Formation

Question 1

Antebellum dresses (symbolic code)

Answer 1

References slavery, subversive because worn by black women
Symbolises how slavery is still a prevalent issue

Question 2

Stereotypical ‘pop’ signifiers

Answer 2

Tight/ revealing costumes
Dance sequences
Lip synching to song

Question 3

Beyonce’s onscreen persona

Answer 3

Makes direct address to audience by gazing directly to audience
Stands in strong, powerful stances in front of groups
Iconic image of her on top of police car

Question 4

Beyonce’s representation

Answer 4

Different representations throughout eg sitting on police car, dressed in historical costumes
Complex identity, more than a simple stereotype

Question 5

Representation of gender

Answer 5

Objectification of women via costumes and suggestive dancing
Contrasted with Beyonce’s strong persona

Question 6

Hall- Representation theory

Answer 6

Challenges traditional inequalities of power by placing a black woman in position of power
Perpetuates a sense of binary opposition between races, supporting notion of ‘otherness’

Question 7

Police car iconography

Answer 7

Symbolises over-policing of black areas

Question 8

Eye level shots

Answer 8

Allows audience to sympathise with black experience

Question 9

Expressive movement eg explicit hand gestures

Answer 9

Signifies defiance and power, struggle to endsystematic racism in the US

Question 10

Deep focus (Everything in shot remains clear)

Answer 10

Emphasises the reality that the black community faces

Question 11

bell hooks- Intersectionality

Answer 11

Large prescence of black women in role of power challenges the idea that race challenges the extent to which women are oppressed

Question 12

Gilroy- Postcolonialism

Answer 12

Challenges the idea that colonial discourses continue to inform contemporary attitudes to race because black people are represented as in power and authority
But does reinforce the idea thta society constructs binary oppositions based on the notion of otherness by having shots of police contrast with that of black people

Question 13

Van Zoonen- Feminist theory

Answer 13

Challenges idea of women being seen as domestic

Question 14

Gauntlett- Identity theory

Answer 14

Reinforces idea that gender representations today are more diverse and complex by shwoing women doing things that are not a typical representation