Extended Comments: Twilight and Lexi's Blog

In Lexi’s blog post, I think she really brought up some fantastic points on this movie and its portrayal of characters, especially Bella. I love Lexi’s statement of “I do not think this is a love story. I think it is a story about power and the misuse of power in place of love.” I couldn’t agree more. People want to believe that this is a romantic story. They want to believe that Bella and Edward are just two people are not supposed to be together but will do anything to do so because they are in love. People want to romanticize Edward because he is attractive, strong, protective, and in some sense forbidden. It also does not help that in real life Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have some sort of relationship.

While there is this idea of love and romance in their relationship there is also domination, control, and power. Edward approaches or interacts with Bella in a highly menacing way a few times in the film. In the part that Lexi briefly discussed, Edward asks Bella if she is scared of him. While asking this he is towering over her in a dark, foggy forest. For a split second, Bella does, in fact, look terrified but in the end she claims she is not scared. (Of course she’s not scared because if she was we wouldn’t have the other books and movies!) Edward is the “bad boy”. He is the guy that you couldn’t bring home to meet your parents but could definitely have some fun with. He says this himself in this clip.

Bella is dependent on Edward. He saves her, cares for her, talks to her, and almost makes her who she is. I have never read the books so Lexi’s point really caught my attention. She explains that in the book when Edward is not present Bella literally stops existing and there are blank pages in the book to represent this. What a way to show how dependent women are on men. I mean really, we can’t exist without them! What an awesome love story! (all sarcastic of course)

In connection to Tolam and Higgins piece, Edward’s dominance and aggression can be connected to the “discourse of male sexual drive wherein male sexuality is portrayed as natural, relentless, and demanding attention, an urge that boys and men cannot help or control”. While Edward knows that he is not the best thing for Bella, he simply cannot control himself and stay away from her. This is also exemplified in the above clip where Edward says “I only said it would be better if we weren’t friends not that I don’t want to be. It means if you were smart you would stay away from me.” Bella is now put in charge of not only resisting her sexual urges but also controlling Edward’s.

Twilight also obviously fits into Grinner’s SCWAAMP framework. The story is based on a heterosexual relationship. The cast is predominantly white and all are able-bodied. They are able-bodied in terms of not having a handicap as well as being attractive. Male domination is highly present and the females in the movie are almost cast off to the side. Property-holding is also exemplified by the cars that the Cullen’s drive and their massive glass house in the woods. While Christian and American are not as blatantly obvious there are definitely examples throughout the film.

Lastly, I would have to agree yet again with Lexi. I think it is kind of scary how massively popular these books and films have gotten. Young girls do not need to be told that they need a man to constantly be there to save them. They do not need to be shown how males are simply unable to control themselves but yet are perfectly capable of controlling a girl. With Bella’s submissive role and Edward’s dominating one we are just replaying the same old story. Wouldn’t it be wiser to come up with a female who can stand on her own and be a great role model to teenage girls. Also, if people are really thinking that Bella and Edward’s relationship is the ideal one, we are in deep trouble.

Points of Interest:

All in all I am just really curious to hear what my classmates think as well as Lesley Grinner. I’m sure everyone will have really great points to bring up. Lexi and I are not huge fans of the books or the movies so I want to hear someone’s perspective who is. Hopefully we have a fan in the class who can express their feelings. It is hard to critically analyze something that you like, I think.

Twilight

So the only type of post that I have left is the extended comments. Since nobody has really put up a blog about Twilight at this point I'm kind of unable to respond. By tomorrow I am hoping there will be more blogs up and I will be able to do my response. Again, sorry for the delay!

Reflection: How Being a Good Girl Can Be Bad for Girls, Alice in Wonderland, and Atalanta

In Tolman and Higgins’ article “How Being a Good Girl Can Be Bad for Girls”, the authors describe the good girl/bad girl conundrum that adolescent females are confronted with. In order to be a good girl, females must suppress their sexual feelings and desires or simply ignore them all together. Just thinking about these desires (never mind acting upon them) can ban someone from being a good girl forever. Females are trapped in this in between stage where they are told one thing and then told something completely different. Adolescent teenagers perhaps feel this the most. Tolman and Higgins explain, “girls are simultaneously taught that they are valued in terms of their sexual desirability and that their own desire makes them vulnerable.”

From dominant ideologies, we are taught that males are aggressive, sexually charged, and incapable of controlling their desires. Females, on the other hand, are innocent, pure, and submissive. Boys’ sexuality is seen as natural and something that they simply cannot control. Because of this, girls have to regulate their own sexual behavior as well as their partners. Females are constantly on the brink of becoming a bad girl if they do not fulfill their duties of keeping themselves and their partners in check.

The authors then go on to explain some of the legal sanctions that these ideologies affect. In cases of rape and sexual assault, lawyers and juries will often bring the females’ sexual past into question or imply that perhaps she wanted to have sex or to “fool around”. If a female exhibits sexual desire or if she initially wants to participate in an activity and then changes her mind, she is not being a good girl. She is cast off as a bad girl and is often deemed as deserving of any consequences that may come from this desire. This is a blatant attempt to blame the victim based off of irrelevant past information. The authors put it perfectly when they said “to want anything is to consent to everything…the expression f her desire undermines the credibility of her refusal.”

The inconsistencies between men and women are further examined in the double standards that are present in our society. Men are praised for their sexual conquests, high fived by their friends for sleeping with a girl, and are expected to sleep with multiple people. If a girl does the same thing she is a “slut” or a “whore”. One of the women whose stories was told in this piece explained it very well by saying, “I mean the guy expects the girl to be a sweet little virgin when he marries her, and then he can be running around with ten other women, but when he’s getting married to her, she’s not supposed to have any relationship with anybody else.” In order to find a man and get married (which is apparently the only goal a woman should have) she needs to stay pure until she finds her perfect match. She is not allowed to express herself sexually or have relationships with whomever she wishes, if she does then she better be ready for the consequences and the names that she will be called.

Alice in Wonderland and the story of Atalanta attempt to break down these walls and challenge these dominant ideologies. They show the audience that a girl does not need a man to live happily ever after. These two films show how a girl really should be in charge of her own destiny and make decisions based off of what she wants and desires. The main characters break away from their pre-chosen path and do whatever it is that makes them happy. Alice and Atalanta refuse to simply become housewives and seek out their own wonderful adventures.

Alice is the portrait of a strong, powerful female character who challenges traditional gender roles. She first does this by running away from her engagement party to go and decide if she even wants to marry Hamish. She is expected to get married, have children, and be a house wife but that is simply not the life that she desires. By putting on a suit of armor, battling the Jabberwocky, and becoming the action hero she defies expectations and learns that traditional gender roles do not have to define what she can and cannot do. She also challenges gender stereotypes and is both beautiful and strong. Her physical strength increases throughout the film but it does not compromise her beauty. The film shows that a female can be both strong and attractive. Lastly, Alice’s happily ever after does not come from a man or getting married but from her own desires and her amazing adventure.

Atalanta’s story is similar to Alice’s. She also does not want to simply accept her fate and marry whoever her father chooses. When her father decides to have a race to determine which suitor will have her hand in marriage, Atalanta proposes that she compete in the race as well. Breaking down gender stereotypes, she trains for, competes in, and ultimately wins the race against the men. Her decision is simply not to marry at all and instead to go see all the great cities of the world. She wants to have her own personal adventure and do whatever it is that she desires. Atalanta explains that perhaps when she comes back from her journey she will marry someone. For now, however, she is doing what makes her happy and carves her own destiny.

Talking Point

I think it is interesting to compare the new Alice to previous depictions of the same character. Tim Burton obviously chose to change the story up a little bit and make Alice a more powerful character. That character’s depiction in this film is unlike any other one. I would be intrigued to see how the class feels about this and why they think Burton chose to portray her in that way.

Another Project Idea!

So another idea that just popped into my head was to examine songs that either have teenager in the title or are in some way about teenagers. I want to see what these songs have to say about teenagers or if they contain any dominant ideologies and stereotypes. (Which I have a feeling they will). I look at a variety of songs from different genres, artists, and time periods. Examining the music videos to these songs will also be interesting to look at. I will connect the readings that we have done and the topics we have covered to the lyrics and their depictions of teenagers. I think this is the one I'm going to do!

Final Project Ideas

So I have a few ideas of what I might want to do for our final project.

- Teenagers and tattoos/piercings/body modifications

- Teenage pregnancy

- Teenagers depictions on television over the years

For tattoos/piercings/body modifications, I want to look at how many teens actually have some form of these. I also would like to explore why they get tattoos, when tattoos became a form of rebellion, and parents’ reactions to their children getting tattoos or piercings. Media depictions of teenagers with modifications and modifications as a form of expression are also things that I would like to cover. I have found a great deal of books, articles, blogs, and websites related to this topic. (Some books include: Tattoos in Modern Society, Body Marks, The Body Art Book)

In terms of teenage pregnancy, I want to explore how views of it have evolved over the years. Shows like Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant, and The Secret Life of the American Teen are changing the way that we look at pregnant teenagers. I want to examine those shows as well as some earlier media depictions of teen moms and dads. Mainly I would look at television shows like the ones named above.

I think it is interesting how teenagers have been shown on television shows throughout the years. I am especially interested in Nickelodeon and Disney channel shows from the 80’s, 90’s and today. I would examine some of these earlier shows for my project. I want to see how we went from shows like The Secret World of Alex Mack and Even Stevens to shows like Skins and Degrassi. I have already looked into some books that explore television shows. (These include: Teen TV, Teen Television, and The Cult TV)

Whichever topic that I choose I want to see if the Chicken Soup for the Teenagers Soul series has anything to say.

I am really leaning towards the tattoo/piercing/modification idea or the television and teenagers. I am really looking forward to doing this project!

Arguments: Hip-Hop and the Corporate Function of Colonization

Jared Ball’s argument in his article “Hip-Hop and the Corporate Function of Colonization” is that there are definite efforts by the people and businesses in power to stay that way. He says that there is a definite control by these large organizations and corporations over the population’s cultural expression. The people that are in power set up structures and boundaries to maintain the status quo. Not only do the margins maintain the norm, they also protect the ruling elite. These boundaries are rigid and strict to prevent people from overstepping them.

Another one of Ball’s main points is how anonymous these elite structures. Faceless CEOs and share holders make rules and decisions. Ball even goes on to call spokespeople and CEOs “modern day colonial administrators”. By having things remain the way they are and manipulating what is considered acceptable, the ruling class gain safety and security. There is no reason for them to worry about any deviations from their set up system. In order to maintain this position, a popular consciousness or “manufactured opinion” (as Ball puts it) are needed to support them.

If people were free to create a new culture or behavior that became massively accepted and popular, that would mean the end of established power. Another way this is controlled is by allowing only carefully selected forms of culture to be promoted. This way, it appears as though a new culture is emerging but those in power still have a hold on its mass appeal and influence. Anyone who goes against this established power are suppressed, demonized, or harassed. Hip-hop culture is constantly under scrutiny for its explicit music, “violent” lifestyle, and aggressive themes.

Mass media has a huge part in this because many of the ruling elite control forms of popular media. In his article, Ball explains that the function of mass media is to influence audience behavior by controlling this idea of popular consciousness. He goes on to list modern examples of how this is being done. His examples include the lobbying of Congress by Time Warner to increase postal rates for magazines, EMI’s efforts to sell itself to either Warner Music Group or a private equity firm, the Copyright Royalty Board charging both commercial and noncommercial broadcasters a royalty fee per song, and Interscope Records’ lyrics committee that refused to include the track “Fuck Tha Police” on Young Buck’s new album. These examples show how those in power are staying in power. In the cases of the postal rate increases and the per song royalty fees, smaller businesses are being forced to close because they simply do not have the funds. This is allowing the large corporations to overpower the smaller ones and stay ruling.

By not allowing for any different opinions, those in power are attempting to create mindless societies who all have the same likes and dislikes. Anything different from the status quo is ostracized or punished. Dominant ideologies are not only kept in place but are also not challenged in any way for fear of the repercussions. Smaller businesses cannot survive because they are crushed by large corporations. We are told to listen to nameless, faceless people because it is what everyone else is doing.

Talking Point:

I am not sure that I really grasped the concept of this article. While I tried, I feel as though there are still some points that I simply just missed or did not understand. I hope that in class we can talk more about the article so that I can find out what my classmates thought.

Connections: Glee to Grinner and Raby Pieces

While the television show, Glee, claims to be raising awareness on issues teenagers face and changing the way we view teenagers as a society, it is still stuck in stereotypical depictions of its characters and dominant ideologies in its themes. The show does bring light to some issues and does try to offer advice or a solution to the problems teens are facing. But it also is laden with stereotypical depictions of so many of its characters. There are the jocks and cheerleaders who are mean, stupid, and only concerned with being popular and having sex. (“How is it that we date the only two girls in high school that don’t put out”-Finn, Never Been Kissed) Kurt, the one gay character, speaks in an overly feminine voice, wears really extravagant clothing, and prefers to hang out with the girl members of the club. (This is exemplified in Never Been Kissed when he has to be told yet again that he is on the boy’s side for battle of the sexes) Then there is the one handicapped character who is treated like a community service project by the equally stereotypical bad boy character. It seems as though Glee takes one step forward but two steps back with these characters.

Leslie Grinner’s SCWAAMP framework can easily be applied to this TV show. Almost every character, except one, is straight and both Never Been Kissed and Furt exemplify this. For the most part, all of the kids in the club are paired off into heterosexual couples. In Never Been Kissed, Coach Beiste is tortured from her high school years and the fact that she has never been kissed nor had the picture perfect relationship with a man. In Furt, the focus of the episode is the heterosexual wedding of Finn’s mom and Kurt’s dad. Sam also gives Quinn a promise ring in this episode, symbolizing yet another heterosexual tradition.

In terms of Christian ideology, this was also present in the episodes. Some of the girls seem to be saving themselves for marriage and are shown wearing cross necklaces. Also, the wedding between Kurt’s dad and Finn’s mom is officiated by some sort of a priest. Whiteness as the norm is also present in this show. While there are a few non-White characters, one black girl and two Asian people, the cast is predominantly White. Even though there are characters with different ethnicities they are not really the main characters or the focus of the stories. All of the characters are able-bodied except for one. He is shown as a community service project in Never Been Kissed. I do have to applaud Glee though because, for the most part, Artie is a part of the dance numbers and is perfectly capable of keeping up with the rest of his peers.

All of the characters in the three episodes were American and there was really no depiction of anything non-American. Male dominance is definitely represented on this show. The girls’ entire status and being are dependent on their boyfriends. In order to become popular, the girls find the most popular guy (the football players mostly) and start dating him. In Never Been Kissed, the girls dumb themselves down in order for Puck to like them. The only aspect of the SCWAAMP framework that cannot really be applied is property holding. None of the students really have property besides Puck and Artie when they collect money for singing.

Elements of Raby’s discourses are also present on Glee. The “Storm”, “Becoming”, and “At Risk” are depicted because the teenagers on the show are shown as being experimental, risk taking, and uncertain of who they are. The boys and girls are experimenting with sex in the Never Been Kissed episode and I’m sure they experiment with drugs and/or alcohol in other episodes (I do not watch the show on a regular basis so I can only assume). These also tie in with the risk taking factor. Tina and Mike take this riskiness to a different level when they do into a classroom to fool around. In the episode, Furt, the boys take a risk when they stand up to the school bully and end up in a violent altercation. Quinn is shown as uncertain of what she wants in terms of a boyfriend, Kurt is uncertain of his place in the school and with his identity, and the school bully is uncertain of his sexuality (shown when he kisses Kurt in the locker room).

This article further emphasizes the stereotypes in the show.

Points to Share: I wonder what the other members of the class think about these obvious stereotypes. I also wonder if they think Glee has the potential to ever accomplish it's goals of being more open and honest about teenagers or if these depictions have set them too far back. Also, I question whether or not people are really bothered by these stereotypical characters or if they simply take them at face value as characters on an entertaining show.

GLEE Response

Hi all!
Sorry this week has been insane and continues to be that way. I have not had a chance to do my response to the GLEE episodes yet but I promise that they will be up shortly. Sorry for the delay!

My Digital Life

Hi everyone,
So here is my digital life project. I tried to embed it but half of the screen was getting cut off so I am including the link instead. I hope you enjoy it!

Click for Youtube link

Quotes: From Knowledgable to Knowledge-able

1) The “message” of this environment is that to learn is to acquire information, that information is scarce and hard to find (that's why you have to come to this room to get it), that you should trust authority for good information, and that good information is beyond discussion (that's why the chairs don't move or turn toward one another).

In this quote, Wesch is talking about the problems of classrooms today and especially ones that claim to be “state of the art”. The points that he makes in this quote resonate throughout his entire piece. Wesch believes that most schools and professors do not embrace new forms of media and would rather just continue in their old fashioned ways. Classes are portrayed as the only place where you can get information on various subjects. They do not take into consideration how easy it is to pick up a book, do an online search, or ask somebody for information on a certain topic. Classes are framed as the” be all end all" and professors are shown as the only person capable of relaying this information.

Many classrooms are set up with the professor as the main focus. Whether it be a massive lecture hall or a relatively small classroom, the teacher is front and center. They control what material is taught, how it is taught, and what criteria will be used for grading. Interaction and discussion between students is not encouraged and in many cases highly frowned upon. Students are expected to simply absorb this information without question or comment and then regurgitate it on an exam.

2) Our old assumption that information is hard to find, is trumped by the realization that if we set up our hyper-personalized digital network effectively, information can find us.

This point emphasizes how massive and incredible digital media can be. Wesch emphasizes this point many times throughout this article and it is one of his main arguments. If you want to learn about something, there is no longer a need to go out and actively seek the information for a prolonged period of time. Gone are the days of sitting for hours and hours in a library researching a topic. Now, if you happen to be interested in a topic, you can look it up on Google and find thousands of websites on the subject ranging from overviews to in-depth analyses. You can also use websites, like the one mentioned in the article, that will send you links to pages that have to do with the particular subject you are curious about. All of this new digital media is making it extremely easy to have a very personalized experience. Even advertisements are becoming more personal, based on your interests and likes. With so many forms of media out there, Wesch points out that information is no longer hidden away somewhere but, with little effort, can be right in the palm of your hand.

3) Though many blame the technology, these activities are just new ways for students to tune out, part of the much bigger problem I have called “the crisis of significance,” the fact that many students are now struggling to find meaning and significance in their education.

Wesch comes up with this theory because he firmly believes that students are becoming bored with the things they are learning in school. Instead of the strict subject guidelines that were put into place so long ago, Wesch suggests teaching subjectivities. Within the discussion of subjects, he points out that many students feel that once they have “had” a subject they are done with it and never have to take it again. He also allows his students to have more of an input into what they learn and gives them more flexibility with how they learn it.

I have to agree with Wesch’s theory of “the crisis of significance”. Many of the general education courses that I had to take seemed completely irrelevant, meaningless, and just plain boring to me. I could not understand why they were significant to my education or when I would ever have to use any of the information that I learned. I felt that I should just focus my attention on my major and courses I was interested in. It is also frustrating when you are struggling in a course that the college is forcing you to take and you cannot see any worth in taking it. This caused me to experience exactly what Wesch was describing. Once I had passed a course in a subject that, I had issues (math or science for example) I was so glad it was over and vowed to never, ever take a class in that subject again. Rather than actually taking anything away from the class, I was just thrilled that it was over and never had to be taken again.

This article has some really astonishing media statistics that tie into Wesch’s discussion of just how massive the media environment is.

Talking Point:

It is obvious that teachers need to change their teaching methods and/or subject matter to accommodate this new media craze. I wonder what people will suggest that teachers do. I am especially interested in what the teachers in the room think and if they plan to do anything differently.

The Crucible

So it's time for me to promote the place where I work for a little bit. Trinity Repertory Company (right here in Providence) is playing The Crucible from now until the beginning of March. I figured this somewhat tied into the class because many of the main characters are teenagers (played by adults). It is a very good production and we offer student discounts with a valid student ID! I would really recommend it.

The Storm Anyone?

Reflection: A Tangle of Discourses

While reading Rebecca Raby’s, A Tangle of Discourses: Girls Negotiating Adolescence, I tried to fit my own teenage self into the discourse categories that she laid out. Of course, I fit into “the storm”. I was moody, angry, rebellious, experimenting, and hormonal. I was constantly snapping at my mom about the stupidest things and would not tell her too much information about my personal life. I went out with boys that neither my mother nor friends approved of because I just didn’t care what anyone thought. I had the idea that I knew what was right for me and it didn’t matter what people had to say. I found my relationship with my mom changing because I craved acceptance from my friends above al else. I tried to see how much I could get away with and how much trouble I would get in if I was caught. Needless to say, during some parts of my teenagers years it was probably pretty unpleasant to be around me.

In high school, I tried to be friends with many different types of people. My lunch table (which, of course, was the Mecca of high school world) consisted of the artsy kids, the theater kids, some athletes, Goths, punks, skaters, and more. As a part of “becoming” I surrounded myself with many different types of people to see where exactly I fit in. I was really involved with the theater program at school and had many sleepless nights trying to figure out why I didn’t seem to fit in. There were many times where I considered quitting the program all together because I felt like I just didn’t belong. I think it is really hard for teenagers when they are trying to figure out who they are. The media, their peers, their parents, and their own minds are all telling them different things about what is “normal” or “cool” and it is really confusing.

In terms of being “at risk”, I did not really feel the pressures of doing drugs or drinking alcohol. The people that I hung out with didn’t participate in those activities so they never asked me to do those things with them. In middle school, there were some instances of violence that occurred and some pretty scary situations that came up. By high school these threats had mostly disappeared and I never felt at risk.

Teenagers are labeled as being a “social problem”. This is a very harsh statement to be using on such a wide range of people. I remember going to the mall a lot with friends in high school and we were constantly harassed by the store employees and especially the mall security guards. Employees would be keeping an eye on us waiting for us to steal something when we had money to make a purchase. Mall security would get really mad if you were standing and talking to a group of friends. The Warwick Mall actually has a system in place now where there cannot be anymore than three teenagers in a group, which is common among malls now as shown in this article. I almost wanted to just walk in and be like “I have money, I am here with my friends, we don’t want to rob you or cause any disruption we just want to go shopping”. That of course would have made them even more skeptical of me so I just dealt with the glares.

In terms of “pleasurable consumption”, I was and still am very guilty of that. I constantly needed the latest clothes, shoes, and pieces of technology. Whatever my friends had, I wanted bigger and better. I also went through many phases in terms of dress during high school so I was constantly buying new clothes. Until I got a job, at 15, I was spending my mom’s money. I didn’t think twice of asking her for massive amounts of money each week to go shopping or to the movies. If a pair of pants was $50, I didn’t care because I knew my mom would buy them for me. It amazes me now how much money I actually spent and how terrible it was that I took my mom’s hard earned money and just threw it away. Once I got a job, I controlled my spending a little more and didn’t need to keep up with my peers.

This article proves the contradictions that teenagers are facing in society today. They are being told to be independent but also dependent at the same time. It is said that this is a time of exploration and self discovery, yet they are not allowed to wear certain things to school or speak up about what they think is right or wrong. They are stuck in the middle of childhood and adulthood with no place to turn.

Hyperlinks and Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us

In her article, Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us, Linda Christensen explains the various stereotypes that can be found in children’s movies, television shows, cartoons, and literature. As a teacher, Christensen, wanted her students to analyze these various form of media and uncover the racial, gender, and class stereotypes that they portray. While doing this she wanted her students to realize how much of an impact the media had on them. Her goal was to expose them to the mass ideologies that society has and encourage her students to try and not buy into them. By the end of this project, Christensen endorsed her students to complete projects, write articles for newspapers, and reexamine the way they feel about the media‘s portrayal of certain people.

At the beginning of the lesson, it was hard for the students to accept that they had been manipulated by the media or that some of their views came from what the media has exposed them to. It was especially hard for some of them to even accept that such blatant stereotyping was in some of their favorite childhood movies. It is difficult to think that the movie you loved as a child and watched a hundred times could be brimming with terrible labels and false representations. As a child, you simply absorb whatever messages the film, television show, cartoon, or book are giving you. It is easy to believe that all Native Americans wear headdresses, live in teepees, and dance around fires like the ones in Peter Pan do.

Christensen and her students looked at various types of media and analyzed their portrayals of men, women, poor people, rich people, people of different ethnicities, and people with different body types. From this research they found out many powerful things. For example, they found that there was a lack of female characters in many of the media they looked at. When there was a female character, she was usually overly sexual, submissive, or completely dependent on a male. Many of the students were outraged by what they discovered and some even threatened to boycott media all together until better representations were created.

Disney has been one of the companies that has come under much scrutiny for their portrayal of women, men, and various ethnic groups. This website shows nine of the worst racial stereotypes that Disney has had in their films, cartoons, and books. In Christensen’s article, she notes the portrayal of Arabs in an episode of Popeye, “later, the 40 thieves come riding through the town stealing everything-food, an old man’s teeth, numbers off a clock-even the stripe off a barber pole”. This description is very close to the portrayal of the merchant and some of the other characters in Aladdin. As an adult, it is interesting to look at some of these characters and think how you just accepted them at face value when you were a child and now cringe at their derogatory fallacies.

This video also contains many racial stereotypes that are portrayed in television shows and movies that are aimed at children. While many of these examples are from Disney movies, Betty Boop, Looney Toons, and The Flintstones are also included. From these clips we can assume that all African Americans have very harsh Southern accents, are incapable of speaking in complete and coherent sentences, and look like the terrible “Mammy” archetype. We can also assume that people of Asian descent like karate, wear glasses, and constantly have very stereotypical Asian music playing near them. These examples are what contribute to the “secret education” children are receiving from the media.

The last page that I found goes along with Christensen’s overall goal for her class. This website lists ways for parents to combat stereotypes and teach their children about them. While simple, the suggestions on this page can be a useful tool in teaching children to not buy into biases. By exposing children to different types of people, different types of media portrayals, and different ways of life, it may be easier to prevent them from absorbing the mass ideologies in our society. If parents help to mold their children’s opinions early on, perhaps they can prevent them from becoming mindless absorbers of the media’s messages.

Talking Point:

In class I would like to discuss why Disney seems to be the main company under attack for their stereotypical depictions. While I believe they are a main contributor, I do not think they are the only perpetrator. It was extremely difficult to find anything about Nickelodeon’s shows or movies. I am certain that Nickelodeon is also guilty of perpetuating some stereotypical images. It is difficult for me to believe that the same research on Disney’s sometimes negative portrayal of women, men, certain ethnic groups, and the like have not also been applied to Nickelodeon.