STEREOTYPES 10/3

Stereotypes are:

Simplified representations which focus on certain characteristics of the group and assumes these to be shared across all group members. Inherent within a stereotype is a judgement on this characteristic (usually negative – but not always).

Stereotypes are often assumed to be negative because:

1. The judgement making the basis of the stereotype is usually a negative one – gossip is a bad thing, a waste of time.

2. They do not allow for individual traits to exist in members of the group – for example; some women may not be interested in other people’s domestic lives.

3. They are created by those outside the stereotyped group and are often seen to be an exertion of power – the stereotyped group often has no way to answer back.

4. The stereotype gives a ‘complete picture’ about the group and implies a knowledge and understanding that can be applied to all members of the group.

Stereotypes are widely circulated ideas or assumptions about particular groups. They are often negative and derogatory but can be sometimes be positive. 

They have the following characteristics:

1. They involve both a categorising and an evaluation of the group being stereotyped.
2. They usually emphasise some easily grasped feature(s) of the group, these are often based within:

          What they look like, wear, how they speak.

          The things they do and say.

3. Stereotypes often try to insist on absolute differences and boundaries where the reality is that groups of people have a spectrum or variety of differences
4. Stereotypes often evaluate groups in a negative way – but this often depends on the reading of the audience. 

Hugh Grant

In film, Hugh Grant is often supposed to represent the typical English gent. 
His character stereotypes Brits as posh, awkward and at odds with their emotions.

Appearance: His floppy hair and open necked shirt gives him the look of a privately educated toff, someone who is not so interested in his appearance or has little idea of style. 
His smile emphasises his downward eyes, which imply a self deprecation to his humour.

Behaviour: Hugh Grant’s characters are often bumbling fools, that fall in love but don’t know how to express their true feelings. He is well spoken and as an unmarried bachelor – Grant’s real life often echoes that of the characters he portrays.

Task 1: 

Find  examples in the media where Brits are represented as; bumbling, clumsy, out of touch with their emotions or posh.

Task 2:

Watch the music video for the Blur song ‘Parklife’. Analyse how different aspects of Britsh life are stereotyped – there are lots.
Use this approach:

Parklife stereotypes Britain as...

Appearance:

Behaviour:

How would different audiences react differently to a text like Parklife?