Assignment Two: What is wrong with this picture?
Rationale: Stereotypes are everywhere. They are our reference point for most of our discussions (even the ones we have in class) - the purpose of this assignment is to "get to the bottom" of stereotypes in the media focusing on one particular genre (ex. Teen Soaps, Sitcoms, Dramas, Comedies, etc.) and drawing out stereotypes and analyzing how that particular medium deals with, assists, creates, destroys or otherwise talks about stereotypes in all forms.
See those beautiful people up there (casts of 90210: past and present) - notice anything? The U.S. Census Bureau tells me that 36% of California is Latino and 12.4% is Asian but these pictures from popular TV shows tells me that there "might" be one African American hanging out in your group - maybe.
Your job is to look at a show (like 90210) and write down all stereotypes you see in the show (caution if you pick Family Guy, you 
will find a lot to write down!).
Questions to consider:
Who is creating these shows? Who is paying for them? Who watches them?
When are the shows on during the day? What channel?
What advertisements are on during commercials? Who is being marketed to?
Who is on the show? Who is not on the show? What is not being represented? What generalizations does the show make? About whom?
Why do you like/dislike the show? Does the show "help" or "hurt" our world in any way?
Write two to three pages of answers to these and any other questions you come up with in the process of viewing at least three episodes of the show.
Really stretch yourself and pick a show you would never watch.
Rationale: Stereotypes are everywhere. They are our reference point for most of our discussions (even the ones we have in class) - the purpose of this assignment is to "get to the bottom" of stereotypes in the media focusing on one particular genre (ex. Teen Soaps, Sitcoms, Dramas, Comedies, etc.) and drawing out stereotypes and analyzing how that particular medium deals with, assists, creates, destroys or otherwise talks about stereotypes in all forms.
See those beautiful people up there (casts of 90210: past and present) - notice anything? The U.S. Census Bureau tells me that 36% of California is Latino and 12.4% is Asian but these pictures from popular TV shows tells me that there "might" be one African American hanging out in your group - maybe.
Your job is to look at a show (like 90210) and write down all stereotypes you see in the show (caution if you pick Family Guy, you 
will find a lot to write down!).Questions to consider:
Who is creating these shows? Who is paying for them? Who watches them?
When are the shows on during the day? What channel?
What advertisements are on during commercials? Who is being marketed to?
Who is on the show? Who is not on the show? What is not being represented? What generalizations does the show make? About whom?
Why do you like/dislike the show? Does the show "help" or "hurt" our world in any way?
Write two to three pages of answers to these and any other questions you come up with in the process of viewing at least three episodes of the show.
Really stretch yourself and pick a show you would never watch.
I think those are some good questions for students to examine and I think that having students pick something they have never watched is a good idea as well. I think when given these questions to follow and are actually paying attention and analyzing what they are watching they will discover the hidden messages in those shows.
ReplyDeleteJoe, cool assignment. However, I have a word of caution for you - if you're going to "let" your students chose "Family Guy" as a show to analyze, be ready. If you look at my first blog post for this class, I discuss my experience with trying to do something similar to this assignment. To model the type of analysis you're describing, I used a clip from "Family Guy" that was rich with stereotypes. Although I thought it was a wonderful clip for such analysis, my students, and these were seniors mind you, COULD NOT get passed the laughing part (because it's a given, they will laugh), to critically analyzing the text. Although I set up the ground rules that it was ok to laugh at first, but then it was time to get serious, they could not. At many attempts for a serious discussion, students would default to "Mr. Flip, show Cleveland getting kicked in the nuts... show Peter farting..." In other words, although I think some of the other texts you picked would work great, I haven't had the best luck with "Family Guy," and I really wonder why that is.
ReplyDeleteWhat you think son?
BTW, I'm so glad that I didn't go out with you guys last night, I was asleep and so comfy it was unreal... But I kid man, thanks for such a great bday, I had a wonderful time :)