Theories

Question 1

Propp’s character types theory

Answer 1

All stories share very similar character types who play specific roles in developing the narrative which make it easy for the audiences to understand the story:
- hero
- villain
- dispatcher
- donor
- helper
- princess

Question 2

Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory

Answer 2

Active audiences use the media for different reasons:
- personal identity
- entertainment
- information
- social interaction
- escapism

Question 3

Mulvey’s male gaze theory

Answer 3

Women are represented as sex objects to feed the demand of male audiences.

Women are objectified, particularly in film, because heterosexual men are in control of the camera.

Women are the passive gender while men are the active gender.

Question 4

Alvarado’s racial representation theory

Answer 4

There are 4 themes in racial representations in the media:

Exotic - seen as ‘other’ or strange/unusual
Dangerous - a threat to society
Humorous - removed the threat by making them the butt of the joke
Pitied - deprived groups/victims of natural disasters.