces Frantz Fanon's theory by primitivizing and decivilizing black ethnic minorities especially those in the region of Compton. This is evident as it presents black minorities as exotic and aggressive men or warriors with a "natural sense of rhythm" that enjoy the hip hop and rap genre. Furthermore it presents these men as "gangstas" that defy the structure and the system by rebelling.
The music video of Ben Drew's Ill Manors reinforces Fanon's theory especially in the representation of youthful ethnic minorities. This is due to the fact of how the music video inadvertently primitivizes youth as they are shown to be aggressive men, or "tribal warriors". Furthermore, the music video also decivilizes them by portraying the youth as "gangstas". Finally, it essentializes the youth in the video by essentially reinforcing the previous aspects and then over simplifying the youthful ethnic minorities by the generalisation of groups based on certain stereotypes 'they all look the same to me'.
No comments:
Post a Comment