Representation theories 500wrds

The advert for ‘Always’ has a mixture of both dominant and alternative representations, this is because they initially start of by asking the older and some may say corrupt generation of how a girl would throw a ball. The fact they threw it lazily and with a less enthusiastic approach portrays how dominant the stereotype is of women being less sportive and more useless when it comes to outdoor activities. This is also a dominant stereotype to males because it portrays them as the more successful ones when it comes to these sorts of leisure activities. However as the clip progresses they ask a smaller age group of how a girl would run and both girls and boys had demonstrated the correct way of preforming the art may it be running or throwing a ball. This triggers the audience to think twice before labelling females as the less prosperous, the concluding part of the clip is an alternative representation due to its equal attributes in the way it depicts women.

Richard Dyers theory of ‘those with more power stereotype those with less power’, does not necessarily fit in to this because advertisement because both male and female gave the dominant interpretation.

Medhurts theory suggests stereotyping is short hand for identification; we can link this with the clip as society labels all women to be inactive and less sportive, however it is some females that show less interest in this specific area. This creates a negative attitude towards women and portrays them as less significant because they are not like everybody else. This may intertwine with Tessa Perkins who suggests that the stereotype as some elements of truth because not every single female is a sport fanatic, conversely one could argue that not all male are too.

Mulvey’s male gaze can also be associated with this advert, because the portrayal of females being less active and inferior in helpful active tasks, outlines that they are only there to look pretty and to entertain the male gaze or to be displayed for public consumption. This reduces the status of women to being a mare abject to fulfil sexual desires. This may further interlink with John Berger’s representation which had also influenced Mulveys.  John Berger (1972) stated that ‘men act and women appear’ this is indicated when the interpretation of women being active and dynamically successful was challenged. This may further reinforce how society hidden book of social rules has taken over the minds of many people even in 2014.

Overall the clip conveys a sting message insisting to diminish the unfair negative stereotype of women having less power or being treated less equally to men. This is a strong message which needs to be taken into consideration and acted upon hastily because it is unjust and an unfair ruling, you do not judge a book by its cover so why do you judge a woman by her cover? Moreover there is no scientific evidence supporting the fact that women are less capable of achieving what they want. It is just an ideology.