feministfrequency

 

In this video the 'feministfrequency' analyzes the hunger games and the roll of Jennifer Lawrence and how she is portrayed in the book and movie. She explains how Catniss is a strong smart responsible young women. feministfrequency explains how Katniss is not "reduced to her gender" and is not sexualized nor objectified in the book. She focuses on how Katniss is a strong female and breaking hollywoods stereotypes of women, saying she holds "many feminists values."

After watching this video it definitely opened my eyes. Feministfrequency made me aware that hollywood typically does sexualize women and reduce them to their gender. When she said "reduced to her gender" it showed me that a lot of movies do this and strip a lot of women's characters down to stereotypes about them. I agree with her in some of these areas but I also think she can be over analyzing in other areas. I think all throughout Hollywood there are stereotypes even within men. This video definitely made me more aware that all movies have characteristics like this which embellish certain stereotypes to get points across.

Module 6 - Hunger Games

This video comes out approaching the way women's sexuality is displayed in the film, The Hunger Games. Contrary to other female lead movies, this film approaches women and the way their sexuality is displayed extremely well. She also points out that Katniss is not symbolized as a female sex symbol, but rather, a leader. Like mentioned in this video, the female lead is actually displayed very respectfully, not extremely sexually like other female lead movies. While sexuality seems to be the main focus of this video, I did notice that she talked a lot about the limitations of race, ethnicity, and skin tone for the female lead role, which also ties to this weeks learning. the role calls for a woman with dark hair and olive skin, but the casting call strictly asked for Caucasian females. In comparison to the book, the film does a great job of showing compassion with the lead role, as it comes off much stronger in the movie than it does in the book.

Module 6

In the videos Tropes vs Women in Video Games by Feminist Frequency the discussion of females being reduced to nothing more than an object for the plot of the game is the main theme of these videos. Talking about how almost every video game involves a “damsel in distress” and where it all began. Beginning with the story of Perseus rescuing Andromeda from a gnarly sea monster and how it slowly became a very frequent retelling throughout various pop culture characters. These types of character development or lack there of in this case has become a bit of a cliche being used over and over in various video games. There are hundreds of different comparisons throughout these videos as to how female characters are belittled or reduced to a mere prop or plot device. I feel this is something I never would have thought about had it not been for taking this course. It truly was amazing to find out how often this formula for a damsel in distress is used or slightly changed from game to game. I think that this was more eye opening that I was expecting and would highly recommend watching any or all three of the videos. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toa_vH6xGqs&index=2&list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjImnqH_KwM&index=3&list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61

Module 6 - Resident Evil

This post is going to discuss a popular movie series as well as video game, and comic series.For this post I'll be talking primarily about the movies as the story lines for each do differ somewhat. The main character Alice plays a different role than typically seen from women in modern day movies. The movie series centers around a deadly virus sweeping across the globe turning people in to the "undead" or zombies who quickly bite or eat people, either turning them in to more zombies or killing them. Alice is humanities last hope, she was created by the Umbrella Corporation, the same corporation responsible for the deadly virus that was killing people. However when exposed to the virus she did not turn but instead it changed her it to a lethal killer. We see her take on the protective role for the people she is with and she is the one tasked with saving humanity from the virus as well as the plans of the evil corporation. This portrayal of a woman being humanities last hope and savior while also being the protector is something that is not seen as often. Typically movies such as superhero movies or movies such as Taken or 007 feature men who's job is being the hero. However in this movie we see Alice being the only one who is able to take on the threat facing humanity and save the human race from the virus killing everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfby7XwoBl0

Module 6 - Feminist Frequency

Feminist Frequency - "Glee, GQ and the Sexualization of Young Girls"

I chose to watch this video because I watched Glee throughout middle school and high school, so I was most intrigued by it. In this video, the woman is discussing a cover of GQ featuring some characters of Glee. The actresses on the cover and throughout the spread are seen in a school setting, wearing little clothing, and basically portraying the "school girl" fantasy. The woman, Anita, talks about how in the show Glee the females are portrayed as high school students so it is inappropriate to have them displayed as sex symbols. 

I don't think this video really influenced my thinking a lot. The topic of the sexualization of women has been very prominent lately and I already have my own opinions on the topic. I absorbed her opinions and I can definitely see where she's coming from, but I also see the other side of the argument. These actors and actresses are not their Glee characters outside of the show. They are adults and if they do not think it is inappropriate to do this photo shoot, that's their right. If the actresses are not uncomfortable and do not feel sexualized, then they should be free to do what they want.

Succubus and Incubus

Succubus and Incubus

This blogpost will be covering Tropes vs Women and specifically "The Evil Demon Seductress" made by Feminist Frequency. While I do agree that when not properly told and given development these types of characters can be flat and mostly for eye candy see the shapeshifter Decepticon Anita mentions. My biggest problem is an overlooked fact by Anita in researching the origins of these types of character she cites an 1886 scientist named Leland Ossian Howard for the as one of the roots for this trope. When in fact besides the nickname Preying Mantis it was already an established type of character by this point one such character who are the origin of the main name for this trope are the demon types, Succubus and Incubus. The most popular of the Succubus and Incubus are Lilith and Satan themselves though for simplicities sake the basic concept is that the Succubus would seduce human men to acquire semen to be given to the Incubus to impregnate human woman to create more demons.

The Evil Demon Seductress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VeCjm1UO4M&t=0s&index=4&list=PLBBDFEC9F5893C4AF

Module 6 - Tropes vs Women in Video games

Tropes vs Women in Video Games

I am writing this weeks blogpost about women in video games. A good source of my information will be coming from personal experience in the digital world. Most of these points i am going to bring up, will more than likely seem normal to most of us. I admit it, it did not seem too sexist or misogynistic until the points by Tropes, from feministfrequency on YouTube mentioned it to me. This does not mean she is creating an issue out of nothing, but more-so bringing it to light or our attention. She has an entire YouTube playlist and it would too overwhelming to write about the entire channel. One of our reading/watching assignments this week is Tropes mentioned the Ms. Male Character. How creators or developers of video games, would make a female counter-part of the male identity. Ms. Pacman was used as a good example, as Ms. Pacman was one of the first icons in this Ms. Male identity. How a simple pink bow was used to identify Ms. Pacman was a female. Nothing in of itself of the bow, or the color pink is considered feminine, but because of our society's culture, it fit the stereotype that almost anything wearing a bow or pink would be considered feminine. Another is Damsels in distress, where female characters always need to be saved by a strong male. Not necessarily locked to video games only, but also in movies and books and so on. Without trying to sound like too much of a angry blog post about the female portrayal in video games. I am going to talk about some of the more positive things in recent releases. Horizon Zero dawn, a modernly futuristic retro game. It is about a protagonist who happens to be of the female sex, living in the future where robots have evolved into essentially animals and the protagonist and her clan live in a hunter/gatherer society. Everything from her clothes to her appearance signify that she is a "feminine" protagonist. Another more popular game is also Tomb Raider. Lara croft is in no way "feminine", or at least fall under the gender stereotypes of what is considered feminine. She gets down and dirty and gets into plenty of adventures and fights on her own. She breaks and shatters the female stereotypes of being a damsel in distress and so on. Earlier in society, we created many stereotypes of the female gender, but now that we are aware of it. We are able to effectively play and produce video games that are less offensive to everyone, while still having female protagonists.

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST LINK - 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61

HORIZON ZERO DAWN - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRQDqurZJNk

TOMB RAIDER -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-1Xn0hZsIw

Feminism and Tropes

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is described as a supporting character brought into a story only to rejuvenate a fallen hero. The phrase was first used by Nathan Rabin a film critic to describe the role written to help the straight, white, male character loosen up and enjoy life. The job of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl is solely to support the uplifting of the males life. Most often, men are portrayed as great protectors, creators, and heroes. 

This is all perpetuates the the myth that women are caregivers and enforces the myth of women being a muse for the tortured male. Falling under the theory of liberal feminism, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl displays unequal representation of women in media and popular culture. If women were the heroes, having a male supporting character would be the opposite of what is portrayed in mass media. The symbolic representation of women under this trope, is that as people they are only in existence to support, encourage, and fix males.

Most romantic comedies contain the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. Her convenience makes a great story, but it takes away from women’s depth and complexity as individuals. It is consistent to the subservient yet romantic role women play throughout most of mass media. Books, movies, and television shows contain the idea that a woman’s purpose is to be a passive entity.

Module 5

After doing some brainstorming on characters who have broken the stereotype that their particular race/ethnicity has tagged with them. I decided to go with John Coffey from the movie "The Green Mile." I picked this character as someone who breaks racial stereotypes because he is a large black male who was found guilty of murder  and is seen as a murderer black man. There was no doubt about his accusation because of his stature and skin tone, it is easy to see him as a villain.

In reality John Coffey is actually simple minded, and shy man who did not commit the murders that he was accused of. The large african american man who is so easily seen as a villain is very sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of other around him. He uses his powers to heal Tom Hanks and this shows that John is really a good person deep down. John is also viewed as "one of god's miracles" something an african american had arguably never been portrayed as in american popular culture in the 1900s.

This character is initially portrayed as a stereotypical african american murderer who without a question committed the crime. Throughout the movie through Tom Hanks eyes he becomes viewed as a godly figure and a good man. To compare to the readings of this weeks module the idea of King Kong comes to mind. John Coffey being a large black male who is accused of raping and killing two young girls is being portrayed just like king kong a large ape going after white women. John breaks this stereotype by being extremely caring, soft and not a murderer at all!

Module 5 - Olivia Pope

When presented with the challenge to think of a character who breaks racial stereotypes, the choice was fairly simple for me. I instantly thought of Olivia Pope from the TV show Scandal. Olivia is the epitome of a character who breaks down these stereotypical walls, in my opinion. Pope runs her own crisis-management firm in Washington D.C. She works with fixing political scandals, hence the name of the program. 

What makes Olivia Pope so special is that she is a black woman in power. She runs her own company and is in charge of fixing the problems of mainly white male politicians. This clip from Season 4 shows complete power to me. As a black woman, she is a minority, but in this clip she is telling off a white male who also happens to be the vice president. 

Pope is such a significant character, especially for black women. In the media, black women are portrayed as unintelligent, uncivilized, and angry. Pope is viewed as strong, smart, and intelligent. I think it is especially important for young girls to see how powerful they can be and that there is no superior color or gender.

Video Source:

“Scandal - Season 4 Episode 9.” ABC.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jq4xU90Q8w)

Module 5 Race and Ethnicity - The Matrix

To me one movie that came to mind was The Matrix (1999). In this movie we see Morpheus who is played by Lawrence Fishburn portrayed as the one who is enlightened and hold the keys to the truth about the Matrix. Although it is Neo who is "The One" Morpheus is instrumental in making Neo realize his capabilities and what he means for the future of humanity. Morpheus teaches Neo how to use and control his powers to use them to help defeat the machines and free humanity from the false reality they are living in. To me this is different that a stereotypical portrayal of an African American character because Morpheus is the one who has to teach Neo everything, he is the one who knows the truth behind the matrix and is seen as a wise person who others look to for support and guidance. He is also the captain of their ship the Nebuchadnezzar which takes them to and from the last human city of Zion. In this way Morpheus is different because he is the one teaching people the truths about the life they are living in, and he is the one who people trust to lead them in their ongoing war against the machines.

Aunt Viv: Smashing Racial Stereotypes

           This week, we looked at different representations and misrepresentations of race and ethnicity in American popular culture. Culturally and historically, there are hundreds of years worth of scientific and cultural dehumanization of African Americans. Often the butt of jokes, African American people have served as high entertainment. This all makes the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air no different. However, instead of offering an outlet to laugh at the expense of African Americans, the show allowed audiences to laugh with African Americans and see them in a more flattering light. The family of Judge Philip Banks is flipped, turned upside down when his wife’s nephew, Will, comes to live with them after being in an altercation in his hometown of West Philadelphia. Phil’s wife, known as Aunt Viv, is caring, yet no nonsense, and loving, yet firm. Her presence on the show is tremendous. The audience is led to believe that she is just a housewife that reaps the benefits of her husband’s work, but thats not true. It is revealed in episode 21 of season 1, that she had struggles herself. Coming from a family that relied on her to succeed and do well, she dropped out of high school and had to work days to go to school at night. Then, she was able to earn her PhD, become a teacher, and carry out the success her family expected of her. After seeing how hard she worked to achieve all that she has, she becomes a role-model for everyone. Her depth and revelation showed that everyone is deserving of a second chance, and that being at the bottom doesn’t mean that you’ll never make it to the top. 

          Aunt Viv’s struggle in her life can be paralleled to that of African American’s life in America. Showing that despite what is given you, you can rise above and make things better for yourself, if you want it to be. Her representation in the show is the opposite of the stereotypes put out. She was educated, a hard worker, and influential. All things that would be unseen had this episode not been aired. She shows the importance of not judging a book by its cover, because she is more complex than what is initially portrayed. 


TheAntiIntellect. "Jasmine Guy Guests on Fresh Prince In One of The Most Powerful Episodes Ever." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Mar. 2014. Web. 

Race and ethnicity in pop. culture

Race and Ethnicity in Popular Culture

This weeks popular culture assignment is spending its time with race and ethnicity. This can include many different variations but is more-so focused on the media's portrayal of the races. More than often, the portrayal of these races or ethnic groups are generalized stereotypes, which can be considered offensive. The topic i'd like to write about in this blog is specifically about the movie Hidden Figures (2016). Although this movie is more recent in production, i find it is important to mention as well as show the struggles of different races and ethnic groups in search of the "American Dream". We have had immigrants come across the seas and oceans treated much better than the strong and powerful African-American culture in the US. The African-American community and culture has been looked down upon for almost 3 hundred years. Escaping slavery and still having to fight for rights and freedoms after the abolishment of slavery. It is important we do not forget our history involving basic human rights for all races and ethnic groups. Mass culture theory at the time would dictate African-Americans were inferior to their traditional counter-part. Even to the point where we had women, not just women. African-American women, working on the most important mission at the time of the US, being mistreated unfairly. You would think after climbing to the point where you are working for NASA that you have essentially made the "American-Dream". Basic things such as bathrooms or coffee usage, although minor in detail, a huge psychological factor that says you are not apart of us. The struggles of basic or minor things are important as they are minor, but the African-American culture still had to fight for them. 

LINK :

HIDDEN FIGURES BATHROOM SCENE **Warning . Powerful and emotional

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j6p7ajuh-E

Module 5, Race and Ethnicity

Luke Cage is an African American superhero, also referred to as “The only Black superhero”. Cage is a bulletproof superhero, protecting the streets of Harlem from serious trouble. His bulletproof skin is not his only asset, though, Cage refers to so much wisdom of his understanding of black history and achievements. Throughout the series, Cage does his best to protect both citizens as well as the city of Harlem from bad guys, who reside on both sides of the law. Luke Cage shows the side of the black and Latino community that many people don’t commonly see today in society, as most of the time only negative stories are shared, somewhat corrupting peoples views on other cultures. Similar to what we learned in this weeks module, if you’re taught, or your mind is shaped to believe that a certain culture acts the same, rather than an individual, that’s what you will expect out of that culture. Sure, Cage has unmatchable strength, and can absorb bullets with his skin, but Luke Cage’s biggest asset is devotion to cultural and ethnic history, and his pride to share the knowledge of what Harlem once was, and why it should be a safer place. 
Attached is a clip from Luke Cage where Cage provides his understanding of work ethic, setting the right example for the future, and his definition of what Harlem truly is.

Module 2

Alcohol is something that is used all across the world. Alcoholic beverages come in many different flavors, sizes, colors, and even a different type of buzz. Alcohol has come a long way from once being prohibited in our country, now becoming a prominent social and cultural staple in todays world. Alcohol is unique because everyone enjoys it a different way. Some people may have a glass of wine too take the edge off and listen to music while another person enjoys drinking a beer at their favorite sporting events. People enjoy drinking champagne as a celebration while there is also people who unfortunately turn to alcohol in low times and there are people who don't drink at all. The way people interact with alcohol varies greatly throughout our country and this world. Even the way Alcohol is viewed varies greatly around the world. In some cases it carries a stigma with it but on the other hand some may look at it as a part of tradition and a representation of their culture and celebration.

In a geographical sense, places are tagged with certain drinks and the way people consume them. for example, the way people socialize and consume beer during Oktoberfest in Germany is much different than the way someone drinks a Red Stripe in Jamaica. Places like Italy are famous for their wine and there are wine connoisseur's who value age, scent and the make of each bottle, which is an interesting interaction with alcohol. On a much more local scale towns and cities have their own beer like Boston's "Samuel Adams," which tackles a flavor for every different season. By doing this they give a taste into the senses of each different season, a very cool insight of the geographical feel in Boston.

In many cultures alcohol is much more than a beverage but is a glimpse of what their areas environment is like all in one drink, in a similar fashion as food. It is also a universal thing so different drinks in different areas can be compared and contrasted. Alcohol can be consumed, interpreted, and crafted in many different ways which makes the interactions with people and alcohol endless.

Johnny 5's Unfortunate Friend

1988 Johnny 5 returned to the big screen in his second film Short Circuit 2. This was another wacky adventure from the 80s with suspense, humor, and even a teary eye every now and then. Although the movie is based on a robots, Johnny 5, adventure through New York City, the character I would like to point out is that of his Indian sidekick Benjamin Jahrvi. Jahrvi is a street toy salesmen who sells these tiny robots that he makes by hand. Ben gets into a bit of a sticky situation and the adventure for him begins. Although he is smart enough to build his own tiny robotic toys, Ben is not smart enough to know when he is being taken advantage of by a loan shark. Unfortunately this Indian man was no Indian at all. Much like the actors of the early twenties portraying “blackface”, Fisher Stevens did used the same kind of movie magic to turn from white to Indian. Not many people noticed this at first, except one rather famous Indian himself later on in life. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2XQn14oea0

The Truth about Popular Culture

Mass culture theory as explained by Lance Eaton is that it is essentially a hierarchy of culture. That there is different types of culture or folk culture that the elites would argue is “better”. Things that would be considered popular culture would be something that doesn’t necessarily require as much work or attention to understand or comprehend. In this YouTube video by Paul Joseph Watson, he dissects multiple aspects of popular culture. He includes subjects from music to television. I want to focus on the television aspect. He mentions the things on the television are mass produced for mass consumption of popular culture. His wordings are far more intense than I am making it out to be. He essentially berates what is on television. One of his specific examples would include “reality television”. He mentions how reality television force feeds the idea that to be a celebrity, that you do not need actual talent but to be wildly inappropriate in a public manner. There are multiple reality shows that involve these celebrities with no actual talent. I personally have never ever been a fan of reality television for the same reason he mentions in his video. One major aspect is that these reality tv shows are garbage, and that they set a wildly unrealistic expectation of cultural goals or happiness. He also mentions that individuals who spend more time watching these shows have a higher risk of depression and suicide. I can see why now that it was mentioned about the unrealistical life these celebrities have and that us, as part of the popular culture would never be close to obtain.

Tags : mass culture theory, popular culture, reality television, Kardashians, tv,
LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lyLUIXWnrC0

Mass Culture Theory - Art

In the past and even today, artwork done by famous artists has been viewed as more high class than part of mass culture. Pieces of artwork hand painted by famous artists, most of which are thought to have some sort of deep meaning behind them that people are willing to pay thousands and sometimes even millions of dollars for. This artwork was so valuable because it was unique, it is hand drawn by the artist not something that is mass produced and reproduced that everyone can get their hands on. However Andy worhol took a different route than most artists. Instead of wanting his art to be one of a kind and hand painting everything he created he wanted to make mass produced art. He is known for his Campbells soups cans painting which was very popular with the public. After this he did not paint but switched strictly to silk screen printing all of his works of art. He created mass-produced pieces of artwork that changed art from being more distinguished and exclusive to a part of mass culture. His artwork did not pretend to be something with deep meaning or exclusive only to the high class or those who could afford it, he made mass produced works of art. "However, when his art still sold, without having meaning, it showed the world that fine art, commercial art, and even marketing were not so very different after all." (Andy Worhol: Mass Produced Art with Popular Appeal) 

http://emptyeasel.com/2007/05/22/andy-warhol-mass-produced-art-with-popular-appeal/

Pop Music / Pop Culture

For my post, I decided to use an article I found based on current day music, coming from Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters. In this article, Grohl talks about how he can’t stand when he asks his kids what they are listening to in today’s day in age, and hears that it has to do with songs coming from singers such as Katy Perry. Grohl goes on about how he thinks that the music that people are creating, as well as listening to in modern day society, is basically trash in comparison to what used to be considered “Chart Toppers”. I found this article to be extremely one sided, although I may not necessarily agree or disagree with what Grohl was arguing. He uses the line “It’s fun to listen to, to turn up in your car when you’re in traffic, but there’s no substance at all. It’s devoid of any meaning.” While Grohl may not see the meaning behind certain songs and genres played on the radio today, such as Katy Perry for instance, that does not necessarily mean that they lack meaning, but perhaps just the meaning he is looking for. For Grohl to argue that there is no meaning behind these songs and lyrics, it is just as easy for someone to say that there is no meaning behind songs that Grohl was a part of, as well as listened to in prior years if it lacks the meaning they are looking for. 

www.nme.com/news/music/foo-fighters-140-1219744

The Cowboy & The Western

In The Titanic, Jack Dawson could be considered somewhat of a cowboy figure. He is a poor artist who travels the world and avoids order. He wins tickets onto the ship where he meets his love interest, Rose. The Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink. Dawson takes action and tries to save Rose and himself.

Jack Dawson is the first person that came to my mind when thinking about non-traditional cowboys not based in the wild west. He is a character who is handsome, strong, and who leads his group. He is masculine, self-sufficient, and, as most cowboys are, he's a white male. Dawson fits both types of cowboys described in the video. He is an explorer, exploring as many parts of the world as possible. He is also a wanderer for similar reasons. He was an orphan and he continues to travel, not having much of a home.

The type of Western described in The Titanic would be that it has an internal threat. The internal threat is unconventional because it is not a person. The internal threat is the iceberg that causes the ship to start sinking. What makes Jack a cowboy here is when the iceberg hits, he takes action. He does everything to save Rose until his dying breath.

Vigilante Cowboy

Going off the fact that cowboys do not need to come from the past, or from the west, I decided to go with Arrow. Oliver Queen, also know as Arrow, is the vigilante alter ego of the Green Arrow. In this series, Oliver Queen must use his special set of skills to protect the city he lives in, Starling City, from different enemies, and villains that attack his city. During the night, Queen works as a vigilante to correct societal wrongs throughout his city. I agree that the comparison of a vigilante and a cowboy seem very different, but the vigilante could also be known as the modern day cowboy. I look at Starling City as the western aspect of the cowboy. Oliver Queen plays the role of the cowboy, or someone who rights the wrongs that may be considered crossing the line, or doing things that would be considered unjust. Queen certainly fills the description of a white, masculine male, very clearly portrayed throughout the series. Although cowboys generally seem to work on their own, Queen works with a few allies that help him get past his setbacks, and ultimately do what it takes to ensure the safety of Starling City, even if it means crossing lines he shouldn’t. 

Portrayals of Cowboys in Western Films

In this post I'm going to compare two western films - Tombstone(1993) and Jeremiah Johnson(1972) to see the different portrayals of cowboys depending on the source. In Tombstone we see Wyatt Earp joined by Doc Holliday and his brothers Virgil and Morgan become the marshals of Tombstone, Arizona a booming mining town. They were unable to tolerate the lawlessness of the town that was brought on by the Cochise County Cowboys. In this movie the cowboys are portrayed as tough, ruthless white males which is typical of cowboys but we usually see cowboys as the ones bringing order to frontier settlements however in this movie that is not the case. Their acts of violence were what was causing the disorder in tombstone. They are portrayed as purely evil while the marshals are the ones trying to bring peace and order to the mining town. However it does follow the typical western narrative that features a town on the frontier with some sort of thereat and a hostile surrounding feating a conflict between cowboys and policemen. Overall I would say the style of the movie fits the typical western movie, a lawless town on the frontier with a conflict over someone trying to bring order to it. However the portrayal of cowboys as purely evil, committing random acts of violence and causing the disorder seems a little uncharacteristic. Jeremiah Johnson's portrayal of the cowboy was a bit different from the cowboys we see in Tombstone. He is a white man man moving through the frontier by himself, attempting to be self sufficient and make it on his own and stake a new territory which is a pretty typical portrayal of the cowboy in western films. For the first part of he movie we see him struggling to make it then meting a fellow trapper and hunter who shows him the ways of living in the wilderness. Then on the way back from a hunt he meets Blackfoot  Indians who are threatening towards him, until he offers them the Elk he killed earring him their respect. He lived off the land until he found a fellow trapper buried up to his head by the Blackfoot Indians. The trappers asks him to help get his horse and supplies back from the savage Indians. Jeremiah did not want to fight them and wanted to wait until the Indians were asleep to steal their supplies back, so they did. However one of the Indians awoke and the trapper ended up killing the Indians. Jeremiah is then welcomed by another Indian tribe he offers the chief horses and the scalps of the Blackfeet in return the chief gives Jeremiah his daughter. He marries the girl and after this we see him living peacefully in a cabin in the woods with her and her son. This is different from what the typical portrayal of a cowboy is, to me cowboys usually ride alone or in a group but rarely do you see cowboys who are married going about their business not causing trouble. Soon the Blackfeet find his cabin and kill his wife and child as revenge. After this Jeremiah wanted about the woods for years killing any Blackfeet he saw. In this way we see him portrayed very differently throughout the movie. He does not want conflict with the Indians to start and even though he did not originally kill the Blackfeet they think it was him and get their revenge. This turns the peaceful self sufficient cowboy in to a different type of cowboy, a ruthless killer who wanted nothing but revenge on the Indians who killed his wife and son. To me there is some similarities in the way cowboys were portrayed in there movies but overall I think there was more differences. Obviously this is only two of the many western movies that were made but I found it interesting how they can portrayed differently throughout different movies.

Movies

Movies have been around since the late 1800s. They have grown from 7 minutes
to hours long. In today’s world, movie franchises have become a huge part of pop culture. Star
Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Marvel Cinematic
Universe are just a few to name! These movies help us to feel hope, empowerment, and outside
the movies themselves comes a community of others who connect from them and have a sense
of inclusion by being apart of that.

These movies influence pop culture tremendously. So many people today find
characters within movies they relate or look up to. Often times they’ll dress up like that
character for Halloween or have them as the background on their phone. Movies impact
people constantly and can be an outlet for people to fully immerse themselves and forget
about whatever they’re going through for a little while.

The feelings movies give us and the way we get so engaged is something that is
indescribable. When you’re an adult, sometimes you lose that sense of imagination, but
movies can help us to feel that all over again if only for a brief period in our day. Movies
have the ability to open up our eyes and see something through someone else’s shoes.

Movies help connect us through social interaction. They bring others together whether
that be online groups, costume parties, or showing up to the movies with a bunch of
people in costume on the day a movie premieres.

Movies also can affect how we act. Many people quote popular movie phrases all the
time. They are even referenced in other TV shows, movies, or books. These references
can help bring others closer if they know that they are referring to and if that quote is
relevant to them.

Films are always influencing and will forever be relevant in pop culture.