Masculinity Test.

1.

• Define the terms :-

Emasculation

Voyeurism

Narcissistic Identification

Ubermensch

Misogyny

Metereo Sexual

(3 marks)

•  2. List what Blys theory is by describing what he describes as the post and pre industrialised man. (4 marks)
• 3. Explain the main stages of the oedipus complex. (5 marks)
• 4. List the four types of men that Connell's type outlines in his theory and describe the differences. (2 marks)

• 5. Explain how this cover uses conventions of a men's health magazine, by discussing how the male gaze has been potrayed in this cover. (4 marks)

• 6. This advert was featured in the Jan/Feb issue of men's health. Discuss how it's unusual for this type of advert to be in a men's health magazine. (2 marks)

• 7. What are the representations of males made in the following Drama's and Movies :- (8 marks)

- Mad Men
- Fightclub
- Knocked Up
- Superbad

This is a cover of twilight star Kellan Lutz, I think even though the cover follows the same outlines as most of the men's health covers do. I think this cover appears more complicit rather than hegemonic, because eventhough Lutz looks like a hegemonic male with a muscly body, I think he looks very meterosexual with his blonde dyed hair and I think that the stylist has failed at making him appear like a rugged man.

This issue promotes stripping away fat in 28 days. This is a quick fix article and I think this will appeal to most men, as the cover model has been specifically put on the cover so that fat men can idolise and fantasize about having a hegemoic. The covers use a specific to illustrate that the time taken to do the action is short.

I think that the model is quite narcassistic, because in my opinion Lutz appears to be a pretty boy, who likes to look well presented, especially as he dyes his hair.

The covers of mens health include articles that are quick fixes to mens problems. For example in this issue 'Jump Start your life' has been produced in a red text, this is so that this stands out more than any other article apart from the main selling line which is return to slender. This article about jump starting your life is evidence that mens health incporates self help articles to assist men in overcoming their problems.

Alot of the cover has articles to do with improving the self image, and how to get the perfect women. For example, this cover uses 'return to slender' and 'Secret sex spy', these articles are to purely try and make the male reader's ego even bigger than what it was, and to become more confident when it comes to the bedroom, as the article is showing women as being trophies who are here to only have sex with.

Male sesitivity is shown in this issue through the She's gonna blow article, this shows that the male feels inferior to the female when she shows some rage. Also it talks a lot about getting the perfect body and image, which is mainly associated with women fussing over their personal image.

Male superiority and manipluation can be seen on the article 'Samari self-defence' which is an article teaching the reader how to protect themselves in a fight, which could be associated with their primal instincts.

Representation of Gender.

Men

• Mad Men shows the men in a role of authority, where women are their play things and they rule the work environment and the home life.
• It shows the dominant male as a cheating sleaze, who values family life, but also questions it as he is kind of destroying it.
• The role of the male in the working environment are shown as the top dogs, as most of the superior roles are occupied by men, apart from one job who is occupied by the pregnant woman.

Target Audience

The Target Audience for this drama would be :-

• I think this drama would appeal to all of the social classes, especially with the men. As I think there's qualities in the male character's personality that most males would desire to have.
• I would say that the Dramas audience will be mostly males as it is a more masculine program where it shows the male as being the authority figure, and shows women as being an object, almost as trophies.
• However I think that some women would like to watch it especially with Characters like the ginger one who is the head of the clerical workers, as it shows some authority in the male dominated world. I also think women and some men would be interested in the 1960's fashion and life style.
• Women could also see the main character, Don as being a sex symbol, where men see him as a role model.
• I think that the men who watch this program have hegemonic views and values, but question their place in authority.
• I think the things that the men who watch this drama would watch TV, go out to the pub and socialise with other hegemonic males in their spare time.

Reasons for Popularity

The reason why Mad Men is popular amongst Men and Women is because...

• It allows men to fantasize over the authority and power that the male has in society and in the bedroom.
• It shows the male as a hegemonic male, where they know their place in both bedroom and society.
• Women will favour this drama as they could see Dom as being the perfect male and also as a sex symbol.
• It also allows marginalised men to fantasize about a time where men weren't questioning their authority in the world.

Mad Men -

Glossary...

What representations are offered in the media?

modern age comedy movies such as Nocked Up, Super bad, Stepbrothers and the 40 yr old virgin all have a particular style in how they represent the sexes.

For example, the four movies above are constructed around the emotion of sexual frustration. In Nocked Up we see the male coming to realisation that he can't have any more casual one night stands as his last went terribly wrong, resulting in the female becoming pregnant. Seth Rogen's character is portayed as being uncaring and having a more hegemonic attitude towards the female and their baby, having no sympathy for her hormonal feelings.

In Superbad we see geeky teenagers the portrayed as being obsessed with obtaining alcohol and having sex underage, this in America could be a intiation of passage into being an adolscent rather than being a teenager as the legal drinking age in America is 21. I also think that Superbad is also very sexist especially towards women, as the fat male with the afro see's the pretty girls actions of having her breasts reduced is absurd, and sees her as a trophy rather than being a human being. This is constructed similarly to Nocked Up, as the feelings towards women are both mutual in both pieces of film.

In Stepbrothers we see a collsion of the sexes with the two adult males feeling out of place in their home as they are both confronted with similar stories and characteristics from their lives. As neither can find a job, so I would describe them as being marginilised, and because they can't show their dominance with having a job, i feel like they feel that should prove to the mother, being the only female in the house that they are the dominant male in the house. It also links to Oedipus complex as the male step brothers feel inferior to the father.

In fight club it isn't as much sexual frustration that is the main representation in this piece of media, but it is the marginilised male trying to find his role in society. Who turns to a leader of the fight club, Tyler, who is portrayed as being the hegemonic male, and being the perfect male version of the narrator. Fight club sticks to blys theory very well, as its almost like the fight club members are trying to rebel against post indst. societ and being violent, protecting weaker members of the group and putting members through trials of initiation.

Bly's theory (1992)

Pre indst. man
- violent
-protector
-active role in male child upbringing
-
post indst. man
-refuses the male of being violent
-which is why they are interested in violent movies etc.
-men are expected to work and leave mother.

Problems with shame, no outlet to express anger with confusion of role.

Oedipus Complex

-Theory of psychosexual stages of development to describe a boys feeling of desire towards his mother.
-feels jealous and angry towards his father.
-boy feels like he is is competition with his father to win over his mothers attention and affection.
-child must identify with the same sex parent in order to resolve the conflict.
-primal id is to eliminate the father eventhough the realistic ego knows he is stronger.
-the boy then experiences castration anxiety - a fear of both literal and figurative emasculation.
-

Connell's type

Hegemonic
-Male supremecy
-power
-authority
-heterosexuality
-aggression
-laddish
-macho
-sexist

Subordinate
-usually Gay
-doesn't fit the 'lads lad' stereotype.

Marginilised
Labour market has meant they can no longer assume therewill be jobs for them after school.
- sense of loss in society.

Complicit
- New man