Representations of Issues: Mental Health and Disability.

Representations of Issues: Mental Health and Disability

Representation of Issues: Mental Health Looking at the representation of issues is trickier than looking at the representation of groups of people or events. You are analysing how the media represents an idea. A good place to start is Soap Operas. These are often issue led programmes that offer occasionally stereotypical representations and sometimes thought provoking or even controversial representations. Examples of Issues to research and deconstruct could be: Body image Substance abuse Violent crime Religion Celebrity Culture Political issues Relationships The exam will ask you to refer to two different examples.

Representation of Issues: Mental Health An issue which has been represented in a variety of ways - both positive and negative - is the issue of mental illness and mental health. This makes it a great case study for the exam. Question: What do you know about schizophrenia? How much of this is from films that you have seen? With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the ways in which two different issues are represented in the media today? [30] With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the ways in which two different issues are represented in the media today? [30]

How do these texts reinforce or challenge what you know about it? What do they not tell us about schizophrenia?

Perception from mediaReality Implies split personalities The split personalities are extreme in nature Jekyll & Hyde Madness, violence, aggression psychotic behaviour Incurable and uncontrollable Outcast in society people that should be feared (or alternatively it can be seen as something to be mocked or made light of) Split or multiple personalities is not a symptom of Schizophrenia its a completely different condition, and even then theres nothing to suggest that these would juxtapose each other. People with severe mental illnesses are more likely to harm themselves than others. With the correct medication and support many people that have severe mental illness can overcome their condition. Despite living in more liberal times, severe mental illnesses can be very isolating & many sufferers commit suicide

In pairs discuss films you can think of which associate mental illness with violence, aggression and as something to be feared... These representations often Stereotype mental illness......what two characteristics have we previously suggested make up a stereotype? 1. 2. Appearance (including accent) Behaviour - what people do

The Dark Knight The Joker Batman describes The Joker as a: Schizophrenic clown, experts in psychiatric care and mental health describe him as an: Incorrect stereotype. A key theory of any representation is the use and construction of stereotypes. How have people with schizophrenia been stereotyped by the character of the Joker in The Dark Knight? http://youtu.be/wQHfoz9Be7U How does the Joker reinforce stereotypes of mental illness based on: 1.Appearance 2.Behaviour

Pi A balanced representation? Darren Aranofskys first movie, Pi, looks at a brilliant mathematician called Max Cohen and his descent into madness as he obsessively attempts to discover numerical patterns which will allow him to understand the world around him. The representation of Maxs decline in mental health is interesting in the way that the audience is positioned by the director. Any representation is a construction of the media - this means that we must consider the opinions of both: those who have encoded the text and those that have decoded the text. Put simply - the creators and the audience.

Watch the sequence is from Darren Aranofsky's avant garde film Pi. The director wants us to identify with the character Max as he descends into madness. The audience is encouraged to be part of Max's mental breakdown. Rather than looking at what happens in each scene concentrate on how technical codes have been used to represent Maxs illness. Sound Camera/Framing Editing How has the director positioned the audience to represent the mental health of this character? Is it a positive or negative representation? Does it matter? http://youtu.be/F1NgFQnToEA

Is this a negative stereotype? Who is being mocked? (Anne? Others with learning difficulties? The audience? The media itself?) Does it matter? The following video is from the sketch show Little Britain and features a character with severe learning difficulties called Anne. How does it use stereotypes of mental illness? Different Readings: This representation could be read as very derogatory and spiteful, but it might also be read as mocking our own preconceptions of learning difficulties, or even the media itself for having such a limited representation of such issues. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn1EFJz3AbI

Television soap-operas have always been issue led. With well developed characters and continuous storylines they have always had the ability to help the audience understand and explore various issues in society. Sometimes sympathetically, sometimes controversially, sometimes breaking taboos. The nation's favourite, Corrie, has been at the forefront of issue led soaps for more than fifty years and 2011 saw the show tackle the issue of Alzheimers, focussing mostly on the experiences of those caring for someone suffering from the disease. When analysing any representation we must consider the views of the audience and decide whether they have responded with a preferred, negotiated or oppositional reading to the text. Read the article from http://www.dementia.co.uk/ to see how they view Corrie's portrayal of such a serious illness - at the bottom of the document are responses to the article from audience members.http://www.dementia.co.uk/ What kind of reading have they made?

Balanced or Stereotypical? How has the illness been represented? Is the article correct? http://youtu.be/MtrWYVtuMPk

Last night she was facing the axe from the series after a Sun investigation revealed she had been diagnosed with serious mental issues - but had not informed show bosses. Psychiatrists have declared she has a series of problems which may affect her ability to care for Mariah. And experts fear she may worsen if propelled to fame by The X Factor. A medical source said: "Shirlena is as fragile as Susan Boyle was - but the difference is that Susan didn't have a child to worry about. "We believe this woman is not a suitable candidate for a reality show that can cause immense stress and instant fame. "Hopefully the makers will agree that the best thing for Shirlena and her child is to gently drop them from filming and let us help her be the best mother she can." The source added: "Sadly Shirlena is not in the best of health. She has been described by expert professionals as a 'ticking timebomb'. What are the ideologies of The Sun surrounding mental illness? Analyse the language used as well as the images.

Analyse the four representations of mental health from the same story. Make sure you look at pictures as well as words. Hint: Some elements are more subtle than others. Are some representations more sympathetic than others?

Selection Organisation Focus How have the texts been mediated? What processes has the issue of mental health been through?Mediation?

Whilst the copy is matter of fact and largely objective, the selection of photo seems to suggest what the real views of the Telegraph are in this front page. However the focus of the article may actually be more concerned with the Mental Health Act.

This typically sensationalist and unsympathetic headline from The Sun caused much controversy and was actually pulled from later editions. Interestingly, they use a similar image to that of the Telegraph.

Like the Telegraph the Daily Express seems objective but the selection of the phrase 'Mental Home makes it quite clear how they view illnesses such as those suffered by Bruno.

This seems like the most sympathetic and least exploitative but is worthy of analysis - think about the selection of words, the type of photo taken - are we encouraged to pity, to voyeuristically watch from a safe distance?

With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the ways in which two different issues are represented in the media today? [30] With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the ways in which two different issues are represented in the media today? [30] What next? You should now be able to write in depth and with many different examples about how this issue has been represented. Heres what the question might look like... Success Checklist... Are you being specific about your examples? Are you discussing theories such as Mediation & Stereotyping? Are you discussing typical and challenging representations? Have you analysed a range of different codes rather than just things that happen in the narrative? Have you made a point/argument?

Representation of Issues: Disability How does this text reinforce or challenge what you know about disability? How does it represent disability?

Representation of Issues: Disability Here is someone who is not simply "in" a wheelchair (are all disabled people in wheelchairs?), but who relies on the structure of the chair to give them arms. If the word "disabled" can be represented in such a simple symbol as the one above are we reducing a large and diverse group of human beings to something less complicated than your average road sign?

Representation of disability in different media formats What stereotypes of the disabled exist in the media?

Match the following texts to these representations. Remember to consider: how appearance and behaviour reinforce or challenge stereotypes how the texts have been mediated (selection; organisation; focus) what the ideology of the texts might be different readings 1.Pitiable and pathetic; sweet and innocent; childlike 2.Victim of violence or bullying 3.Sinister or evil 4.The noble warrior, triumphing over tragedy 5.The butt of jokes 6.Aggressive avenger 7.A burden on society, incapable of participating in everyday life 8.Non-sexual

Nice Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPJ0hm-Xpmc What different readings exist of this representation? What is the ideology of this text? Remember to consider: The person/thing being represented The opinions of those encoding the representation The reaction of the target audience The context of our society and dominant ideologies

What different readings exist of this representation? http://youtu.be/tOimeRod4TY

http://youtu.be/eMyTs6H2__4 Lou and Andy

Diary of a Call Girl http://youtu.be/auSAGvpM 7W8

What is the impact of these representations?

Jenny Morris (1991) argues that cultural portrayals of disability are usually about the feelings of non-disabled people and their reactions to disability, rather than about disability itself. Disability thus becomes: Many impairments are hidden (dyslexia, visual impairments, deafness etc)....a metaphor...for the message that the non-disabled writer wishes to get across, in the same way that beauty is used. In doing this, the writer draws on the prejudice, ignorance and fear that generally exist towards disabled people, knowing that to portray a character with a humped back, with a missing leg, with facial scars, will evoke certain feelings in the reader or audience. The more disability is used as a metaphor for evil, or just to induce a sense of unease, the more the cultural stereotype is confirmed (Morris, 1991:93). List the types of impairment you have seen in TV programmes, films, magazine or newspaper articles. How do you feel about the people represented in them? Do they inspire pity or horror for example?

Hannibal (film) Agent Starling goes to see Lecters victim (Mason Verger) who is in bed, hidden in the shadows and surrounded by curtains. The light is raised to give a horror view of his face. The character here is evil too, so we associate his facial scarring with punishment for his evil nature, and also with the visual manifestation of evil (we expect evil people to look evil, thanks to generations of fairy tales). We are supposed to be shocked, to recoil in horror. How do you think this affects people with facial scarring? Representations of disability in different media formats http://youtu.be/bQkGH-uLbyY

Television: Apart from specialist programmes like the BBC's 'One in Four' and 'Same Difference' on Channel 4, disabled people are generally under represented on British television; but when they are it is usually in the context of one of the disabling stereotypes. In factual or current affairs programmes stories about disabled people are usually linked to medical treatment or the special achievements of disabled individuals - usually children. With one or two notable exceptions disabled people rarely appear in soaps or quiz shows. Their absence from mainstream programming coupled with the link between disability and medicine reinforces the widespread misconception that disabled people are ill and unable to participate in every day life. In fictional programmes, the genre most likely to include disabled characters is crime and thriller films. They usually appear as criminals, monsters or powerless and pathetic victims. In most cases disabled characters are introduced not because they are ordinary people but to suggest precisely the opposite. Their disability becomes a shorthand for the type of character they are usually evil!

Television drama and film Wheelchairs tend to predominate here, since they are an iconic sign of disability. Most actors playing disabled characters are, however, not disabled. The wheelchair allows the character to be obviously disabled, whilst still looking normal, and does not therefore present any major challenges for audience identification. e.g. Artie from Glee -- does he break or reinforce stereotypes? disabled in a car accident social outcast due to his disability bullied/victim of violence due to his disability overcomes his disability to dance/sing needs special arrangements re: transport etc. his strongest desire is to walk (has several dream sequences where he is able-bodied) takes part in physical activities is sexually active

http://youtu.be/TiOfp-sdMro

Cerrie Burnell Cbeebies Presenter The 29-year-old studied BA Theatre Arts at MMU before going on to appear in the likes of Holby City, EastEnders, The Bill and Comedy Lab. She has combined her acting career with working as a teaching assistant in a special needs school. Taking the job, she said: "I'm really passionate about firing up kids' imaginations, so this is a dream job come true for me, especially as I also have a young daughter. I've never done TV presenting before so its been brilliant fun getting to ice cakes, getting covered in glitter and reading bedtime stories.

Newspapers The tabloids are a particularly potent source of disability representations. The Daily Mail, featured a Muslim cleric who had his hands blown off in Afghanistan. He was pictured with his hooks on prominent display, described in the article as metal claws. "Plucky Kate stepping out to a new life" The Star, 2004 "But the future is now looking brighter. Katie is learning to walk again, following a year of straightening treatment." sufferer, courageous, condition, deterioration, plight, brave and normal (as in a normal school').

Newspapers The use of disablist language is common in newspapers, and not only in the tabloids, but also in the so called 'quality' papers. Terms like 'the disabled' and 'the handicapped' appear quite regularly despite campaigns by disability organizations to raise the awareness of journalists. http://youtu.be/1RtIVWyPRUg Reports about disabled people are usually featured for their sensation value rather than their accuracy. Common examples include items about the sexual impotency of recently disabled men, individuals who 'bravely manage' to achieve despite 'their handicap', and the non-disabled celebrity who understands the 'plight' of disabled people, or who is willing to make unprecedented personal sacrifices to help a particular charity.

Advertising Disabled people are generally excluded or ignored by mainstream advertising. This suggests they a) do not exist and b) do not buy products. Charity campaigns present a distorted view of disability: that they are dependent, worthy of pity and pathetic. - Black and white often used - Focus on children - Emotive language - Ask for support/money

Breaking the Mould: Debenhams 2010 ad campaign Benetton Sunflowers Campaign 2011

Paralympics

Meet the Superhumans http://youtu.be/tuAPPeRg3Nw http://youtu.be/6LxE2zsva0Ehttp://youtu.be/6LxE2zsva0E -- Ellie Simmons The Last Leg

http://youtu.be/-Btgk-XUjHU Oscar Pistorius Using the constructionist approach to representation, analyse the following texts featuring Oscar Pistorius. How do they challenge stereotypes? How have they been mediated? How have the representations been constructed?

Different readings: What do you think is the preferred reading of this text? Why was it removed after Pistorius was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend? (i.e. what other readings were possible after this event?)

With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the representation of disability in the media today. How to answer this question: Use 2-3 specific examples of how media texts represent the given group and analyse them in detail Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of representation. Think about: The role of selection, construction and anchorage in creating the representations How the media uses representations The points of view, messages and values present in the representations Make sure you anchor your examples in terms of context (are they typical or non- typical; how do they relate to other examples?) and purpose (why are they constructed in this way?) Try to take your analysis of your examples beyond a simple consideration of positive and negative: think about issues and debates surrounding your examples Use contemporary examples (in the media today) Use the grid on your sheet to help you plan your answer.

Representations of Issues: Mental Health and Disability.

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