Oh Comely is a magazine about people. It inspires people to be creative, talk to their neighbours and explore new things, rather than gossip, buy stuff or lose weight. Oh is about new ways of looking inside ourselves and out at the world. A mindfulness magazine with a fresh perspective
Oh Comely magazine is a bi-monthly( produced twice a month) (British magazine published in print and digitally, made in London by a small indie publishing house started by three friends) published by Pirates Ahoy! a subsidiary of Iceberg Press, publisher of The Simple Things magazine.
Oh Comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quirkiness.
Theories of representation including Hall
Feminist theories including bell hooks and Van Zoonen
Theories of gender performativity including Butler
The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity in Oh Comely magazine.
Representation of social groups: Oh Comely constructs a lifestyle through its focus on culture and the environment. This analysis would offer the opportunity to question some of the messages and values constructed by the magazine.
Patterns, codes, conventions that share a common features
Narratives are a combination of many individual elements
Narratives are organised around a particular theme and space and are based in an idea of time
Proairetic code: action, movement, causation
Hermenuetic code: reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development
flashback flash forward
STORY is often associated with themes and meaning and can be decoded from all of the different elements that are used, for example, the characters, setting, props and themes
PLOT is the way in which the story (elements/themes/ideas/meaning) is organised and sequenced.
stock characters-
Hero
Helper
Princess
Villain
Victim
Dispatcher
Father
False Hero
parallel narrative- two things running together
enigma code (puzzle something to resolve)
light and shade release tension and lighten it up.
fragmented identity constructed / different identities changing fake
key characteristic of postmodernism is the development of fragmented, alienated individuals living in fragmented societies.
ellipsis/elision = elements are missing leaving things out
“narrative of white supremacist was created” – justice initiative
Media in the West has been a key player in the rise of these Orientalist notions as the stereotypes produced by these views are constantly cemented through the media we consume.
” all ideology hails or interpellates concrete individuals as concrete subjects, through the functioning of the category of the subject” – Althusser
Orientalism is the study of the Orient or the Eastern world. But it’s also the title of a book by Edward Said that reviews the effect of this belief system on the connections of Eastern and Western nations. This book reviews the history of this idea and how it’s still prevalent today.
the orient could not represent itself.
we are socially constructed and what socially constructs us is ‘despite its diversity and contradictions . . . the ruling ideology, which is the ideology of ‘the ruling class
Jean Kilbourne – Women are sexualised to be seen as objects, the women in Score are shown to be subservient to men which portrays this objectifying nature – Men are still sexualised as well as women but men are sexualised in a more positive way, men wouldn’t be sexualised or portrayed in the same way that women are as it wouldn’t be considered ‘masculine’ – Women are more at risk of developing mental health issues from this portrayal of women, women will feel inadequate to men and can develop an eating disorder, depression or low self esteem from seeing this ‘perfect’ model in ads and magazines, it’s damaging to society – “Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture” – Children are being exposed to pornography and sexual images from a young age which can be damaging to their well being as they will develop this understanding on how someone should look a certain way – “How sexy can a woman feel if she hates her body” – This suggests that society isn’t fair and due to this objectification women won’t feel secure enough in their own body
JEAN IS PART OF THE 2ND WAVE OF FEMINISM, who dopes a Ted talk on the way in which the media portrays women in adverts. She compares ads from different time periods and talks about how the same idea of objectifying women is carried throughout time. ‘the dangerous ways ad’s see women.’ She talks about how ads are photo shopped and
“women’s bodies are often dismembered by ads”- jean
Jean Kilbourne looks at the portrayal of women in advertisements such as Alcohol and Tobacco and magazines. “Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture.” The quote is saying how children are exposed to inappropriate concepts when they shouldn’t be but they are because of the media and culture.
Jean Kilborne is an American public speaker, writer, filmmaker and activist who is recognised for her work on the representation of women in advertising. She explores the connections and correlations between the image of women in advertisements and health issues such as eating disorders. She has also written about how children of a young age are constantly exposed to overly graphic ideas and messages about sex through advertisments.
“Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture.”
“The fact is that much of advertising’s power comes from this belief that advertising does not effect us. The most effective kind of propaganda is that which is not recognized as propaganda. Because we think advertising is silly and trivial, we are less on guard, less critical, than we might otherwise be. Its all in fun, its ridiculous. While were laughing, sometimes sneering, the commercial does its work.”
