social factors
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MOVIE / TEXT -
COMPARATIVE PAPER
You are asked to write one solid paper of at least 3 pages long. Look at the list
of eligible Texts (books or articles, including those mentioned specifically in
class as eligible) and Movies -- just below on Blackboard) and select a choice(s)
that interests you: compare 2 movies, or 2 texts, or 1 movie and 1 text. Look at the
social and culture aspects of your choice (ex: a movie, or a scene, or a set of
scenes). Analyze the content by pointing out one or more of the social inequalities
and how it works: who is involved, who is dominant/subordinate, why, does the power
relationship change, what are the social conflicts, etc.
For example: When we studied/discussed The Help, we used/applied Framing. Both a
Movie and Book/article are framed messages (stories). A frame is a selection of
content. There is social content inside each one of their frames. ALSO there is
social content which is outside of any frame. Sometimes the most important facts or
realities are left outside of a frame.
Your assignment is to APPLY several of the concepts and terms that we have covered
this semester in order to analyze your pair of selections. For example: In a movie,
it may be a scene, or more than one scene, or the whole film in comparison to the
other film. Again, you need to identify and write about its social content
using/applying concepts/terms from THIS COURSE. You can compare two or more scenes
from the same movie or from two different movies, or compare a book and a movie.
This is not a movie review. It is your analysis of aspects of each item and how it
compares and/or contrasts with the other item in the pair.
A Tip: You can take the approach suggested below:
HINT: Focus on and look for answers to questions such as these; and apply as many
terms and concepts from this course to make your points:
(1) What is the name of the movie(s) and/or book(s) you have chosen?
(2) What are some important social factors (race, class, gender, hierarchy, societal
conflict, inequality, etc.) involved in the scene, scenes or movie or book that you
have chosen?
(3) Are there any important social factors that are left outside of its frame(s)?
(4) What is the social conflict or conflicts going on? Why is that conflict going
on? Which character(s) show the conflict(s)?
(5) Who has power (is dominant) in the scene (or movie) and who is (subordinate,
with less power)? Did or will the power relationship change in the course of the
movie or book?
(6) Is stratification of any kind involved? Describe it. (By class, race, ethnicity,
religion, age, disability. gender, sexual preference).
(7) Are there any examples of social mobility involved? (upward, downward, lateral,
intergenerational, intra-generational)
(8) What are the social identities of the characters in the scene? Do these
identifies effect what happens in the scene or film?
(9) Can you find examples of Intersectionality and/or the Matrix of Domination (who
is dominant or subordinate based on race and/or class and/or gender)?
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