Blog Topic: 1
Rhetorical devices, whether acknowledged as such, or seen as just another way or “unveiling the truth,” may be effectively utilized not only in a classroom, but in everyday life. Identifying rhetorical strategies is the first step to understanding what exactly it is that you are being exposed to, the real intent of the author/speaker. Grasping the full use of these strategies can greatly affect the subtle persuasiveness of a speech or written work and allow us to use or receive them. My most recent experience with analyzing these strategies was in observing a barrage of ads in which women were severely objectified. The idea of “sex sells” is taken to extremes in the advertising industry; where women’s bodies become beer bottles and their faces are not in the picture, yet their half naked bodies are provocatively positioned to imitate one thing or another. The most disturbing of which is when the women are portrayed to be beautiful, but silent (their mouths are covered). The idea of this is to sell, to men in particular, the luxury of a woman’s touch, but without having to hear what she has to say. This signals to me the promotion of rape culture, and women’s objectification and submission to men, with or without consent.
Blog Topic: 2
“Bro-Hood and its Discontents: The Hangover”
I chose this article based on the content of the movie really intriguing me in regards to the “gender role” issue. My general overview of the movie was, yes, it was funny, although the messages that were being sent out, not so funny. Throughout the entire movie women are made out to be either overbearing, irrational, abusive, and controlling or strippers. In the same turn, men are made out to be the “good guys,” just trying to have fun for a weekend and escape the “tragic reality” of adulthood and how they must succumb to there female counterparts.
Although, the article I read, written by Will Menaker, clearly didn’t agree. He did however further the message of the movie by explaining that the men were “seeking respite form the stifling vaginocracy of everyday life” before their best friend gets “married—i.e., castrated and enslaved.”
What was really funny to me is how clear the roles are when it comes to parenting. In the movie the men find a baby and instantly freak out and debate leaving it in the room with a tiger, they accidentally hit his head with the car door, etc. but the moment the mother shows up, who happens to be a stripper, she is loving and compassionate toward the child, which is an emotion that only the “weird guy” ever displayed towards him.
If the roles were flipped, and women treated a baby like that, there wouldn’t be anything funny about it. Women are supposed to be the care takers and if one of them ever said something like “let’s just leave him in the car, I cracked the window,” no one would be laughing, they’d be saying “damn, that’s fucked up, what a horrible mother,” but in the case with men it’s a “haha, men.” As if that justifies child abuse somehow, because “they don’t know better.”
There are clear double standards and “expectations” in the world of men versus women, which are constantly being promoted and even supported by mainstream culture. These portrayals are constantly feeding the cycle of objectification and harsh steryotypes.
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Hi Ezri
ReplyDeleteBoth parts of your blog entry inspired me to make a few comments.
Regarding the depiction of women in advertising and the idea that "sex sells", I have to say that coming from another culture I am used to some similar patterns, but also major differences. The rhetoric behind portraying women and their bodies as a tool for enticing prospective customers to purchase various items or services exists in France as well. Of course, I can only speak about the way things were up until about 10 years ago when I emigrated to the US.
The thing is though, the sexuality portrayed there isn't subtle, because the French are culturally more open about the topic. However, to depict sexuality there, usually the woman will be willing, in control, dressed (but provocatively), and to the point. I don't remember any instances of rape innuendos in advertising.
The funny thing is that in the US, the more flesh shows, the less acceptable the picture, and the more sexual it is considered. It has always amused me (well, made me shake my head, really) that it's ok and prime-time appropriate to show actresses playing teenagers dressed like mini-whores in spandex, lingerie and mini skirts, but God forbid we be shown the nipple of a breastfeeding mother.
In French advertising, the naked feminine body is generally used as a symbol of health and wholesomeness. Danone wants to show the benefits of eating Activia? They use the glowing image of a naked woman in the lotus position. As a rule in advertising, the more nudity, the less sexual (usually). Sexuality is about behavior, not skin.
I find it quite disturbing that nudity in this culture has become such a strong synonym with sex, perversion, and has become so taboo that there IS a clear rhetoric behind merely hinting at the female figure.
I think that consumer society has clearly learned its interest in creating cultural taboos. Sex, alcohol, drugs... What is forbidden is desirable, tempting, and temptation and desire are the bread and butter of consumerism.
About the "Bro-Hood" article, I haven't yet decided which text to work with, but this one is a strong contender. I have not seen the movie but I have seen previews, and I enjoyed the general tone of the article as well as the analytical angle that the author chose. I liked the tongue-in-cheek statements about enslavement and castration, and the overall ironic strategy of making deliberately ludicrous statements with the appearance of seriousness.
I really enjoyed your take on gender roles and their portrayal in such movies. I do agree for the most part that there is some comedic bias in using babies to make men look endearingly incompetent as parents, at least in mainstream cinema.
Quite frankly though, I love highly shocking humor and I will laugh my butt off at female comedians making outrageously inappropriate statements about kids and motherhood. There is plenty of such material for those who enjoy it without taking offense, but you are right in the sense that it is neither readily available to mainstream audiences nor commonly regarded as an acceptable topic to joke about.