When
we were discussing gender stereotypes in class, I kept thinking: Harry doesn’t
fall into that. He was not muscular, or particularly funny and nor was he a
womanizer. He was sensitive. Harry Potter challenges most of the stereotypes
for male heroic figures. Potter is described to be a small, skinny, and bespectacled
boy. Potter is shown to be athletic but it is in a fictional sport called Quidditch.
Harry is the protagonist of the story, so he does have heroic qualities like
courage, integrity, etc, but you wouldn’t expect him too.
Questions Regarding Harry Potter
1.
Do
you agree with me that Harry Potter challenges male stereotypes? Does J.K
Rowling reinforce or challenge any other stereotypes?
2.
What is your perspective on gender roles in
teen films: particularly, franchise movies such as Harry Potter, Transformers, Twilight,
or now Hunger Games.
GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT CHILD CINEMA
In general, should producers
of children media pay particular attention in the stereotypes they show in
their movies? For example, fairy tales reinforce many negative gender
stereotypes. |
Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Bella, Cinderella, Snow White, and Little Mermaid are the earliest female characters children read/ hear about.
|
I agree that Harry Potter isn't your typical male protagonist in the series. He also isn't depicted as a nerd since he is wearing glasses. He isn't the brightest of the bunch, but he isn't stupid. He also isn't a pushover when it comes to conflicts with Draco.
ReplyDeleteI agree he isn't a nerd and nor is he a jock. I think in the movies he is portrayed more like a jock than a nerd. In the books, he grows out of being a timid boy.
DeleteI agree with Abdinasir. Harry Potter may not be the most toughest wizard or anything, but he isn't a pushover. J.K. seems to have to placed an opposite protagonist. Instead of a courageous male figure, she puts in nervous skinny character.
ReplyDeleteTwilight is just a ridiculous movie to me in general. When in the history of the world did vampires sparkle in the sunlight? A stupid idea in my opinion. But the character Bella is just some sappy sad girl who is just all sad about life and finds out that some guy is a vampire.
I totally agree with you for Harry Potter and Twilight. Bella doesn't have any depth and her dependency to males (Edward and Jacob) is truly irritating.
DeleteIn Hunger Games I don't see Peeta as tough and strong physically. He however is very smart and has a lot of strategies of surviving and protecting Katniss. He is very artistic and he knows how to mingle with people. He helps Katniss a number of times and that makes him heroic in my eyes. He may not be like superman and spiderman but he has his own ways protecting the ones he loves. In Hunger Games however Katniss is seen as very heroic. She is physically strong and fit. She is good at bow and arrow and can kill someone if need be. When it comes to Harry Potter, he shows his emotions but that doesn't make him weak. He still posseses the strength and power as other protagonists have. I agree that you don't expect him to have qualities such as courage and strength but like any other heroic male he does. I feel Rowling does challenge stereotypes to a certain degree but not fully. Potter shows his emotions but is also ready to fight when neccessary to protect those important to him.
ReplyDeleteI agree Rowling mainly challenges stereotypes but reinforces other ones like characterizes the wisest as a male (Dumbledore) or Ms. Weasley's character.
DeleteHowever, I disagree with you about Peeta. Peeta is shown to be good wrestler. He can carry weights and he is good in hand combat.
It is true that Peeta can carry weights. However the strength that Katniss has being a girl is commendable and I don't think Peeta can compete with that. I am not saying he is weak or less strong than Katniss but Katniss has something about her which makes her come off as strong and powerful.
DeleteBut you clearly said "I [Shahin] don't see Peeta as tough and strong physically," and I am disagreeing with that. I agree Katniss is stronger and more powerful than Peeta because she had a rougher life than him. Peeta is part of the merchant’s class in District 12, so she always had food on his table. On the other hand, Katniss had to hunt for food after her father’s death.
DeleteOne of the reasons why I think many books "challenge" the typical gender stereotypes is because I feel that media gives us this impression about males especially those who are jocks/athletic that they don't read books. Most of the time authors like to create characters that the reader can relate to. If dominant discourse tells society that athletic males don't read books, the authors are not going to make the males muscular. In the Hunger Games I believe the main character challenges the main stereotype that surrounds females in movies, which is that they are weak and rely on their knights in shinning armour to save them. Katniss does get saved by men, but she saves them as well, and she does not save them because of love. Yes, I think producers should pay attention to the movies they produce and I think they should veer away from the traditional role of women because I believe the idea of females relying on males originates from those Disney movies along with other stereotypes. We grow up seeing movies where the females like Snow White stay at home, cleaning while they are singing. The females in these movies are usually saved by men and it gives the impression to little kids that I don't have to worry about anything as long as I have a man beside me. As children consume these movies, it influences their opinions about gender and romance. At a young age, children are not able to deconstruct the messages that are implied in the movies; we just watch and think that’s the normal thing to do or be.
ReplyDeleteThere are many novels where the male protagonist have been athletic or jocks, but they have intelligence too. Books are a different medium from movies because authors don’t have to worry about how their characters look like, movies do. It’s not necessary for authors to provide a detail description of how a character looks like, but in movies it’s right there. Authors need to worry more about the substance of their novel, while movies are concerned with their appearance. Books feature more underdogs because character development sells books, while sex sells movies.
DeleteI would argue Harry Potter also challenges stereotypes regarding females in movies with Hermione. She is characterized through her intelligence, strength and loyalty not her beauty. However, Hunger Games is unique to teen films because the lead is a power female.
Personally, I love fairytales. However, if I were to deconstruct them, I would view them negatively and agree with you.
In the first book Hermione has to be saved by Harry and Ron from a troll. This shows that the author does have some stereotypes in her novels. In this scenerio she plays the damsel in distress role, and Harry and Ron could be seen as her knights in shinning armour. Hermione still takes on the role of taking care of Harry and Ron; she helps them with their work when they don’t do it, she checks if Harry eats properly before his Quidditch matches, which portrays the stereotype that females have to look after the males. Furthermore, Ron’s mother represents the dominant discourse about woman staying at home, cleaning and taking care of her kids.
DeleteI agree Ms. Weasley character is very stereotypically, but she is suppose to be the ultimate mother. That is, a mother for her kids and Harry. Overall, Hermione character does challenge stereotypes. That scene was one of the few ones she played a damsel in distress. Also, Rowling brought out the issue of Hermoine taking caring of the boys and cooking for them, when Hermione snaps at them in the Deadly Hallows. She says "I notice I'm always the one who ends up sorting out the food; because I am a girl, I suppose" and Ron replies "No it's because you're supposed to be the best in magic" (241)
DeletePersonally, I have strong negative feelings about Disney movies, as it teaches young impressionable girls that they have no strong worth, and that all that matters in life is to find a man that will protect and provide for you. This message begins to fester, unconsciously, in young girls minds; they strive to then be frail, pretty, and vulnerable as they start to develop their personalities. The parade of these kinds of movies doesn’t stop just there though, and are continued to be shown (as through dominant discourse, which whole heartedly supports this mainframe idea) through teen movies and shows. Popular example, the Twilight saga, where Bella is pretty much an empty bowl when it comes to a personality, and insists on being in Edward's company, even though he's a vampire, a stalker, and a danger to not only herself, but also to those around her. Media constantly teaches girls this message; success (as in a man) comes to those who have no personality, have an obsessive love life, and are weak to the bone, thus needing constant protection. Vice versa, young boys are disposed to watching superhero movies and shows (superman, batman, spiderman, etc.), which enforces on them the message that they have to be strong and have a strong personality when they grow up. So it’s a positive surprise that there are also books and movies out there, like Harry Potter, in the mainstream media, where gender stereotypes are as downplayed as they can be.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. A female’s success is in a man, while a male’s success is in his net worth. Disney movies also show that when a female acquires power (usually wrongfully) she is corrupted by it, while the males rule diligently. Snow White’s father ruled the kingdom admirably and when the Wicked Witch usurped the throne, she was an unkind ruler.
DeleteI agree with Jenani, because usually when we read a book, the author try his/her best to make it relate to us. I don't read book often, but when I have to read a book I would like the book to relate to me, so it can keep me entertained and stop me from zoning out.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read or seen the Hunger Game, but I heard it about two characters one male and one female trying to fight for food or something like that. In the movie we just seen (Think like a man) all the male and female characters were all rich and the only problem they were having is trying to keep their opposite sex. Compared to Hunger Game the male and female come from a small place and are serving the challenge just to earn food for them self and their home district.
What i am trying to say is that using stereotypes in movies/books like this won't matter much as in other movies like Think like a man, 21 jump street and etc.. because of the type of people who watches this king of movies( kids, family, etc...)
As far as Disney goes the producers should pay attention but not as much. After all the main population that there attracting are kids under aged 10. Kids aren't really focus on the main point of the movies and stereotypes them make, all they wont to do is watch the movies over and over again.
We do take children movies lightly and many individuals do grow out of it, but there is a danger of showing children such movies. They do think of it subconsciously and the fact that boys are showed different movies/shows is also troubling. From a young age, the differences are set.
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ReplyDeleteI do agree that J.K Rowling did challenge the stereotype of a heroic male figure.When I first watched this movie, I had never read the book. At first sight, I assumed that Harry's friend Ron was the protagonist and Harry was the nerd type of character that had no affect on the movie. The only thing that gave away that Harry is the protagonist is the title of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI watched the first two movies before I read the books. Ironically, Ron had more confidence than Harry initially; and as the series progress, Ron is jealous of harry.
DeleteI've been a big fan of Harry Potter for specifically this reason. He is not a big shot that want to be the hero for the fame, but he does it to be modest. I think that the author gave Harry Potter the fame in Quidditch because he was bullied in other aspects of his life. You will rarely similar types to this, but the opposite like Transformers and such.
ReplyDeleteIn most cases, people like the more bossy kind heroes that's why they tend to get more audience then other films.
I think Harry Potter was able to last because of character development. All the characters, even minor ones developed throughout the series.
DeleteIn Transformer, Sam was a social outcast. The opposite would be Edward from Twilight.
Yes, I do believe media should pay attention in the stereotypes they portray, especially in the Disney movies. My childhood had been filtered with watching Disney princess movies, which motivated myself into wanting to dress up and feel like a princess almost every day. I believe what an individual desires, thinks, and has a certain perspective on an issue is nearly 75% affected my media. In this certain media, is it portrayed that women are the individuals who need to get saved by a man, and this is where the heroic figure stereotype is played upon males. Ever since my childhood, I have been waiting for my prince charming in his knight shining armour to come on his white horse to save me (a bit dramatic, I know), however I believe I am tended to think this way is because of the way heroism is presented in Disney movies. Maybe, if it were presented in the opposite form as of the women in the knight shining armour, possibly there might be a male out there that is waiting for me to come save him on my white horse.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, but I still like Disney movies. You should just grow out of it. I would recommend a show called Once Upon a Time, they are adding depth to fairy tale characters.
DeleteI agree with you Maheen, Harry Potter does challenge stereotypes. He is pretty much average in everything, from his looks to his grades. As for the Disney movies, I think the media producers reinforce stereotypes about both genders. For instance, Snow White being saved by a man may give certain impressions to children that are not necessarily good. These ideas that are being planted into their minds may seem harmless but it shapes their thinking pattern, beliefs, and influences their behaviour. How will children know the difference between what the media is teaching them and reality? That being said I think the producers should pay attention to the stereotypes presented in their movies.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and to answer your question: I think is would be the parents' (or the grown-ups' in the child's life) responsibility to teach them the media doesn't depict reality. Personally, I can't imagine my childhood without Disney fairy tales. I now want to read the original Grimm Brothers' stories, but as a child I think the stories are used to show love and good in their best form. Fairy tales tell us love should be ever-lasting, you should be treated good (like a princess, i.e not abused), and so on. Even though, it is stereotypical children need simplistic messages, but the adults in their lives should teach them beyond it.
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