... Marxism and Hegemony ...

Marxism and Hegemony

Marxism refers to the ideology derived from the writings of the sociologist Karl Marx. He sees society as dominated by capitalist structures which maintain the hegemony of the ruling class and lead to the exploitation of workers. From what I have learnt when studying about Marxism and hegemony, I have learnt that hegemony refers to the total cultural, economic and political dominance achieved by the ruling elite in society, so this therefore shows a link with Marxism as they both exploit the working class. Moreover hegemony was first developed by Antonio Gramsci. After studying Gramsci’s study I have learnt that once a particular group has achieved hegemony, their viewpoint becomes accepted by public opinion as common sense, making it difficult for opposition groups to make an effective challenge.

Moral Panics and Post 9/11 --> The media

Moral Panics and the media

Moral Panics and the media:

Moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue which appears to be a threat to the social order.

Stanley Cohen: moral panic occurs when a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. Those who start the panic when they fear a threat to prevailing social or cultural values are known by researchers as "moral entrepreneurs", while people who supposedly threaten the social order have been described as "folk devils."

An issue that can be characterised as a moral panic in historical times was the fear of witches and the trials and executions that erupted from that fear.

One person cannot create a moral panic on his or her own, there needs to be a consensus. A group may then have the power to influence the opinions of others.

The current moral panic, while widespread, does not appear to affect everyone and as people perceive what is threatening and what is not, or what may be threatening but should not be feared in different ways, it would be very unlikely for a whole society to share the panic.

Post 9/11 and the media

Post-9/11 is a term used to describe the current state of living in the United States or other parts of the world after the September 11 attacks, in reference to the many changes that have occurred due to the attacks.

The 9/11 attacks were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks led by Al-Qaeda that occured in the United States of America in the spring of 2001. In total 2,933 people, including the attackers died in the attacks whilst many buildings were destroyed.

Controversy

Following the attacks television evangelist Jerry Falwell called the event a punishment from God and laid the blame on "paganists", "abortionists", "feminists" and "gays and lesbians", claiming that they "helped this happen". He subsequently apologized.

The United States responded to the attacks by launching a "War on Terrorism", invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaeda terrorists, and enacting the USA PATRIOT Act.

Suggestion for Critical Investigation/ Linked Production...

Practical Production --> A Rap music video

This will be interesting to focus on how women are portrayed in these videos, and how the rappers want everyone else to see them.

Critical Investigation --> Representations of women in a rap video

This will link to the practical production as it will show the audience how women really are being reprsented in women rap videos, and how negative or positive the outcome of the stereotype is.

Words from my A-Z Dictionary that will help me for this production:

Disequilibrium: the disruption of narrative by persons or events presenting a challenge to the harmonious equilibrium often found at the beginning of a film or other media text

In-camera-editing: a technique of filming shots in the sequence required for the final prodution so avoiding the need for postproduction editing

Iconography: the distinguishing elements, in terms of props and visual details, which characterise a genre

Razor Edit: a style of moving image editing which involves a sharp cut from one scene to another

Ideology: a set of attitudes, beliefs and values held in common by a group of people and culturally reproduced within that community to sustain its particular way of life

... Self Evaluation ...

Class feedback on presentation

W.W.W

> Simplicity: I wasn’t just reading off the board, spoke to my audience.
> Significance: I spoke about all the key concepts, didn’t miss anything out.
> Structure: My PowerPoint was very well organised.
> Rehearsal: I knew what I was speaking about, rehearsed very well.

More W.W.W

> In-depth details about representations
> Very memorable presentation
> I referred back to society, shoeing I showed a wider context of my presentation.
> I used key media terminology.
> I used a strong opening, e.g. showing my audience a trailer, and telling them why I chose Desperate Housewives as my summer research task.
> I did well designed slides with appropriate images.


E.B.I

> Timing: I went over 5minutes; therefore I should rehearse more so I can hit the 5mins that was set.
> Conclusion: I should have used a conclusion to sum everything up to my audience.
> When I showed my audience the trailer, I should have elaborated on the clip.
> When talking about each character, I could have compared each character with another, showing the different representations with each character.
> Elaborated much more when speaking about the genre of the TV drama.

Mr Bush’s Feedback on my presentation

W.W.W:

> Good Strong opening
> Used a variety of good media keywords, such as: representations, connotes etc.
> Good range of sources, such as the reviews and clip.
> Good slides, used a range of images and good use of limited text
> Blog work: good use of images, embedded video, and I covered all areas that were asked.


E.B.I

> When showing clip to class, I discussed and had an analysis of the clip.
> When introducing the main characters to the class explain the main competition of representations for each character and explain why they differ.
> Elaborated more on the genre of the text
> Link to wider contexts, e.g. the female role.
> I had a conclusion, summarising everything I covered.

Significance -> 2/5

Structure -> 2/5

Simplicity -> 2/5

Rehersal -> 2/5

Total -> 8/20

Bbc Review On Desperate Housewives ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4151243.stm



US comedy series Desperate Housewives has become a ratings hit in the UK, attracting an average of 4.4 million viewers on Wednesday.
It drew 23.1% of the available TV audience to Channel 4, the second highest rating show in that timeslot behind BBC One's 10pm news bulletin.
Seen as appealing to the Sex and the City audience, Desperate Housewives has received five Golden Globe nominations.
The Sex and the City finale attracted 4.1 million UK viewers last March.

The Guardian Review

Desperate Housewives killed off the wrong character
Bring back Edie Britt – and give Teri Hatcher's character the chop instead

Nicollette Sheridan as the shy, retiring Edie in Desperate Housewives. Photograph: ABC
So, farewell then, Edie Britt, platinum-haired siren of Wisteria Lane. Bumped off this week in a car crash scene so laughably lame it could have been in EastEnders, Edie checked out of Desperate Housewives for ever, leaving behind a large collection of hotpants and a fruitcake husband with an alarming revenge fixation.

But, oh, what a tactical error for the show. They've only gone and bumped off the wrong housewife. Serial divorcee Edie was always the most underwritten character, and all the more interesting for it, balancing an air of mystery with endearing vulnerability and a neat line in snappy comebacks (Susan Mayer to Edie: "How do you sleep?" Edie: "Soon … with your ex-boyfriend on top of me").Now the place just won't be the same without Ms Britt, with her penchant for beer, half-hearted suicide attempts and stealing other women's blokes. But here's a question: why wasn't it Susan? It would have been much more cliffhanger-worthy, and a more spectacular loss. Plus, who wouldn't want to see Teri Hatcher meet a grisly end on national television? Winsome, self-absorbed, jaw-achingly quirky, Susan Mayer has been cranking up the cringe factor for four years, one carefully rehearsed pratfall at a time.Then there's Bree. It may not be a fashionable view, I'm aware, but she was so much more fun as an alcoholic. Those halcyon days of hiding chardonnay in the dishwasher and passing out at the mall are sadly gone, and she has morphed into a corporate cookbook queen – nice to her kids, dismissive of her husband (the sublimely mad Orson) and boring around her friends. Would anyone really have noticed if she'd been collateral damage in a tragic baking incident?
Even feisty Gabrielle and everyone's favourite housewife, Lynette, would have made my hitlist before Edie. Mired in ludicrous plotlines about her obese kids, her blind spouse and something about baseball memorabilia (I may have dozed off), lovely Gabby lost her mojo this season. So did Lynette, a character so badly in need of a decent story-arc that crashing into the business end of a live power cable (à la poor Edie) would probably count as a career high point. It's not a good sign when your husband's midlife crisis is the most exciting thing that's happened to you all year.
Talking of husbands, in Edie's last hours, she discovered that hers – creepy Dave – is not what he seems. Strangely, it wasn't the glassy stare, wiggy hair or briefcase full of anti-psychotic medication that gave him away, but a simple fax, and it's a shame the writers didn't let her live long enough to deliver his comeuppance. I sense a Bobby-in-the-shower opportunity: OK, so it says something grim when Dallas is held up as a shining example of excellence, but reality has never been Desperate Housewives' strong point, so why start now? The campaign to Bring Back Edie starts here. So does the Kill Susan one, while we're at it.<>

... Desperate Housewives...x

Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry.

Media Representations

Many of the characters are represented in similar ways as all of the women characters are portrayed as different types of housewives.







> She's the Martha Stewart of Wisteria Lane -- the perfect hostess, friend, wife and mother. However, underneath the polished exterior lies a damaged, imperfect woman who will stop at nothing to protect her family and friends. Her relationship with her children Andrew and Danielle is been volatile over the years, but it looks as though Andrew and Bree are finally on the road to much happier times, especially now that she has accepted his homosexuality. When Danielle got pregnant, Bree sent her away and faked a pregnancy in order to pass off the baby as her own. After losing her husband Rex at the end of season one, Bree married Orson Hodge, a dentist with a few secrets of his own.

>Being a mother of four is difficult in of itself, but imagine three of those children being the next thing to the devil's spawn? That's the hand Lynette Scavo was dealt and I don't think she'd trade her three boys and little girl for perfect children. After getting her husband Tom fired from his job, Lynette headed back to work and Tom decided to use their life savings to open a pizzeria and Lynette quit her job to work with Tom. In season three, Tom learned he had fathered a child from a previous relationship. When the girl's mother died, she went to live with the Scavo's and soon made their boys look like angels. She was promptly shipped off to live with relatives. Lynette spent season four battling lymphoma and is now cancer-free.

>This beauty queen knows exactly what she wants in life and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Although Gaby's husband Carlos provided her with a luxurious lifestyle, it didn't take long before she began a torrid affair with their teenage gardener. After their divorce, Gaby and Carlos found their way back to each other, despite the fact that he is blind and has no money. Now that the show has jumped five years into the future, Gaby is now the mother of a precocious little girl. Will she survive motherhood? Or better yet -- will Carlos survive Gaby's motherhood?

>Easily one of the most entertaining housewives on Wisteria Lane, Susan Mayer and her daughter Julie spent many years taking care of each other after she divorced her first husband Carl. One can always count on Susan getting into some sort of hilarious and/or sticky situation. During the first four seasons, Susan and her neighbor Mike were a couple (on again, off again). They finally married and she gave birth to their son, Maynard. As the series jumped ahead five years, Susan is no longer with Mike and has a hot new lover in her life!

>Every neighborhood must have that man-stealer, and Wisteria Lane is no different. Edie Britt has gone after all those desperate husbands -- and even bedded most of them! After blackmailing her way into the ladies weekly poker game, Edie managed to form quasi friendships with most of the leading ladies. Once it was revealed that she was blackmailing Bree, Edie was run out of town. Skipping ahead five years, Edie is back on Wisteria Lane and married to a very handsome man.... with a major secret.

All characters are represented in both negative and positive ways as the family life for these housewives are far from perfect.

However these representations are not fair and accurate as there may be many negative feelings as women today are more free and are not all housewives due to the fact that they are now more independent.

Media Languages and Forms

What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?

When Gabrielle is shown wearing a bikini during the show instead of her clothes, this is shown that the representation of her is a sex symbol due to the fact that she is trying to impress her husband.

What is the significance of the text’s connotations?

This therefore shows that the significance of this is to show that 'housewives' are always looking good for their husbands, as that is part of their jobs showing they should cater for their partners needs.

What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?

The clothes are very important in the show Desperate Housewives as this outlines each of the characters personality, for example, Bree is always looking presentable and smart- this therefore portrays her character as a tidy and a clean housewife.
Moreover Gabrielle is always dressed 'sexy' – as she used to be a model and has affairs, the use of less clothes give away her personality.
Thirdly Lynette is the worn out housewife- her clothes are mostly baggy and her hair is tied up and not done to the best of her ability as she is always at home is looking after the children, and therefore does not have enough time for herself to look good.

What work is being done by the sound track/commentary/language of the text?

The commentary is important throughout the show because the narrator who is dead, used to be the characters' friend, so she used to be one of the housewives, therefore she comes across as knowing the characters well as they were her friends and she is watching whilst telling the story making the audience feel like she there amongst them. This may also make the audience seem secure about what she is saying as she also talks about what the characters do, however it is not a bias point of view because she just basically tells the story.

Narrative

How is the narrative organised and structured?

The narrative is in chronological order, however, there are also some flashbacks now and again.

How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?

The narrative is easy to follow for the audience, especially as there is a voice over who guides us along the storyline and also adds humour.

How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?

Edie and Gabi both create humour to the episodes as they are both portrayed as 'drama queens'. Bree is seen as the villain because she is very cruel to her children but in a sly way as she also blackmails them. In some episodes the villains seem to be the women because they act malicious towards their husbands, for example Gabi and Carlos, when they were going through their divorce, Gabi did all she could to keep the house. Also Lynette being the control freak makes the audience sympathise with her husband. However, even though the women are portrayed like this, the audience also sympathise with them because we hear their troubles and are not shown the point of view of the men or them talking about their feelings, unlike the women who we all understand the reasons for their actions.

Genre

To which genre does the text belong?

Comedy Drama

Does the text feature a star, a director, a writer etc who is strongly associated with the genre? What meanings and associations do they have?

Eva Longoria Parker plays Gabrielle Solice in this show; she is a famous actress and strongly associates her role in the show. Due to the fact that she is a glamour model in real life she plays the same glamour model throughout the show, she acts in a very mature way with her role that she plays and therefore successfully works with the acting ability she has.

Media Institutions

Desperate Housewives original channel is ABC however is shown in England on Channel4.

American Broadcasting CompanyABC has influenced desperate housewives in many ways such as the fact that the headquarters are based in America, therefore the ability to truly show what life is like in America, making the drama more real life based.

Media Audiences

In April 2007 it was reported to be the most popular show in its demographic worldwide, with an audience of approximately 120 million viewers.

The target audience for the show will mainly be for women as they can relate to the storylines much more than men can also the title of the show “desperate housewives” also may connote the audience is for young women.
However it could be argued that there is really no target audience here; that this show has something to appeal to almost every one (including men). Moreoover it is more likely to be for adults as the show is scheduled to be watched after 10.