Representation Theory

1. Representation Theory

2. Laura Mulvey – male gaze
Mulvey states that all media texts sexualise
women according to the male gaze. This means
that women are seen as sexual objects, their
curves are often emphasised, and viewed based
on sexual desire and their appearance.
This makes women see the media text through
the eyes of a man, judging whether it is
appealing or not based on the sexualisation of
women.

3. Women are seen as objects and men act as the
dominant power. This is extremely obvious in
music videos, where women are often
provocatively dancing in little clothing, being
passive to the male gaze.
Women then judge themselves and women on
screen the way a man would.
Examples of videos where the theory is present:
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
Calvin Harris – Summer

4. Criticisms of Mulvey’s theory
• Women may intentionally allow men to view
them as sexual objects because it makes them
feel empowered and desirable
• Men are also sexualised in the same way by
women

5. Richard Dyer – star theory
Dyer states that stars are constructed by institutions
for financial reasons, and have to fit a certain
stereotype in order to be a celebrity that appeals to
a wide audience.
The theory can be broken down into 3 sections:
• Audience and institutions
• Constructions
• Hegemony (cultural beliefs)
“Stars represent and embody certain ideologies”

6. Audience and institutions
The audience wants to see the ideal person, and
so the institutions recognise this and find
someone that they can change in order to fit
the perfect image.
The star is styled and told to act in a way that
the institution believes is appealing to the
audience, as that is their only purpose.

7. Constructions
The star becomes a persona or idea rather than
an actual person. Their entire being is so falsely
constructed that they are a brand or an icon
rather than just someone with a personality.
They may have a certain signature, like Miley
Cyrus’ short hair and tongue poses or Lady
Gaga’s controversial style choices.

8. Hegemony
We begin to admire the star for certain features
that they have or ideas that they embody. We begin
to idolise them and in a sense, worship them. They
begin to act as role models and so we try to
replicate certain things they wear or do so that we
can feel like ‘stars’ ourselves.
In this way, stars become leaders and develop fan
bases. This can be positive or negative because the
fans may try to copy bad and good things that the
star does.

9. Conclusion
Dyer states that a star’s only purpose is to make
money for the institution that created them. They
construct a persona and ideology that will appeal to
the public in order to gain popularity and fans.
Stars are made with the expectations of the
audience in mind, and so Mulvey’s theory applies
with female stars such as Beyoncé or Katy Perry.

10. Tessa Perkins - stereotypes
A stereotype is a set of ideas associated with a particular
social group.
Perkins states:
• Stereotypes are not always negative – youths are not
always troublemakers, they are the future
• They are not always about minority/less powerful groups –
MPs are seen as ‘power mad snobs’
• They can be held about one’s own group – social groups in
teenagers can be identified by their members
• They are not permanent – the emergence of feminism
means the perception of women is evolving
• They are not always false – they have to be started by a
small truth in order to grow and be widely known

11. Implications
• Stereotypes are often far from the truth as they are
twisted and then passed on
• They are negative concepts that promote judgement
• They are about groups that we have little to no contact
with so we can’t prove them right and assume they are
correct
• They are mostly about minority or less powerful groups
and so can create a negative representation of the
working class
• People can be treated unfairly due to a stereotype
attached to their social group

12. Conclusion
Although stereotypes make us feel more
prepared and knowledgeable about unfamiliar
people or situations, they give us negative
perceptions of the world that are usually false.
The media manipulates this by using things that
are associated with a stereotype in order to
appeal to an audience and help them relate to
the media text.