...empowering force that can break through stereotypes by making a person become dangerous and not allowing themselves to be defined by expectations, even if they are physically or socially imprisoned. What would it feel like to be completely stripped of all rights, like a prisoner? To live with the expectation that you were never going to be anyone special and that there was no point in even trying? Would you still have hope? Would you still want to try to better yourself, or would you let opinions of others mold you into their idea of what is expected? People deal with this in everyday life. The recidivism rate in this country is absurd due in large part to the idea that once you own the moniker “prisoner” that is all you will ever be. There are families that foster the idea of educating oneself as an unnecessary endeavor and perhaps even a lofty aspiration. There are people that fold to such expectations, and then there are those who defy them. Malcom X is an amazing example of a person who breaks the chains of expectations by transforming into a prisoner who pursues his “homemade education.” In “Learning to Read”, Malcom X advances himself in education and becomes an entirely different person. In the “Bard Prison Initiative”, on 60 seconds we find prisoners challenging preconceived notions by engaging in a rigorous academic program inside the prison. Sherman Alexie in “Superman and Me” goes against the grain of the common belief that Native Americans are not intelligent people, and...
Words: 1834 - Pages: 8
...Breaking the Stereotype In his writing “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie explains how he taught himself how to read through a Superman comic at the age of 3. He did this by imagining what the illustrations were portraying and then putting words to the pictures. He then became fascinated with reading at a young age and began reading anything and everything he could get his hands onto. He got his fascination of reading from his father who read a lot as well. Growing up Alexie was exposed to piles of books throughout his home. These included murder mysteries, gangster epics, basketball biographies and anything else he could find. In this writing about his childhood Alexie makes it very clear that as a minority he refused to fail and fall into the stereotype surrounding his Native American heritage. He knew he wanted to learn, and that he loved to read. According to the writing, most Indians in that time were expected to be short, quiet and uncommunicative in-front of their non-Indian teachers, and did not want to speak up or seem smart in the classroom, especially at the young age Alexie was. Therefore they were comfortable around other Indians but came off as completely un-intelligent around non-Indians. He always spoke out in class and asked questions, he was not afraid to stand out, because he knew it was not necessarily a bad thing. Alexie describes a smart Indian viewed as “a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians...
Words: 785 - Pages: 4
...Term Definition Stereotypes Unreliable, exaggerated generalizations about all members of a group that do not take individual differences into account Prejudice A negative attitude toward an entire category of people, such as a racial or ethnic minority Labeling theory The act of the majority negatively labeling the minority and influencing them to adhere to the label Part II Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: • Race • Ethnicity • Religion • Gender • Sexual orientation • Age • Disability Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3 Gender Women belong in the kitchen Women can’t drive All men love sports Race Blacks are criminals Blacks like living on welfare All Asians are smart Ethnicity Mexicans only come to the U.S. to work on farms Germans hate Jews French people are all snooty Part III Answer each question in 100 to 150 words related to those stereotypes: • What are the positive aspects of the stereotypes, if any? I can’t really think of too many positive aspects, but one positive aspect of stereotypes is that some people listen more and trust what Asians say rather than someone of a different race because they believe that all Asians are smart. Using this knowledge, the media could use Asian people (and men specifically because of the stereotype that they are smarter than women) to get news out about a new virus, an emergency, or other breaking news. ...
Words: 721 - Pages: 3
...the few shows ever to be centered around an Asian-American family on American television. Growing up in America with first generation immigrant parents has not been easy, and growing up in a culture where you can’t even see yourself in everyday media makes it even harder to adjust. I remember watching T.V. as a kid and rarely did I see any Asian Americans on the screen; and if I did, the characters were portrayed in a way I was not familiar with. Finally getting a show like Fresh Off The Boat makes it seem like Asian Americans are breaking through barriers and making their way into mainstream media. As an Asian American myself, I happen to see this as a huge deal; finally, there is something I can relate to on T.V. Even though the Asian-American community has been excited and supportive of the series, it apparently does not appeal to the majority, and there have already been rumors of the show’s cancellation. But why is a show as innovative as Fresh Off the Boat being cancelled? The show has so many fans and is considered ground braking in the Asian-American community, but that is not enough to keep the show on air apparently. -As a minority in America, Asian Americans deserve to have their culture portrayed accurately in mainstream media. However, whenever there are Asian characters on television or films, the roles do not reflect the Asian culture, but reflect the stereotypes thought of the culture. Mainstream American pop culture has failed to represent Asian culture...
Words: 1946 - Pages: 8
...do this, Olson suggests that the goal is to “move the process out of your head, into your heart with sincerity, into your gut with humour, and, ideally, if you’re sexy enough, into your lower organs with sex appeal” (Olson 2009). The Discovery Channel television show Mythbusters portrays an example of this effective communication, as it breaks the bridge between subjectivity and objectivity by presenting the scientific method in a context of popular culture and myth. Firstly, it does this by arousing scientific interest by referencing popular urban myths, wives tales or movie scenes and testing these by embracing the spontaneity of the cast. This cast plays a vital role in accessing the ‘gut’ and ‘heart’ of the viewers, as they break stereotypes previously formed in the media about scientists but still communicate scientific concepts effectively. Mythbusters accurately communicates the modern image of a scientist by embracing diversity within the scientific field and utilising sex appeal. Finally, the show uses communication techniques to target audiences and demographic that aren’t often targeted by scientific communication. All these factors work together to arouse the interest of the television-viewing audience and communicate the scientific method in a relatable and accessible way. The format of Mythbusters arouses scientific interest by referencing popular urban myths, wives tales or movie scenes and testing these in an intriguing way. Myths and legends are not typically...
Words: 2891 - Pages: 12
...it constricts their future. The Native Americans feel restricted by the past and constant discrimination from the rest of the world, hindering their own success. In “Indian education” Victor deals with constant discrimination throughout his youth, his fellow classmates give him trouble and his teacher is especially hard on him. The title “indian education” can be seen as ironic as Victor learns many lessons in school while none of them being academic. The lessons he learns didn’t come from what was taught in the class room but rather how to deal with hardship personally. Making him a much stronger emotionally as a person than any of his peers. This recurs throughout the rest of the stories as Victors spirit shall not be broken and Victor goes above and beyond the others proving his own intelligence. His teachers interpret this as a sign of disrespect which contrasts their own idea of a stereotype for Native Americans as uneducated delinquents who just grow...
Words: 1466 - Pages: 6
...Appendix B Part I Define the following terms: Term Definition Stereotypes Unreliable, exaggerated generalizations about all members of a group that do not take individual differences into account. Prejudice A negative attitude toward an entire category of people, such as a racial or ethnic minority. Labeling theory A sociological approach introduced by Howard Becker that attempts to explain why certain people are viewed as deviants and others engaging in the same behavior are not. Part II Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: Race Ethnicity Religion Gender Sexual orientation Age Disability Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3 Race Racial profiling Scapegoating Theory Minority Group Religion Ethnocentrism Genocide Absolute Deprivation Sexual Orientation Hate Crimes Discrimination Social Distance Part III Answer each question in 100 to 150 words related to those stereotypes: What are the positive aspects of the stereotypes, if any? The only positive if it would be considered one is when you discuss a topic the general belief about it is that the common knowledge of said topic is based on what everyone believes about it. Say how people who mistrust young men dressed in clothes known to be worn by gang members due to the color and styles. There would be the basis of someone stereotyping them into a group as gang bangers or street gangs and...
Words: 1265 - Pages: 6
...[happy],” when they are really “[the] most unhappy”(26). Douglass directly criticizes the white men, who wrongly believe slaves are happy with their lives. Douglass goes on to describe the brutality slaves face throughout his novel. Slavery consists of beatings that “[cause] the blood to run,” leading to the “[breaking] of body, soul, and spirit”(59, 63). Douglass censors nothing in his novel, and describes every beating to help the reader imagine how bad the slave’s lives were. This helps to destroy the romantic image of slavery, because the sorrowful songs, excessive beatings, and mental toll prove the slaves are not treated humanely, and are mentally and physically not treated...
Words: 667 - Pages: 3
...English written assignment Essay on Virak Khiev’s article Breaking The Bonds Of Hate (1992) The article “Breaking the bonds of hate” is written by Virak Khiev in 1992. The article is about the ideal life you will reach in the land of opportunities: The United States of America. Virak Khiev’s article reflects his difficulties of growing up in a country he hated to seek the American Dream everyone talked about. Many people seek the American Dream, especially people from the minorities and countries with war and killing. Their search for the ideal life with a big house, lots of money and the popular ending “and we lived happily ever after” is true in the article by Virak Khiev. But breaking free from your country of killing and no money to reach the ideal life can be painful and the following issues can be hard to tolerate. The article is basically an autobiography. Virak Khiev writes about his life and what he has experienced in the order to follow the American Dream. You can see that it is an autobiography in the first sentence of the whole article. He writes “Ever since I can remember, I wanted the ideal life: a big house, lots of money, cars. I wanted to find the perfect happiness that so many people have longed for.” It proves that he is writing about himself and what he wants. His diction and choice of words is usual. It is on a balanced line between formal and informal; spoken language. There are no use of extremely fine and formal words and no informal or offensive...
Words: 1218 - Pages: 5
...It very often that a person turns on a television to watch programmes without really analysing the characters they see in the shows. As viewers, we mostly ingest what we see as pure entertainment. So is not always obvious to us about how certain groups of people are being portrayed in the media, what sort of messages are being implied, or the ramifications that arise from the various representations we see. To conclude how important media representation is to viewers, we have to first understand what media representation is, what is being represented, and how it impacts society and how we perceive what or whom that is represented. In this essay I will focus primarily on the media representation in television and its examples. According to Long and Wall (2009), a definition of media representation is “to describe, or depict something; to call it up in the mind by description, portrayal or imagination. To represent also means to symbolise, to stand for, to be a specimen of or to substitute for” (p.79). In my opinion, television is one of the more impactful media form in representation. Television shows are capable of describing and depicting sceneries and people visually, and special emphasis on sound effects and such help make the scenes more vivid. So it is probably the media format that which communicates to us most straightforwardly. And by doing so, the television easily offers a sneak peak into the lives of various people living across the world, or the beautiful landscapes...
Words: 1616 - Pages: 7
... Gallimard falls in love with Song, whom he believes to be a woman, during his time as a diplomat in Beijing. Unlucky and awkward, Gallimard is an unlikely candidate for the attentions of a beautiful woman. Indeed, how is it that this affair, that spanned several years and was accomplished, enabled Song to disguise himself as a woman for so long, and so completely? The relationship between Gallimard and Song was allowed to continue without breaking the illusion simply, because people do see what they want to (or that people will refuse to see something that they do not, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary). Gallimard is influenced by the stereotypes associated with oriental women. He is particularly attached to a vision of Asian women as being modest, submissive, and extremely loyal to their men. Throughout the play Gallimard associates oriental women with various stereotypes that aren’t necessarily true. “It’s true what they say about Oriental girls. They want to be treated bad!” (Act 1, Scene 3) Gallimard knows that he isn’t the best bachelor for women and cherishes every bit of Song’s love and the feeling of power and masculinity she gives him. This is a major reason why Gallimard was blinded by the fact that Song was actually a man. The role of the Butterfly is representative of the “ideal woman” and more so embodies for Western audiences, especially Western men, the optimal Asian woman. Butterfly is the submissive...
Words: 981 - Pages: 4
...Jersey Shore Critical Analysis I chose to do Jersey Shore for my Critical Analysis, not because it is my favourite show, but there is a lot of stereotype, and scripted events that relate to the younger viewers. This includes the commercials, and some of the things these characters are involved in. This Critical Analysis will break down this Television series, and will discuss what the characters do to create the image they are trying to achieve when airing this show. Will also discuss the ethical implications this series can have on the public, and how we behave because of this. In terms of gender, this show makes a clear difference in the actions between the men and the women. The men are often in the gym, or getting their haircut together, whereas the women go to the salon together, go to the beach, and there is a clear difference between what they do together. There are now a lot of relationships in the house, and this makes the way each gender acts extremely different. The male is often more dominant in the relationship, and the women seem to be more fragile. This was shown when Jenni was mad at her boyfriend Roger for ignoring her calls, but as soon as she confronted him, he took control of the conversation and immediately put his dominance across. There are many times in the show where they show that the women do have some sort of control or equality in the house, when they often show Mike doing the cooking, and the men cleaning. This could be to show that the women do...
Words: 2020 - Pages: 9
...segregation based off differences in both culture and appearance, flourishes amongst the ignorant and is prevalent throughout both America’s distant and recent history, as well as in the archives of world history. A parent to ignorance and the culprit to the divisive vices of racial prejudice of all creeds, a lack of sufficient education, along with blatant disregard for one’s global community, is the underlying reason why Orientalism is a recurring theme in history that has yet to be abolished entirely. However, there exist scholars and filmmakers, such as Le Espiritu, Sucheng Chan, Wakako Yamauchi, etcetera, who give hope to the fight against such ignorance by using their work to inform and educate the public in order to challenge such stereotypes and atrocious ways of thinking. In order to effectively and efficiently push against orientalism in today’s age of information, and secure a future for future generations in which no one racially profiles one another, discriminates against anyone else based on racial profiling, or constructs social barriers that belittle and...
Words: 3505 - Pages: 15
...white father and a Native American mother, Tayo’s complicated heritage makes him feel ashamed and alienated from the culture for which he grows up in; he is neither truly white, nor Laguna. By interweaving traditional Native American poetry into the prose of the novel, Leslie Marmon Silko is able to tell a powerful account of this man’s quest to defeat his “virulent afflictions” through a traditional ceremony. This ceremony helps Tayo to reach a resolution, one that rids him of both his despair...
Words: 1531 - Pages: 7
...They are represented as the “bad guys” who are crazy, unstable, and unbelievably violent within movies that play a big role in the entertainment business. The movie American Psycho is a perfect example of how people with mental issues are represented in movies. Patrick Bateman, played by Christian Bale, clearly has mental conflict and has sick fantasies of killing people he is associated with which results in many people’s brutal deaths. Movies like such constantly portray the mentally ill as always on a breaking point and is ready to do a completely unethical act of violence. What they forget to mention is that the mentally ill are actually ten to twenty times more likely to be victims of violence because of the stigma that continues to persevere ("Mental Health Myths and Facts”). Timothy Rice, who is a part of the Department of Psychiatry in New York, explains it best by reminding people that violent thoughts are normal for everyone to have (849). Yes, that means that if you have voice in your head wondering...
Words: 1510 - Pages: 7
