Prezi - Stereotypes of Gender

Prezi - Stereotypes in class

Class and Status - Stereotypes

What is a stereotype?
A stereotype is an assumption or generalisation of how people look or act in a group of people. 

Definition of Class:
A class consists of a large group of people who share a similar economic and/or social position in society based on their income, wealth, property ownership, job status and education, etc.

Different classes found in society:
Working class, upper class and middle class.

Stereotypes in each class:
Upper class - Often wearing business clothes (typically suits), posh, high paid job, well dressed, high income, privately schooled in education - well educated places such as Oxford and Cambridge, expensive cars, own a high valued and expensive property.









Middle class - good upbringings, professional jobs, good education, living in detached houses, married, family consisting of two parents, children are in good education.







Working class - manual workers, manual jobs, large families with children, poor to average education, hard time making ends meet (money wise), no choice but to work to help family, alcoholics, possible drug takers.






Status:
A word that you use after another word to describe someone's rank within a group of people.

Different statuses found in society:
High status and low status.

Stereotypes in each status:
Low status -  Have personal insecurities, anxious, uncomfortable, worriers,  tend to fidget, rush everything, try hard to be successful, always compare themselves to higher status people, have no authority.

High status - big headed (think they're the most important people) , bigoted, confident, move slowly and take their time, have authority.

Homework - Age

What is representation of age?

Representation of age is how an specific age group is presented through the media. Different age groups tend to have a variety of characteristics that apply to that age group. The representation of age tends to be stereotyped into the what that age group does for example teenagers are seen to be stroppy and hormonal compared to a old person who will be seen as more wise and fragile. Representation of age can be deconstructed through camera shots, editing, sound and mise-en-scene.



Initial thoughts:
-Old man: He's the main subject at the table - Comes across as a wise person and has a greater knowledge of the past - experienced so therefore he is able to talk about his past. He comes across as upbeat and jolly even when going through moments of sadness about 'keep Britain white'.

-The younger women mentions about 'fattening tuesday' (0:23). This shows that people of her age are self conscious about their appearance because it matters more to them. It allows for us to see that things like that are important to that age as it's a big part of their lives.

-The youngest girl is represented as 'intelligent' and is able to further investigate her granddad's past. This is not the typical way in which teenagers would be presented in the media. She is frequently asking questions about what he went through and shows an interest in history. Her appearance also indicates that she does not dress like your typical teenager. Her glasses are the type of glasses that would be seen worn by an elderly person which shows the cross reference of age.



Camera shots:

At the beginning of the clip, a medium close up is taken of Patrick and Libby (0:19). This shot shows that Patrick is talking and indicates that everyone is looking at him because he is telling his story. This shows that he has a 'power' over everyone else due to the fact he's been through a lot of what they're talking about so can base his experience and knowledge on the topic. He is therefore using his past to inform his family because he is older than anyone else there.

At 0:48, Chelsea is seen to be looking in the direction of Patrick. Chelsea is seen to be that of a younger age generation compared to that of people like Patrick, Denise and Lucas. This shot shows that Chelsea is talking and asking Patrick about his past. The typical younger generation would not commonly take an interest in the history of anything but Chelsea is going against her age group because she takes interest in listening to what Patrick has to say. She shows that she's a lot more mature than she may seem and therefore listens to family history. 

A shot is taken on Patrick smiling at 1:25. This shows that although Patrick is talking about the his past and some negative experiences, he is still able to smile about it all. This shows that he is jolly and content which is stereotypical of older people - the actions of old people tend to be more friendlier and happy compared to that of the younger generations.

A shot is then taken of Libby and Patrick. This shot focuses more on Libby (2:33). From this shot we are able to tell that Libby is not your typical teenager. She is clearly interested in what Patrick is saying and takes charge of the situation by talking and using her knowledge from her education and what she's learnt. Her appearance also comes across as different from your typical teenager. Most teenagers are into fashion and designer brands whereas Libby has a basic top on and is wearing glasses that are more likely to be seen on someone of Patrick's age compared to someone of Libby's age.

Editing:

At the beginning of the clip there is a slow tracking shot that follows Patrick as the camera moves around the table passing Libby, Lucas and Denise. This tracking shot has been used to show that Patrick (as the older one) is the head of the table and to show that everyone is listening to Patrick because he is being wise and using his past experiences of when he was younger to illustrate a story.

A panning shot of Libby is shown during her speech. This has been used to show that although she is younger than Patrick, she is still knowledgeable of the riots and cultural history that Patrick is talking about. This shows that Libby is using her knowledge to try and communicate with Patrick. The pan shot finishes at Patrick where he is able to continue speaking and reply to Libby. This shows that because he is more wise and knowledgeable than Libby, he finishes of her point by using his wisdom.


Sound:

At the very end of the clip, Chelsea's phone begins to ring and she picks it up. This indicates that she has her phone with her at the table. It is typical for the younger generation to be on their phone quite a lot and to have it with them 99% of the time in which Chelsea does (she has it at the table). Although middle aged people tend to have phones, Denise and Lucas not seen to have them at the table, nor is Patrick. This shows that they are not glued to their phones and are more likely to be away from their phones when eating because they find it rude. Chelsea may not realise this because she is a younger generation so it's normal to have her phone with her.


The music can be heard playing in the background. By listening to this music, you are able to deconstruct it and see that it is not the typical music that the younger generation listen to. This therefore indicates that it may be Patrick's music because it sounds more old fashioned -  music from his day and age. The music shows who's the main subject at the table during the conversation. By playing his older type of music, it puts the others in a more mature and historical mood. Patrick is playing this music to possibly show how much music has changed over time and that his music is still just as good as it was when he was younger. 




Mise-en-scene:


Throughout the clip, two different accents are heard. One of which is the London accent (spoken my Libby, Lucas, Denise and Chelsea). The other is that of the Jamaican accent (spoken by Patrick). Because Patrick is older, he still has the Jamaican accent that he originated with when he was living there. When he came over to England and settled down, the London accent was given to Libby, Lucas, Denise and Chelsea. This shows a cross reference in the two accents separating the older generation from that of the middle and younger generation. By Patrick having an accent, this indicates that he is a lot older and has been through a lot more - when he lived in a different country.





Throughout the clip, Patrick is seen the be wearing a shirt and a waistcoat. The majority of older people tend to dress smartly all the time. This waistcoat and shirt show that like his generation, he is dressing smartly. Although to him this is typical and traditional, to the younger generation it may look like he's too smart and has dressed up for the occasion of having a family meal.






Chelsea is seen to be wearing a blue and white top. It is typical for the younger generation to wear brighter colours because they are young and therefore want the attention on them because they feel like they're important. To Chelsea, wearing a bright blue top is normal. To someone of the older generation like Patrick, he may think that it's too bright and not a typical colour that he - nor the older generation would wear.

Libby is seen to be wearing a plain grey top and glasses. This is not the typical teenager outfit. Like Chelsea, the younger generation like to use colours that are bright and eye catching  This is where Libby is different, she is wearing a suttle grey. Her glasses would also not be a typical teenagers - more of a older generation's type of glasses to wear.

Lecture notes

Notes:
 In media, there are three models on which people consume information through mass media. These three models are the 'hypodermic needle model', the '2-step flow model' and the 'uses and gratification theory model'.

Hypodermic needle model:
This theory suggests that the mass media can directly influence a number of people. These people that become influenced by what they're reading are passive. This means that they do not react in any way to what they're being told but instead just receive whatever the media gives them. They do NOT filter or change anything that is fed to them. They just accept the information given. This theory suggests that, as an audience, we are manipulated by the producers and creators of the media text and therefore our behaviour may easily be changed by what we see from the media.


 2-step flow model:
This theory suggests that 'opinion leaders' (such as reviewers or commentators) pay close attention to the mass media and interpret what they read. This interpreted information is then passed on through the media content to 'less active associates' (people who follow these 'opinion leaders'). The 'less active associates' are influenced by whoever they decide they're going to listen to - they're influenced by a two step flow rather than getting their information straight from the mass media (directly). These 'less active associates' then become passive to whatever that 'opinion leader' says to them.


Uses and gratification model:
This theory suggests that people watch the mass media for a use. People watch it for many reasons. These individuals are not passive like they would be in the hypodermic needle model theory or 2-step flow model. They tend to be made up of individuals who actively consume texts for different purposes. These individuals won't consume everything that is thrown at them and will only take in media and information that they are interested.


Researchers 'Blulmer' and 'Katz' then expanded this theory to indicate why individuals might watch/use a media text. They can up with four uses and gratifications. These were:

• Diversion - An escape or emotional release from pressure found in problems or everyday routine.

• Personal relationships - Using the media for interaction and virtual companionship and sociability of discussing TV with others.

• Person identity - Comparing your existence and finding yourself reflected in what you see i.e. learning behaviour and values from text.

• Surveillance - Finding out information that is going on in the world that may be a help/useful to you i.e. weather, reports, holiday bargains etc.

 Reception Theory :

The producer is someone who creates the media text and they use media to portray a certain message that they want the audience to consume. They do this by encoding the information they're giving into the media.

The consumer is someone who reads the media text.The consumer will view this media provided by the producers and decode/interpret the message into what they actually think the producers are trying to say.

Stuart Hall proposed the theory of encoding and decoding. He said there were three different readings found in media. These were 'oppositional reading','negotiated reading' and 'aberrant reading'.

Oppositional reading:

- When someone makes a conscious rejection or subversion of the preferred meaning that the producers are trying to make.

Negotiated reading:
-Someone understands the meaning of the media but doesn't relate to the intention so doesn't show any interest.

Aberrant readings:
-Someone misreads/misunderstands the message that the producers are trying to portray.


Mode of address:
- The way in which the text 'speaks' to the audience.
-Construction of codes from all elements of texts.

Semiology:
Roland Barthes can up with the semiology theory that uses:
- The study of signs are symbols.
-Denotation and connotation.

Denotation - What an image actually shows and is immediately apparent, as opposed to the assumptions an individual reader may make about it e.g a red lorry, blue flashing lights, men in uniform.

Connotation - How the audience interprets the meaning of the media text e.g the audience interprets the lorry as a fire engine.

Keywords:

Gatekeeper - These individuals choose what goes into the media/news.

Media text - Media product (audiences "read" media text).

Encoding - Producers create texts with a preferred meaning - they want the audience to take from it then decode it.

Decoding - When the audience interprets the message given - it may be the same or the audience may change the meaning of the media text.

Age

Initial thoughts:
-Old man: He's the main subject at the table - Comes across as a wise person and has an greater knowledge of the past - experienced so therefore he is able to talk about his past. He comes across as upbeat and jolly even when going through moments of sadness about 'keep Britain white'.
-The younger women mentions about 'fattening tuesday'. This shows that people of her age are self conscious about their appearance because it matters more to them. It allows for us to see that things like that are important to that age as it's a big part of their lives.
-The youngest girl is represented as 'intelligent' and is able to further investigate her granddad's past. This is not the typical way in which teenagers would be presented in the media. She is frequently asking questions about what he went through and shows an interest in history. Her appearance also indicates that she does not dress like your typical teenager. Her glasses are the type of glasses that would be seen worn by an elderly person which shows the cross reference of age.

Shameless - textual analysis

What does the representation of class mean?
Representation of class in Media means the status or positioning of a person in society based on
products like; income, housing, area, attitude/manners, appearance, cleanliness etc. By looking at each factor of these products, you are able to determine where that person is in terms of positioning i.e. lower class, middle class or upper class.

In this Media clip, the representation of class in constructed in a manner which can easily be deconstructed by looking at the factors that determine people's class. The representation of class is easily noticeable and has been created well in this clip by the producers.



Initial Thoughts -
From watching the video for about 10 seconds, it was clearly established what the class of these people were from the behaviour of the man - his drunken attitude and messy appearance indicated a lower class status. The way in which the people in the room reacted also indicates that they do not have much class due to the continual swearing that was found in this clip. This showed the lack of class demonstrated by these people. This lower class establishment straight away makes it easy for the audience to understand what kind of class these people are. 


Camera shots:

Within the first few seconds of the clip, class is seen through clothing. At 0:03, a medium shot is taken of the man. The man's clothes indicate that of a lower class due to his messy appearance. The stain on his shirt indicates that he doesn't wash his clothes much maybe due to the fact that they don't have a washer or that it's too expensive to continually wash their clothes. This gives me the impression that they're that of a lower class. He also seems to show that he cannot dress himself properly due to the fact he's been drinking (shown in shot 0:45).

At 0:31, a close-up is taken on the man. By looking at his facial appearance, you are able to see that he has been drinking and hasn't had much sleep. You can tell that he isn't particularly fresh and doesn't keep himself clean because of his hair. His hair indicates that he doesn't wash it regularly due to the level of greasiness seen. This could possibly be to do with the fact that he doesn't have enough money to afford enough - to pay the bills for water and the basics. He has 5 other people in the house to look after so may not be able to do it because of money.

As referred to earlier, shot 0:45 indicates that he's been drinking due to his eyes wandering while he is being spoken to. His overall impression shows that he is drinking and that of quite a regular drinker. This might indicate that any money he is getting, goes straight towards drink for himself. This may be the reason why he is living like a lower class citizen because he is using the money on drink rather than using efficiently.

At 0:48, a master shot is shown of the surrounding room that everyone is in. In this room, there are  6 people (including a baby) seen. The size of the room does not justify the amount of people. The room is too small to fit a large amount of people while giving them space to move around. They all seem to be crowded in the corner of the room. This indicates that the house they're living in is small and they cannot afford anything bigger so all have to fit into one house. This shows that they're that of a lower class who struggle to cope in a small house.

At 1:05, 1:06, 1:07, 1:08 and 1:09 there are close-up shots of the man as he acts in a way that is not seen as normal. He begins going slightly crazy and acting out of the blue when talking to the people he's with. This would not be seen in a house that is of a higher class/status because it would be seen as inappropriate behaviour. This shows that they're definitely not a high class due to the actions of the man.

At 3:03, a medium shot is taken of the man when he is talking to the seller of the caravan. The clothing of both the man and the seller indicate a difference in class. The man is seen to be wearing old clothes - the same as seen before (with a strain on the top) whereas the seller is seen to be wearing a very clean suit. The difference in clothing indicates that the seller has more class compared to that of the man.





Sounds:

Sounds found in the clip that are diegetic are: the trainers as they hit the floor, the dog barking, the man as he goes crazy and makes noises, the baby as she is being fed, the caravan being unloaded, the turtle being squished and the ruffling of the papers. These are diegetic because they occur naturally.



Sounds that are non-diegetic are the music tracks played in different parts of the clip. The first of which starts at 0:01 and finishes at 0:05. The second music which starts at 1:24 and finishes at 1:48. The third piece of music that starts at 2:07 and goes right through until 2:53 and the final piece of music played at 3:16 till the end of the clip. These are non-diegetic because they don't occur naturally.

Sounds that are synchronous are the man making noises, the baby making noises, the caravan being unloaded, the turtle being squished and the ruffling of the papers.These are synchronous because they can be heard and seen onscreen.

Sounds that are asynchronous are the dog barking and the trainers being dropped on the floor. These are asynchronous because they can be heard but cannot be seen onscreen.


Throughout the clip, sound that can be heard is the speaking of the characters. I noticed that the majority of time someone spoke, a swear word was used. This to me indicates that they do not have a sense of how to speak appropriately or sensibly due to the use of those words. This therefore shows their lack of maturity and class demonstrating that they're a lower class.

The dog barking that can be heard in the background doesn't really show class until you watch the whole clip and then watch it again. This is because when you're watching it for the second time, you imagine the area to be quite dodgey due to what has been shown before. The low class impression that is presented in the clip makes you think that the dog barking can possibly be a dog that lower class people typically own to make them look 'bigger'. These are usually dogs such as bulldogs or staffies that have an image associated with them. By thinking that the dog is one of those types of dogs, you immediately get the impression that the whole neighbourhood is rough like the family shown in the clip therefore demonstrating lower status.

The caravan that can be heard being unloaded from the tow-truck indicates a slight perception of class. The women who owned the caravan lived in there until it was given to the family. This shows class in the fact that she may have been lower class as she was living in a small caravan and therefore didn't have much room or space like she would've if she had a house like the majority of people.

Editing:

From 1:05 till 1:09, short shots have been taking with a duration that is quick to show the audience the man's reaction ensuring they are focused on him. These quick shots convey action that can occurs on screen. This action that is used through short shots are to show the behaviour of the man. The man's behaviour/actions indicate that he doesn't act in an appropriate manner towards his family which could possibly show the fact he has no class.

The order of shots indicates the main character who is present throughout the clip. The clip has been edited to ensure that this main character gets the majority of screen play to show his personality, appearance and gives the audience an insight into his behaviour and everyday life. These shots shown can show his behaviour which is that of a class that is low because he doesn't have respect for his family and can be quite rude towards other people.




Mise-en-scene:


When looking at the clip and analysing what was seen in terms of props and scenery, I found out that the state these people live in appears to be lower-class. At 0:02, the stairs can be seen in the background which he came down. By looking at the stairs, you can see that the have lost a bit of paint and are therefore looking tatty. This shows that they're located in a house that doesn't get looked after very well which can be linked to class because they may not be able to afford to keep looking after their house and make it look presentable because its too expensive due to the fact they're lower class.

At 0:17, bottles and cans can be seen on the table in the centre of the scene. These indicate that the family are drinkers and they have no where to put these alcoholic drinks so put them in view of the children. This shows that the area in which they're in (the house) is lower class due to the positioning of the bottles and the amount of bottles shown.

At 2:11, you are able to view the fence that seperates the two houses. By looking at the fence, you can tell that the fence has been made up from smaller fences to create a larger fence so that the next door neighbours cannot see through their house. The exterior of the house also shows a bit of damage to it - dirt/stains can be seen present on the house. Both of these indicate that the neighbourhood they live in appears to be quite rough and not well looked after. From looking at the surroundings and area, this indicates that they're that of a low class status.

The last indication that they're lower class is that seen in 3:18. This shows a downwards view of their front of their house. In this shot, old furniture, broken items and rubbish can be seen laying in front of their house. These props can allow for the audience to conclude that this family are living in conditions that are not usually seen in middle class or higher class houses but instead those who live in poverty and struggle to fund for the basics to survive on a daily basis. This shows that they're lower class because their house is left in a mess of which they struggle to clean because of the cost.

Stereotypes:

I think that stereotypes of class and status are both challenged and confirmed by looking at this clip. When researching about the different class and status stereotypes found in society, I was able to anaylse the stereotypes that are being used in this clip of Shameless.

A working class stereotype that was confirmed in this clip was the behaviour and attitude of the man of the house. A typical working class person is seen to be quite aggressive and disrespectful. This was shown through the way he spoke to his children/family - using an aggressive tone in his voice and he complains to them. Working class attitude tends to be seen as swearing - which is also confirmed through the clip when swearing is heard from the people in the clip. This has been used to help show the audience that the people who feature in the clip are typically stereotyped as working class.

A stereotype of the working class is that their living arrangements consist of living in an attached house. Even though the house that these people are living in isn't particularly big or nice looking (appearance wise), it is a detached house. This challenges the stereotype of the working class but the producers have ensured that the house doesn't look like a 'middle class' house so people are still aware that the people are working class.

A stereotype of the working class can also be the association of crime and drugs. Although no criminal behaviour is shown, the mention of drug taking is. When the girl says to her dad about him taking 6 Es, this shows behaviour/lifestyle of the man which indicates he's working class. This has been done to represent the lifestyle of the man and to give the audience an insight into his life.


A stereotype of people who have high status is that they have authority. Although he is the man of the house and the father of the children, this is slightly challenged during the clip when his children seem to challenge his behaviour and attitude. The boy then comes into his dad's face and begins to talk to him. This shows that the dad doesn't have as much authority as expected and that the boy - who would have characteristics of a low status person, stands up to his dad and begins to show higher authority which is different. This has been done to show that authority within a working class family can be varied and challenged by different members of the family.

Overall, this family's behaviour and presentation indicates that they're of the working class and that the family consists of both high and low status. It is also shown that the authoritarian personalities differ throughout so everyone changes between high and low status characteristics.