Category: Feminism

Feminists have devoted considerable time and energy to refuting unfounded attacks and making clear that much work still needs to be done if women are to achieve equality. Feminist responses to the problems of misunderstanding and negative representations of its traditions, however, have sometimes been problematic. Income inequality in the workplace is one of the main problems caused by low social position of women and their historical perception as a weak gender.

Socialist feminist focuses on public and private life of women workers. Following this approach, many of the roots of the contemporary womens rights movement stem from the prejudices and frustrations women encounter regularly when they attempt to leave their designated role and enter the world of work, research, or study (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 325). At work and at home, many women find that established legal principles are not operative for them in daily practice in the world of trade and service. Perhaps the most damaging of all the handicaps a woman faces when she enters that world is the general assumption that a man by his very nature is capable of more than she is and in every respect. The subtle psychological implications of this are reflected in early toys and unwittingly absorbed in childhood. In the USA, socialist feminists underline that inequalities are a result of historical differences and gender roles in American society since slavery. In global context, income inequalities are caused by cultural traditions and values imposed on women. In many Asian societies, women are not perceived as equal to men but as mothers and caregivers only (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 327). During the past decade, various womens organizations worked to dispel the notion that women did not want better jobs, or that most of them preferred to stay at home. They worked toward asserting womens rights within the workforce, gradually moved women into leadership positions, highlighted womens concerns during collective bargaining sessions, and supported women who ran for public office. Womens caucuses insisted that public policies that reinforced domestic roles created self-images and behavior patterns that fostered inferior positions for women in the workforce (Woloch 54).

Nonfeminists, the study showed, were likely to be women busy with large families. The more children a woman has, particularly if she does not work outside the home, the more likely it is that she is not going to be in favor of equal rights. Based on this study, there is considerable difference in perspective between women who passively advocate equal rights and those active in womens liberation. There is a broader philosophical base for current trends than some of the most vocal spokespersons in both the pro and the con fringe areas of womens equality movements would have us believe (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 330).

Social feminists argue that Social Security benefits, still structured on the premise that each family has one breadwinner, have the net result of being more advantageous to women as dependents rather than as income earners. Furthermore, when women workers are unemployed, they face a dual discrimination. If they are pregnant, they may be denied unemployment benefits because they are not able to take another job. Also, women who give up jobs to follow their husbands who are relocated may not collect unemployment benefits in some states because they were not laid off (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 343). Pay and promotional opportunities are usually based on the official job description rather than actual performance. Despite many gains, women are still grossly underrepresented in professional and managerial jobs. Assistants do much of their supervisors work. In addition, women and minorities are concentrated in a few job categories, whereas white males span the range of jobs. In other instances, female workers are performing the same duties as men for significantly less pay. As a result of discriminatory behaviors, many women have the skills needed for upward mobility but their skills are not reflected on personnel records or in job descriptions. Thus, a sex barrier is created, especially if there is a lack of initiative on the part of male administrators to give female workers recognition when it is due. This leaves female workers locked into a few job categories (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 354).

Social feminists state that changes can be introduced by stricter legislation and elimination of sexism, racism and classism. Social change is possible only when accidents of birth or circumstances will be eliminated. But males are not the only culprits. Some women who achieve supervisory positions also discriminate against women. Ultimately, countless women discriminated against discourage other women from thinking of themselves as having potential for higher- level jobs. Technological improvements have decreased the amount of physical strength needed to do most jobs, thus rendering groundless many physical reasons for discrimination against women. Even with these changes, it is painfully clear that much is left to be done in the war against sex discrimination. These employees become so convinced of their limited abilities that they lose the initiative to apply for training and promotion. They become a prophecy that fulfills itself. The effects of this not-too-subtle type of discrimination are evident in the higher ranks of many administrative staffs.

Works Cited

Kirk, G., Okazawa-Rey, M. Womens Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4th edition. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2003.

Woloch, N. Women and The American Experience, A Concise History. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2001.

Introduction

The world of art and cinematography has always been highly correlated with the issues that tackle society and make its members feel either brought together or isolated. One of such major social concerns that exist beyond any timeframe is the aspect of depicting human sexuality and women in the context of cinematography aimed at engaging with a mostly male audience. A prime example of such an issue is the process of womens objectivization and sexualization in the cinematographic franchise telling the audience about a notorious secret agent James Bond. Hence, the following paper is aimed at looking into the aspects of feminism, misogyny, and sexual freedom in the context of one of the latest franchise motion pictures called Skyfall, placing a major emphasis on the depiction of these aspects from a diachronic perspective.

The Definition of Human Sexuality and Its Aspects

The overall socio-linguistic context of the notion of human sexuality has now generally been vastly misinterpreted by many people regardless of their racial, social, or ethnic affiliation. The roots of the following issue perhaps stem from the fact the topic of sexuality had been frowned upon for a long time both within educational and social paradigms, limiting young minds from accessing the information on the matter. As a result, most people considered sexuality to be a theme related exclusively to the process of coetus, employed either for the sake of pleasure or reproduction. However, over the past years, the researchers have demystified the following notion, explaining sexualization from a purely psychological perspective while giving people some food for thought concerning the issue (Lehmiller). Hence, the perception of this concept has been modified drastically over the past years, with the outcomes of this modification reflected in art and cinematography.

Thus, when talking about the subject of human sexualization from a psychological perspective, it should be outlined that the very notion primarily concerns the aspects of human feelings rather than plain physiological desire. Furthermore, according to the researchers, the definition of sexuality, in fact, encompasses, any kind of romantic attitude of a human or any type of romantic relationship, which does not necessarily imply having sexual intercourse in the process of this relationship (Hargons and Danelle). Hence, over the years, it has become rather evident that all the misconceptions on the matter do not stem from ignorance but from the overall tendency of poor problem awareness among society. When pondering the possible reasons for such an issue, one of the major precedents may be represented through the common sexuality image in popular culture and mass media.

Since the very emergence of popular culture that was mostly represented in the form of music and cinematography, the common perception of sexualization was extremely superficial, as the lexeme sex was considered a taboo in society, making the ones who use it rebels and nonconformists. Naturally, the trend of sexualization was integrated deeper in society, especially when speaking of the end of the 20th century, and the concept itself began to be significantly misinterpreted. Thus, it may be concluded that the definition of sexualization that had been distorted before became more hazardous for society in the past few years when the topic started gaining recognition among fellow humans. However, considering the fact the whole process of sexualization being biased by major stereotypes was devastating for the psychological development of individuals, the women were always the ones who struggled the most in terms of the tendency.

Sexualization, Feminism, and Popular Culture

World history is replete with facts concerning womens discrimination, objectivization, and deprivation of fundamental rights. Thus, in the course of social development, some major social freedoms were given to women as the result of a continuous and tense battle over equal opportunities. The major issue that appeared after concerned the fact that the vast majority of people perceived the issues of women representation as purely functional without paying attention to the devastating social image females had in the community due to the development of sexualization and objectivization in the media and culture (Banet-Weiser). Hence, the average image of a female represented in popular culture was not centered around ones cognitive abilities and human sexuality, which primarily concerns the aspects of ones representation and gender perception in society.

Instead, the major emphasis was placed on the aspect of a womens body and her qualities of being an attribute to a man. As a result, the overall tendency has resulted in the immediate demand for standing up for ones rights and abilities from the perspective of a human being rather than a female (Thiroux and Krasemann). The movement for equal rights resulted in treating women more objectively both in life and in media, but the changes introduced still remained rather superficial due to the lack of deeper ethical concerns of the issue.

For example, whereas women are now commonly represented in media and popular culture as empowered and self-made members of society, they are still sexualized in the contexts, which are not applicable for this, as people tend to misinterpret the lune drawn between sexuality and sexualization. For example, when women are represented as powerful entrepreneurs who are focused solely on their achievements, it is questionable whether the emphasis should be shifted on their looks unless it is their voluntary intention. Once this desire becomes an intention, the issue should be treated as the expression of ones sexuality that should not be neglected. However, when such attention is rather unwanted, it should become a social concern.

James Bond and Skyfall as an Example of Diachronic Response to Feminism and Misogyny

The series of movies about James Bond has now become an integral part of the popular culture heritage. Despite being of the most notorious franchises in the history of cinematography, Bondiana movies tend to obtain many questionable aspects in terms of the ethical concerns tackled in the process. Thus, since the very emergence of the series, attention was drawn to the issue of women representation in the movies, with visuals paying too much attention to female objectivization. Moreover, the central figure of the movie, James Bond himself, was famous for his misogyny and inappropriate sexual relations throughout the movies (Harriss). In the early films, the issue might have been justified by the fact that society at the time was not so aware of the fact of female discrimination, and such issues as objectivization were not considered as real hazards.

However, over time, the attitudes towards womens perception were gradually changing, whereas James Bond movies remained just as sexist. After receiving a considerable amount of criticism, the motion pictures presented over the past decade have been relatively modernized by introducing such empowering female characters as M16 in Skyfall, performed by Judi Dench. Still, the issue of sexism was not eradicated, as the movies were still criticized due to the presence of some disturbing scenes. For example, the shower scene where James Bond has sex with Sévérine not long after her fragile personal story was revealed to the broad audience was regarded as inappropriate by most female viewers (Harriss). By including this scene in the final picture, the directors made the audience question the purity of their intentions to make the movies popular and demanded without sexualizing female characters.

Having taken the following into consideration, it would be safe to assume the overall development of James Bond movies in terms of ethical concerns has become evident in the modern context. However, as far as such issues as feminism and sexualization are concerned, the slight change in attitude is not enough regarding the development of social perception of the issue. Thus, the overall diachronic perspective of the movies as compared to the relatively recent introduction of Skyfall may be considered inappropriate in the present decade.

Conclusion

The following paper was aimed at addressing the issues of female representations and perception in popular culture through the prism of such ethical concerns as misogyny, sexualization, objectivization, and feminism as a whole. For the sake of empirical evidence, the James Bond movie series was regarded from a diachronic perspective, placing major emphasis on the scenes represented in 2012 Skyfall. In terms of the research, it was estimated that despite evident development in healthy women representation, the overall story still contains many issues related to the objectivization of women, making them look like an attribute rather than a character with well-developed background history.

Works Cited

Banet-Weiser, Sarah. Empowered: Popular Feminism and Popular Misogyny. Duke University Press, 2018.

Hargons, Candice, Della V. Mosley, and Danelle Stevens-Watkins. Studying sex: A content analysis of sexuality research in counseling psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, vol. 45, no. 4, 2017, pp. 528-546.

Harriss, Harriet. Goodbye Mister Bond: 007s Critical Advocacy for Feminism & Modernism. Research-Based Education 2016, vol.2, 2016, pp. 348-357.

Lehmiller, Justin J. The Psychology of Human Sexuality. John Wiley & Sons, 2017.

Thiroux, Jacques P., and Keith W. Krasemann. Ethics: Theory and Practice. Updated Edition. Pearson Education, 2016.

Introduction

The Feminist Movement is one of the powerful social movements that have continued to shape diverse discourses in the modern society, which have improved social, economic, and political stances of women. In the ancient centuries, men have been dominant figures in the society, while women have been invisible in various aspects of life. In essence, women did not enjoy the privileges and rights as their men counterparts. In a bid to fight for their privileges and rights, women initiated the Feminist Movement in various parts of the world.

Sexual violence, domestic violence, political discrimination, labor exploitation, suppressive norms, and other vices prevented women from achieving their social, economic, and political liberties.¹ The Feminist Movement came to the limelight in the late 19^th century and has occurred in a series of waves. The first wave of feminism focused on political equality, the second wave of feminism concentrated on social and cultural equalities, and the third wave of feminism aimed to achieve social, cultural, and economic liberties.

The fourth wave of feminism is the current wave, which uses information technology and social media platforms in agitating for womens rights and aiding them to liberate themselves from social, economic, political, and cultural chains. To enhance understanding of the Feminist Movement, the proposal seeks to apply cultural frames and resource mobilization, as two main frameworks in explaining the dynamics of the movement.

Justification of the Study

The Feminist Movement is a strong and established social movement that has existed for more than two centuries. The study of the Feminist Movement is very significant because it is a movement that employs a number of frameworks in sustaining the movement for centuries. Moreover, it is a movement that aims at liberating women and empowering them in economic, social, and political aspects of life. The movement has managed to create an equal society by overcoming cultural norms and demystifying traditions that favor men and discriminate against women.²

In essence, the movement is a landmark in modern society because it upholds and advocates for the liberation and empowerment of women. The Feminist Movement replicates elements of other social movements because it has social, cultural, political, and economic elements, which are present in Human Rights Movement, Civil Rights Movement, and the Labor Movement.

The Feminist Movement contrasts other movements because it applies multiple modes of mobilization, such as resource mobilization theory, collective behavior theory, action identity perspective, and new interpretation approach.³ Therefore, studying the Feminist Movement using a hybrid framework of cultural frames and resource mobilization is necessary.

Literature Review

A number of frameworks or theories exist, which explain the emergence and perpetuation of social movements. The Feminist Movement is one of the social movements that applies a number of frameworks in sustaining and perpetuating itself in the modern society. Cultural frames and resource mobilization are two forms of frameworks that the Feminist Movement applies in expanding and perpetuating constructs of feminisms in the modern society. Fundamentally, cultural frames are social constructs that aim at shaping social identities, which support a certain movement.

Cultural framing entails construction of collective identities among members of a movement to achieve common objectives that benefit everyone, for instance, the social movements that are against diseases.⁴ In diverse social movements, activists construct social identities that are against or support dominant culture. Through cultural framing, movements are able to identify, define, and shape identities that reflect their values, principles, tastes, and preferences.

Comparatively, resource mobilization is a central framework of the Feminist Movement. The framework came into existence in the 1960s owing to the realization that the setbacks of other social movements are disorganization and irrationalism. In essence, other social movements hold that movements comprise irrational activists, who perform collective actions aimed at achieving certain goals.⁵

However, resource mobilization holds that activists are rational actors, who perform rational actions in an organized manner with a view of securing and mobilizing resources for the benefit of all members in the movement. The fundamental tenet of resource mobilization framework is that rational actors, who are purposive activists, organize, accrue, and mobilize resources to effect optimal changes in a movement. The resource mobilization framework reflects how the Feminist Movement performs its activities and the roles of individual actors in sustaining and perpetuating the spirit of the movement.

Cultural frames have been applied in constructing collective identities, ideologies, and philosophies, which are against racism. For example, social movements such as Music and Social Movement and the Voice of the Southern Labor used cultural frames in constructing identities against racism.⁶

These movements used music in framing racial issues, creating social identities, and influencing perceptions of the people in the United States. Cultural frames have also been applied in the construction of the identity of working women in Turkey. Women in Turkey had common problems in their workplace and they constructed an identity of women workers to fight for their rights by striking to resolve the stalemate of the bargaining process. The cultural framing enabled women workers to register their union and gain collective bargain for their issues.

In comparison to cultural frame, resource mobilization is an important framework, which numerous movements have applied in initiating and sustaining their activities. For instance, when striking workers in Turkey united with feminist organizations, the strike transformed from a labor issue and became feminist issue, which aimed at liberating women from exploitation in the labor market. Moreover, Music and Social Movement used music as a resource for fighting racism in the United States.

Resources such as the Internet, computers, mobile phones, and social media have a significant influence on movements because they were driving forces of the Egyptian Revolution.⁷ Muslim feminists in diaspora use the Internet in communicating with women in the Middle East, who are in religious and cultural bondages with a view of empowering and liberating them.⁸ In this view, it means that technology and social media are important resources that rational actors in diverse movements mobilize.

Methodology

The study will use the literature review as a research design to collect and analyze articles with a view of establishing frameworks that the Feminist Movement apply in sustaining and perpetuating its existence in modern society. The literature review is an appropriate research design because it enables researchers to search for diverse articles using specific criteria.

To select relevant articles, the study will use the purposive method of sampling. Given that the study proposes to examine frameworks that the Feminist Movement employ in furthering its activities, the study will search for articles that explain different frameworks of the movement. In this case, the search criteria for the articles is that they must explain how the Feminist Movement applies cultural frames and resource mobilization frameworks in its activities. Moreover, the articles must be recent in that they should be not more than 10 years old, and must cover recent events and activities of the Feminist Movement.

The study will employ hybrid framework in describing and elucidating activities of the Feminist Movement. In the analysis of data, the study will employ qualitative analysis by examining and analyzing themes that relate to feminism. The study will undertake thematic analysis of events and activities of diverse movements, which support or are linked to the movement. Since the Feminist Movement is an established and powerful movement, which has liberated and empowered women across the world, a hybrid framework of cultural frames and resource mobilization will describe its operations substantively.

In the qualitative analysis of the Feminist Movement using cultural frames, the study will look for collective cultural identities, which the movement has created and propagated across the world. Given that cultural identities vary from one country to another, the study will examine dominant identities, which have significant value to the movement. Since the emergence of information technology and the social media has led to the fourth wave of the Feminist Movement, the study will evaluate how feminists have used these platforms in creating social identities, which define and shape feminism in the modern world.

The study will also use resource mobilization framework in the analysis of feminist events and activities. Resource mobilization is a dominant framework that the Feminist Movement employs in virtually every aspect of its operations. In this case, the study will analyze financial resources that the Feminist Movement uses in running its operations.

Moreover, the study will assess social resources such as groups, organizations, political parties, human rights, and related movements. Given that the fourth wave of the Feminist Movement employs information technology and social media, the study will also evaluate how feminists use these resources in revolutionizing feminism in the modern world.

Reference List

Acar, Taylan. Linking theories of framing and collective identity formation: Womens organizations involvement with the Supramed strike. European Journal of Turkish Studies 11, no. 1 (2010): 1-18.

Eltantawy, Nahed, and Julie Wiest. Social media in the Egyptian Revolution: Reconsidering resource mobilization theory. International Journal of Communication 5, no. 1 (2011): 1207-1224.

Fischer, Michael. The Rhythmic Beat of the Revolution in Iran. Cultural Anthropology 25, no. 3 (2010): 497-543.

Greenhouse, Carol. Life Stories, Laws Stories: Subjectivity and Responsibility in the Politicization of the Discourse of Identity. Political and Legal Anthropology Review 31, no. 1, (2008): 79-95.

Merry, Engle. Transnational Human Rights and Local Activism: Mapping the Middle. American Anthropologist 108, no. 1 (2006): 38-51.

Roberts, Mike, and Ryan Moore. Peace Punks and Punks against racism: Resource mobilization and frame construction in the Punk Movement. Music & Arts in Action 2, no. 1 (2009): 21-36.

Susser, Ida. Organic intellectuals, crossing scales, and the emergence of social movements with respect to AIDS in South Africa. American Ethnologist 38, no. 4 (2011): 733-742.

Footnotes

1. Engle Merry. Transnational Human Rights and Local Activism: Mapping the Middle. American Anthropologist 108, no. 1 (2006): 41.
2. Taylan Acar. Linking theories of framing and collective identity formation: Womens organizations involvement with the Supramed strike. European Journal of Turkish Studies 11, no. 1 (2010): 6.
3. Carol Greenhouse. Life Stories, Laws Stories: Subjectivity and Responsibility in the Politicization of the Discourse of Identity Political and Legal Anthropology Review 31, no. 1, (2008): 89.
4. Susser, Ida. Organic intellectuals, crossing scales, and the emergence of social movements with respect to AIDS in South Africa. American Ethnologist 38, no. 4 (2011): 736.
5. Mike Roberts, and Ryan Moore. Peace Punks and Punks against racism: Resource mobilization and frame construction in the Punk Movement. Music & Arts in Action 2, no. 1 (2009): 28.
6. Mike Roberts, and Ryan Moore. Peace Punks and Punks against racism: Resource mobilization and frame construction in the Punk Movement. Music & Arts in Action 2, no. 1 (2009): 28.
7. Nahed Eltantawy, and Julie Wiest. Social media in the Egyptian Revolution: Reconsidering resource mobilization theory. International Journal of Communication 5, no. 1 (2011): 1208.
8. Michael Fischer. The Rhythmic Beat of the Revolution in Iran. Cultural Anthropology 25, no. 3 (2010): 531.

It goes without saying that the issues of gender equality are still on the agenda of the present-day world, even though the gender inequality was detected quite a while ago. Despite all the efforts of the worlds most prominent feminists, women still have to fight for their rights; however, it seems that the feminist ideas have been shaped and changed considerably since the time when the entire feminist issue started. Analyzing the specifics of the present-day feminism, one can possibly realize what challenges the feminists of today face, as well as the possible ways to face these challenges.

To start with, it is obvious that there is a considerable difference between the pioneers in feminism and the modern feminists. Although the basic principles of feminism remain the same, the entire movement seems to have changed over the past few decades, which must mean that feminists have some of their demands met. However, it is worth checking if there are any other reasons why the feminist movement is not as tense as it used to be a while ago. Comparing the demands of the feminists of the XX century to the ones of the modern feminism, one must note that the given demands are not as intense as they used to be. For example, according to Kate Millett, male domination has been taking place for such long time that certain ideas considering women taking the lead role seem completely implausible:

Why does no one ever remark that every avenue of power in our culture including the repressive forces of the police  entirely in male hands? Money, guns, authority itself, are male provinces. Even God is male  and a white male at that (Millett, 1968, para.5).

Therefore, the first and the foremost demands of the first wave of feminists concerned fighting for the basic human rights. When it comes to analyzing the present-day feminists and their demands, one must admit that their protests are less intense: Second-wave feminism also has a significant liberal component. Liberal feminism has dominated the womens movement in the United States; its major spokesperson has been Betty Friedan, whose The Feminine Mystique marked the resurgence of feminist thought in the 1960s. (Heywood). It seems that the modern idea of feminism is less focused and yet more objective, since feminism is nowadays split into several fields: The major traditions within feminism are the following:

• Liberal feminism
• Socialist feminism
• Radical feminism
• New feminist tradition (Heywood).

Hence, the question arises whether the feminist movement of the XXI century is less meaningful than the one of the XX century. However, taking a closer look at the goals which feminists pursue, one can claim with certainty that the XXI century feminist movement is just as important as the one of the prior century. Indeed, until women have the rights which are fully equal to the ones which men have, and the instances of chauvinism and gender inequality are over, feminist ideas will always be topical.

However, it is also worth noting that the instances of female rights infringement occur not only when it comes to the relationships within wider social spheres, like the sphere of employment, politics or law; as a matter of fact, it becomes evident that the society is based completely on chauvinist ideas once one considers some of the modern family values. Indeed, taking a closer look at the way a family is considered in the modern society, one will see that in a typical family, the role of a woman is that one of a babysitter and the one to create the heart and home while a husband is supposed to take the leading role of a breadwinner:

In their role as housewives, women relieve men of the burden of housework and child-rearing, allowing them to concentrate their time and energy upon paid and productive employment. In that sense, the sexual division of labour between men, who undertake waged labour in factories or offices, and women, who carry out unwaged domestic work, promotes economic efficiency. (Heywood)

Even though the given idea is being shaped, for women nowadays tend not to leave their workplaces when creating a family, it goes without saying that the pressure of the family issues along with the ones at work makes a women finally accept the traditional idea of a family and stop her social, professional and personal growth, devoting herself completely to her family, which in the given situation is completely patriarchal.

The society, on the other hand, is also on no account a place for feminist ideas; based on patriarchal ideas, the society also puts the women who are fighting for their rights under considerable pressure. It is important to mention that the role which a woman traditionally takes in a family impacts her image in a workplace considerably:

In bearing and rearing children, women are producing labour power for the next generation and thus guaranteeing future production. Women are also responsible for socializing, conditioning and even educating children, thereby ensuring that they develop into disciplined and obedient workers. (Heywood)

Therefore, the society expects that women take the accepted pattern of behavior and perform the suggested functions without questioning the latter. Although the given pattern can be broken, it takes much time and effort to go against the social prejudice. Obviously, the existing society is fully patriarchal.

Finally, addressing the issue of the political in the gender problem must be addressed. According to Millett, the relationships between the sexes are first of all political in the sense of powerstructured relationships, the entire arrangement whereby one group of people is governed by another, one group is dominant and the other subordinate (Millett, 1968, para. 1) Indeed, it is clear that in the relationships between a man and a woman, one of the two is supposed to take the lead. Hence, according to Millett, gender relationships are to be based not on the idea that the male must always take the lead, but on equality, reasonability and trust: As we awake and begin to take action, there will be enough of us and we will have both a purpose and a goal  the first truly human condition, the first really human society (Millett, 1968, para. 35).

Hence, it is obvious that, despite a considerable time lapse, there are still a lot of unsolved feminist issues on the agenda. While some of the basic human rights have been granted to women almost all over the world, there are still a number of rights which women can and must have. Therefore, even though at present, the demands of feminists have not been fully met yet, which means that the legacy is going to continue. However, since the modern women already have a number of rights, the fight for the remaining ones might seem redundant. Nevertheless, the process of women liberation is far from being over  there is still a lot to strive for.

Reference List

Heywood, A. 2007, Feminism, in Political ideologies, Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke, UK. Web.

Millett, K. 1968, Sexual politics. Web.

Background of the Study

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) was one of the most outstanding Italian Baroque artists of the post-Renaissance period. Despite the fact that she is often referred to the so-called Caravaggio followers, her contribution is much more considerable: In the era when women painters were allowed to enter the artistic community only as assistants in studios, she became the first female artists who were accepted by the Accademia di Arte del Desegno in Florence (Locker, 2015). Nowadays, Gentileschi is considered to be one of the earliest feminists not only because the major subject of her works was a suffering woman but also due to the fact that she managed to win an unprecedented status in art, serving an example for generations to come (Buckley, 2013).

The Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

Therefore, the research question the study will attempt to answer is: How Artemisia Gentileschis legacy contributed to the development of the feminist movement? It is hypothesized that both the artists life and her propensity to depict women of power not only granted her an access to the male-dominated field but also made it possible for female artists of future generations to take an influential position.

The overall aim of the research is to understand how the artists work have affected the perception of a woman in art as well as how it motivated women in the 20^th century to struggle for their identity and rights. The study is important as it will shed some light on the artists and movements, from which contemporary artistic trends stem.

Research Objectives

Some research objectives were highlighted in order to provide an exhaustive answer to the research question. They run as follows:

• to investigate the artists life and work;
• to give a holistic picture of the background, against which a new phenomenon appeared;
• to estimate her historical artistic significance;
• to account for feminists interest in her works;
• to find out how the artists manner is reflected in contemporary paintings.

Methodology

Research Philosophy

An interpretivist philosophy will be adopted in order to understand the reasons that stand behind the significance of the artists contribution and provide a qualitative analysis of motivations that underlie the contemporary art in general and feminist art in particular.

Research Strategy

The research strategy of this study focuses on reviewing journal and newspaper articles as well as books in order to identify, what made Artemisia Gentileschi stand apart from other Caravaggio followers and what attracted feminists attention to her life and works.

Research Approach

Since the study does not make any specific hypotheses that could be proven only empirically, it will employ a deductive research. This implies that a number of sources will be investigated to find out what makes the chosen artist a unique figure for feminism.

Data Analysis

All the findings of the research will be assessed to ensure better understanding of the situation. Various sources will be compared in order to understand how differently scholars interpret the artists life and legacy.

Generalizability

This refers to the degree to which the findings of the study can be applied to other research. In this case, the outcomes of the research can be generalized in terms of patterns that can be implemented to discern and investigate connections between modern movements in art and masters of earlier periods.

Limitations

The study is limited by its scope as it is focused only on one artist. However influential an artist might be, it is still insufficient to analyze a movement relying only on one of the factors that have affected its development.

References

Buckley, P. J. (2013). Artemisia Gentileschi, 15931653. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(8), 832-833.

Locker, J. (2015). Artemisia Gentileschi: The Language of Painting. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Regarding the important issues in feminism, it is necessary to refer to the term socialist feminism, to examine the issues of the dualistic typification, beauty ideals, and the beauty industry in the context of feminism. It is also important to suggest some solutions and criteria stabilize newly appeared tense situations around these issues in modern society.

It is a derivation of feminism that mainly focuses upon certain spheres of life of a woman: the public and private. Socialist feminism also argues that liberation itself can be achieved only by working to end both the economic and cultural sources of womens oppression (Olsen, 1997).

It might be said that socialist feminism is a dualistic typification theory that extends Marxist feminisms reasons for the role of capitalism in womens harassment and oppression and radical theory of feminism in the issues of gender and the patriarchys role. Here might be also regarded as such issues that led to the concept of women or feminine against men or masculine.

Some of the contributors to this movement have criticized common traditional Marxism for not being able to find an inseparable connection between the issues of patriarchy and classism. It is important to point out that Marx and Engels were silent on gender harassment and oppression except that they subsumed it beneath wider class harassment and oppression.

Marx knew that when oppression connected with the class issue was outdone, gender harassment and oppression would disappear as well. According to socialist feminists, this view of gender oppression as a sub-class of class oppression is naive and much of the work of socialist feminists has gone toward separating gender phenomena from class phenomena (Meehan, 2002).

Other socialist feminists, for example, such famous American organizations as: Radical Women and also the Freedom Socialist Party, refer to the common classical works of Marx and of Engels, such as Private Property and the State and Origin of the Family. Also they refer to Woman and Socialism by writer August Bebel. These socialist feminists consider those works a strong explanation of the connection between gender harassment and oppression and the issue of class exploitation.

But from the other point of view, the Socialist Party of the United States is a bright example of party of a socialist feminist which is not a Marxist one, although certain members identify themselves as Marxists. This party has its statement of principles which says: Socialist feminism confronts the common root of sexism, racism, and classism: the determination of a life of oppression or privilege based on accidents of birth or circumstances. Socialist feminism is an inclusive way of creating social change. We value synthesis and cooperation rather than conflict and competition (Ramazanoglu, 2000).

In this context, it is necessary to mention the beauty ideals and the beauty industry. Despite achievements made since the time of the rise of the movement held by women, the pressure on females today related to beauty ideals and standards may appear even wider than it was thirty years ago.

It must be outlined that the standards and requirements are not just more hard and difficult to meet, but it should be said that the targets for this kind of pressure are much younger nowadays. It might be regarded as a means that the beauty industry has explored the profit and benefits to be made from the young girls called tweens, who are just about entering their teenage age.

Following these facts, it should be said that the wider availability and circulation of mass media services means that the effect and influence of beauty ideals have belled in a geographical as well as in across  classes way. Thus appears a question about the issues that should be done by the feminists to improve and stabilize the situation. Nowadays they hold campaigns (Such as the Dove commercial campaign) aimed to challenge unrealistic and not true images of women in the advertising industry. Such campaigns encourage our society to look for a wider definition of what is called beauty. It is also aimed to inspire women to enjoy and to be proud of themselves.

Works Cited

Johnston, Carolyn. Sexual Power: Feminism and the Family in America. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 1992.

Meehan, Eileen R., and Ellen Riordan, eds. Sex & Money: Feminism and Political Economy in the Media. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002.

Olsen, Frances Elisabeth. Feminism in Central and Eastern Europe: Risks and Possibilities of American Engagement. Yale Law Journal 106.7 (1997): 2215-2257.

Ramazanoglu, Caroline. Feminism and the Contradictions of Oppression. London: Routledge, 2000.

Modern culture is still very much affected by folk tales even though nowadays standards of morality undergo significant changes. It is no wonder as the sources of eternal wisdom can be found in fairy-tails. People have always been in a search for entertaining, interesting, creative, easy and engaging ways of implanting important truths into their childrens minds and hearts. Fairy-tails became the most filigree pieces of wisdom meeting the above-mentioned requirements. Generally, such important lessons as explaining social roles of men and women, the consequences of particular way of thinking and acting including violence, envy, pride and many more can be derived from folk tales.

To examine the important lessons which can be found in fairy tales, the Cinderella poem by the Grimm Brothers and The Birthmark will be addressed in the following paper. First of all, discussing Cinderellas story it should be said that it is by far the most popular dreamlike story among any miraculous stories on the earth. Every single person seems to be against poor Cinderella including her stepmother who denies her every chance to improve her situation; the poem reads, no, Cinderella, you have no clothes and cannot dance (Grimm and Grimm, p. 24). Every possible excuse is used by wicked people to stop Cinderella on her way to happiness which she wants so much and deserves so well; the world goes against her, but she is strong and positive, and she receives her high profits. This great lesson is very important for people today as every person has ones own dream, ones own prince so to say and crowds of step mothers around to stop one on ones way to happiness. Cinderellas success is very thrilling and encouraging; it is a necessary medicine for every dreamer. No wonder, so many films, shows, songs and other pieces of modern culture address the important idea from this story. Literary addressing to this topic can be seen in Cinderella movie with Hillary Duff, and some hints to it in such works as The Shawshank Redemption movie where the man fights all the cruel step mothers to conquer in his pursuit of happiness and the Firework song by Katy Perry. One more important lesson which can be learnt is related to the benefits of doing something fine to others (Haase, p. 67). In our modern materialistic world, this truth is still very important as it is connected to the universal principle that we reap what we saw: if we saw kindness we will get it back.

Further, in The Birthmark, Aylmer wants to remove the birthmark from his wifes face and tells her, no, dearest Georgiana&this&defect&shocks me (Hawthorne Para. 26). Eventually the wife is destroyed by such desire of her husband. This is the ever more important lesson nowadays as men are crazy about appearance of their women, and ready for everything to proceed in this race to perfection; however, it is connected to numerous risks. This theme is often addressed in newscasts where we learn about the latest victims in the serious of unsuccessful plastic surgeries and so on. One of the most thought-provoking addresses to this topic can be found in the song Crazy by Simple Plan.

In conclusion, folk tales can be described as unfailing wells of wisdom teaching about the most important notions in peoples lives through centuries including the pursuit of happiness, true and lasting values and many more. Two examples of such masterpieces full of wisdom are Cinderella and The Birthmark teaching how to draw closer to ones dream and how sad the consequences of badly developed system of values are.

Works Cited

1. Grimm, Will, and Jake Grimm. Cinderella. Shared Class Files, 2012.
2. Haase, Donald. Fairy Tales and Feminism: New Approaches. Michigan: Wayne State University Press, 2010. Print.
3. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Birthmark. The Literature Network, 2012. Web.

Introduction

It seems rather popular among famous female pop stars to make high-talk statements about feminism and the role of women in modern society. Feminist notes have been subjects of songs and performances of such stars as Christina Aguilera and Beyonce. Ariana Grandes recent feminism manifesto may be regarded as a smart career move, though not unique, but still, the one that represents her indignation about the publics too much interest in her private life rather than in herself. It is important to find out how the notion of feminism is represented in Grandes manifesto. To do so it is necessary to investigate what feminism is. Feminism is a well-known theory, the principal point of which is the equity between men and women. Equity should be achieved in all aspects of personhood and life in society, namely: political, cultural, economic, personal, and social rights. The first steps towards parity concerned the rights to vote, to receive education, to work, to have property, equal rights in marriage, and fair pay. However, the problem of women underestimation or humiliation still takes place. The very nature of feminism has changed up till nowadays. Every woman supports the idea that women can work, receive an education, and be equal with men, but far not everyone will call herself feminist. Nowadays feminism can be divided into different branches.

Main text

Cultural feminism is aimed at getting rid of such prejudices as, for instance, women are kinder than men. Ecofeminism presupposes that patriarchal philosophy does harm to a woman. Moderate feminism is the most widespread nowadays. It deals with believing in equity without recognition of oneself as a feminist. The idea that women are equally physically strong as men are the fundamental one in Amazon feminism. There are also separatist feminists, who are often regarded as lesbians, as far as they wish total division between men and women. Much more old and severe branches are radical and material feminism.

Ariana Grande never confirmed that she belonged to one of the feminism branches. She is twenty-two years old American actress and singer. Grande is famous for the role of Cat Valentine in the series Victorious. The soundtrack Music from Victorious enjoyed immediate popularity in 2011. As a result, Grande was offered to sign a contract with the Republic Records studio. Currently, Ariana Grande has been doing her The Honeymoon Tour. Recently she shared a message concerning feminism via Twitter and drew a lot of attention to herself.

According to the message, a musician has emphasized the fact that she is sick and tired of living in a place where women are regarded as mens property. Such a statement was caused by frequent interview questions about Grandes private life. Ariana has pointed out the fact that she belongs to the female activists family. Then Grande introduces the eternal problem of men and womens sex relationship. She writes that if a woman is supposed to have an active sex life and speak about sex aloud, she is called a slut. On the contrary, if the same happens to the man he is regarded as a King or a Boss. Ariana Grandes indignation is significant. It should have taken a lot of courage to write a long Twitter post concerning feminism. Before this, the public was greatly interested in Arianas personal life. It seems that she has become tired of it, and that is why has written the post. The question is whether Ariana Grande should be considered as a real feminist or it is just a way of drawing attention. It is worthwhile listening to the end of the blocked video on Ariana Grandes Honeymoon Diaries to find out the truth. The star dwelled on that during the interview she told the reporter something about everyones interest only in her relationships. Ariana Grande seemed to be surprised why she had told this. Maybe that was the reason why she wrote her post later. It just crossed her mind to make a good career move. Besides, Ariana Grande has never been regarded as a feminist before. Even more, she was criticized by Bette Midler for behaving like a whore to promote herself. On the other hand, after the performance, the questions about relationships were the last things Ariana wanted to hear. Being too excited, Ariana could have told her real thoughts and then written everything in her Twitter post.

I do agree with Ariana Grandes manifesto. She writes about the current problems. Though men proclaim that there are no prejudices against women, they still exist, and many women know this. I cannot support Bette Midlers accusation of Ariana as far as it represents an old stereotype that being sexy means being a whore. The reasons for such belief lie in the history when only light women wore sexy clothes and put on red lipstick. Grande represents a new generation, a generation in which woman sexuality is more often accepted properly.

Conclusion

Ariana Grandes manifesto was caused by her discontent about too much interest in her private life. The start was frustrating and decided to write what her real thoughts are. It was a wise and high-spirited step that introduced Grande as a moderate feminist.

Introduction

Contemporary cinema encompasses a wide range of issues, discussing the themes pertinent to society. Such topics as gender roles, stereotypes, and the promotion of inequality are often represented in the movies, attempting to shed light on the negative consequences of these practices. In the current age, the stereotypization of female protagonists frequently occurs in cartoon productions, leading to the propagation of views that promote hypermasculinity (García de Toro 17). The animated movie Moana, released in 2016, is one of the examples where the female hero encounters classically misogynistic obstacles that she is forced to overcome to achieve personal independence (Streiff and Dundes). From the feminist theory perspective, this work constitutes a post-feminist outlook on Moanas story, portraying the young womans empowerment but simultaneously adopting a biased approach to the representation of gender qualities.

Literature Review: A Scholarly Perspective on Moana

The Representation of the Pasifika: Cultural Concerns

The movie Moana, being solely focused on the Pacific Islanders traditions and customs, has been examined by various studies on the subject of cultural representation. Depicting the story of Moana from Montunui, a young native Polyniseain girl, the animation work explores the primary traits of the Polynesian culture and attempts to provide an insight into the given communitys life (Leslie 19). However, regardless of Disneys attempts to appropriately depict the unique traditions of the Pacifika, Moana encountered an ambiguous reception from scholars. While some authors discussed the films positive aspects, claiming that it perfectly demonstrates the distinct characteristics of the region, others have raised concerns regarding the cultural appropriation and stereotypization traits evident in Moana (Sternberg 3). In this regard, the academic thoughts on the animated movie remain divided, lacking a unified perspective.

After the works release, a significant number of Polynesian and Pacific Islander researchers discussed Moanas approach to the representation of indigenous cultures. Although Disney has incredible experience with depicting aboriginal communities, having produced such culturally-based animation movies as Mulan and Pocahontas, the studio was repeatedly accused of misappropriating the nations heritage and promoting cultural bias (Sternberg 2). However, several studies that offer a deep evaluation of Moana propose that the present work is drastically distinct from its predecessors and carefully handles possible concerns. For instance, Sternberg and Tamaira and Fonoti report that Moanas development process was based on insights from Polynesian history, indigenous culture, and individuals belonging to this ethnic group (5; 298). As a result, the events occurring in Moana are primarily accurate from the cultural perspective, and the characters convey the distinctiveness of the nations heritage.

Nevertheless, a much larger body of research shows that Disneys efforts were insufficient to overcome the pressure of monetization and conformity to American norms. The most crucial issues regarding cultural appropriation were voiced by native Polynesian authors and scholars, who argue that the story accommodates the dated Victorian biases about the appearance of the Polynesian geography and individuals (Hyland 12). As such, Hyland describes the numerous similarities between the typical depictions of Polynesians and Pacific Islanders that arose during the colonization era (12). Due to the wrongful impressions of Western colonizers, the region was perceived as a paradise or heaven, including the famous ideas about white beaches and colorful scenery (Hyland 12). Moana appears to follow this pattern, creating an image of an idyllic landscape coupled with a simple, collectivist lifestyle. Other native writers also support this position, critiquing the studios decision to promote the existing misconceptions regarding the regions features and the historical life of its inhabitants (Anjirbag; Pérez-Simón 73). Therefore, even though Disney acquired the support of indigenous communities in the creation of Moana, the major stereotypes were still incorporated into this work, resulting in a wrongful illustration of the Polynesian culture.

The depiction of Maui, a crucial figure in Polynesian mythology, was the subject of the most heated debates surrounding Moana. Maui is reported to be a beloved character from the fictitious history of Polynesia, a demi-god whose intelligence and charm are well-known throughout the Pacifika (Hyland 15). Nonetheless, Disney represents Maui using the most common stereotypes about Polynesian mens appearance, substituting a teenager for a large-bodied grown man (Streiff and Dundes). This change was heavily critiqued by scholars, who stated that the heros misrepresentation as a comedic character perpetuates negative attitudes towards the Polynesian culture and reshapes the indigenous spiritual lore according to American expectations (Tamaira and Fonoti 304). Thus, rather than embracing authentic ideas and myths of the Pacifika, the studio continues the tendencies set during colonization, altering the cultural reality to fit Western impressions.

The Feminist Critique

An abundance of scientific studies addressed the structure of Moana and the feminist themes emerging from the storyline. While the primary focus of the animated movie appears to be the battle for independence and the essence of life, a thorough examination of the plot reveals that overgeneralization and gender inequality frequently occur (Tamaira et al.). The majority of the research conducting an analysis of Moana notes the distinct gender stereotypes present in the protagonists setting and behavior, as well as in the appearance and actions of her counterpart, Maui.

Patriarchy and Paternal Control

The most evident symbols of patriarchy in Moana are the traditions and rules instilled by Chief Tui, the young girls father. In the initial scenes, Moana is overwhelmed by her fathers influence and is forced to follow his orders regardless of their faulty reasoning (Hollowell 2). As such, limited by masculine influence, the protagonist is compelled to follow the traditional, misogynist norms, complying with the customs established by Chief Tui. Such an overprotective pattern has been recognized as an Electoral theme by Streiff and Dundes, who claim that controlling father figures represent the young girls dilemma between being perfect daughters and following personal interests. Common in Disneys works, patriarchial systems maintained by paternal characters and their link to the female characters disobedience address the uniqueness of the father-daughter connection and the inevitability of the daughters independence (Hollowell 5). From the feminist perspective, such a portrayal serves to prolong the stereotypes connected to the gender relationships within the family.

Hypermasculinity Features

Another problem voiced by feminist critics is related to the hypermasculinity traits evident in the representation of Maui. In addition to the aforementioned changes, speculated to be endorsed by the films profitability concerns, the demi-gods character is highly masculine, with the majority of his characteristics emphasizing stereotypically masculine traits (Streiff and Dundes). The large body size, significant physique, and shapeshifting powers have been outlined as the primary aspects that demonstrate male superiority and are juxtaposed with Moanas lack of experience, doubtfulness, and dependency (Streiff and Dundes). Hollowell argues that such a presentation of the main characters and the necessity to overcome male influence integrated into the story is a highly post-feminist approach to storytelling, evident in other Disney works (5). Although this method might be useful for demonstrating the female battle for empowerment, it also suggests that there is no need to promote feminist practices as females are capable of resolving any emerging complications themselves (Hollowell 4). Therefore, Moana continues Disneys tendency towards creating post-feminist movies rather than promoting a profeminist strategy that recognizes the ethicality of equal opportunities for women.

Ideas Supporting Profeminist Representation

It is essential to note that only a small scope of feminist studies support the animation feature. For instance, Martín reports that Moana excellently represents the battle for female empowerment, establishing a strong example for ethnic minority women worldwide (1). In contrast with previously discussed research, the authors adopt the fourth-way feminist approach to signify that Moana exemplifies such values as an agency, independence, and female solidarity, suggesting that the movie can be defined as a profeminist (Martín 2). Indeed, the majority of the studies in the feminist theory support the idea that the named aspects of feminism are perfectly ingrained into the story and the characters behavior. However, the overall underlying message of the film is evaluated negatively (García de Toro 31). The most frequently occurring position holds that Moana perpetuates gender stereotypes through father-daughter relationships, male-hero hypermasculinity, and the importance of family for the heroine (Streiff and Dundes). From this perspective, Moana illustrates that womens struggle for equality will always be framed in terms of gender, sexism, and biological function.

Even though Disney attempted to incorporate the insights from indigenous communities and organizations, scholars harshly critique the results of the studios endeavors and maintain a predominantly negative perspective towards the film. Native Polynesian and Pacific Island authors have expressed multiple concerns regarding the depiction of their population and mythology, explaining how these elements are grossly misrepresented (Hyland 12; Tamaira and Fonoti 301; Sternberg 19). However, an inconsistency becomes evident in the feminist evaluations of the animated picture. While it is noted that Moana depicts feminist values and aims to overcome the influence of misogyny, an overwhelming number of gender stereotypes are also claimed to be present. Therefore, it becomes necessary to establish whether the movie can be considered a powerful profeminist message or whether it promotes wrongful attitudes towards males and females.

Theories and Method

Considering that the available articles mostly rely on the feminist perspective, analyzing the films narrative but omitting its presentation form, the current paper proposes a combination of feminist and formalist theories. Feminism and formalism will be applied to understand the environment depicted in Moana and the movies message regarding gender roles. By utilizing both of these frameworks, it is possible to create a comprehensive examination of Moanas core features, explaining how the formalist elements strengthen the movies message.

The Feminist Approach

The feminist approach is highly pertinent for this examination, as it concerns the relationships between the characters and the surrounding environment. Focused on the public representations of women, gender, and frequent stereotypization of female figures in the media, the feminist theory allows the unraveling of the female heros position on the screen (Hollowell 2). After that, the strategy also reveals the connections between womens representations and considers how they are impacted by the public expectations of the female gender.

As a framework rooted in sociological analysis and psychological perceptions of gender, feminism is especially beneficial for evaluating a movies storyline and overall message. Although motion pictures might address numerous subjects, with genres varying from dramas to comedies, the relationships between the characters remain a vital concern for the films examination (Anjirbag). As such, the dynamics between the main heroes and the stereotypes enacted by them reflect not only the social standing of the individuals but also demonstrate acceptable and non-acceptable patterns of behavior for the audience (Streiff and Dundes). In this regard, animation sequences designated for younger watchers are regarded as powerful sources of influence that might establish behavioral patterns and attitudes that the person will rely on in the future (Streiff and Dundes). Following this idea, it is crucial to understand whether the plot of Moana supports ethicality towards gender and promotes acceptance or perpetuates harmful stereotypes towards different sexes. As a highly-grossing animation feature, Moana might have affected multiple audiences throughout the world (Anjirbag). Thus, evaluating the film using the feminist approach will shed light on its suitability for potential consumers in terms of gender representation.

The Formalist Theory

The second framework chosen for the current paper, the formalist theory, is especially advantageous for understanding how the films structural elements contribute to the message behind the work. Defined as a strategy that looks specifically at matters of structure and style, formalism arose as a method of exploring the core aspects of a given work (Ola-Koyi 67). For example, presentation, storytelling, writing, and literary devices are used to investigate how the primary theme of the publication is supported by its formal attributes (Ola-Koyi 67). Frequently utilized in addition to other approaches to the analysis of art, the discussed framework typically ignores the contextual factors and aims to define only the materials available in work (Ola-Koyi 67). From this perspective, formalism can aid researchers in clarifying how a publications claims are supported by its structure.

In film theory, the formalist method is essential for examining the films components. Film critics often rely on this strategy to observe a motion pictures system as a whole and create a comprehensive review of the whole work (Ola-Koyi 68). For instance, the critical evaluation, implemented as a thorough instrument for movie analysis, allows scholars to gain an informed insight into the motion pictures structural integrity and define the central purpose behind the creation (Ola-Koyi 68). As each part of the films system is intended to depict specific scenarios or discuss particular issues, by describing the movies forms, the critic can clarify the authors main idea. Furthermore, this approach allows for suggesting what impression the work might have on the viewer, assessing the movies impact on the audiences understanding of the central message (Ola-Koyi 69). Considering that contemporary motion pictures can greatly influence vast populations, outlining the essence of the work is vital for ascertaining its impact on society.

Textual Analysis

Textual analysis will be employed in the present paper to establish the main message of Moana and its connection to feminist values through film structure. The proposed approach is well-recognized for its versatility in the evaluation of media works, literary pieces, and other forms of expression that bear a linguistic aspect (Giovanni and Gambier 95). As a methodology for analyzing motion pictures, textual analysis is especially prominent due to its ability to examine the works cinematographical, audial, productional, and editing elements connected to the overall social and cultural contexts. As such, cinematographical aspects include lighting, color, and camera movement; audial features relate to the sound design; production is interpreted through mise-en-scene, and editing is considered in terms of shots, frames, and transitions (Giovanni and Gambier 95). During the analysis, the researcher utilizes contextual elements to create links between the narrative and the works structure, specifying how the film elements highlight the context in question. In this regard, textual analysis is highly valuable for understanding the motion pictures underlying social and cultural meanings.

Other elements integral to the textual analysis are the tones of the work and its significance for the potential audience. Of special concern is the tone of the motion picture and the strength of the integrated idea, as well as how well these traits are supported by structural characteristics. When the tone and the central notion are strengthened by the films form, becoming an entertaining experience for the audience, the core concepts become more impressive, resulting in a higher acceptance of the introduced views (Giovanni and Gambier 95). Overall, the textual analysis provides a framework for interpreting the work as a composition of the primary film elements, combining the evaluation of the motion pictures distinct features to create a comprehensive understanding of its message.

Examining Moana through Textual Analysis

Understanding the Story and Character Development

The most significant component of a film is its story, which incorporates the majority of the contextual elements needed for a clear understanding of the depicted events. Moanas plot revolves around a young Polynesian girl, Moana, a daughter of a Chief from the village of Montunui (Leslie 19). Over the course of the initial sequences, which provide an insight into the protagonists childhood and adolescence, it becomes clear that Moana is drastically different from her peers and family, and has developed a unique bond with the ocean. As described later, the main character is protected by the ocean and seeks to protect it, which leads to her initiative to leave her village for exploration (Leslie 19). Although Moanas father protests the journey, the young girl embarks on a path to restore the heart of Te Fiti, a goddess of fertility (Leslie 19). With the support of Maui, a powerful demi-god seeking to restore his magical fish hook, Moana survives a series of challenges, eventually returning Te Fitis heart and establishing an ecological balance throughout the Pacifika.

The analysis of the plot reveals that the work primarily tackles the themes of overcoming external influence and managing others expectations. The events of the movie consistently force Moana to establish her independence and prove that her abilities do not conform to other individuals impressions (Streiff and Dundes). Chief Tuis protest against his daughters travel and the assuredness that she will become the next Chief, Mauis dismissal of Moanas capabilities, and the Tamatoas dissatisfaction with her appearance are prime examples of negative attitudes (Streiff and Dundes). However, as the story continues, Moana attains self-confidence and becomes the hero of Montunui, which signifies character development.

From the perspective of the formalist approach, Moanas change into a Polynesian savior is manifested in the visual changes in her appearance and surroundings. After her return to Montunui, Moana reunites with her family, making peace with her father, and sets her people on the course of sailing and ocean exploration. While in the beginning sequences, the protagonist is dressed in traditional Polynesian clothing, which demonstrates her connection with the customs supported by her father and the older generations, in the later sequences, her garments are more distinct (Sternberg 16). Brighter colors and combinations of materials are visible, and the clothes of the villagers correspond with the young womans costume. In these scenes, the surrounding environment is highly positive, with the population presented as happy and an inspiring song featured to manifest the uplifting atmosphere. Following this evidence, it can be presumed that Moanas challenges and her transformation are positive events that led to Chief Tuis realization that novel ideas can result in beneficial changes.

However, a drastically different outlook becomes evident when the feminist approach is applied. The origins of Moanas norm-contradicting behavior lie in the overprotecting practices implemented by her father, who seeks to guard her against external influence. As the main character opposes his views and seeks to fulfill her interests, rejecting the chiefs position designated to her, she protests her paternal overbearing nature and attempts to find independence (Hollowell 6). Such a representation of events is a traditional Disney approach to the gender conflicts in the family, which promotes the stereotypization of the father-daughter relationships and presents the male relatives as the main antagonists (Hollowell 6). Furthermore, in this scenario, females manifest dependent qualities, which suggests submission and compliance, while males represent power and authority.

Chief Tui, like the majority of the figures opposing Disneys heroines freedom, is authoritative as a father and as a community ruler. Similar to the stories of Pocahontas and Little Mermaid, where female characters are overpowered by the traditional values held by their fathers, Moanas father exerts control using paternal influence and chiefdom power (Anjirbag). It is also essential to acknowledge that each of the plots includes an ending that re-establishes the paternal connection and reinstates the daughter as an approved family member. Therefore, Moanas storyline corresponds with Disneys tendency to present the main conflict as a daughters opposition to the fathers oppression.

Color and Lighting: Building a Paradise

As a film set in the Pacific, Moana sought to represent the colorful scenery associated with the Polynesian way of life. As such, the colors of the villagers clothing until Moanas return are fully traditional, consistent with Polynesian customs. More bland white and beige colors are present, and the overall garments are more simple (Sternberg 16). Nevertheless, in the closing sequence, as Moana leads the villagers onto a new journey, more bright red and pink colors are incorporated into the clothing. A larger number of accessories can also be observed, with costumes containing colorful seashells, flowers, and other items that signaled the shift from a conservative way of life towards an explorative and open-to-experience pathway. Although the initial sequences also include picturesque colors and bright lightning, their meaning becomes clearer in the closing events, as the clothing is perceived as highly distinct and impressive.

The Meaning of Sound and Lyrics

Similar to other Disney animation movies, Moana incorporates various songs that convey the most crucial elements of the plot and reveal additional information about the characters or the setting. Considering that music significantly impacts the audiences impressions of the motion picture and creates a unique atmosphere that supports the core message, it is essential to consider the score composed for the discussed film (Anjirbag). In line with the overall theme that is centered on the Polynesian culture and customs, songs performed by the characters are mostly traditional, with sequences unique for Polynesian musical performers integrated into the works structures (Tamaira and Fonoti 305). For instance, the opening song of the animated movie is sung in one of the Polynesian languages and is a traditional prayer to the creative force in the native mythology, Tulou Tagaloa (Hyland 1). Although the audience might not be able to recognize the genre and the songs intended meaning, its connection with Polynesian culture is highly obvious and offers an excellent transition into the indigenous world.

Nonetheless, even though the score is engulfed with insights from Polynesian music, the lyrics still represent the worldview of the American creators who worked on Moana. While the unique Polynesian musical elements are evident in the characters songs, the overall patterns are highly resemblant to other songs from Disneys works, continuing the legacy of normative sounds for the general audience (Anjirbag). In this regard, the resulting work combines traditional musical elements and western additions, leading to a confusing mashup of drastically different cultures. As noted before, the opening song is derived from the traditional prayer to a Polynesian deity; the works closing song also contains authentic Polynesian music and integrates references to Polynesian history (Anjirbag). This evidence suggests that the village and its people are represented from a cultural standpoint in terms of music, supported by the auditory experience that creates an impression of the culture as a whole.

In contrast, You are welcome performed by Maui and How far I will go by Moana include only a small number of authentic characteristics. These compositions are similar to A girl worth fighting for and Honor to us all, presented in Mulan, which include mostly Western instruments (Anjirbag). Although inspired by Chinese musical tendencies, these songs do not serve as an instrument of revealing the cultural trades but confirm the expectations of western audiences.

Disney often utilizes songs as a method of defining the characters characteristics. For instance, in Moana, You are welcome positions Maui as a rather comedic character and supports Disneys interpretation which is barely connected to the actual mythology (García de Toro 23). Furthermore, this piece establishes Mauis nature as a person who is proud of his physical strength and attractiveness, the core features of over-exaggerated masculinity. After that, How far I will go is one of Moanas defining moments, revealing her insecurity regarding her life purpose and the father-daughter connection (García de Toro 23). This complication is not addressed in the final song, as Moanas achievement is united with her peoples new goal of exploration. Such information also corroborates that Mauis masculinity is underlined as one of his core features and is contrasted with Moanas dependency on her paternal figure (García de Toro 31). Therefore, even though the studio attempted to gain insights from the Polynesian cosmology and native communities, the influence of the western post-feminist tradition is still highly evident in the characters musical scores.

Final Message: Westernization and Patriarchy

Overall, the textual analysis clarifies that Moana promotes gender biases, projecting a stereotypical representation of women, men, and father-daughter relationships. Although positive aspects exemplify the importance of empowerment, independence, and non-conformity, the final message conveyed through the structure remains rather negative. In Moana, the conflict between the father and the daughter becomes the basis of a young girls journey and the longing to become accepted by the paternal figure. Furthermore, Moanas dependency and indecisiveness are juxtaposed with Mauis hypermasculinity, creating a post-feminist environment where women if forced to overcome the obstacles created by men. This trend supports the Western expectations of gender relationships and is evident in other Disney works (Anjirbag). The ethnic motives that disappear in the characters songs and are replaced by Westernised trends symbolize that the Polynesian culture is reshaped into concepts that can be easily understood by a Western audience. Taking this evidence into account, it is clear that Moana is predominantly influenced by Western ideas and patriarchial concepts.

Conclusion

To conclude, the textual analysis method was implemented in this paper to understand the core notions behind Moana from the perspective of Formalist and Feminist theories. It has been argued that the discussed work contains elements of female empowerment and feminist values, supporting gender equality. Furthermore, authentic aspects of the Polynesian culture are ingrained into this motion picture, celebrating this indigenous community and revealing its unique characteristics. Such structural traits of Moana as cinematography, sound, production, and editing are mostly corresponding with the Polynesian features, establishing an impression of a distinct culture. Nevertheless, improper representation of female and male characters is still evident in the works of Disney Corporation. Gender stereotypes and character representations that align with the Western expectations are highly prevalent, suggesting that Disneys post-feminist tendency is continued in Moana.

Works Cited

Anjirbag, Michelle Anya. Mulan and Moana: Embedded Coloniality and the Search for Authenticity in Disney Animated Film. Social Sciences, vol. 7, no. 11, 2018.

Ola-Koyi, Joseph Bankola. Film Appreciation: A Formalist Approach to Film Analysis and Evaluation. International Journal of Humanitatis Theoreticus, vol. 2, no, 1, 2019, p. 6475.

García de Toro, Cristina. The Spanish Dubbing of Disneys Moana under Gender Eyes. Translation Review, vol. 109, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1735.

Giovanni, Elena Di, and Yves Gambier. Reception Studies and Audiovisual Translation. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2018.

Hollowell, Adam. Chief Tui Makes Way: Moana, Misogyny, and the Possibility of a Profeminist Ethic. Men and Masculinities, 2020, p. 120.

Hyland, Nicola. I Am Not a Princess: Navigating Mana Wahine in Disneys Moana. Performance Paradigm, vol. 15, 2020, p. 722.

Leslie, Carolyn. Island Idols. Custom, Courage and Culture in Disneys Moana: Carolyn Leslie Explores the Groundbreaking Disney Animation that not Only Offers an Active, Relatable Heroine, but Also Engages with the Rich Cultures of the Pacific Islands. Screen Education, no. 86, 2017, pp. 1926.

Martín, Agustina Boumouchakian. Representation of Feminist Heroism in Moana (2016) in the Context of Fourth-Wave Feminism. The University of Baliarica, PhD dissertation.

Pérez-Simón, Andrés. Intertextuality and Autonomous Fictional Worlds in Disney: The Case of Moana (2016). Theatralia, no. 2, 2019, pp. 7282.

Sternberg, Keara. From the Margins to the Frame: Social Identities and a Pan-Pacific Moana. Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 2675. Web.

Streiff, Madeline, and Lauren Dundes. From Shapeshifter to Lava Monster: Gender Stereotypes in Disneys Moana. Social Sciences, vol. 6, no. 3, 2017.

Tamaira, A. M
rata Ketekiri, and Dionne Fonoti. Beyond Paradise? Retelling Pacific Stories in Disneys Moana. The Contemporary Pacific, vol. 30, no. 2, 2018, pp. 297327.

Tamaira, M
rata Ketekiri, et al. Moana by Jared Bush (Review). The Contemporary Pacific, vol. 30, no. 1, 2018, pp. 216234.

Gender inequality is widely discussed in the modern world and inspires the feminist movement to promote its philosophy instead of the idea of male superiority. Functionalists argue that social change in relation to gender roles is impossible since differentiation is the basis for the functioning of society (Croteau & Hoynes, 2019). However, given the criteria which characterize all the transformations occurring in society, one can conclude that feminism has high chances to succeed.

Chapters Review

Chapter 11 provides information on sex, gender, and social phenomena associated with these concepts. First of all, the difference between sex as a purely biological characteristic and gender as a social construct is discussed. Gender expectations are determined by biological sex, culture, and level of interaction, and following them causes a certain reaction of approval or censure in society. Being an exclusively social construct, gender, and its influence on a persons life in society is taught through communication with other people and communities. Since different genders are assigned different expectations, ideological and social inequality arises in sexism and various forms of social order. Gender also affects the allocation of resources both within the family and in economics or politics. Inequality also results in the emergence of gender-based violence and harassment, which has received more and more attention lately. Thus, the chapter explores the relationship between gender and society in different contexts.

Chapter 17 is devoted to social change and various theories of its origin and development. Globalization is discussed separately as a type of large-scale transformation of the modern world, its history, and its impact on various processes and structures. Shifts in demography, including migration processes, have also been identified as the source of social change. Most transformations occur unintentionally and unexpectedly, but the chapter also describes social movements as the engine of intentional social change. They can be aimed at correcting specific problems or phenomena in society, especially those which negatively affect certain groups of people. Social movements involve several organizational measures, which are also described in the chapter.

Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is a result of the unequal distribution of resources in society and of defined gender roles and associated expectations. Thus, women are forced to perform the functions which are assigned to them, even if they have other personal aspirations. However, in the modern world, the spectrum of womens activities is much wider than before, which allows laying the foundation for lasting social change.

Feminism and Social Change

A functionalist perspective that gender inequality has positive reasoning may be incorrect in relation to modern society. Inequality is defined as the unequal distribution of resources among groups of people (Croteau & Hoynes, 2019, p. 111). In particular, regarding gender, inequality implies the privilege of mens social position over women. Ideologically, this situation leads to the emergence and subsequent spread of sexism, which affects the life of society. A functionalist view of genders assumes a differentiation of roles for men and women. Men play an instrumental role as workers and achieve specific goals for financial stability. At the same time, women have an expressive function of providing support for children and the household. Thus, gender roles ensure the familys integrity, defining the range of tasks for each of its members. However, with the advent of capitalism, reality changed, and many women also participated as performers in hired labor. It was this assumption which became the basis for the social movement for womens rights.

The feminist movement challenged the functionalist views of the 1960s and 1970s. Feminism is defined as a philosophy that advocates social, political, and economic equality for women and men (Croteau & Hoynes, 2019, p. 291). As with any other social movement, feminism seeks to achieve social change, which has a number of characteristics. One of the main features is that the changes are continuous but partial. It is implied that they occur throughout history but do not influence fundamental aspects. Another characteristic is that change occurs at different levels, which affect each other. Thus, micro-changes can then turn into global transformations because structures and communities constantly interact. Social movements are often unintentional and stem from the same aspirations of many people. However, there will always be an opposing force which does not want one or another change. Thus, any social initiative can have a significant impact, but it is not always easy to promote it.

A feminist movement aimed at eliminating gender inequalities can produce lasting change. The womens rights movement can change certain parts of society, but it will not influence the characteristics associated with biological sex. Changes are inevitable, as the world changes and the old rules do not always fit the new, but the basis will remain the same. Feminists promote womens equality in many areas, including social, political, and economical. Thus, they can produce global transformation at different levels, interacting, and creating a new system. The movement arose from the desire of many women to claim their rights, which was shaped by many factors. Thus, feminism appeared unintentionally but in response to the needs of a particular group. The movement has many opponents, not only among men but also among women who support traditional social forms. Therefore, the possible changes to which feminism can lead meet all characteristics and can be consolidated in society.

Women have a need for gender equality, which will inevitably lead to social change. However, the scale of transformation is difficult to predict based on the unpredictability of human behavior. The feminist movement unites people in the shared desire and affects different parts of society, which ultimately will allow it to have a significant impact. Capitalist society implies a new social form and new social orders.

Reference

Croteau, D., & Hoynes, W. (2019). Experience Sociology (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill.