Common Stereotypes

REPRESENTATIONS – COMMON STEREOTYPES

TV Drama: My Boy Jack: Social Class Notes

My Boy Jack
Point of representation: Social Class

+Shows the importance of social class in 1914
+Costumes, dialogue and props all show the class of characters.
+Camera angles show social statuses and situations
+Dialogue and facial expressions show that being a writer is not seen as an upper class man's job
+Doesn't curse, respectable
+fade up on epensive, gold-encrusted watch - time is against someone, someone's late. We see later the watch belongs to the king - doesnt expect or like to be kept waiting
+Close up of wheel, sound bridge, shows speed, someone in a hurry
+Opportunities go to the wealthy
+Close up of watch - anxious
+Polished figure on car - wealth
+Fields - the wealthy have the freedom/space
+Facial expressions, close up, similarties to other characters
+Low angle of car, determination
+Parallel editing - two events at once
+Birds eye shot - costumes show no difference in class, suits and hair are similar, equal
+Hand held camera shot - encourages empathy to that character
+Unsteady camera - uncertainly
+Title 'My Boy Jack' in sky, the father has high hopes for his son
+Low angle - shows importance

TV Drama: Character Representation Tessa Perkins

Tessa Perkins
Stereotyping is not a simple process and contains a number of assumptions that can be
challenged. Tessa Perkins (1979) identifies 5 such assumptions;
• Stereotypes are not always negative (e.g. 'The French are good cooks').
• They are not always about minority groups or the less powerful ( e.g. 'upper class twits').
• They can be held about one's own group.
• They are not rigid or unchanging ( e.g. the "cloth cap worker of the 1950's became the
1980's 'consumerist home-owner who holidays in Spain').
• They are not always false.

Stereotyping has tended to suggest that it is wrong to see people in catagories. Yet in the field
of social pyschology it has long been recognised that catagorisation is a fundamental process
necessary for humans to make sense of the world. Humans need to impose structure on events ,experiences and people.


EXAMPLES:


• Stereotypes are not always negative. 

In Waterloo Road the stereotype of teenage girls with bad family situations being more likely to become pregnant is used in vicky's storyline in series 7. This stereotype isnt necessarily true but 'bad family situations' can be a contributing factor to the likelyhood of them being in that situation. This clip shows the moments after she loses her baby, her only family, and her emotions, she wanted the baby because she had no family...

• They are not always about minority groups or the less powerful.


• They can be held about one's own group.

• They are not rigid or unchanging.

• They are not always false.

TV Drama: Character Representation

Character Representation


The seven areas of representation:

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Physical/Disability
• Sexuality
• Social Class
• Regional Identity

Tessa Perkins' Assumptions: 

1. Stereotypes are always erroneous in content

I disagree, some stereotypes about smaller groups can be true, for example in Waterloo Road the stereotype of teenage girls with bad family situations being more likely to become pregnant is used in vicky's storyline in series 7. This stereotype isnt necessarily true but 'bad family situations' can be a contributing factor to the likelyhood of them being in that situation.

2. They are pejorative concepts
I agree with this statement as many stereotypes are built on a disapproval for another race, region, ethnicity, gender, age group etc. 

3. They are about groups with whom we have little or no social contact; by implication, therefore, they are not held about one's own group
I disagree with this point, many people who hold stereotypes may know people from those 'groups'. Also, whether you agree with it or not, most people are aware of how they are stereotyped or grouped, however, you may not place that stereotype on yourself. For example, teenagers can be viewed as troublemakers and shoplifters, as a teenager you are aware of this, and whether or not you fall into that group, you can see that the majority of shoplifting and troublemaking is done by teenagers and therefore the stereotype is possibly accurate.

4. They are about minority (or oppressed) groups

This is also false, stereotypes can be place on anybody from poor to rich, fat to thin and common to posh. For example, in Made in Chelsea, the show plays on the stereotype of rich people being posh, perfect and having great lives.

5. They are simple
Stereotypes are generally used by simple, narrow minded people, therefore I do believe that they are simple, basic and ignorant views. However, the stereotypes themselves can be complex ideas, for example their are many stereotypes around teenagers, such as they're lazy, irresponsible, troublemakers, they get involved with drink and drugs, they're dangerous drivers and they give into peer pressure, all these things make over all an opinion based on many reasons, no matter how true or bias they may be, that make up a complex argument for the stereotype.

6. They are rigid and do not change

Stereotypes can change, generally due to changes in society, for examples, after the student riots, students were stereotyped as violent and irresponsible. People can also make it known to the public that they do not want to be stereotyped and protest until people begin to change their minds, such as black people fighting for equality because they do not want to be treated as lower class citizens. 

7. They are not structurally reinforced

I agree with this statement as many stereotypes are built up with many reasons that cause someone to take a negative view of a group of people and these reasons can change. The reason for someone 'holding' a stereotype may also not be for all those reasons but just one or two, which they personally believe to be true.

8. The existence of contradictory stereotypes is evidence that they are erroneous, but of nothing else

Contradictory stereotypes can often prove stereotypes to be wrong or bias. However, i do not believe that all stereotypes are false, as stated in the first point, some stereotypes, generally those about smaller groups of people rather than an entire race, ethnicity or nationality, can be less bias and more truthful as well as based more on factual influences such as the news rather than a common opinion that may have originated from family, social or other media influences.

9. People either 'hold' stereotypes (believe them to be true) or do not

I disagree with this statement because people can have and understanding of a stereotype, where it comes from and why it's 'held' without necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with the stereotype. 

10. Because someone holds a stereotype of a group, his or her behaviour towards the group can be predicted
I think this can be true because if someone stereotypes someone as a lower class or lesser person to themselves, they are very likely to have little or no respect for them. However, this can also be untrue as many people 'hold' stereotypes against people and do not voice or act on upon them.