Reading Analyses #3

Danae Martin

Due September 25, 2017

Week 4

Your “takeaway” – this is the author’s central argument from the assigned reading, or the prominent theme that linked 2 or more readings

From this week 4 assigned readings the author’s central arguments involved in the readings were Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory. One of my “takeaways” from Mulvey’s article was how Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory is seen as a weapon in films and media because the unconscious has been seen as structured in the form of film.

In addition, connecting the cautionary tales: Between Freud and Feminism by Segal links another important aspect related to media and film. My “takeaway” from this article helped identify the differences between knowledge and power but also sexual identity and how this leads to social hierarchy.

However, the last reading Feminist Post Structuralism and Psychoanalysis from Weedon helped me connect and understand how female sexuality and femininity is represented in film. I am taking away how the psychoanalytic theory is the main construction of gender identity. In addition to this theory is a framework where femininity and masculinity can be understood by consciousness, language, and meaning. This is beneficial because this theory helps me understand gender subjectivity regarding male and female sexuality, which is portrayed in film. This provides an understanding of how gendered subjectivity is internalized in our everyday norms and values; therefore with this new knowledge, this has created the question of how films and media have affected our unconscious?

A new theme or concept from the assigned reading, defined in your own words;

A new theme and concept that I discovered from the assigned reading is gendered subjectivity and gender acquisition. This concept has allowed me to understand how society unconsciously internalizes norms and values. In my own words gender acquisition is when a child becomes aware of their gender. In the Weedon article Freud explains that this is the key to identity. I found it interesting that this meant young children were not considered feminine or masculine but were actually capable of developing feminine, masculine, or neither identity. This is interesting because Freud explains that forming an identity is done by the unconscious.

How you might use the material in your own research/everyday life

I will use this information in my future research in many different ways. A question I have from the assigned readings is regarding film and media and how much of an impact does film and media have on developing our gender identities, consciously and unconsciously?

I would like to research this because I need to know more a bout how our gender identities are being shaped and molded by films and media. Especially when it is taken into consideration of Freud’s theory of gender acquisition and each individual as capable of developing his or her gender identity.

Question:

How much of an impact does film and media have on developing our gender identities, consciously and unconsciously?