Media Representation Theory Pack Three: Identity/Gauntlett

 Identity/Gauntlett

A.) Active audience engagement: The Circle (first came out January 1, 2020)

In this reality TV show, we get to watch different people interact with each other. So, in this show, people either get to go as themselves or pick a profile that is a "catfish." They then interact with each other in online relationships, either playing into their catfish role or being honest about their true selves to avoid elimination. It's engaging with the audience in the way that we get to vote on who we want to win as viewers of the show. Also, it allows the viewer to engage in discussion and debate about the contestant's true character and uses the context of this being like social media to make the viewer more engaged.

B) Aspirational narrative: Billy Elliot (May 19, 2000)

In this film, we follow a character named Billy Elliot. One day, as he was attending boxing classes, he stumbled upon a ballet class. He became captivated with dance, secretly beginning to take dance lessons, no matter the disapproval from his family (mainly his dad and older brother, who was heavily involved with a miners' strike). As his talent for ballet began to shine through, he faced ridicule from his community, but even after facing all of these negative reactions towards his love for ballet, he continued to pursue it. Billy eventually faces an internal issue between his love for ballet and his family's expectations for him. But after his dad recognized how much Billy truly loved and had a talent for ballet, he began to accept and support his dream. Near the end of the movie, we see Billy try out for the Royal Ballet School, and after an outstanding performance, it ends with him gets the acceptance letter. This is an example of an aspirational narrative because the viewers are seeing him as a character who doesn't abide by social norms and defies them, making them get the idea that not all professions are for only one gender, and you can do what you want as long as it makes you happy. Encouraging the viewers to do what they truly want, no matter what others say to them, that gender does not have to be a barrier between them and what they want to achieve.

C) Fluid Identity: Black Swan (December 3, 2010)

This film displays fluid identity by having a main character named Nina Sayers who embodies two opposing identities, the "White Swan" and the "Black Swan". It is showing her internal conflict between the innocent and pure white swan with the dark and tempting black swan. It is showing her struggle to come to terms with her inner dark impulses. This would be considered fluid identity because constantly switching between these two personas, it is defying the normal good girl vs bad, but, in this case, Nina is both as she embodies her performance.

D)Single ideal identity or multiple leads with diverse identities: Captain America: The First Avenger (July 19, 2011)

In this film, we see how not all heroes are built upon their superpowers. The main character, Captain America, used to be a normal person determined to get into the military. But due to his weak physique, he was rejected multiple times, but then Dr. Erskine saw his determination and decided to select him to become a subject for transformation into a super soldier. After the drastic transformation, he became much faster, stronger, and more resilient. But even after all of this, he didn't let his new transformation break his virtue; his goodness, his identity as a hero, is built on his morals, not on his superpowers, like many of the other popular superheroes.

E) Encouraging identity play: Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)

In this film, we are first introduced to a character named Carol Danvers, who fuses with an alien during an accident, which gives her superhuman powers; however, this also gives her amnesia. After the Kree implant false memories into her to keep her loyal, she becomes a shell of herself as they are trying to separate her from her human past. But when she returns to Earth, she begins to regain some of her memories as she meets with people she knew from the past. At the climax of this movie, she is no longer suppressing her powers when she finally finds out that the Kree suppression of her emotions was limiting her true self. After breaking free from their control, she becomes her true self.  This encourages audiences to reject manipulation and to embrace their true selves and to never be forced to bottle up who they truly are. Inspiring them to defy expectations and to define their own worth and not what others label them to be.